Earthway

by Thurlo, Aimée

  Limping badly from his damaged knee, he forced her back, swinging the blade in low arcs directed at her belly. He jabbed at her chest next, but Ella grabbed his arm, and using his own momentum, propelled his hand and knife into the concrete wall. She heard a crack, and knew it was either the knife or his wrist.

  Ella grabbed Whitefeather’s mask and slammed his head forward into the wall. The mask’s cartridge filter broke away, and he began coughing.

  “You can’t set off the gas without killing yourself. Give it up. It’s over,” she yelled.

  Whitefeather didn’t waste time. He pulled out his pistol, waving it in her direction and stumbled away, dragging his damaged leg behind him.

  Ella wanted to follow, but first she had to cut off the gas. After finding the wrench and closing the last valve, she took out her baton and followed Whitefeather’s blood trail. He was heading for the rear basement exit.

  He was halfway up the flight of stairs when she came around the corner. As he half-turned, pistol out, she threw the baton at his ankles.

  Whitefeather tripped, his weakened knee betraying him now. Grasping in vain for the handrail, he tumbled down the steps and hit the floor head first, coming to rest at her feet. Ella knew from the angle of his neck that he wouldn’t be getting back up again. He’d lost the fight.

  Ella hurried back to where she’d left Chester, dragged him up the stairs one step at a time, then outside to the parking level.

  Justine raced up seconds later, Vera right behind her. “Guess you don’t need our help anymore, huh?” Justine asked, panting.

  “You might want to prop open the door,” Ella said, removing her mask, and gasping from the exertion now that the adrenaline was wearing off.

  “The fire department is on its way,” Vera said, grabbing Chester.

  “Where’s Whitefeather?” Justine asked quickly, opening the basement door.

  “At the foot of the stairs,” Ella said, shaking her head. “Once the building’s aired out, we can go back in and recover the body.” Ella took several deep breaths of fresh air. Her job, for now, was done.

  TWENTY-SIX

  On Sunday afternoon Ella sat with Blalock and her team in the chief’s office. All known members of the cell were now accounted for, or in custody. Phillip Cloud and the other officers working with him had caught John Baker hiding in the brush beside a bridge along the intended route of the reactor vessel convoy. His truck had been loaded with the stolen explosives.

  “For the time being, the attempt to eliminate the entire power plant work force will remain under wraps—orders from the Feds,” Big Ed said. “The tribal government went along with the gag order because we don’t want to create a panic here on the Rez or, more importantly, give anyone else any ideas.”

  “All the suspects will be facing trial in federal court, and paying for what they did,” Blalock said. “Dr. Lee’s testimony and their decoded correspondence will add to the evidence we’ve already gathered.”

  “Good job everyone,” Big Ed said at last, looking around the room. “All of you have been working long hours lately, so take the rest of today off. Of course I’ll expect all of my people back here by tomorrow noon to write the mother of all reports.”

  “Almost an entire day off . . . ,” Ella said with a rueful smile. “What the heck. We’ll take it.”

  The room cleared in record time. As Ella reached the door, Big Ed said once again, “Really good job, Shorty. If I could, I’d give you a raise.”

  Ella nodded, but didn’t comment. A raise would have been great, but she had other options now she’d never had before. More money, a new challenge . . . so why wasn’t she happier about all the possibilities that D.C. had to offer?

  She drove home slowly, thinking things through. No answers came to her—at least none that felt right. After she called John Blakely, if the offer still sounded good, she’d have to discuss the situation with Justine—and Big Ed. Taking a new job back East would have an impact on the department, and if she was seriously going to consider the offer, those working closest with her deserved to know.

  She also had to consider her relationship with Ford. Leaving now would change everything with him—if there ever was going to be something more, that is. Her life could be about to turn upside down, and she’d need time alone to sort things out.

  Ella arrived at the house a half hour later and, as she parked, Rose came out to meet her.

  “Daughter, I have wonderful news! Your daughter is coming home.”

  “I thought she’d planned to stay with her dad for a few more days. What happened?”

  “Her father called me late last night. The tribe’s sending him to China to study options for adding a second reactor. Our people are already thinking of doubling the new power plant’s capacity, and they want him to visit a place where that’s already been done.”

  Ella didn’t comment. “So when is she getting here?” she asked, looking forward to seeing Dawn again.

  “In about an hour. Her father hired a small plane to fly them from Albuquerque to Farmington. He said he’d have a car waiting for him there, so don’t worry about picking them up.”

  “Good. That’ll give me time to get ready.”

  “Why didn’t he just drive from Albuquerque like most people?” Rose asked.

  Ella smiled, remembering one of their past conversations. “It bores him, Mom. He just can’t see the beauty anymore. He says it’s miles and miles of nothing and nothing. In his heart, he’s adopted the city.”

  Ella was finishing lunch when a big black SUV pulled up in the driveway. Rose ran outside just as Dawn climbed out of the vehicle, followed by Kevin.

  “Shimá,” Dawn yelled, using the Navajo word for grandmother and launching herself into Rose’s arms.

  Seeing Ella a heartbeat later, Dawn ran up and hugged her tightly. “I’ve got so many things to tell you!”

  Ella laughed. “I’ve missed you, too.”

  Before Ella could say anything else, Dawn heard her pony whinnying and ran to the corral to greet Wind.

  Kevin, dressed in a gray business suit, came up, watching their daughter as she talked to the horse. “Have you thought any more about the job offer, Ella? I know that a part of Dawn will always belong here on the Rez, but the city has a lot to offer her—and you.”

  Ella nodded slowly. “It’s tempting, and I haven’t said no, not yet. I’ll be calling John Blakely in a few days to check out the details, and I want to talk it over with a few people. But no promises. I’ve already got everything I need and want right here.”

  Dawn came running back. “Mom, Wind missed me! Did you hear him whinny?”

  “I did!” Ella said.

  “Did anything exciting happen while I was gone?” Dawn asked, walking with them toward the house.

  Ella smiled. “Nothing as exciting as your homecoming.”