I showed Baker to the last location where I had seen the boy, where I crossed the fence and where I saw the young lady.
“I don’t see anything, Jack. The only footprints I see around here appear to be yours.”
“I’m not lying, this is where she was.”
“You may be a lot of things, Jack. Mostly, just a big pain in the keister, but I know you’re no liar. Are you absolutely sure this is the spot? You know everything out here looks pretty much the same. Maybe you became disoriented out here in the heat of the day.”
“Don’t patronize me! I’m sure this is it. I don’t get lost or disoriented as you put it.”
“Calm down. Let’s talk about the girl. Can you describe her?”
“I’d say average height, black hair, slim, early twenties. Oh, yeah, she said her name was Sarah Leaphorn.”
“Sarah Leaphorn? Are you sure?”
“Positive. Why?”
“I’ll have to check, but I’m pretty sure a girl by that name went missing in the park about ten years ago. I had just started working out here. I believe I was the last one to see her alive when I helped her fill out a hiking permit. No one has seen her since. There was quite a manhunt, but not a trace was ever found. Eventually, they called off the search.”
“It couldn’t be the same girl. She wasn’t old enough.”
“I’d say just keep your eyes open, and next time you see that little boy, you might try to catch him.”
“What do you mean try? That kid was like a jackrabbit darting all over the place. I chased him for what must have been half a mile. I don’t think anybody could have caught him.”
Baker liked to get under my skin. She knew just the right buttons to push, but I didn’t care. I actually liked playing along. I pushed a few buttons myself from time to time. It seemed like it was the only way we communicated these days. She smiled slightly.
“What do you say we call it a day?” asked Baker. “You don’t hear any growls now, do you?”
“No.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Me either.”
“What about the boy and girl?”
“Did you see them?”
“No.”
“Then I think we’ve done our due diligence. Let’s go. Besides, if there were a boy and girl out here, I’m sure they’ve left by now.”
“What do you mean ‘if’?” I asked.
Baker didn’t answer as we walked back toward the jeep.
Just as we reached it, “Jack, did you see that?” asked Baker.
I looked in the direction she was facing, but I didn’t see anything.
“What?”
“Straight up ahead,” she pointed, “about two hundred yards out. I thought I saw a reflection of some sort. There it is again. Did you see it that time?”
“Yeah, I saw it. What do you think it is? Maybe it’s sunlight reflecting off of a pop bottle or something else?”
“I don’t know, but I’m about to find out. Get in, quick!”
They jumped in the jeep. Baker floored it and spun a doughnut in the sand, gradually gaining traction and picking up speed.
* * *
“Billy, I think we have a problem,” said Daryl. “Here they come and from the looks of the dust they’re kickin’ up, they’re in a hurry.”
“Get back to the truck. We’ve got to get out of here,” said Billy.
Donny fell down and Daryl tripped over him. Billy heard their grunts as they fell, running back to help both of them to their feet.
“Come on you guys!” said Billy.
Billy jumped behind the wheel. The keys were not in the ignition.
“Daryl, where are the keys?”
He fumbled in his pocket as he searched for the key.
“Hurry!” yelled Billy impatiently. “Why didn’t you just leave them in the ignition?”
Daryl didn’t answer but finally pulled the keys out and handed them to Billy. Now it was Billy’s turn to get rattled. He couldn’t seem to get the key into the ignition. He jabbed all around that little slot. Billy stopped, took a deep breath and slid the key straight into the switch. He turned the key and the engine roared to life. He punched the gas pedal to the floor. Slowly the pickup began to pick up speed as it pulled away from the stand of junipers. In a panic, heading across country may have been the instinctive thing to do, but the terrain was too unpredictable. Billy was level-headed and knew that getting rattled would only end in disaster. He drove directly back to the trail first, quickly widening the distance between themselves and the acting Ranger.
* * *
A dust cloud appeared where they had seen the reflection.
“I think there was someone watching us. Why would they do that?” asked Baker aloud to herself. As they drove to the spot, a rooster tail of dust moved away.
“Jack, get the binoculars out of the glove box.”
Baker pulled up and stopped at a good vantage point on top of a ridge. Jack handed her the binoculars. She got out and climbed up onto the hood. I opened my door and stood, balancing against the door frame, not able to see anything but a dust cloud. Sam stood there a few seconds, trying to focus and identify the vehicle through the dust.
“There you are, you rascals. I’ve got you.”
Baker jumped down and slid back behind the steering wheel. I joined her inside.
“I got a pretty good look when they turned,” she explained.
“Did you recognize them?”
“It was the Hightower brothers. I’d know that Power Wagon of theirs anywhere. Probably up to no good…again.”
“I’ve heard that name before. Three of them I believe. They have a reputation for looting the cliff dwellings. Maybe they were just out driving the trails.”
“Yeah, right. Then why are they running? No, you don’t know them the way I do. If they were watching us, it was for a good reason. I sure hope they didn’t have anything to do with Emitt getting shot.”
“What made you think of that?”
“I think about it all the time. Since Emitt was shot I’ve become a lot more cautious, especially when I’m out here.”
“That’s understandable, but why would you think those boys had anything to do with it?”
“I don’t know. It’s just suspicious that they’re out here, sneaking around, supposedly watching us. Actually, we don’t know if the shooting was an accident or not. Emitt seems convinced it was an accident, but I’m not so sure about that. I’m going to have a talk with those boys anyway and see if I can find out what they were up to.”
I could see how worked up she had become from thinking about Emitt. Her knuckles had turned white from her death grip on the steering wheel.
Chapter Four
When Baker dropped me off at her office, I decided it was too late to go back to the site. Besides, I needed to unwind a little. I headed back home. Rudy’s car was in front of the cabin when I pulled into the drive. I found him sitting in front of the TV drinking a cold one, one of mine I’m sure. He didn’t acknowledge me when I came in. I stepped up directly behind him and dropped my pack on the floor, making a loud ‘thud’ sound. He didn’t even flinch.
“Hey, Jack,” said Rudy without looking up. “Hope you don’t mind. My TV’s on the fritz, so I just made myself at home. “
He sat with his eyes glued to the television screen. It appeared to be a game show of some sort. Nothing that interested me. No more than I watched the thing, I wondered why I even had a TV, except for the convenience of my friends. Maybe I should consider locking my door when I leave.
“Help yourself to whatever you can find,” I said with exaggerated sarcasm. Of course he didn’t hear it that way at all.
“I’m good. Thanks anyway.” I just shook my head. “I think there may still be another one of these in the fridge,” holding up a bottle. “By the way, how’d it go today?”
I went into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Sure enough there was one cold beer left. I grabbed it. After being in the heat most of
the day, the coolness from inside the refrigerator was refreshing. I stood there for a moment.
“It was kind of eventful actually,” I said loudly from the kitchen.
I popped off the cap with the opener on the side of the cabinet.
“Want to tell me about it?” Rudy asked.
I went back to the living room and plopped onto the couch, putting my feet up on the coffee table. I closed my eyes and held the cold bottle against my temple, perhaps a bit too long, because my head began to ache.
“I almost had lunch with Baker today,” I said, as I took a drink with my eyes still closed.
“Are you trying to get back together with her?”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Sometimes she can be a real pain, but I needed to tell her about what I saw out at the site today.”
“And what was that?”
I told Rudy about the boy and the young lady and about taking Baker out to try to find them and then about the almost encounter with the Hightower brothers.
“Sounds like you had a busy day. I’ve heard stories about the Hightowers. They’re a shady bunch. From what I hear, they can’t be trusted as far as I can throw ‘em.”
“We don’t know why they would have been watching us, at least that’s what we presume they were doing. I don’t know why else they would have been in the same area as we were, but they took off as soon as they realized we had spotted them. It may turn out to be nothing, but like Baker said, their actions were awfully suspicious.”
“From what I’ve heard, you don’t need to worry about ‘em. They don’t have a reputation for violence or for starting trouble. I think it’s actually the opposite. They seem to try to avoid any kind of confrontation. The only thing you can count on from them is their ability to get into trouble.”
“Baker even brought up the question of whether they may have had something to do with Emitt getting shot. I don’t think she really believes it, she was just thinking out loud. What do you think? From what you know about them, are they capable of shooting someone?”
“I don’t think so. I wouldn’t buy anything from them, not knowing where it probably came from, but I don’t see them shooting someone, not intentionally anyway. But, people can surprise you sometimes, especially if they feel like they don’t have a choice. I guess they might do anything under the right or wrong circumstances. You know what they say about a wild animal, it’ll avoid a confrontation until it feels it’s cornered or threatened… then, watch out.”
“I’m going back out there tomorrow. I’m not quite done with the site where I was working. Want to come along?”
“Sorry, I can’t. I’m taking some doctors on a fishing trip tomorrow.”
“How is business?”
“I can’t complain. It starts picking up this time of year. You know, fair weather sportsmen.”
“Well, just in case, if I should turn up missing, get hold of Baker. She knows where I’ve been working.”
“You know you don’t have to go back out there. You are a volunteer.”
“I’m not worried. I like the solitude and what I’m doing, and somebody needs to do it. Besides, it gives me a chance to relax and think. I’ll be all right.”
“Then why did you mention it?” asked Rudy, smiling.
“Forget I said anything.”
“Oh, by the way, if you don’t come back, can I have your TV?”
“Sure, why not.”
Chapter Five
The Hightower brothers lived just east of Mancos, just off the north side of the highway, in the same house they were raised in. It’s a two-story structure with a covered front porch stretching across the full width of the house. A porch swing hung at one end. It didn’t appear there had been any maintenance on the place in quite a while, probably since their mother had died. With her gone and their pa in prison there wasn’t anyone around to make sure the not-so-fun things got done. From what paint was left on the house, it appeared to have been white at one time. If there had ever been a lawn, there was no evidence of it now. The front yard was primarily dirt, being used as a driveway and parking lot for all their vehicles, running or not, mostly not.
To confront the Hightowers, Baker would have to ask for assistance from the local Sheriff’s office since she didn’t have any jurisdiction outside of the park boundaries. She called a friend, Detective Joe Larsen, in the Durango office.
“Joe, this is Samantha Baker.”
“Hi, Sam, it’s been awhile. What can I do for you?”
“I need a favor.”
“I’ll do what I can. What kind of favor?”
“Can you go with me to talk to some folks? I was out investigating something along the East Rim with Jack. You know Jack Trader, don’t you?”
“Oh yeah, Jack and I go way back.”
“Well, we discovered someone was following us. We don’t know why.”
“Did these ‘folks’ do anything wrong?”
“No, not that we know of. I’d just like to ask them why they were there.”
“Then I take it you must have recognized them?”
“Yes. It was the Hightower brothers.”
“I know those boys. I’ve had the unpleasant task of talking to them on several occasions. I don’t know if you’ll accomplish anything by talking to them though.”
“Maybe not, but I want them to know I recognized them, and I’m going to be keeping an eye on them. I think you should know, this is the same area where Emitt, the park ranger, was shot last month.”
“You think they had something to do with the shooting?”
“I don’t know, but they really didn’t have any business being in that part of the park.”
“I guess you’ve made up your mind about this?”
“I don’t have the jurisdiction on my own. I need your help, Joe. Please?”
“Don’t go getting sappy on me.”
“Then you’ll do it?”
“How can I refuse?”
“Can you meet me tomorrow at noon at the Mancos Café? Sometimes they eat lunch there, and if we don’t catch them there we can go by their house.”
“I’ll be there. But, remember Sam, I’ll be taking the lead. Okay?”
“That’s fine.”
Chapter Six
I woke up early to beat the heat and return to the site. I would try to put yesterday’s occurrences behind me even though I had had a restless night thinking about Sarah and the boy. What were they doing out there? I felt guilty for coming back to the comfort of my cabin while they were still out there, or at least that was my assumption. I had done the only thing I could by letting Baker know what I’d seen. However, as I prepared to leave, I remembered Baker’s last comment to watch my back. It wasn’t because of Sarah or the boy, but because it was near where Emitt was shot.
I filled two canteens with water and grabbed a couple apples off the kitchen counter as I headed out the door. I had already had a light breakfast of toast and coffee. Probably not the healthiest, but it was simple and over the years it had become a habit that suited me fine. Other than coffee, I rarely had much else. Along with the apples it would hold me until the hot part of the day when I would knock off and return to the cabin. I know, ‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day’. I can hear it coming from my mother’s mouth even now. I guess all those years ago I was listening. But like then, I still have trouble following her advice.
I arrived at the site around 7:00 a.m. It was still a little cool, but that would change quickly as the mercury had already begun to climb. I grabbed my tools and knapsack and began the short hike to the site. Climbing up to the site by way of hand and footholds carved into the cliff face, I set to work, taking measurements and making sketches in my notebook. Over all the years I’d been coming out here, it had never even crossed my mind that my safety was in jeopardy. However, today, because of Sam’s comment, I caught myself checking over my shoulder a little more often than usual. I reminded myself that today was no different th
an any other. I wasn’t very convincing. Sam had planted the seed, and it was growing. Just that little bit of suspicion that perhaps Emitt’s shooting wasn’t an accident. Then I saw the boy again. I must confess I wasn’t totally surprised. I halfway expected it. I watched him for a moment to see if he would take off as before. This time the boy just stood there. Then he surprised me by smiling and motioning for me to follow. Should I or shouldn’t I follow him for a second time? I wasn’t anxious to go through another wild goose chase. I stood up, expecting him to take off. He remained at the same spot. Did I misunderstand? Did he really want me to follow him, or was he just using me for his amusement? He waved me on again. Okay, I knew better, but I couldn’t help myself. I was still curious and concerned about a boy being out here. I put down my pack, grabbed one canteen and hooked it on my belt before I climbed back down to the canyon floor. When I got about fifty feet from him, he took off, of course.
I refused to run this time. I knew I couldn’t catch this boy under almost any circumstance unless he tripped and fell. So, I followed at a moderate pace until he crossed the fencing for the Restricted Area. I stopped.
“I don’t want to play this game any more!” I yelled out.
He came back and waved me on again.
“No.”
He became very insistent by waving furiously and jumping up and down, but surprisingly he never made a sound. Reluctantly, I gave in and crossed the fence and kept going. I guess I’m a glutton for punishment. If I lost sight of him, he would return to motion me on. We repeated this over and over for quite a ways, I’m not sure how far. I was glad Rudy wasn’t around to see this. It would have been embarrassing, and I’d never hear the end of it. Then I didn’t see the boy anymore. I stopped and waited for him to show himself again.
There were men’s voices up ahead. Maybe the boy was with some others. I headed toward them. I entered a small canyon, looked up and saw a small cliff dwelling site. Being in the Restricted Area, I had never been to this site before. Of course I probably shouldn’t be here now. But here I was, in the Restricted Area for the second time in as many days. From this distance, the structures within the site appeared to be pretty well intact with most of the walls still standing. I worked my way closer to the sounds through the brush. Three men were loading boxes overflowing with objects into the back of a pickup. I recognized the pickup from yesterday. The Hightower’s monster of a truck. How did they get down in here? They must have cut their way through the fence, which wasn’t much of a deterrent to someone who really wanted to get in. Obviously, they were taking artifacts from the site. The sad thing was that they probably already had buyers for everything they could haul out.
Treasure of the Anasazi Page 3