Sworn to Protect

by Kimberly Van Meter

  “I told you about Sierra Buck,” Chad reminded his father. “Remember? I told you I hired her using grant funds.”

  Paul paused for a moment, his stare narrowing in thought then his mouth cracked into a smile, which Sundance found inappropriate given the situation. “That’s right. Sweet girl. I met her when she was going through the interview process. What a shame she was hurt. The office ought to expense some flowers for the girl.”

  Sundance looked to Chad in confusion, prompting Chad to explain quickly. “The day my father decided to make his first stop to check in on me, I was interviewing students for the position. It was a very brief meeting, I’m surprised he remembered her at all.”

  Paul chuckled. “I always remember a pretty face. Now—” he lost his mirth and returned to being the bear of his reputation “—tell me why, aside from this newest information, why your position is justified when the whole of the actual reservation is only one square mile. There are bigger reservations than yours with less resources. Why should yours receive more than their share?”

  Sundance fought the desire to snap in the face of such an attitude but he managed to keep his cool. “As you’re probably aware, we have a proposal in the works to increase the tribe’s land to include portions of the Olympic National Forest. When that happens, we’ll need more than one more tribal officer,” he explained with the patience due a saint. Sundance put the stats he’d worked on all night to produce in Paul’s hand. “This shows you what I’m dealing with—not counting the assaults, which are taking all my time, so any poaching, land use violations, or less violent crimes are taking a backseat, and trust me, it shows. The call volume has increased for petty crime. Poor Cece is working double time answering the phone. Another officer could also be used to relieve our dispatcher.”

  Sundance spent the next hour reminding Paul Brown why the tribe was unique and why cutting the tribal officer would be like giving chaos free rein. By the time Paul left, Sundance felt he’d given it his best shot, though to be truthful, he didn’t like Paul one bit. He saw a man who smiled with his mouth but not his eyes and he didn’t trust that quality in a man.

  After Paul had taken his leave, Chad seemed happy to be rid of him.

  “Typical bureaucrat, huh?” he said to Sundance. “But I think you made some good points, better than I could’ve. My father appreciates a straight answer and you gave him that at least.”

  “I’d have thought your dad would be more sympathetic to our cause having lived here for a time,” Sundance said.

  “Well, we weren’t here long. We moved here when I was five and only stayed until I was twelve. And he’s not Hoh either. This place was just a job for him on his way up the BIA ladder. Sorry, but if it means anything, this place was special to me and I agree with everything you told him.”

  Sundance nodded and he was glad the meeting went well but his mind kept snagging on Paul’s reaction to Sierra’s assault. It was as if his interest in the girl had been purely because she’d been pretty. The offer to send flowers had been cursory. “Does your father plan to visit often?” he asked.

  Chad shrugged. “Hope not, but who knows. Sometimes he takes a special interest in the tribes he oversees. There’s no rhyme or reason to it, either, so it’s hard to predict. My hope is that there isn’t enough to keep him interested.” He nudged Sundance with a wink. “We’d better keep him away from that pretty sister of yours, right?” Sundance narrowed his stare, not liking the idea of Paul Brown anywhere near his sister. Chad sobered, realizing the joke had been in bad taste. “Sorry. Don’t worry, I got your back. Besides, my dad only likes girls who aren’t a challenge. I’m pretty sure Mya would tell him—nicely, of course—that she wasn’t interested.”

  “So your father is still single?” he asked, trying to gain some kind of insight into the man. He didn’t remember Chad’s mother being around back in the day. “Ever since Mamacita left back when I was in diapers, Dad hasn’t bothered to remarry. Just me and the old man. Dad used to joke that she never left, she was just buried in the backyard.” Chad laughed as if that were actually funny. An odd chill slithered down Sundance’s back. Chad’s laugh ended on a sigh. “My dad always had an odd sense of humor. Anyway, I hate to cut and run but I promised I’d meet the old man at The Dam Beaver for a lunchtime cocktail. Now having reacquainted yourself with him, you can probably understand why in his previous career he worked exclusively with animals.”

  “What do you mean? I don’t remember that,” Sundance said.

  “Well, before he went into government work, he was a veterinarian. After we left here, he started a side business out of our home, mostly for weekend calls. That way, it didn’t interfere with the day job. I know, it’s a weird thing to have as a side thing but that’s my dad. He doesn’t care what it looks like.”

  “If he likes animals so much, why didn’t he just stick with his veterinary practice?”

  “Not enough money, I guess. Besides, he’s mostly just on call in case the local vet needs someone in a pinch. It’s not like he’s actually running a practice again.”

  Sundance nodded as if he understood, but it all sounded pretty strange to him. To each his own, he supposed.

  However, he didn’t like the idea of Paul Brown spending too much time on the reservation. Somehow, that man set off bells in Sundance’s head and when that happened, he listened.

  Iris saw a man carrying flowers walking with the intent to enter Sierra’s room and she hustled over to block him. “Who are you?”

  Her reaction surprised him but he recovered quickly with a disarming smile. “Brutally straightforward, I see,” he said, chuckling as if amused by her manner, which only served to annoy her further. When her expression neither lightened nor improved, he gave up the attempts to charm her and simply said, “Chad Brown, Indian Affairs liaison. I’ve only been around for a few weeks but I used to live here when I was a kid, until I was about twelve. My father is the Director of Indian Affairs. I’m the tribal liaison for the time being until my father decides to move me again.”

  “You move around a lot?” she asked.

  “More so than I’d like. But actually, I’m considering making this my permanent post. I always liked it here. The people are solid and I like to fish.”

  She didn’t know what to think of this Chad Brown but he seemed harmless enough. In her previous life, she would’ve been flirting shamelessly with the good-looking stranger but now she saw the boogeyman in every shadow and she trusted no one, least of all a handsome outsider.

  But she grudgingly realized that she may be overreacting a touch and let up the pressure incrementally. “The flowers are beautiful. I’m sure Sierra will appreciate them.”

  Chad smiled and started to walk away. “Nice to meet you…?”

  He was fishing for her name.

  “Nurse Beaudoin,” she said, not interested in sharing.

  “You’re a beautiful woman, Nurse Beaudoin,” Chad said, not the least bit put off by her disinterest. If anything, he seemed tickled by it.

  She should’ve been flattered, but instead, she felt vulnerable. Perhaps she shouldn’t have worn her hair down. Hating the fact that she automatically sought blame for his attention, she stiffened and shot Chad a cool smile saying, “Good day, Mr. Brown,” before walking away to find a vase for the flowers. She didn’t pause in her stride, nor did she check to see if he had indeed left as she hoped but she did note as she entered the staff lounge that her hands were shaking.

  Mya found her as she was filling the vase with water and exclaimed when she saw the flowers. “Wow, who’s the lucky girl?”

  Iris’s smile was brief as she said, “They’re for Sierra. Her boss bought them.”

  “Duke bought Sierra flowers?” Mya asked, no doubt trying to reconcile the image of the tattooed and grizzled manager of the general store, who wasn’t really known for his people skills, even walking into a florist shop.

  “Not Duke. A man named Chad Brown. Apparently, he’s the new In
dian liaison over at the Tribal Center? He said he used to live here. Do you know him?”

  “Oh, that’s right. Sundance told me about him. I don’t remember him but he was friends with Sundance. Apparently, they kept in touch over the years. How sweet of him to think of Sierra,” Mya said.

  Iris finished rearranging the flowers and prepared to take them to Sierra. “Well, I thought it was weird. And I think he’s weird.”

  “Really?” Mya said, frowning. “Why?”

  Iris shrugged. “I don’t know,” she admitted, suddenly feeling flustered by her reaction. She had no reason to feel awkward or hesitant around the new guy, which led her to conclude that she was overreacting because of her experience. Tears pricked her eyes but she blinked them back, refusing to let them fall. “It’s nothing. I’m sure he’s fine. It just took me by surprise, is all.”

  Mya understood, saying, “It’ll get better. You’ll find your footing again. It just takes time.”

  Iris nodded but she didn’t share Mya’s confidence. Inside, she felt as though everything was wrong, tipped upside down and backward. What she’d known seemed suspect and what she didn’t know terrified her. And now Sierra was on the same horrifying ride. Her fingers tightened around the vase and she had to consciously loosen them before she cracked the glass. She forced a smile and moved toward the door, saying to Mya, “Of course. Time heals all wounds, right?”

  “Well, that is the saying but even though it’s a cliché, there’s some truth to it,” Mya said.

  Iris smiled, though she knew it didn’t reach her eyes as she said, “We’ll see.” But she didn’t believe there would ever be enough time to heal what had been broken inside of her.

  A few days later Sundance returned to the Tribal Center and went straight to Chad’s office but not before giving the grant guy a solid stare on the way in. He’d had to handle some other cases before returning to the assaults but the days between had made him antsy, feeling as if every minute that ticked by was taking him further away from catching the person responsible.

  “Listen, I’m doing some legwork on Sierra Buck’s case and I need to know everyone who had contact with Sierra here at the center.”

  “Okay,” Chad agreed, but his face was marred by a slight frown. “But why here? She wasn’t attacked here…surely you don’t think someone at the center was responsible for this?”

  Sundance let his gaze rest on Brett through the glass of Chad’s office. “Just following all leads.”

  “Come on, now. You’re eyeing my grant guy as if he’s a suspect, which I’m sure he’s not. He’s a good guy. Married and everything.”

  “Just because he’s married doesn’t mean squat. People, particularly sociopaths, live double lives all the time. It’s part of the thrill.”

  Chad followed his stare and seemed contemplative. “I hate to think of anyone in my office capable of something so brutal but I guess you’re right. This is why you’re the investigator and I push paper all day,” he said with self-deprecating good humor. “Whatever you need, just name it.”

  Satisfied, Sundance said, “I want to talk with your grant man. He seemed pretty chatty with Sierra the other day and it rubbed me wrong.”

  “Of course,” Chad said. “Just try to remember, there’s no law against being friendly and try not to scare him away. We need him.” Chad caught Brett’s eye and gestured him inside. “Listen, I’ll let you two talk here in my office while I run a few errands,” he offered, sliding on his coat.

  Sundance thanked Chad and stepped aside as a very nervous-looking man walked in.

  Chad clapped Brett on the shoulder in a friendly gesture but his expression remained serious, which Sundance appreciated. “This is the tribal officer, Sundance Jonson. He wants to talk to you regarding Sierra Buck. I’ve told him our office will do whatever is needed to help bring Sierra’s attacker to justice.” Chad nodded to Sundance before heading out the door.

  Brett smiled and seemed to loosen up but there remained a wariness about him that instantly put Sundance on alert.

  “How well do you know Sierra Buck?” he asked.

  “She’s the intern. I know her as well as anyone else here in the office.”

  “The other day you seemed pretty chatty with her, flirtatious even. I heard you’re married…”

  “Nothing wrong with talking with someone,” Brett said. “No law against it as far as I know.”

  “Do you always flirt with underage girls?” he asked.

  Brett’s mouth tightened mulishly. “No, of course not.”

  “So you made an exception for Sierra? Understandable. She’s a very pretty girl,” Sundance said. “Where were you last night between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m.?”

  “Asleep. With my wife at home.”

  “Will your wife corroborate that claim?”

  “Of course she will because it’s true.”

  Sundance made a few notes. “I’ll need your wife’s number so I can verify your whereabouts.”

  Brett rattled off a number. “Anything else?”

  “You don’t seem very upset about Sierra.”

  He had the grace to flush. “Of course I am. I was shocked when I heard.”

  Sundance took a moment to gauge Brett’s reaction. He sensed nervousness. It could be nothing. Or it could be he had something to hide. Closing his notebook, he gestured to the door. “I’ll be in touch. You can go.”

  Brett wasted little time in escaping to his desk and Sundance let himself out. He’d follow up with the wife when he returned to the station. He was tempted to drop by the clinic and check on Iris but he couldn’t find a suitable reason to do so, so he didn’t.

  But it didn’t stop his thoughts from circling around Iris, buzzing his brain with irritating frequency. Frankly, this was a complication he didn’t need but that didn’t seem to matter.

  Sundance scrubbed his face with his palms and climbed into his Durango.

  Focus… He’d sort his feelings out later when the sick freak responsible for the vicious assaults was behind bars…or dead.

  Chapter 12

  Sundance gripped the handle above his head as Iris hurtled down the highway, seemingly oblivious to her speed, the pouring rain and the fact that he felt ready to puke.

  He’d never been carsick in his life until now.

  Right at that moment he was rethinking his agreement to let her drive to the hypnotherapist’s office. He’d been surprised when she’d called, asking if he’d go with her, but when he heard the slight tremor in her voice, he didn’t hesitate.

  “Iris, there is a speed limit,” he reminded her from between clamped lips. “Let’s try and get to our destination in one piece.” Iris glanced at her speedometer and reluctantly eased up on the gas. Sundance didn’t even try to hide his relief. “Thank you,” he said, eliciting a small flustered smile from Iris.

  “Sorry…my head is…well, not where it should be, I guess.” She shot him a quick look. “Thanks for agreeing to come with me. I was going to ask Mya but she’s been having a hard time finding anyone to cover for her at the clinic and I feel bad enough as it is leaving her shorthanded so I could make this appointment.”

  He understood. “It’s not a problem. I appreciate you seeing Dr. Seryn. I know it won’t be easy.”

  Iris nodded and swallowed, letting silence fill the space between them, no doubt her mind racing with all the fears and doubts that came with doing something like this.

  “So tell me how you know this woman?” Iris asked, her tone betraying her nervousness. “I mean, is she reputable? Does she know what she’s doing?”

  “She’s very reputable and, yes, she knows what she’s doing. I wouldn’t send you to an amateur.”

  “How’d you meet her?” Iris asked.

  It was a fair question considering they were traveling off the reservation, outside of Forks to the woman’s private studio. Still, the reason he knew of a hypnotherapist wasn’t one he often shared. But since Iris was facing the unknown o
n his urging, he figured he owed her one. “She helped me get through some things,” he said. “I started having nightmares. They came out of the blue, too. I figured they’d stop eventually but it got so bad I started to avoid sleeping and in my job, I can’t let fatigue get in the way. When I fell asleep at my desk between calls, I knew I had to find a way to fix whatever was causing the nightmares.”

  “And you thought of hypnosis?” Iris asked.

  “Not at first,” he admitted. “I wasn’t open to the idea when Mya first suggested it but she’d known this woman from med school who had gone into hypnotherapy as a side thing. After another week of night terrors, I was ready to throw in the towel. I made the appointment with Dr. Seryn.” While sharing his vulnerabilities wasn’t high on his list of desirable things to do, somehow focusing on anything other than Iris’s driving made it easier to ease up on the handle and actually breathe. “It took a few sessions—and really, I didn’t know if it was working or not—until one day I realized where my nightmares were coming from. Once that happened, I was able to sleep again.”

  “So where were your nightmares originating from?” she asked.

  “A childhood incident that I’d forgotten about,” he said, flashing to the memory. “One with my mother.”

  She fell silent and he knew she was remembering his mother, Betty. She’d been a troubled woman, most likely bipolar and self-medicating with alcohol, but the health care system back then wasn’t the same as it was now and the help simply hadn’t been there. He knew that now, but through the eyes of a kid Betty’s unpredictable mood swings had been frightening. “What happened?”

  He didn’t want to talk about it. The memories of his parents weren’t filled with good times. They’d both fought their demons, and in the end, the demons had won. His parents had died in a drunk driving accident when he and Mya had been young. His grandparents had taken over the job, though in reality it’d been Sundance who had raised both himself and Mya because their grandparents had been too old to truly care for them. Theirs was a story not unlike many on the reservation. Iris knew this because her childhood had been similar in ways. “It wasn’t a good memory, which is probably why I buried it.”