by Aimée Thurlo
Ellen smiled. “You mean did anyone think about ripping off any of the explosives?”
Nydia smiled back. “Yeah.”
Ellen looked pleased. “I remember a conversation my sister had on the phone back then. She didn’t know I was standing in the hall, listening. I remember her saying that some seniors had broken into the contractor’s trailer and found something to help start out New Year’s with a real blast. That was just before winter break. I kept my ears open to hear what exactly they had in mind, but I never heard about it if anything ever happened.”
“Did you ever find out who had taken the explosives, or ask your sister about it?”
“I did ask her, on New Year’s Day, but she got really angry with me and we ended up arguing about her right to privacy, and junk like that.”
As Joshua approached, the group said goodbye, then drifted back toward the main building, giving him curious glances but a wide berth. “I think you must have made progress,” Joshua said as he reached Nydia. “They’re still guarded, but their eyes are now filled with more questions than judgments.”
“Maybe they’ll carry some of that open-mindedness back to their parents,” Nydia said, then filled him in as they returned to the truck. “What about you, how did you fare?”
“I only got to speak to the principal briefly. He acknowledged a rumor that some blasting caps had been stolen, but then told me that the contractor had denied any losses. He wasn’t sure if the man was telling the truth or covering his tail, but when there was no further trouble, he let it drop.”
“We should track down that contractor and see if he’ll speak to us.”
“He will. His name is Ricky Miller and, fortunately, I know him well. He was a few years behind me in high school, so we didn’t become friends until much later in our lives, but I’ve helped him out a few times. If nothing else, he owes me.”
“We’ll see how he feels about repaying debts.” She wondered how much more rejection Joshua could take. Even a strong man had his limits. As she looked at him, she noticed his face was set, a portrait of determination. He’d bear up, no matter what happened, but the price it would continue to inflict on his spirit made her ache everywhere.
She placed her hand on his shoulder. The gesture had been meant to be reassuring, but the impact of that touch went through both of them like a jolt of lightning. Feeling the shudder that traveled through him, she reluctantly drew her hand back. Desire taunted them, remaining just beneath the surface of everything they thought and everything they did.
THEY ARRIVED at the Miller Construction office ten minutes later. The title seemed lofty, considering it was nothing more than a trailer parked in the middle of a fenced-in vacant lot.
“Some firm,” she muttered.
“When he’s got a contract, he hires townspeople who need work, and rents whatever equipment he doesn’t have. He keeps the overhead low.”
“Does he get enough jobs to stay afloat?”
“He’s no millionaire but, like most people here in Four Winds, he always seems to earn enough to fill his needs.”
As they parked near the front door, a short and rather portly man came out the door and invited them in with a casual wave of his hand.
“Come on in and bring your lady friend,” he said. “It’s good to see you. I’ve been hearing some crazy things in town lately. If you ask me, people are acting really stupid. Anyone who knows you realizes you couldn’t have hurt your father.”
“Thanks for believing in me,” Joshua said.
“Hey, I know you and what drives you. You really care about people. Remember when you helped me after my parents divorced and moved away? I’d just turned eighteen and decided to stay on my own, but I didn’t have a dime to my name.” He glanced at Nydia and explained. “I was living in an old van, and the only family I had left was that mutt over there,” he said, pointing to a yellow mixed breed that was lying in the corner. “He was just a pup then, and so sick he wouldn’t eat. I figured he was a goner, but then Tree came by, fixed some herbs and gave them to Tiger. The next day he perked up, started eating. After that, he was fine.” He met Joshua’s gaze. “I’ll never be able to thank you enough for that.” He glanced over at Nydia then back at Joshua. “A guy who would do something like that for someone he didn’t really know and not even expecting to be paid isn’t the sort who’s callous enough to take the life of someone he loves.”
The dog got up, stretched, then came over and nosed Joshua’s hand, asking to be petted. Joshua complied and spoke softly to the animal.
“Tiger’s getting up in years, but he still goes everywhere I go,” Miller said.
Nydia smiled as the dog came over and licked her hand, then went back to lie on its blanket.
“Now, tell me what I can do for you,” Miller said. “Whatever you guys need, if I have it, it’s yours.”
Joshua explained what had led them to him. “I need the whole story. Were there any blasting caps stolen?”
Miller leaned back in his chair, regarded them thoughtfully, then finally nodded. “Yeah. I denied it at the time, because I assumed one of the local workers had been responsible and I didn’t want to have to fire anyone. There’s a certain amount of theft that goes on at any site, and I’ve learned to expect it. Also, to be honest, since the job site happened to be a high school, reporting it would have meant a lot of bad publicity for me. I really couldn’t afford
that, so I covered the loss with some creative bookkeeping.”
“Can you tell me what brand of blasting caps you were using?” Joshua asked.
“Not offhand, but give me a minute.” He walked to a file cabinet set against the wall, and pulled out an old, worn manila folder. “Here it is.” He sorted through it and pulled out a sheet. made a copy and handed it to Joshua. “That shows what was taken and when. It’s a complete list. If
that information gets out, it could hurt me business-wise, so I trust you to use it wisely.”
Joshua stood up. “I will. Before I go, may I use your phone?”
Miller waved at the one on his desk. “I’ll step outside and give you some privacy. It’s time for Tiger to go out and stretch his legs anyway.”
Nydia accompanied Miller, curious about the man. “How can you keep a contractor’s business going in a community this small? It must be an uphill battle.”
“It sounds crazy, but the truth is that whenever I’ve needed a job to come in, one has. Maybe it’s Four Winds and that touch of magic people say protects the town.”
“Do you really believe that?”
He hesitated. “I don’t know, but I can tell you thissometimes it’s the only answer that makes sense.”
Joshua came out of the trailer, and thanked his friend, then walked with Nydia to the truck.
“Who did you call? Gabriel?”
He nodded. “I found out something interesting. The missing blasting caps match the brand used on the bomb found at my brother’s house.”
“Do you think it’s possible that a high-school kid or a former high-school kid is behind all this?”
He shrugged. “How much do you remember about the mayor’s son and the part he played in the theft of the skinwalker bowl?”
“According to Gabriel and Lanie, the boy was working for the person who wanted it, and died as a consequence of their conspiracy.”
“That boy was trouble. He was responsible for the destruction of the old library. He also blew up a barn at the edge of town.”
“But he’s dead. He can’t be a suspect.”
“His best friend was Peter, the son of the diner’s owner. He’s the one who showed up first to help when Gabriel’s house was wired to blow, remember? I’d like to talk to that boy. He may know something that could help us.”
“Where to?”
“The diner. He works there. But I have to tell you, unless Sally gives us permission to talk to him, we won’t get anywhere. They became really close after that mess with the skinwalker bowl. In that way, Fou
r Winds came through for them. Their relationship is one good thing that came out of that tragedy.”
“You realize that it’ll be only about one o’clock by the time we get back into town. You’ll probably be walking in on the lunch crowd,” Nydia warned.
“You don’t approve?”
“Let’s just say I don’t think it’s wise to act that publicly. Besides, I can think of something else we need to do. It’s time you and I took a closer look at that troublemaker Alex. Let’s find out where he goes, what he does and who he sees.”
“There’s a pair of binoculars in the back,” Joshua said. “I use them when I help the county keep an eye out for fires during the dry seasons. I’ll call Ralph and try to find out where Alex is now, then we’ll pick a spot to keep watch from a distance.”
They stopped to use the phone booth at the back of Charley’s gas station. Nydia kept a sharp lookout for anyone who might be following them. Though she hadn’t said anything to Joshua about it, she could feel trouble brewing like a tangible presence in the air.
She glanced back at the rug that lay folded in the rear bench. She stared at it for several seconds, wondering if another warning would ensue, but the voice was silent now.
“I spoke to Ralph and heard Alex in the background,” Joshua said, returning, “so I didn’t have to ask where he was. Let’s drive up the hill behind the library. We can keep watch over the newspaper office and most of Main Street from there without any problem. And if we have to come in for a closer look, it’ll be a snap. We can be right on him within a few minutes.”
“Sounds good. Let’s do it,” Nydia said.
“You’re very tense, as if you’re expecting trouble. What’s going on? Have you heard the voice?”
“No. If I had, I would have told you. It’s been silent for a while, come to think of it. Maybe it’s given us all the help it’s going to.”
“It’s also possible the spirit of the weaver is waiting for a sign from us that we intend to repay the debt by ending the legacy of the rug.”
“If you want me to turn it over to you so you can destroy
it, I won’t. It belongs to the People.”
“I don’t have to destroy it, but it will need to have an imperfection worked into its design.”
“Its beauty is in its perfection, don’t you see? Changing that is like defacing a beautiful work of art, or a piece of fine craftsmanship.”
He exhaled softly. “The decision is yours. I won’t pressure you. But if it wasn’t because of the voice, why are you so tense?”
“I’m just thinking that if anything happens while we’re
in town today, you’ll be giving the mayor more reason to dispute Gabriel’s handling of the case, as well as putting yourself in jeopardy.”
“Always so logical,” Joshua murmured as he pulled to a stop. Shifting, he turned to face her. “Haven’t you learned yet that I can take care of myself?” He brushed his knuckles against her cheek gently.
His touch set her senses on fire. No matter how she tried
to deny it, there was something so very right about their being together. It was as if she’d come face-to-face with a destiny she was meant to fulfill.
Nydia pushed the thought aside and got busy with their plan. There were other matters to attend to right now. Refusing to let anything cloud her thinking, she took the first watch on the newspaper office.
“Alex and Ralph are coming out,” she said after about half an hour. She offered the binoculars to Joshua.
“Looks like they’re going over to the bank,” he said. “No, they kept walking. They’re going to the feed store. And there’s Darren Wilson and some others waiting. Looks like another meeting.”
“We’ve got to get closer. We shouldn’t miss this opportunity.”
Leaving the truck, they walked quickly into town, circling around to the back of the feed store. They were hiding behind a giant trash bin near the rear entrance when the sound of angry voices reached them. Nydia recognized the speakers easily.
“You can’t continue to bury your head in the sand, Ralph,” Darren Wilson said. “You’re trying to stay on the fence, and it isn’t helping anyone.”
“I report the news, that’s it. You’re not going to use my paper as a propaganda machine for your unsupported accusations. Forget it.”
“You wouldn’t have to take a stand, if that’s what worries you,” Alex said. “I could write the pieces as editorials and use my own byline.”
“If I allow you to do that, you’d bring down the standard I’ve set up for my paper. Editorials carry a certain amount of responsibility with them. I won’t allow you to present a one-sided view of what’s happened just so you can sway people over to your opinion. Not when it hurts innocent people.”
“Come to one of our meetings,” Darren said. “Hear all
the arguments for yourself, then make a decision. Our sheriff is a good man, and right now he needs help. He’s being duped by his brother and that woman. It’s up to us to see to it that justice doesn’t slip out of his grasp.”
“Spare me the sanctimonious tripe. You want to convict a man without benefit of a jury or trial.”
“You’re wrong. We have to keep an eye on the Blackhorse brothers, for their own sake. It’s obvious to most of us that Joshua killed his father and then tried to kill the sheriff and his wife with a bomb. Left free to operate, he may succeed next time. We watch out for our own here, and you know it. What we’re doing is paying our dues to Four Winds by making sure a killer is caught and punished.”
“I’ll come to one of your meetings, but don’t expect me
to turn what I hear into an indictment of Joshua Blackhorse.”
“Listen, then make up your mind,” Alex pressed. “And
my offer still stands. I’ll write the editorial, if you have
problems bringing yourself to do it.”
Joshua signaled Nydia, then they crept away from the alley until they reached the library garden, where no one was around. “You were right to zero in on Alex. Private meetings like the ones they were talking about, are meant to incite people. And the way Alex is talking, he’s going to make sure the piece he wants to write runs in that paper, even if he has to sneak it past Ralph.”
“It would be great to eavesdrop on one of those meetings, but it’s way too risky for us. There’s no telling what would happen if we were caught. We’ll just have to rely on Ralph to let us know if things are getting out of hand. But let’s not worry about that now. It’s time to go see Sally and talk to her son. Peter may give us the edge we need to solve this case before things reach the boiling point in Four Winds.”
Chapter Sixteen
The lunch crowd was mostly gone by the time they stepped through the diner’s entrance. Sally stood at the counter, wiping it down with a wet washcloth.
Seeing them, she smiled. “You two hungry? We made some of my special pot pies today.”
Joshua nodded. “That sounds great. Bring us two.” As Sally left, he looked at Nydia. “We might as well have something to eat while we’re here. It’ll also help set the tone so she’ll be more relaxed while we talk to her.”
A short while later, Sally returned to the counter and set full plates before them. “I use fresh red and green chilies in my recipes. People seem to really notice the difference around here.”
Nydia took a bite. “It’s wonderful.”
“You take your time, and if anyone comes in and hassles you, let me handle it. This is my property, and you’re both welcome here.”
“I appreciate that,” Joshua answered. “Not many people feel the way you do right now.”
Sally nodded, leaning heavily on the counter. “Yeah, I know. I’ve heard all the talk. It’s pathetic, if you ask me. Most are saying that the sheriff’s not doing enough, but then they blame you for trying to look into it yourself. Have you two come up with anything that will put an end to all this?”
Joshua shook his head, “Nothing definite
, but we have one lead, and there, you might be able to help us. I’d like to ask Peter a few questions about Ted Burns.”
Sally’s expression changed dramatically. The sympathy and understanding etched there disappeared abruptly, replaced by fear. “Please don’t drag all that up again. That was a very difficult time for my son and for me. There’s still a lot of pain buried back there.”
“I know,” Joshua said gently, “but it’s your son’s knowledge of Ted and his habits that could give us the lead we desperately need.”
Sally exhaled softly. “All right. I owe your brother big time, so this is one way to pay him back. Come with me. Pete’s doing the pots and pans.”
As they entered the kitchen carrying their plates, Peter looked up. His eyes grew wide, sensing trouble.
“Whatever it is, I didn’t do it,” he said.
“Relax, nephew,” Joshua said. “Nobody’s accusing you of anything.”
Nydia’s heart went out to the boy. He was young, but from the stories she’d heard, he’d had to do quite a bit of growing up in a very short time. She put her plate down on the counter and prepared to eat lunch, hoping that would normalize the mood.
“We need to know more about Ted Burns,” Joshua said.
Peter threw up his hands. “Nobody will ever really let me forget that. It doesn’t matter how hard I try to prove myself.”
“Relax!” Nydia’s tone was sharp and held an unmistakable commanding air. It was a tactic that usually worked with her own son, and she was glad to see that it had worked on Peter, too. Startled, he’d lost some of his posturing. “We trust you. All we want is to pick your brain for a while. It’s your knowledge we need most,” she said, appealing to his ego.
“My knowledge…you mean about Ted and what he was like?”
“Exactly,” Nydia said. She made a show of turning her attention back to her meal.
“What do you want to know?”
Joshua met the boy’s gaze. “Where do you think he got the explosives he used to bring down the library and barn?”