by Aimée Thurlo
Time slipped away from him, and the sun was above the trees when Lucas pulled up in his pickup. His face was grim, and it didn’t take any special talent to know that Lucas disapproved of his brother’s decision to come down here alone. Joshua felt a twinge of remorse, but he had no intention of allowing either Lucas or Gabriel to start running his life.
As Lucas approached, and he saw the concern etched on his brother’s face, Joshua was glad he hadn’t told anyone about Nydia’s run-in with the peddler. That was one concern he could spare his family, though he wasn’t sure how long the secret would remain hidden. He couldn’t assume that no one else had seen the man yesterday.
“I’m finished here, Shadow. There was no need for you to come.”
“I promised Gabriel I would stay with you. You aren’t supposed to be out on your own. And we need to talk before I turn you over to Nydia and leave for my rounds. I’ll be asking questions, like Gabriel, and I need to know what to ask. When I spoke to Gabriel this morning on my cell phone, he asked again that you stop investigating on your own. Otherwise, we’ll all be tripping over each other every time we turn around. If Gabriel or I find out anything, we’ll let you know. But it’s not safe for you to be poking into this.”
“I won’t hide out, or run from this,” Joshua reaffirmed. “Today, I’ll go see the woman as agreed, and also make a stop by Charley’s.” Joshua gestured toward his father’s truck. “I’ll use mine to tow that one and ask Charley if he’ll sell it for us. Any objections?”
Lucas shrugged. “Gabriel will understand, and I have no objections.”
“Thanks.” He knew neither of his brothers paid the slightest attention to the laws that warned about the chindi’s attachment to a dead man’s favorite possessions, but they would agree to sell their father’s vehicle out of respect for Joshua’s beliefs. It was enough.
“On second thought, Tree, let me be the one who tows the truck in later,” Lucas said. “We still don’t know the mood of the townspeople. This is something that may be viewed more favorably if either Gabriel or I take care of it.”
Joshua thought about his options. He suspected Lucas was right, but it still didn’t make it easier to accept the need for someone else to assume a duty he considered his. He nodded once.
Joshua took one last look around. It was time to move on, to find answers and meet whatever the future held.
Joshua drove his own truck directly to Marlee’s, Lucas following all the way. Despite the circumstances, he was glad for the opportunity to spend time with Nydia. He visualized her in his mind. He wanted to remain distant, but the warmth of her gaze and the softness of her voice overcame any barriers he set up. She brought out feelings he’d never had before. Being saddled with a deputy had seemed like a sentence in itself, until he learned it would be Nydia he’d have by his side.
As he reached the door and Nydia opened it, Lucas waved and continued down the road.
“Good morning.” With a casual gesture, she invited Joshua inside. “Has anyone learned anything new since last night?”
“No, it’s much too soon yet. I just wanted to tell you that, if you want me to, I’ll do my best to find another hataalii for your relative. I know we are few these days, but-”
Nydia shook her head. “My mother-in-law has had people searching everywhere within the sacred mountains for another who might know the chant. They’ve all been told that you are the only one, until the day you choose to pass it on to another.” She walked into the kitchen with Joshua. “I was just having breakfast. When’s the last time you ate?”
He saw the flash of concern in her eyes and felt her warmth wrapping itself around him. She glanced back at him, waiting for his reply, and that look was like sunlight shining through dark clouds. “I haven’t eaten since yesterday,” he answered.
“Then we’ll have to fix that.” She checked the refrigerator, then the cupboard. “Marlee said I could help myself to anything here. Scrambled eggs with chili, okay?”
“Sounds fine.” His gaze remained on Nydia, watching the fluidity of her movements as she went from one task to another. As she bent down to retrieve a pan from the bottom cupboard, he felt a flash of heat corkscrew down his body. He glanced away, but he couldn’t resist the temptation she posed and soon looked back. She was so beautiful, so graceful as she moved, totally unaware of what was going through his mind.
Several minutes later, she set a plate of scrambled eggs in front of him. “Would you like something to drink with this? Marlee brewed some really good coffee earlier.”
“No coffee, thanks.” As he ate, Joshua watched her moving about, cleaning up. Desire coiled through him, stronger than he’d ever felt.
“You don’t look like you’re enjoying your food. Did I add too much chili?” Taking a fork from the counter, she took a taste from his plate.
He watched her take the food into her mouth and flick her tongue over her lips. He knew he should let it pass, but he could not.
He stood and swept her against him, savoring her mouth. It was more than a kiss; he’d never imagined such power coming from touching a woman and feeling her respond to him. It was as if he’d found a new world in her arms that waited to be explored.
An eternity later, he released her, knowing that either he stopped right then, or he’d take her on the closest surface.
Nydia was trembling as she took a hesitant step back, staring at him, completely disoriented.
He smiled, glad to know that he’d affected her as strongly as she’d affected him. “I won’t apologize. I’m not sorry, not at all.”
She took a deep breath and gave him a shaky smile. “Neither am I, but don’t do it again. Neither of us can afford to get sidetracked like this.”
Her words brought reality crashing down on him. That heaviness of spirit that had become his companion returned.
“I want to help you find your father’s killer,” she said, her voice firm, though her hands trembled. “We both have a vested interest in this.”
He nodded slowly. “My ways of working to find out the truth are not based on police procedure-that’s Gabriel’s job. What I can do is use my own strengths, my knowledge about people. For example, I can usually tell when someone’s holding something back, and even when a person is lying.”
“I have skills, too, which will be useful. Anthropology is a science that teaches discernment. I can help you by applying what I’ve learned in my work. I’m very good at talking and listening to people, that’s part of my business. And I excel at sifting important facts from feelings and gossip that can’t be substantiated. I can help you make sure that gossip and rumors don’t win.”
He weighed her offer carefully. They had worked well together yesterday. In many ways, their skills complemented each other. It was almost as though it was destined to be. More important, he was in no position to turn down her help. She was the only one not trying to keep him out of the investigation—not trying to prevent him from doing what he felt called to do. Even more than that, she was offering her help. Truly their fates were bound together.
The situation, too, was far more complex than his personal wish to find his father’s killer and clear his name. He was honor bound by his chosen path to find a way to help her father-in-law. And even more important, her young son’s involvement concerned him. A youngster who was interested in the ways of a hataalii was a rare treasure these days. For the sake of the People, he couldn’t afford to fail this family.
He thought of the song that had been entrusted to him. It was such a powerful prayer that it couldn’t even be said twice on the same day. He’d mastered it for the sole purpose of helping those in need. Now, he was failing to live up to the trust his teacher had placed in him. He wouldn’t accept such failure.
“We’ll work together,” he said at last, “but you better understand that Gabriel won’t thank either one of us for it. Depending on his mood, in fact, he may try to toss us both in jail for obstruction.”
“One of my best
traits is that I never take ‘no’ or ‘get lost’ for an answer.”
Joshua smiled. Nydia couldn’t have come into his life at a worse time, but he was glad to have her on his side. She was irresistible.
“Let’s start at Rosa’s grocery store,” he said. “Everyone goes there. It’s Sunday, but she’s open noon to four. She feels she has to open every day since she’s the only food store in town.”
Joshua parked in his usual spot in the alley and entered
the grocery store through the side door. Rosa was behind
the counter speaking to Sally, who ran the diner. Both women stopped speaking abruptly the moment they saw him. It didn’t take a genius to guess that he was as welcome as the plague.
“Ladies,” he greeted quietly.
Rosa’s face became pinched looking, and Sally refused to look directly at him. “I’m really surprised to see you here,” Rosa said at last. “We’ve all heard about the…problem you’re having. Everyone really respected your father, you know.”
“A death is never easy to accept,” he said, avoiding mentioning his father directly, as was Navajo custom.
He was aware of the way Sally watched him, as if studying a frog she knew was about to jump. “I’m sorry about what happened to your family. If there’s anything Gabriel needs, tell him not to hesitate to ask. I owe him one. I won’t forget what he did for my boy.”
“What better way to repay the sheriff than by helping his brother?” Nydia suggested. “Could you answer a few questions for us now?”
Sally’s eyebrows lifted. “I remember you from a few months ago. You’re the anthropologist studying the tribes of New Mexico. What’s your involvement in this?”
Nydia hesitated. She hated to share personal information with a stranger, but a personal approach could generate goodwill and help her far more than explaining she’d been deputized.
After describing the reason she’d sought Joshua’s help, Nydia added, “Now will you help us?”
“I was serving customers here in town when…it happened. How can anything I know possibly help you?” Sally said.
“A very mud-splattered, dark-colored truck came through town last night. Is it possible you were working in the diner after you closed and saw it passing by?”
“How late?”
“Nine, or shortly afterward.”
“Well, I was in the kitchen about that time, but my attention was on cleaning up. To be honest, between that and all the pans rattling in the dishwasher, I doubt anything except a bomb could get my attention.”
Darren Wilson, the owner of the feed store, came in just then. As he saw Joshua, his smile froze on his face and he stopped in midstride. “Seems to me, Joshua, you’d have more-important things to do today than buy groceries-like maybe turn yourself in?”
Joshua stared at the man he’d known for years but who had suddenly turned into a stranger. “I met with the authorities last night. Until this is cleared up, they’ve asked me to remain in police custody.” He glanced at Nydia, then back at Darren. “This woman has been sworn in and deputized.”
Darren gave Nydia a skeptical look. “Like she’s going to be able to stop you from escaping?”
“He’s here, isn’t he?” Nydia replied. “Or are you questioning my character?”
“Ma’am, all I know about you is that you’re an anthropologist. If you’re trying to study murderers among the
Navajo, then I guess you’re in the right place.”
“The evidence the police found proves there was someone else there where the murder occurred. I’m being framed by the real killer,” Joshua said flatly.
“I don’t interpret things that way, and neither do some other people. I was at the mayor’s house this morning attending an emergency town-council meeting. I know Bob
Burns has asked the state police to provide a special investigator to handle the murder. Jake Fields also gave us an interesting perspective on the crime. He told us about the legends of your people. Skinwalkers do some pretty crazy things to gain power, and let’s face it, no one had a better opportunity than you. If anyone but your brother was handling the case, you would be in jail now, not traipsing around town with a pretty, untrained deputy.”
“I think you should let the police and courts decide how to interpret the evidence,” Nydia said brusquely. “Of course, you could try to make a citizen’s arrest, if you have evidence you’ve been withholding from the authorities.” She glanced at Joshua, then back at Darren. “It doesn’t look like your ‘suspect’ is making any attempt to flee,” she added as if as an afterthought.
Joshua met Darren’s gaze and noted with satisfaction that the man flinched. “I didn’t kill anyone, but the murderer is almost certainly somewhere in this community. He won’t be able to hide forever, and he won’t escape justice. My brothers and I will see to that.”
“Brave words for a man whose profession is to play mind games,” said Bill Riley, the trucker who brought in supplies to Four Winds, stepping out from behind some shelves. “You say you want justice, but so do a lot of other people in this town. Your father was highly regarded here. We won’t let his death go unpunished.”
“Are you making threats?” Gabriel asked, sauntering into the store and taking the situation in at a glance. There was an innate confidence about him that made Riley and Wilson take a prudent step back.
“No threat, Sheriff, more like a prediction. Your father was sheriff here for many years, and we intend to help you catch whoever murdered him.”
Gabriel nodded with a deceptively casual air. “I’m glad to hear it. No one wants this solved more than me and my family. I trust you’ll cooperate fully with the police on this. In case you haven’t heard, as soon as the state police can spare him, a detective will be sent here from Santa Fe. He’ll be taking over responsibility for the case, although I’ll still be assisting. If you really want to help, you can start by asking yourselves who might have had a grudge against my father and our family.”
“Your family?” Rosa asked, then nodded thoughtfully. “That’s assuming someone intended to frame Joshua for killing your father. But what if your theory is wrong? Maybe the answer is a lot simpler than that.”
Gabriel’s gaze was rock hard. “I’ll find the truth, wherever ever it leads.” Gabriel glanced at Joshua, and gestured toward the side door.
Once they were out in the alleyway, Gabriel glowered at his brother. “Damn it, Tree, you’re only making things worse. I asked you not to meddle in this investigation. You’re as unsuited to police work as I would be to giving a blessingway ceremony.”
“The law is your business, Sheriff,” Nydia snapped, “but the man who was murdered was as much Joshua’s father as yours.” Her voice trembled with anger. “Even more to the point, you can’t refuse a man the right to clear his name.”
Gabriel stared at her in surprise. “So, he’s roped you into helping him?”
“Nobody ever coerces me into anything, Sheriff. I’m doing what I have to do, and you already know my reasons. And there’s something else you should be aware of. I’ve studied people and I’ve dealt with all kinds, but there’s something very wrong in this town. People who have known your brother for years are awfully quick to believe the worst of him, that he’s a killer. My guess is that someone’s fanning the flames, stirring up the fears that come from half truths and superstition.”
Gabriel glanced at his brother. “She’s right. I’ve noticed that myself, but I haven’t found out yet who’s behind it. If you insist on coming into town, you’ll have to stay on your guard.” He looked over at Nydia. “There’s no animosity against you—yet, so you may be able to help me with something. Go talk to Ralph Montoya. He covered the meeting at Mayor Burns’s house this morning for his newspaper. I’ve noticed that when you argue your points, you rely on logic, not emotions. He’ll respect that. If you can make Ralph see that the law needs to handle this, he might decide to use his newspaper to help calm people down. Without his backing,
I have a feeling Four Winds could become a powder keg with a very short fuse.”
“Just point me in the right direction, Sheriff. I’ll take care of it,” Nydia said.
“I’ll go with her,” Joshua said. “Ralph has known our family for years. I can’t believe he would think me capable of a crime like this.”
Gabriel’s expression was doubtful, but he nodded his assent. “Don’t assume anything, Tree. Four Winds has always been an unpredictable town.”
Joshua fell silent as he led the way toward the newspaper office. Nydia didn’t say a word until she saw the wooden sign announcing the town’s paper, the Last Word. “It would really help if you could give me a handle on this man. The right approach is important.”
“I hate the idea of manipulating anyone,” Joshua replied. “Just tell him what we’re here for.”
“I intend to do that, but if he’s already made up his mind against you, or even if he’s convinced he should write an inflammatory article screaming for justice, I’m going to have to do my best to change his mind. Knowing a little about him would really help.”
“I can tell you that he’s a man who operates by his own rules and moral principles. That’s why he’s here running his own paper instead of pursuing a high-profile career elsewhere, which he apparently did at one time. When Ralph goes after a story, he pulls out all the stops, don’t get me wrong. But he also knows when to pull back and bide his time, like when my sister-in-law had that skinwalker bowl.”
“Thanks. Knowing that should help.”
Nydia walked into Montoya’s office. In comparison, the tribal newspaper offices were huge.
Joshua introduced Nydia, and Ralph waved them to the seats in front of his desk.
“I can guess why you’re here,” he said. “You want to know what happened this morning, and what stand the paper’s going to take.” Seeing them nod, he leaned back in his chair and regarded them for several seconds. “I don’t believe in vigilante justice or inciting the public. My article will call for justice, but it’ll call for fairness and caution, too. I intend to remind everyone how Four Winds became the town it is, and of your family’s connection to our history.”