Ella nodded, then bracing herself, added, “Teeny, we need to borrow some of your equipment. It’s better than what we have in the department.”
TWENTY-TWO
Ella arrived home late, and, though exhausted, she doubted she’d get much sleep tonight. As she sat at the dining table alone, sipping a hot cup of her mother’s special herbal tea, she could just make out Rose’s voice speaking softly with Herman in the next room.
Although it was close to midnight and well past her mother’s usual bedtime, Rose joined Ella moments later. “Your daughter called earlier. She wants to stay with her father a few extra days. I told her you’d be home late, but that I’d ask.”
The fact that Dawn didn’t seem to be at all homesick niggled at Ella. Sensing that, Rose smiled.
“You were the same way. You loved whatever was new and different. Something in you needed adventure.”
Ella smiled, remembering their many arguments. As far as Ella could remember, she’d always welcomed any excuse to leave the Rez. Where she went hadn’t been nearly as important to her as the chance to explore unfamiliar ground.
“Your daughter needs you to make the right decision for her, even if she doesn’t like what you decide,” Rose said softly. “That’s all part of being her mom.”
“I’m not sure what’s right anymore—for her, or me,” Ella said, running a hand through her hair.
“Many Navajos grow up away from our Sacred Mountains. There are more opportunities on the outside. But a lot of our young people end up getting lost outside our borders. They learn Anglo ways, and soon start thinking of themselves as Anglo,” Rose said. “Eventually, they find out the hard way that no matter how well they speak, or how they dress, they’ll never quite belong. Only then do they try to reconnect with the tribe. But by that time, they often find they don’t feel at home here either. The end result is that they belong nowhere, and they spend their lives trying to understand why.”
“Jobs are few and far between here. My daughter will need all the advantages she can get to find her own way in the world. This will always be her home, but her future may lie outside our borders.”
“Our tribe makes us rich in ways that the outside world can’t even begin to understand. What else do you want for her? A big bank account? At the end of the day, what comfort is there in that?”
“I want her to have it all, Mom—a future where she’ll never have to worry about money, and the strength that comes from family. I just don’t know how to make sure she gets that. I received an e-mail from a representative of the security firm and they want to fly me to Washington and see their operation for myself. I told him I’d be giving him a call in a few days to at least discuss the job offer.”
She’d expected her mother to argue, or maybe even get mad, but instead, Rose leaned back in her chair and regarded her thoughtfully. “You’re worried about how this would change all of our lives. Am I right?”
When Ella didn’t answer, Rose stood up. “We’re both tired. Let’s get some sleep. There’s always tomorrow.”
“Before you go, how’s your husband?” Ella asked her.
Rose’s expression became guarded. “He hasn’t said anything to me yet. If he doesn’t soon, I’ll have to convince him that I need to know what’s going on. I can deal with whatever it is, but not knowing . . .”
“Is the worst,” Ella agreed, then hugged her mother tightly. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too, daughter.”
Ella watched her mother go down the hall, then stood and rinsed out her cup in the sink. Leaving her pistol and gear in its usual place, she went to her room. Ella checked for e-mails from Dawn and finding none, checked her phone messages. There was one call. Listening to her daughter’s excited voice telling her all about her day, Ella smiled. Life was a lot less complicated when you were ten years old.
Too tired to undress, Ella lay back on the bed, closed her eyes and soon drifted off to a restless sleep.
Ella woke up before sunrise, bathed in sweat. She’d dreamed of a barren canyon covered with blood. Death had been everywhere, consuming the land, dogging her footsteps.
She got up slowly. An Earthway Sing was said to counteract bad dreams involving the land, but her nightmares were the price of spilt blood. She’d need to have an Enemy Way done first, and an Earthway later.
Sometime during the past several years she’d moved closer to her mother’s Traditionalist beliefs. Though she was still a skeptic, Ella couldn’t argue with results. Over time, she’d stopped trying to explain why certain things attributed to The Way actually worked. Knowing that they did was enough.
Ella made herself a quick breakfast, scrambling some fresh eggs and pouring some of her mother’s perfectly seasoned chile sauce over them. It was fast, but indescribably delicious. After filling a thermos with coffee, she set out.
By the time she walked inside the station shortly after seven, Blalock was already there, and to her surprise, so were Teeny and Ford.
“Why did you guys leave the compound before we had things in place?” Ella demanded, glaring at Teeny, then looking at Ford.
“We took precautions, but I wanted to send the message that the tide has turned,” Ford responded. “They should be afraid of me, not vice-versa.”
“You should have waited,” Ella argued. “But it’s too late now. Let’s go see Big Ed.”
Ella gathered Neskahi, Justine, and Anna, and they all went to the chief’s office. Marianna was on surveillance duty.
Once inside Big Ed’s office, Ella gave him the highlights of their plan, which included Ford paying Dr. Lee a visit and goading her into action. “I admit it’s extremely dangerous. Too many things can go wrong, like Reverend Tome getting killed before we can intervene. But things are coming to a head. We can’t interfere with tribal plans to install the reactor bottle, and if we arrest the players we know about, others could slip through our fingers with whatever explosives and resources they’ve gathered. Ford’s plan is our best option,” she concluded.
“But you’ll be keeping Reverend Tome under tight surveillance?” Big Ed asked.
“Absolutely,” Ella answered. “What we need to decide now is where he’ll go after his meeting. That’s when he’ll be the most vulnerable. We have to find a secure place, a location that’ll seem natural for him to go to but won’t endanger anyone else. It can’t be his church, or the campus, for example.”
“I’ve been giving that some thought,” Teeny said quietly. “Your home is the perfect place. Your daughter’s visiting her father, right?”
“Yes, but my mom and Herman are there,” Ella answered.
“How about getting them out of the house for the day?” Blalock said. “Officers could pass themselves off as your mother and stepfather, and guard Ford from inside as well as out. It’ll look perfectly natural to anyone watching and give him maximum protection.”
Ella considered it, then nodded. “That sounds good, but I’ll have to talk to my mom. It’s her house.”
“Do it now, Shorty. We’ll wait for you,” Big Ed said.
Ella stepped out of the office, and walked down the hall. After deciding how best to broach the subject, she called Rose. “Mom, what are you plans for today?”
“Why? What’s on your mind?”
Ella sighed. Had she honestly believed that Rose wouldn’t know something was going on? “Mom, I need your help,” she said at last. “Is there someplace you and your husband can go to spend the day?”
“We’ve already decided to do just that. It’s such a beautiful day, my husband and I are going to drive to Navajo Mountain. On the southern slope, near the top, are some black rocks that form a circle. That’s where Monster Slayer was born. Offerings can be made at the sacred spring by there. Afterwards, I was thinking we could spend the night in Page, then return tomorrow afternoon.”
“The car ride will give you hours to talk. That’s a good idea, Mom,” Ella said.
“And the offering will give m
y husband strength to face whatever’s disturbing him,” Rose said. “We’ll be leaving in about a half hour.”
After getting her mother’s permission, Ella returned to Big Ed’s office. “It’s set. We can use my mother’s home. Joe, you have Herman’s general build so you’ll take on his identity. He’s been spending a lot of time outside lately, messing with the cars and doing chores. That’ll give you the opportunity to watch the property. Justine, you’re closest to Mom’s size, and you’re most familiar with her habits and mannerisms. Go outside once in a while, but not beyond the garden. Your job will be to stick close to Ford once he arrives.”
“You’ve got it,” Justine said. “Where will you be?”
“I’ll be positioned on the mesa behind the house. I can keep watch on the arroyo from there. That’s the best way of sneaking up on the house. But heads-up, people. If they strike, it’ll be fast, and if they use a sniper, he’ll be likely to make another long-range attempt. Never stand still in a place where you present a sight picture. That includes you, Ford.”
“I’ll direct the watch on the suspects—those we can locate,” Blalock added.
“Okay, then down to another detail,” Ford said. “Shall I make the initial call from here using my cell phone? I know you’ll all want to hear firsthand, and I could put it on the speaker, but I’d recommend against that. People can always tell.”
“No need,” Teeny said. “I can place a small recording device on your phone. We’ll have the conversation on record then, and there’ll be no telltale sounds.”
After Teeny had the recorder in place, Ford called Dr. Lee’s office on campus. The professor picked up on the first ring.
“This is Reverend Tome, Dr. Lee. I’d like to meet with you this morning to discuss a matter of interest to both of us.”
While Ford listened, Ella bit her bottom lip, wishing they’d used the speaker anyway.
“All right, the faculty break room in an hour it is, though I would have preferred someplace more private, considering what I have to say.” He listened again. “It’s entirely your choice. I’ll see you soon.”
He hung up, then looked at the others. “She doesn’t trust me, that much was clear. That’s why she insisted on a public place. I could have argued, but I think that would have been a mistake.”
“Once you start telling her why you’re there, she may regret her decision and opt to take you elsewhere, like maybe her office,” Ella said. “But stay on campus, whatever you do.”
The remaining details were worked out quickly, and Ford left to meet with Dr. Lee. Teeny and Ella followed him at a distance. They’d be monitoring the microphone Ford was carrying. Despite their careful planning, Ella felt her stomach tying itself into knots.
“We’ve got him covered, Ella. Stop worrying,” Teeny said.
“This group has had us running in circles for a while. I don’t trust them to act in the way we would expect. They’re unpredictable—and that’s what makes them so dangerous.”
“We’re even more dangerous,” Teeny answered.
“True,” Ella said and smiled.
Finally on campus after thirty minutes, they parked and waited. Soon Ford’s voice came over the monitor’s speaker.
“Dr. Lee, I’m glad we were able to get together.”
“I was surprised to hear from you, but I am intrigued, Reverend Tome. What’s on your mind?” Dr. Lee asked casually.
“Everyone in the community knows that there’ve been at least two attempts on my life. Although I should have probably left the investigating to the police, I got involved because I needed to understand why I’d become a target.”
“I would have done the same thing,” she admitted.
“Before I became a minister, I worked for the government, creating psychological profiles for persons of interest—frankly, political and environmental activists with extremist views. Using avenues that were still open to me, I looked into the backgrounds of people I’ve had contact with lately. You got my attention almost immediately.”
“Me? Why?”
“I’ve learned about your opposition to nuclear power in its many forms—including our new tribal facility. I also noticed that now when the plant’s about to become operational, you’ve abruptly stopped protesting. To me, that sends up a huge red flag. If it meant so much to you, why stop now? Taking that a step further, I’ve wondered if you’ve become involved in something far bigger than you bargained for—one that you must now keep secret at all costs.”
“That’s quite an imagination you have, but there are flaws in your logic. If, as you suggested, I’m against the power plant, why would I have wasted my energy attacking you and not the plant?” Dr. Lee asked in a pleasant voice.
“Because it’s an ideal way to keep the cops distracted. It’ll also draw manpower while something of greater importance is taking place—maybe a move directly against the Hogback facility.”
Ford waited, but Dr. Lee said nothing.
“I’m not out to condemn you, Professor, nor do I doubt the sincerity of your concerns against nuclear power. I’m here as a minister, hoping you’ll see the danger you present to yourself and others by choosing a path of violence. Ask God to forgive you, and choose peace. I assure you it’s not too late.”
Dr. Lee cleared her throat. “Your suppositions are way off base, Reverend. As I’ve said before, I’ve given up fighting the power plant because it’s a lost cause. I’m now focused on a mission that’ll bring about real change—women’s rights.”
“My theory’s on the mark, Professor. We both know it. Others charged with protecting our nation’s utilities will soon come up with the same idea, too, if they haven’t already done so. If you know anything about any threats against Tsétaak’á Generating Plant, you have to go to the police now. That’s your only way out. The government has a lot of latitude these days regarding the ways they investigate acts of terrorism. You don’t want to go down that road.”
“This has been fascinating, but I have to go back to work,” Dr. Lee said firmly. “Good-bye, Reverend Tome.”
Ella and Teeny heard a door open and close, then the sound of footsteps. A few minutes later, Ford spoke. “Okay, I’m outside. I’ve done my part. I’m going back to my car and over to your place, Ella. I’ll drive slowly to make sure I can be tailed.”
Ella then called Justine and verified that everything was in place. “Ford’s on his way.”
“Good. We’re ready. Officer Michael Cloud’s keeping an eye on Dr. Lee as we speak.”
“Make sure Ford wears a vest even inside the house. He may not like it, but it’s necessary.”
The morning turned into afternoon, but nothing happened. No one made a move on Ford. They had officers on every major player, including Baker and Whitefeather, but since both those men were outside their jurisdiction, Blalock was in charge of watching them.
Ella routinely checked in with the others via cell phone. It was now time to make a call to Teeny, who’d been monitoring Dr. Lee’s calls and her computer.
“I’ve got nothing so far,” he said. “You?”
“All three subjects have been involved in normal-looking activities. Baker has a laptop in his pickup truck. While running around town, mostly to auto supply stores and such, he has gotten it out a couple of times, briefly. Whitefeather, according to the deputy watching him, has been in the Bottoms Up bar in Bloomfield for the past hour. It’s possible he may have used his unit’s computer to check his e-mail prior to going in. Michael Cloud followed Dr. Lee home—part of her normal routine.”
“Jane hasn’t logged on,” Teeny said. “Wait a sec—here she is now. She’s on MySpace, and she’s edited the content of her profile. She’s also changed the music on her page. It used to be something classical, but now it’s a Paul Simon song, ‘Slip Sliding Away.’ ”
Before Teeny could finish, her call waiting beeped. Ella switched to the other caller. Emily Marquez, the county deputy Blalock had chosen to keep tabs on Whitefeathe
r, was on the line.
“I lost him, Ella. I got worried when he failed to return to his car, so I went inside to check on him. I ran into some goons and got held up for about five minutes. He’d apparently told the bozos that I was stalking him, and they kept me there just long enough for him to slip out the back. His unit’s gone.”
“Head west, then. Maybe he’s on his way back to Shiprock,” Ella said. “We can’t have county dispatch asking other deputies to call in if they spot him because that would alert him as well. He’s probably listening to the calls.”
After ending the conversation, she switched back. “Teeny, I need your best guess. Could Jane have sent a signal via computer to one of the others without your knowledge that Ford’s out of hiding and ripe for a hit?” Ella asked.
“No way. If you’re worried about the changes in her page, those are more likely to be a panic button signal. Check on the truck driver and see how he’s reacting,” he suggested.
Ella called Phillip Cloud next, the man assigned to Baker. “Whitewater has managed to ditch us,” Ella told him. “How about your subject?”
“He almost lost me for a while, but I’ve still got him.”
“What happened?”
“He pulled into the parking lot of a coffee shop, fiddled with his laptop for a few minutes, then went inside. After he failed to come out, I went in for a look, keeping an eye on his pickup through the store window. The clerk said he’d gone out through the back. I tracked him down an alley, and am currently following him at a distance along the street. We’re both on foot, and he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry.”
“Stay with him, and keep a vehicle handy in case Baker catches a ride.”
“Baker’s not ditching me, I guarantee it.”
With Whitefeather gone, Baker and Jane Lee were now of prime importance. Making a fast decision, Ella called Justine. “Change of plans. I want you and Joe to take Ford back to Teeny’s. Just make sure you aren’t spotted. Then pick up Anna, go to Dr. Lee’s place, and take the professor into custody. Work quickly so she can’t raise another alarm, and then leave Anna behind in her stead. From a distance, they look alike and, with luck, the others won’t know we’ve made a switch. I’ll meet you and Joe back at the station.”
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