by Rita Karnopp
“I’m looking forward to spending time with her. I’m sure she isn’t too awfully upset Jordan is…gone. Inn, did you like him?”
“I only met him at Thanksgiving and…he seemed like a nice young man. He…wasn’t afraid to share his opinions, but that’s not all that bad. He…nothing.”
“No, be honest with me, Inn. I want to know what you thought.” Summer glanced at her father and noticed he appeared uncomfortable. “What is it?”
“A couple weeks ago I received a phone call. I don’t know who it was. He wouldn’t tell me. He told me…no he warned me to…stay out of your business.”
“What? What on earth are you talking about?” Summer stared at him long and hard. She said nothing as he pulled off the road into a wayside and parked under a tree. He turned toward her and gazed into her face with eyes as penetrating as those of an eagle.
“We hadn’t heard from you in a long time. So, I decided to drive to Missoula and surprise you.”
“You came to see me a couple weeks ago? I didn’t see you? What happened?”
“I…knocked on your apartment door and Jordan’s brother, Joshua opened—”
“Joshua was in my apartment? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You see, I wasn’t certain what to think. The young man told me he was Jordan’s brother and had just dropped off a bouquet of flowers and a nice bottle of wine for Jordan. There were flowers there, so why would I think it so odd?”
Summer remembered a dozen yellow roses from Jordan three weeks ago. He’d said it was just because he appreciated her friendship. “That was it? Why didn’t I get to see you?”
“Joshua told me that you and Jordan had just left for dinner and a Paul McCartney concert you had planned on attending for months. He said Jordan was going to propose to you sometime that night when the moment was right. I didn’t want to intrude, so I left.”
“You’d never be an intrusion, Inn. That’s strange, because Jordan didn’t ask me to marry him that night. He wouldn’t have because…like I said, we decided to call it off. We didn’t even go to that concert because he gave the tickets to Joshua and his new girlfriend. I was so angry. I’ve always loved the Beatles and Paul’s music has always touched me. I wasn’t happy Jordan gave those tickets away when he knew how much I wanted to go. I did get the flowers but…I don’t remember any wine. You sure he said wine?”
“That’s what the young man said. I didn’t wait around. I did some shopping for your grandmother, then went back home.”
“You still haven’t told me about…being told to stay out of my business,” she rubbed her temples with her fingertips and drew in a long, steady breath, then released it.
“You feeling okay?”
“Yes, just frustrated. Please…tell me.”
He took a long, hard drink of water, then set it down. “Two days after I got home…three in the morning the phone woke me. I thought something was wrong and I answered it right away. A man told me it’s bad manners to just drop over at a person’s house, uninvited. Next time I should call ahead. Better yet, it might be a good idea if I just stayed out of your business. I heard a woman laughing in the background. I thought it was you. It hurt me. I didn’t know what to say, so I hung up. I couldn’t fall back to sleep. I couldn’t help wondering why you would behave that way toward your inn.”
“You know I’d never behave that way toward you, Father. Didn’t you wonder what was going on? Why didn’t you just call and ask me? Is there anything else you can think of that seemed odd or unusual?”
“I didn’t call…because I was…angry you’d behave so uncaring toward me. Nah-ah said you wouldn’t. She was right. There was one thing about that whole conversation that really puzzled me.”
“What?”
“When I was at your apartment, Joshua kept looking at his watch, almost as if he was either expecting someone he didn’t want me to see or he had someplace to go.”
“That really doesn’t tell us much, does it? Has anyone called you since that first time?” Summer didn’t like strangers calling and threatening her father. Jordan must have been into something…but what? “You sure there’s nothing else you might have seen and didn’t give it much thought?” She waited while her father gave her question some thought.
He turned toward her and pulled on his long braid. “There was a black bag on your coffee table.”
“What kind of black bag? You mean like a garbage bag?” The pounding to the backside of her skull increased and she fought the nausea that threatened.
“It was more like a computer bag or small case. You know they are about four inches thick and they zip shut. Now that I think about it, it was partially open and…I don’t think there was a computer in it.”
“Could you see anything inside?” She tried to think if she’d seen Jordan with anything like that, but she couldn’t.
“No…I just know there wasn’t a computer inside because they pretty much fit tight and the bag looked…wobbly. Joshua noticed I was looking at it and stepped in front of me. You have any idea why he had that at your apartment? Where were you?”
“I was…angry with Jordan for giving our tickets away so I went out for drinks with my girlfriend, Candice. Actually, she was the one who called me and suggested we go out.”
“You’ve known this girl for a long time?”
“We’ve been friends for some time. Why?” Her friend would never have anything to do with this.
“If Jordan gave your tickets to his brother, why wasn’t Joshua at that concert instead of at your apartment?”
“What time were you there?” Her father was right, she struggled to listen.
“It had to be around eight thirty. I’d planned on staying the night. Instead I turned around and left.”
“I wonder how many times he used my apartment without my knowledge. I wish I knew what was in that bag. If only I could ask Jordan.”
“You think Jordan caught onto what his brother was up to? You think Joshua could have killed Jordan?”
“He didn’t kill Jordan. A guy by the name of Derek Wallace did. But someone also killed Ali Murdown in Jordan’s shower. I’ve had a feeling Joshua didn’t just show up at Jordan’s apartment as he claimed. I have a feeling he was already there before I got there.”
“What makes you think that?”
“I don’t know. He didn’t seem surprised or even upset his brother was dead. I knew Jordan and Joshua didn’t get along very well, but I never thought it was as deep seated as it appears.”
“Did you tell the detective on Jordan’s case all this?”
Summer drew in her lips and released them, making a popping sound. “I…I really don’t trust the napi’kwan police. One look at me and I can tell they could care less about a Blackfeet girl’s boyfriend.”
“I understand your hesitation. I too have trust issues with the white man’s police. You should talk to Running Crane. He is one of us and connected with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.”
“If I find a need, I’ll seek him out. Otherwise, there’s no reason.” The last person she wanted to contact was her high school boyfriend’s brother. It seemed she had a track record for disliking her boyfriend’s brother. The thought almost made her laugh.
“I think you’re not telling me everything. Maybe you didn’t know Jordan as well as you thought. He was in politics, wasn’t he?”
“He worked for Lawrence Borden who is running for a Democrat senate seat. I don’t see how that can be misconstrued as illegal.” Summer cringed as her father rolled of his eyes upward. “I get you don’t like napi’kwan government, but that doesn’t or didn’t make Jordan a bad person.”
“I never said it did, Niipo. I just think there was something going on that you weren’t aware of. He was murdered. There has to be a reason.”
“He never said anything to me…I…had no idea…he was into something dangerous. I couldn’t tell.”
“He might have thought no one would suspect him and he was in the clear
. The brothers were involved in something illegal together. Whatever was in that bag is what this is all about.”
Summer closed her eyes a moment, then opened them. “I won’t believe Jordan would do anything illegal unless someone proves it. He was a good man, Inn. All this speculation is giving me a headache, let’s talk about something else.”
“Nah-ah is excited you’re coming to spend the summer with her.” John Timber Wolf backed out of the parking spot and merged into highway traffic. “She’s been preparing for her time with you for weeks.”
“How can that be? I just decided to take care of her yesterday.”
“You know I’ve stopped trying to figure out how she knows things. She’ll tell you kay’issta’pssiwa.”
“She may believe it’s a spirit, but I don’t. I haven’t believed in the old ways for a long time. We have to forget all that nonsense and move with the times. The people’s biggest problems are self-inflicted. If you ask me, they should shut down all the reservations and the crutch of clinging to the old ways would be gone. Our people would be forced to blend into society.”
“You really believe that? You think our people would be better off forgetting where we come from? To lose our ancestry would be to lose our direction. If you don’t know where you’ve come from how do you know where you’re going? Niipo, you’ve lost your way. It’s good you are back.”
“I’m not back. I’ve returned only to take care of Nah’ah. It’ll give me time to decide which job I want to accept.”
“You could teach Native American Language and be true to the ways of your people. You could teach Native American History and make a difference in the future of the Blackfeet.”
Summer leaned against the headrest and closed her eyes. “We have to make our own futures and it’s not going to happen if our people stay on the res.”
“Is that what Jordan taught you? You have a napi’kwan boyfriend and you suddenly are ashamed to be Blackfeet?”
“I didn’t say I was ashamed of being Blackfeet, I just think our people need to realize they all need a change. To cling to old ways will only keep them depressed and poor. There’s no future in that. We’ve had this conversation way to many times. We always end up angry. This is one subject we’ll never agree on. I don’t know why we always end up—”
“Look, over on that dead tree. It’s an owl.”
She glanced at her father and read the fear in his face. “You still believe the spirits of the dead appear in the form of an owl? Really, Inn? You want me to believe it’s Jordan’s spirit and he’s here to haunt me because he was murdered?”
“He might be asking you to find his killer. Keep watching for him to reappear. You should not ignore truths.”
“You do realize how ridiculous that way of thinking is—right? It’s a flipping owl, Inn. Nothing more and nothing less.”
“Watch your mouth young lady. You would be smart to hold that tongue with your nah’ah.”
Summer’s cell phone rang and she hesitated to answer it. She dug in her purse and noticed the caller was unidentified. She swallowed hard, then said, “Hello?”
“You’d be wise not to go blabbing your story to the Res police. Keep your mouth shut and nothing will happen to your father or you.”
“Since I’ve nothing to blab, it won’t be hard. Tell me something, what was in that computer bag? What exactly was Jordan and Joshua into? I’m not a part of whatever it was, so why don’t you just leave me alone. The more you push me, the more involved I’ll become.” She knew she shouldn’t challenge the man on the phone, but she needed answers. Maybe he’d reveal something without realizing it.
“What do you mean? What computer case? I thought you didn’t know anything. Tell me what you know or I’ll put a bullet right into your father’s forehead.”
“You expect me to believe you have a rifle zeroed in on us right this very moment? How—” A bullet hit the windshield between her and her father. It left a huge dent in the glass.
“Pull off at the next rest station and stay in the car.”
“Now why would we do that?” She swallowed hard.
“What’s going on, Summer? At first I thought a rock hit the windshield, but now I believe it was a bullet. Who you talking to? Is he the one who shot at us?”
“Inn, he wants us to turn into the next rest station and—”
“Like hell we will. I am not playing his game.”
“He said he’ll put a bullet in your forehead if we don’t.” Summer’s headache peaked and she retched into a plastic bag.
“There’s only one place he could have gotten that shot off and we just passed it. I’m not stopping.”
“Your father will regret his decision. I’m not through with either of you.”
“I don’t know what you want. I have no idea what Jordan was doing. I don’t have anything in safe-keeping and I wasn’t connected to anything Joshua was involved in. If you want answers, I suggest you have a long conversation with Joshua Perkins. If he tries telling you anything connected to me, you’ll know he’s lying.”
“And I’m supposed to believe you? If you’re so innocent, how’d you know about the bag?”
“My father came to see me at my apartment and Joshua was there. I wasn’t. My father spotted a computer bag on my coffee table. It could have meant nothing.”
“So you’re saying we should look for Jordan’s computer?”
“Well, that’s just it. He couldn’t see inside, but it definitely didn’t have a computer inside it. Joshua was acting squirrely. That’s all my father and I know.”
“If I find out you’re lying, I’ll come after you. The devil—”
“I know, can corner you in a house, but not in a tipi.”
“What the hell you talking about?”
“You didn’t write that on a note to me this morning?” Summer wanted nothing more than peace and quiet.
“I don’t leave threatening notes. What’d it say?”
She hesitated. Should she tell him? “It said, Go back to your people…it might be the only safe place for you. Trust no one. And in tiny print it said, “The devil can corner you in a house, but not in a tipi.”
“I didn’t write it. That means someone else is involved. You have any idea who could have written it?”
“No. I thought it was you. Someone called my father, I’m guessing that was you.”
“That one I’ll admit to. Who do you think—”
“I don’t have a clue. The only person I think is in the middle of all this is Joshua Perkins. My father and I have nothing to do with whatever you’re doing. We don’t know anything, like I’ve said before.”
“If you’re lying to me, you’ll pay dearly.”
Summer held the phone to her ear long after silence told her the caller had hung up.
“You care to explain that call to me?”
“There’s nothing to explain. You heard what I said.”
“You shouldn’t have told him about the black bags. Is he coming after us?”
Summer pressed the heels of her hands into her forehead. “I don’t think so. It seems he believed me.”
“And if he didn’t?”
“My guess is we haven’t heard the last of him. I can’t even begin to image what Joshua’s involved in. I wonder if Jordan accidentally figured it out and it got him killed.”
“You can’t believe what a napi’kwan says. Don’t be so sure Jordan knew nothing. It would concern me that a woman was killed in my boyfriend’s shower. Be honest with yourself or the answers won’t present themselves.”
She glanced over at her father, then shook her head. “If only this could be resolved so easily.” Silence fell between them. Summer couldn’t help wondering what she’d seen without realizing it. Could Jordan possibly be involved every bit as much as Joshua? Where was Jordan on those many late nights at the office? She’d never even considered he was somewhere else…and the truth…. she didn’t really care.
Why had Jordan call
ed both her and Joshua to come to his apartment if he was involved? Again the logical explanation was he’d figure out what Joshua was involved in and wanted to confront him. Did he want her there to be witness to his accusations? Summer’s head swam with questions…with no answers. Maybe the most damaging question was: what was Ali Murdown doing taking a shower in Jordan’s apartment?
Chapter Three
Summer stared at the chopper and back at her father. “This is a joke, right?”
“No, I’m just following instructions from your nah’ah.”
“Lady, the longer you make me wait, the more it’s going to cost. I suggest we leave in the next five minutes.” He pushed his sunglasses further up his nose and quickly looked the other way.
Even though she really couldn’t see him well, she glared at the pilot. “I…haven’t had time to prepare. I’m not packed for a week in a tent.”
“More like tipi if I know Nah’ah. Do you have shirts and jeans packed in any of those bags?”
Nodding, Summer walked back to her father’s 1960 Pontiac GTO and pulled out several suitcases. The largest had sportswear and exercise clothes and she pulled it aside. She grabbed the smaller gray suitcase that contained makeup, mirror, and her thyroid meds. It would have to do. “Next time I’d appreciate a bit of a heads-up. If it was anyone other than Nah’ah, I’d say forget it.”
“Look at it this way, you get to experience a chopper ride. That’s something I’ve never done.”
“Why don’t you come along? It would do us all good to spend time fishing and hiking.”
“You really think Nah’ah is going to go hiking? It’s my guess she just wants to experience life as it was for the Blackfeet two hundred years ago.”
“Inn, what’s the point? It’s never going to be like that ever again. Why is she clinging to it so tightly? It drives me nuts.”
“Listen to Nah’ah and bite your tongue. Respect is the key here. Don’t insult her with your grand philosophy about closing all the reservations and making the Native American assimilate to society.”