“I know there were others—Billy Redhouse might have been in league with him, but I’m just not sure. I never liked for Robert to bring up the topic, since I knew we’d argue. NEED is the only way to go, as far as I’m concerned. It’ll bring jobs and give us the ability and funds to buy more land, so we can expand our borders.”
“Can you think of any reason why someone would want to kill Robert Whitesheep?”
Larry considered it for a long moment. “Robert was on a mission, and was really hardheaded about this project. A lot of what he said came across to me as lack of faith in our own people—that we were just too ignorant or stupid to run this on our own. Men like that are bound to make enemies.” He coughed, then took a breath that ended with a wheeze. “But why did you come to talk to me about him?”
Ella paused for effect, then looking him directly in the eyes answered. “A matchbook from the Fair Winds was found near the body.”
He shrugged. “So? The restaurant has hundreds of regular patrons, and the matchbooks are theirs to take. If there are fingerprints on it, I doubt they’ll be mine.”
“We’re involved in several other investigations as well,” Ella answered. “As a NEED proponent, I understand you’ve had dealings with Councilman Redhouse as well.”
“Nobody could ever pin Billy down. To this day, I’m still not certain how he would have voted.” Tso cleared his throat. “But my own gut feeling is that he would have ultimately come out in support of NEED.”
“Were either the pro-NEED factions or those who oppose a nuclear power plant afraid of what would happen if he didn’t side with them?” Justine asked.
“I wouldn’t say ‘afraid,’ but he was certainly a potential prize, politically speaking. He’d pushed things through before just on the strength of his personality. NEED wanted him on our side, but people like Professor Franklin were also trying to recruit him for the opposition.”
“What about Redhouse’s widow, Emily?” Ella asked carefully. “Was she for or against NEED? Her opinion must have carried some weight with her husband.”
“Emily was there at the meetings and always had intelligent comments. She never spoke for or against NEED, but she seemed the type that would support her husband and stand by him no matter what.” Larry lowered his voice. “She sure is…was an asset to his career. Always made her guests feel special.”
“That’s what I’ve been told. But I heard he had a roving eye,” Ella said, hoping Tso would volunteer more information.
“I really wouldn’t know, but he never gave her much attention, at least when I was there.”
“What else can you tell me about Emily?”
His expression grew guarded. “Oh, come on. You can’t believe she’d kill her own husband.”
“I wasn’t suggesting she’s involved in any way,” Ella said with a shrug. “But to solve a murder, I have to get into the life and the head of the person who was killed. That means delving into every facet of his life.”
Larry nodded, then glanced toward the kitchen, as if making sure no one was listening. “Emily was a real asset to Billy. She could bring in votes from the traditionalists and the modernists. As long as he was married to her, reelection would have never been a problem. Charming woman.”
“Was Emily happy being his wife?”
“You’d have to ask her. In a lot of ways I think Billy was a bit jealous of his wife. She’d always been well-off, so she’d never had to struggle like he had. That touch of class—the very thing that probably attracted him to her—was something he never had.” He paused. “But that’s just my opinion.” Larry stood up. “I’ve told you all I know. Now I’m going back to bed. If there’s any justice at all in this world, both of you will catch the flu.”
As Tso wandered back down the hall, his daughter came out of the kitchen and offered to show them to the door. “He’s usually not so crabby. Really.”
Saying good-bye, Justine and Ella returned to the car. “Let’s go pay Professor Franklin a visit,” Ella said. “I’m going to take him to where his son was killed—if he’ll go. I’d like to have him look at all the papers and books there and tell me anything that comes to his mind.”
“And we can study his reactions, and see what he doesn’t choose to discuss. Even the most brilliant of thinkers can’t always hide their emotions,” Justine added.
“Exactly.”
Sixteen
As Justine headed back to Farmington, silence stretched out between them. Finally, Ella glanced over at her partner.
“You seem distant, and haven’t had much to say at our interviews, cuz. Is there something on your mind?”
Justine sighed. “I’ve got something going on in my personal life that’s really been bugging me. But don’t worry. I’ll get a handle on it soon enough.”
“If you want to talk about it, I’ll be happy to listen.”
“I’ve got a problem with Wilson,” Justine said, her words followed with a long sigh. “We’ve been dating exclusively for several months, but I know he’s not happy leaving things between us where they are. He wants to get married, Ella, and I’m just not ready for that. I’ve taken a close look at the other officers who are married and the struggle they have finding time to spend with their families. I’ve seen that same thing with you, too, of course.”
Ella nodded, but said nothing.
“Police work can take everything out of you, physically and emotionally. Then there’s not much else left for anyone else at the end of the day. That’s why so many of us end up divorced. I just don’t want to put myself in a position where I’ll always be torn between my job and my family.”
“There’s a lot of truth in what you’re saying. I never feel I have enough quality time to spend with Dawn. I rush home at the end of the day, but I’m lucky if I make it there before it’s time for her to go to sleep. It’s a constant tug of war that can tear you into pieces if you’re not careful.”
“I don’t want to live that way,” Justine said flatly.
“Don’t misunderstand me. Despite everything I just said,” Ella added, “Dawn is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. She’s made me a better cop, too, in a lot of ways. I see my job differently now. What I do is so she and all the other daughters and sons inherit a Rez that’s worth having.”
“But Dawn doesn’t have all the expectations Wilson does. As far as Wilson’s concerned, a working wife should always put her job in second place. He’ll provide for his family. But that’s not me, and that’s not police work.”
“I hear you.”
“If Wilson really understood how I feel about police work, we might have had a chance, but as it is…” She shook her head.
“If you really love him, you owe it to yourself to try and work things out. Don’t walk away unless you’re absolutely certain it’s not something you’ll end up regretting for the rest of your life. Avoiding marriage won’t release you from the conflicts and potential problems in your life when a man is involved. Do you want to cut yourself off from any kind of long-term relationship?”
“I see what you mean. But tell me something. You’re dragging your feet with Harry Ute. He’s crazy about you, and I can see you really like him. Your mother would dearly love to have him as a son-in-law, and I think he’d be a good father for Dawn. So why hasn’t your relationship gone any further?”
Ella took a deep breath, then let it out again. “I think both he and I are gun-shy. We both know that our marriage would be tested from the very beginning if we continued our present jobs. He’d be gone all the time, and my life is here in Shiprock.”
“But it’s no different now, and you’re making it work.”
“But the way it is, he’s not a part of Dawn’s world, nor she of his. To change would mean risking a lot—including hurting my own child, if things don’t go right.”
“And deep down you don’t think things will work?” Justine asked, zeroing in on what Ella had left unspoken.
“I don’t have the gr
eatest track record with men,” Ella admitted. “I married once when I was still a teenager, and it didn’t end well.” Ella remembered the day she’d learned that her husband had been killed by skinwalkers. In a roundabout way, that one event had led her to becoming a cop.
“Then, after a lifetime of dates that went nowhere, I met Kevin and, before I really understood he and I weren’t right for each other, Dawn was already on her way. I could have accepted his proposal for Dawn’s sake, but his love for politics would have eventually destroyed everything—including our friendship. I’m just not cut out to be a politician’s wife.”
“Wilson and I are suited to each other in most ways. That’s why it’s so hard to walk away.” Justine took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “In all fairness to Wilson, I can understand why he wouldn’t want the mother of his kids working for our department. After Jason Franklin died, a lot of us have had to take a really close look at our jobs. Dedication is one thing—suicide is another.”
“I know,” Ella answered softly. “This was the first officer we’ve lost here since you joined the force, isn’t it, Justine?”
“Yes, and it’s forced me to reevaluate my priorities in life all over again. I haven’t sat down and thought about what I’m doing with my life this seriously since my own brush with death, what was it, two years ago now. But like I decided then, I’m staying. I’m not just a cop—I’m a tribal police officer. I’ve lived within the Sacred Mountains all my life. Although I’m not a traditionalist, I always carry an earth bundle with soil from the Sacred Mountains in my pocket. It reminds me of who and what I am. Does that sound crazy coming from a modernist?”
“No, not at all.” Ella reached for the badger fetish around her neck, then opened her jacket, revealing the medicine bundle her brother had given her. They were both part of the People. At the center of every modernist or traditionalist, beat the heart of the Dineh. “My brother says that the Sacred Mountains are alive and that they’re our guardians. They provide structure and protection. This is our home—and what we fight to protect.”
As they pulled into Kee Franklin’s home, they saw that his SUV wasn’t parked in the driveway.
“Maybe his vehicle is in the garage,” Justine said, looking around.
“Could be. Let’s go take a look around anyway,” Ella said.
They walked to the porch, but when no one responded to their knock, Justine went to look through the garage window while Ella peered inside between the parted curtains. There was a torn duffel bag discarded on the sofa, and she could see through the open door that the closet was empty.
“The car is gone,” Justine reported, returning to where Ella was standing.
“I hope he didn’t decide to go out of town,” Ella said.
“I would think he’d want to stick around and see what we turn up on his son’s murder.” She followed Ella’s line of vision. “I suppose a man could have an empty closet. That’s a very big house for just one person.”
Ella studied the room. On the table beneath the window was a medicine bundle and a small bag of herbs like the ones she’d seen her brother give to his patients. “Well, it’s clear nobody’s home right now.”
“You want to wait?”
Ella considered it. “We have no idea when he’ll return, so let’s go talk to Clifford,” she said, pointing the medicine bag out to Justine.
“You think the professor’s been to see your brother—that he’s now a patient?”
“If he has, it’s probably a recent development. But he’s lost his son, and that will profoundly affect any parent. Franklin is going through a lot of pain and stress right now. Maybe Clifford can tell me something without compromising his confidentiality.”
They arrived at Clifford’s medicine hogan shortly after noon. Ella’s stomach felt empty. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten.
“After this, we stop and get something to eat. I’m famished,” she told Justine.
“You won’t get an argument from me.”
Ella climbed out of the SUV, then leaned against the side of the vehicle, waiting for her brother to come to the door of the medicine hogan and wave her inside. His wife’s car was gone.
It took several minutes, but when Clifford came outside, he nearly stumbled, then stopped to lean against the doorway for support. “Wait for me, Justine,” she said, then went to meet him. “Are you okay, brother?”
“I did a Sing for a patient that took all night. I’m tired and sleepy, that’s all.” He sat down in one of the sheepskins on the ground, then motioned for her to join him and share some herbal tea.
Ella took the warm cup he offered. “Where are your wife and son?” she asked, suspecting Loretta had gone to see her family. When she was at home Loretta always insisted on Clifford getting enough rest.
“She went to her mother’s for a week. Her cousin’s coming down from Utah.” He took a deep breath. “She’s lonely here, you know. She really wants to live close to her family, not mine. But my patients are mostly from around here. I’ve lived in this area all my life, and people depend on me. I know where the Plant People live, and when they move away. I’m always guided to the right places at the right times when I need to gather herbs. If we left…” He shrugged.
Seeing the pain in her brother’s eyes touched her deeply. If it hadn’t been a taboo to touch a close member of the same clan, she would have hugged him. “Is there anything I can do?”
Clifford shook his head. “It’s my problem. I’ll take care of it.” He paused and met her gaze. “But that’s not why you’re here.”
“I’d like to talk to you about a man I believe may be your patient—the anti-NEED scientist who recently lost his son.”
He nodded. “I know who you mean. He’s not a regular patient of mine, but he did come by to talk to me about the possibility of having a Sing done for his nightmares. I gave him some herbs to help him sleep and offered to arrange a time with him, but I don’t think he’ll come back. He was uncomfortable here.”
“I needed to speak to him, so my partner and I went by his house. He wasn’t there either. Do you have any idea where I might find him?”
“No. He didn’t say anything about going away, if that’s what you’re wondering about.”
“Can you tell me what kind of nightmares he was having?” Ella asked.
“He told me he was having bad dreams about a bear chasing him. He could never get away, no matter how hard he tried. He’d spoken to friends of his about it, and they’d recommended he come see me.” Clifford took a sip of tea, then continued. “I told him that it sounded like Tracking Bear. In our stories of creation, he was an evil from which there was no escape.”
“What did he say about that?”
“He told me that the only evils he would never be able to escape were the results of his research in Los Alamos. I tried to warn him that nightmares have power and have to be dealt with, but I got the feeling that he didn’t really believe I could help him.” Clifford looked down at his boots, then shook his head.
Ella considered what Clifford had told her. “The effects of uranium could be likened to Tracking Bear. You can’t escape it. It finds you. Uranium causes illnesses that no doctor—Anglo or Navajo—can really stop. All they can do is hold it off as long as possible.”
“A Sing would have helped him find peace,” Clifford said. “But you mentioned that you were trying to find him?” Seeing her nod, he added, “Then why don’t you go speak to his aunt? The scientist’s mother and father have long since passed away, but his aunt will probably speak to you if you approach her with respect. She’s a traditionalist and lives just past Hogback, across the old road from the Trading Post over there. She has a small orchard, and sometimes sells fruits and vegetables from a stand just off the main highway.”
“Thanks, brother, I appreciate your help.” She started toward the door of the hogan, then stopped. “I know you hate to ask anyone for help, but if there’s ever anything I can do for
you, all you have to do is let me know.”
He smiled and nodded. “I know that, little sister.”
Ella joined Justine outside a moment later, and they set out to see Kee’s aunt, who lived at the eastern edge of the Rez a short distance from Highway 64. “Do you know her?” Ella asked.
Justine shrugged. “Not personally, but from the background check I did on him, I know that Thelma Jacks is Kee’s closest living relative. I understand that they don’t really get along.”
“Let’s see what we can find out.”
On the way through Shiprock they stopped long enough to pick up a bucket of fried chicken. Ella was famished, and ate greedily. Justine mostly picked at her food as she continued to drive.
“Do you want me to take the wheel for a while so you can have a chance to eat?” Ella asked after she’d finished her second piece and was wiping her hands with a napkin.
“No, it’s okay.” Justine had a half-eaten drumstick in her hand.
They arrived in late afternoon, and the tall shadow of Hogback already shaded the entire area. Hogback, an enormous out-cropping that ran for miles, was so close they could make out individual boulders on the steepest side, which faced east. As they drove down the narrow lane leading to the house, Ella saw the outline of an elderly woman ahead pulling a large red wagon filled with boxes of apples. The small cart, normally a child’s toy, was widely used in the area by nurseries as well.
“That must be her,” Ella said.
“Should I pull up beside and offer her a ride?”
“No, stop when we’re almost even, then let me get out and help her. Maybe if I buy some apples, it’ll show her I respect her as a farmer and a businesswoman. It may also make her more receptive to my questions. We’ll both get something out of this that way.”
“Great idea. I’ll drive to her house and wait for both of you there.”
“No, don’t do that. Remain here until we get to the house, then come get me. That way she won’t feel that we’re trying to hurry her up or double-team her. Traditionalists tend to distrust people who are too direct or come on strong.”
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