Navajo Courage

by Aimée Thurlo

  “How did you find out about it?”

  “I knew it was there already, so all I had to do was double-check. My mom and I lived in this area for a while. She and I moved around a lot, and one summer we worked at one of the tourist stops along the highway.”

  “What was it like for you back then?” Luca asked. Something about her tone had caught his attention. It had held sadness…and something more, maybe regret.

  “Does the past matter? It was a long time ago,” she said, taking a deep breath.

  “We don’t have to talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable,” he said.

  “It’s not that. The thing is, I’ve spent a lot of time and effort creating a new life for myself and it seems pointless to go over old ground.”

  “Who you are today is the result of who you were back then—both the good and the bad,” he said.

  “How about a trade?” Valerie asked after a pause. “I answer your questions, then you answer mine. And nothing’s off-limits.”

  He knew that she’d added that last part as a challenge, but he’d never backed off from a challenge in his life. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

  “All right then,” she said with a nod. Taking a breath, she continued. “My mom and I moved around a lot back then,” she said, answering his question. “She was never happy staying put in one place for long. My mother spent her entire life searching for something that was always just out of her reach. In the process, we made our living as housekeepers, house sitters, pet sitters, store clerks, evening custodians—whatever jobs we could get. We weren’t rich but, somehow, we always got by. One of the places we stayed at was near where we’re going now. It belonged to a ski instructor my mom had a thing for and we worked in his shop. By then I was in high school, and the future was all I could think about. I’d already decided what I was going to do after UNM—go into the FBI.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “After thinking it over, I decided that I could make more of a difference here, in the area where I grew up. That’s how I ended up with the Sheriff’s Department,” she said, slowing as they came upon an old pickup loaded with firewood.

  “As a kid, did you like moving around so much?”

  “That’s your third question, buddy,” Valerie said with a grin. “If I answer, that’ll mean I get three, too. Do we have a deal?”

  He nodded once.

  “I hated moving—back then and even now. Too much of a hassle,” she said. “But these days all I need is a place for my stuff. I’m more at home out on the streets, on the clock, wearing the badge.”

  Luca met her gaze, understanding far more than she’d intended to reveal. A part of her needed a home base, yet she was afraid of the side of her nature that yearned for things like that. It made her too vulnerable, and she’d seen too much of the world to welcome that feeling.

  They reached the main highway, then drove farther north for about a mile before arriving at their destination. Valerie pulled off the road and parked where the trees were thin and the grasses tall.

  Putting off her questions for now, she announced, “We’ll have to go in on foot from here.”

  They hiked uphill for a quarter of a mile on the remnants of a rock-and flagstone-lined path, now mostly overgrown with weeds and the rare intrusion of a young juniper or two. As the ground evened out somewhat, they found themselves at the bottom of a rocky slope filled with old stone markers. Some were finely carved with names and dates, others merely stacks of rocks that denoted a grave. There had been a stone wall around the cemetery at one time, but now it was mostly rubble that stood less than a foot high.

  They walked around, trying to find evidence of shovel marks, replaced turf or traces of fresh dark earth aboveground. At a small knoll, Valerie stopped and looked downhill. “The view from here is always beautiful, no matter what time of year.”

  “Notice how lush the growth is against the mountainside,” Luca commented, turning toward the cliff. “There must be a spring up in those rocks,” Luca commented.

  “Which reminds me—I’m thirsty. Let’s get this search over with. I hear a can of soda calling me.” She continued ahead, making her way across a stretch of uneven ground.

  “The earth’s very soft here,” Luca said. “Look at the moss.”

  As she sidestepped to avoid a particularly muddy spot, Valerie lost her balance and fell sideways. Luca reached out to break her fall, but the ground suddenly gave way beneath both of them. They plummeted downward, breaking through a thin crust of soil into an underground air pocket.

  They tumbled down several feet, then landed feetfirst in a clear stream of water less than two feet deep. The bottom of the pool was as hard as bedrock.

  “This water’s freezing,” Valerie said, her teeth chattering. “What did we do, drop down into an old well?”

  Luca saw human bones protruding out from the side of the hole in the direction the water was flowing. “This is a sinkhole formed beneath one of the graves. It looks like that spring I suspected was here has washed away some of the soil beneath the cemetery,” he said, turning to look around the ten-foot-wide cavern. The hole they’d created up above provided enough light to see each other and the muddy sides of the opening.

  As she touched the moisture-filled walls of the cave, Valerie knew there’d be no climbing back out. The sides were too slippery and wouldn’t hold their weight, and the only roots sticking out were too small. She took her cell phone out but got no signal.

  Valerie stared upward through the jagged skylight and the blue sky beyond. “Any suggestions?”

  “Even if you stand on my shoulders, you still won’t be able to reach the top,” he said after a moment. “But there’s light coming from the other end of the stream.”

  He pointed down at the icy water that flowed out from a hole about three feet wide. The rocks around the opening looked clean and polished, as if the flow had been running for centuries.

  “That means there might be an opening in another chamber that leads back outside, right?”

  “Exactly,” he answered. “Here, hold my weapon. I’ll go take a look.”

  Luca handed her all his gear, took a deep breath then ducked down under the water and swam under the ledge. A moment later he came back into view.

  “There’s another larger cavern tucked into the hillside up ahead. It may give us a way out—or at least lead us in the right direction.” Luca rubbed his arms. “But brace yourself. That water’s like ice.”

  “I’d rather freeze than just sit around waiting for help. Are there any more skeletons on that side?” she asked, glancing around. She wasn’t Navajo, but this place would creep anyone out, and when it got dark…

  “No, not there. Just a big, rocky cavern. It’s drier than in here, but it smells funky.”

  “Thanks for the warning.” She gave him his weapon back, then asked. “How are we going to keep our stuff dry? Wait—I’ve got some evidence bags in my pocket,” she added, answering her own question.

  Several minutes later, they were sitting on a big, cold rock inside the adjacent cavern. Valerie was shivering uncontrollably and Luca placed his arms around her, bringing her closer to him. He wanted to use his body to warm hers, but he was as cold as ice.

  “We need heat,” she managed through chattering teeth. Without hesitation, she followed her instincts and drew his mouth down to hers. She’d wanted heat, but what happened next went beyond all her expectations.

  Cradling the back of her head, Luca parted her lips then slowly took possession of her, making her burn with desire. As his tongue caressed hers in a gentle dance, she felt herself melting into him. Intense longings she’d never experienced before filled her.

  When he pulled back, taking a breath of air, she whimpered, unwilling to let it end so soon.

  Luca held her gaze for a heart-stopping moment, then took her mouth again. The hardness of his kiss and the gentleness of his tongue sent fire coursing all through her. She wanted more, and gave more. He
re in this darkness, in this hidden cavern of secrets, she was finding something she’d never dreamed existed.

  When Luca at long last moved away, she felt more alone than she’d ever thought possible. She edged closer to him, wanting more of those exquisite sensations she’d found in his arms, but he suddenly signaled her to remain still.

  Luca held a finger to his lips and took a step forward. “Did you hear that?” he whispered.

  “What?” She looked at him in confusion. The only thing she’d heard was the thundering rhythm of her heart.

  He held up one hand, and a second later she heard it, too. The scuffing sound suddenly stopped. She tensed and opened the sealed pouch that held her gun.

  “No,” he said in a barely audible voice.

  Hearing a soft sound behind her, she turned her head. Relief flooded through her as she saw the animal that stepped into the chamber. “What a big, beautiful cat,” she said, bending down and calling to him.

  “Get up. That’s no kitty,” Luca warned gruffly.

  As she took a closer look at the animal, she realized that she’d never seen a cat like this one before. He looked feral and was close to two feet long with a very short tail.

  “That’s a bobcat.”

  “A young one?” she whispered.

  “More like a teen. They don’t get much bigger, but don’t let their size fool you. Though not exactly in league with a mountain lion, they can do some serious damage to a human, particularly if you corner them.”

  He stepped in front of her. Then, standing rock still, he spoke softly in Navajo. The sound echoed eerily in the confines of the cave.

  As she watched, the cat turned and walked away slowly and deliberately.

  “It knows the way out,” Luca said.

  “Did you ask it to lead us out of here?” Nothing that Luca could do would surprise her anymore.

  He shook his head. “I don’t have that ability, though others do. What I did was thank Talking God and Black God, who taught the Diné how to hunt, for the animal they brought us. I asked that it be rewarded with long life for showing us the way out.”

  Luca followed the bobcat around a turn in the cavern. “If it’ll make it easier for you, think of it this way. The cat doesn’t have cubs to protect right now and doesn’t want to fight us. He’s being true to his nature by escaping. In the process, he’ll lead us out of here, too.”

  All perfectly logical, yet Luca had managed to get the exact response he’d needed from the wild creature. She tried not to let her imagination run rampant, but the facts were hard to ignore. She’d never met anyone even remotely like Luca. Everything about him was extraordinary.

  “There,” he said, interrupting her thoughts. The bobcat had leaped up onto a ledge about four feet high. Above that was an opening in the hillside big enough to squeeze through.

  Moments later they were out of the cave, trying to dry off in the sun. She brushed off her clothes, hoping she hadn’t picked up any spiders along the way. She could face a grown man intent on killing her and never pause to do what was necessary, but spiders—the large, fuzzy ones—gave her the serious creeps.

  She glanced at Luca, then back at the cemetery, which lay fifty feet below them toward the west. “We still haven’t done what we came here to do,” she said. “We need to go down and check those graves. Then we can get back to the car and turn on the heater.”

  “You’re right. Let’s finish the job.”

  More alert now since they knew about sinkholes, they checked the ground carefully before taking each step. Ten minutes later, they’d still found nothing of interest.

  Disappointed, they were heading back downhill to the car when her cell phone rang. It was from the crime scene unit’s team leader. “There’s something you need to see for yourself,” he said. “How soon can you get to the station?”

  “We’re on our way now. ETA thirty minutes,” she answered.

  Luca glanced at her as she put the phone away. “Did they turn up something on the car?”

  “I think so, but we’ll see,” she said, repeating what she’d been told. “Our suspect’s a crazy who’s full of surprises, so we’ll have to start looking around every corner. It’s hard to fight what you can’t see coming.”

  “I know this evil. I can equalize the odds against us.”

  As their gazes locked, Valerie felt the power behind the dark eyes that held hers. The same instinctive knowledge that told her he’d be a formidable adversary also assured her that he’d be an unforgettable lover. The tenderness of his kiss, and the magic it had woven around her, still burned in her mind.

  “Thunderclouds are building quickly,” Luca said, looking off into the distance.

  She nodded, acknowledging what he’d said, but it was the storm raging inside of her that frightened her most.

  “The wind’s coming up, too. We won’t be able to outrun this storm.”

  His words stayed in her mind. Run…that’s what she’d always done when anyone got too close. But what she’d spent her life avoiding had now caught up to her.

  Chapter Thirteen

  It was after dark, but law enforcement work didn’t keep regular hours and the evening shift was already busy. The uneasy silence that greeted them as they walked inside the department’s automotive shop told her that Luca and she were in for some very disturbing news.

  The senior mechanic, standing in an interior office with a window overlooking the service bays, saw them almost as they stepped into the garage and came out to join them. “I’m Bubba Dunlap,” he said, introducing himself. “Whoever tampered with your car knew exactly what he was doing.” He brought out photos of what they’d found beneath the car. “Two connections were loosened, not enough to trigger the sensors, but almost to the point of failure. The drive downhill and the extra stress on the hydraulic systems did the rest. It was deliberate—and skillful—sabotage.”

  There was more to the story, too. Luca could feel it in his gut. The way everyone kept glancing in their direction only served to confirm his suspicions.

  “But there’s something else the lead investigator insisted you see for yourself, providing you know about cars,” he added.

  “I do,” Luca said. “I’ve worked on them from time to time.”

  Bubba rolled out a creeper and waved his hand. “Check out the spot on the frame just inboard from the jack point. You can’t see it unless you get underneath.”

  Luca lay down on the creeper and rolled beneath the car. “I see a small square area, about the size of a pack of cigarettes, where there’s no mud or dirt. Something was stuck there, but it must have dropped off after we left the road. Or it was removed.”

  “What was it?” she asked, looking over at Bubba.

  “According to the tech who spotted the clear area, it was about the size of a GPS. The ground was searched, but it didn’t come loose on its own. The tech thinks it was stuck on with a magnet because there’s no glue or residue. My guess is that it was removed at the same time the brakes were tampered with. The team leader wanted you to see this for yourselves so that you’d remain on your guard.”

  “Thanks. At least we know that the new car’s clean. We just got it,” she answered, her voice taut.

  Luca could feel her anger. She was practically vibrating with rage. The knowledge that someone had tampered with her car—and before that had been tracking them electronically—seriously pissed her off.

  “We should go over the new car again. We spent some time away from it,” Luca said.

  “If we find anything, then he must have followed us after we switched cars and is probably disappointed that we didn’t end up at the bottom of some ravine,” she said with an edge in her voice as they walked toward the exit.

  “Don’t make it personal,” he cautioned. “You’ll lose perspective.”

  As they went outside to the parking lot, she brought a penlight out of her jacket pocket. “I just don’t like being played for a fool.”

  “No one does
.” He, too, would have preferred to fight his enemy in the open—take a few blows while giving better than he got. But the one after them relished the shadows, and was growing stronger because of them.

  As they reached the car, Luca moved ahead of her. “Let me take a look underneath.”

  “Good idea. If I found a GPS I’d be too tempted to smash it—in lieu of someone’s face. Here, use my light.”

  Finding the jack point, he crawled under the driver’s side. It only took him a moment and when he came back out, he was holding a small device in his hand. “It was in the same general area as before—held on by a magnet. We’ll need to have this car checked for anything and everything—including the brake system. He had all the time in the world while we were down in that cave.”

  “We should’ve spotted the tail,” she said, her lips stretched thin in anger.

  “We were in a forest with a lot of blind spots, and with only few roads he didn’t have to follow very close. He knew which direction we had to go, at least in general,” he said. After a heartbeat he added, “But now it’s our turn.”

  “What do you have in mind?” she asked.

  “We become the hunters—instead of the hunted.”

  TAKING THE CAR into the garage to have it carefully examined gave them the opportunity to regroup. The GPS, which hadn’t been deactivated, was currently being dusted for prints by a tech who’d walked over from the lab. This way whoever was tracking them wouldn’t see the signal coming from somewhere the car couldn’t possibly go. They wanted the suspect off his guard when they made their move.

  While they waited, Luca and Valerie went across the street to a café many downtown workers patronized. It would be a late dinner, but the circumstances had finally provided them with time for a meal. Taking a seat at one of the corners of the large room, they ordered coffee and a sandwich and paid the tab when they were served, a common practice for officers on call.