by TM Simmons
"I will if I have a call from a patient who needs me and there's no one available to give me a ride," she said.
"I'm sure Nodinens won't care if you use her truck."
Channing shrugged and locked the door behind them. "I'll ask her."
Keoman secured her luggage in the back as she climbed in beside Nodinens.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, snapping her seatbelt.
"The pain pill you gave me works well. I hope I do not become an addict."
Channing peeked at Nodinens, who met her gaze with a twinkle in her brown eyes. The teasing glint gave permission for them both to laugh.
Nodinens' laughter broke off on a yawn. "I am not used to strong medicines, so I hope I do not fall asleep."
Already behind the wheel, Keoman said, "Don't worry, Grandmother. You're small enough for me to carry, if needed."
Nodinens patted his arm. They made the fifteen minute journey to Nodinens' home without much further conversation, except when Channing gasped and pointed out a moose standing beside the road.
"We are lucky it is early and we can see one," Nodinens told her. "They will retreat into cover as it gets lighter."
The elderly woman was still alert when they arrived at her house, where yet another man Channing hadn't met waited for them in his vehicle. Smoke from the exhaust indicated a running engine for warmth. Channing sighed inwardly as the tiny flicker of hope that maybe they would forget to issue her and Nodinens a new jailer extinguished.
Channing helped Nodinens out of the high-sitting pickup and kept an arm around her as they walked through the garage into the house, leaving Keoman to bring the luggage. In the kitchen, Daisy waited for them and hurried over to Nodinens.
"I hope you don't mind my waiting inside, Grandmother. But Gagewin sent Radin over to fix your electricity and alarm system. We wanted it to be ready when you came home."
"It is fine," Nodinens assured her. "I am very glad to have everyone's help."
"You've done a lot for all of us," Daisy said. "Now I'm going to pay you back a little bit."
Channing turned Nodinens over to Daisy's willing hands. The two women left the kitchen, and she poured a cup of the coffee Daisy had ready and sat at the table. Keoman walked on through with her luggage, headed for the stairs and her room. A few minutes later, he rejoined her with his own coffee.
"I'm only going to be here a minute," he said. "Before I leave, George will come inside."
"The man in the pickup?" Channing asked as she added more powdered creamer.
"Yes," Keoman said. "George Rider. He's one of our Elders. Nodinens knows him, and he's also carrying his pistol and a hell of a shot."
Channing stirred the creamer into her coffee. Nodinens had liquid creamer in the refrigerator, but she was exhausted after a night without sleep and didn't bother to get up. She had to get some rest before she did much today.
Keoman took her hand, and Channing nearly jerked away. Then she realized he had said something she missed and was trying to get her attention.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm just so tired."
"I just said that you shouldn't worry, someone will be protecting you and Nodinens all the time. And Daisy now, also. Nodinens has all the phone numbers you should need, if you have to call us for some reason, as does George."
"That's good," Channing lied as she sipped her coffee. Stirring in the creamer had cooled it enough to drink, and she took another long swallow.
Keoman pushed back his chair and stood just as George knocked on the garage door and walked in. After Keoman introduced them, George poured his own coffee and carried it into the living room.
"I'm outta here for a while," Keoman said. "But I'll call if there's anything to report. I'll also stop by, if the search leads me to this area."
"Be careful. You're important to me."
He bent and kissed her briefly. "You are to me, too. Please stay safe."
Rather than answer him, she curled her arms around his neck. Her kiss was longer, deeper.
Channing slowly removed her arms and said, "Don't worry. Just find this bastard, so he can be punished."
Keoman's face hardened. "He'll be punished. I don't think there's any way he can get to another child, either. The entire area is on guard."
"Good."
He hugged her again and left through the garage. Channing fought the urge to watch him go. If he came back for another kiss, he might see the deceit in her eyes. She finished her coffee, then poured another cup to carry with her up the stairwell.
Someone had cleaned up the shattered glass, and the cabinet again stood upright. The Kachinas, though, were in a plastic bin. She hurried on to Nodinens' bedroom. Daisy already had Nodinens settled in her bed, which had been re-made with different linens.
"My friends even had the furniture store owner open up in the middle of the night so they could get me a new mattress," she told Channing. "I am blessed to have so many people who care for me."
"You are," Channing agreed. "I hope you still consider me someone who cares after I tell you I want to give you more IV antibiotics."
Nodinens sighed. "But you do not have one of those IV poles."
"We'll rig something up. First I want to look at your bandage and clean the wound again."
Daisy was nearly as much help as Nurse PawPaw, and they soon had Nodinens re-settled. Channing sat with the elderly woman while Daisy hurried downstairs to fix a light breakfast, chatting innocuously, trying to keep her from slipping into sleep before Daisy returned.
At one point, Channing leaned close and whispered, "It would probably do you as much good to go on to sleep as to eat, but it would hurt Daisy's feelings."
Nodinens laughed sleepily and kept her eyes open until Daisy came back with a tray. Then, informing them she wanted to take a shower and rest, Channing went to her own room. She did plan to shower, but she searched in her purse for Kymbria James' phone number first.
Chapter 41
So much for a nap, Channing thought later that day. The phone had rung constantly, mostly with people asking about Nodinens' health, but once in a while with a patient. Each time she answered, Channing caught herself hoping it was Keoman and chastised herself when it wasn't. He had to be doing everything he could to find the man they were after. Besides, their relationship was too new for her to think he might feel compelled to check on her.
She sent Daisy home in mid-afternoon, when the other woman received a call about a minor emergency. As she expected, Nodinens slept most of the day, and by evening, she amazed Channing with her alertness and appetite. She even took a short walk in the hallway, although Channing nixed the idea of her going downstairs to eat dinner. People had also stopped by all day with food and good wishes, and it didn't take long to microwave meals for them both. She carried everything upstairs to eat with her patient, leaving the two men from the tribe, their new bodyguards, to fend for themselves.
Free of the IV now, Nodinens drifted off to sleep again. Channing left that bedroom door open, but when she got into her own room, she locked hers for a while. After she completed her phone call, she would open it in case Nodinens needed her during the night.
"I understand completely," Kymbria said after Channing spoke with her for a while, informing her of the intruder and what she needed now. "However, I'm back in Duluth, with my daughter, Risa. You should wait until Nodinens heals enough to help you. She knows a lot more words than I do."
"I should," Channing agreed. "However, Nenegean might not wait. And despite what a good act Nodinens puts on, she needs to rest. A gunshot wound isn't something to ignore."
Kymbria remained quiet for a few seconds, then asked, "How much charge do you have on your cell phone? This might take a while."
"I can plug it in. And I've already got pen and paper ready. Plus, if you don't mind, I have recording capability on my cell."
"That's a good idea," Kymbria said. "Some of the words take a little practice to say and understand."
"Hold
on just a moment while I set things up." Channing glanced at the locked bedroom door, hoping her need for privacy wouldn't be questioned. Then she plugged her cell into the charger and activated the recording application.
"I'm ready, but before we begin," Channing cautioned, "I really need you to promise you'll keep this between the two of us."
The silence on Kymbria's part lengthened until Channing checked her phone to see if they had been disconnected. Then the other woman sighed.
"I remember how determined I was to confront my many times great grandfather, who was then a windigo. I have to warn you, though, Channing, that I grew up with the lore and knowledge of the supernatural beings our tribe's encountered over the years. I had an idea what I was in for, yet I was still nearly killed. The only thing that kept him from doing that was when he tried to eat me and tasted my blood. He realized I was related to him, and he couldn't eat someone who was descended from him and carried the same blood."
"If you recall, my ex-husband, Grant, is a member of an FBI team like that bygone television show, the X-Files. These men and women handle very real situations. So I'm not completely naïve about dealing with something like this."
"Not being naïve isn't anything close to being knowledgeable about entities like a windigo and Nenegean," Kymbria cautioned.
"One way or another," Channing assured Kymbria, "I'm going to try to talk to Nenegean. It's become very obvious she wants to talk with me. She either wants to expose the bastard who's molesting the children or is asking for help finding him. I'd bet on the latter, since if she knew who he was, he'd no doubt be dead by now."
"As I said, I do understand. Nothing was going to keep me from trying to eradicate the windigo before he killed more people. And if Risa was —" Kymbria's voice broke, then she continued, "I'll give you this. Unless I hear from someone up there that you're missing, I'll keep quiet about what I know. But you have to promise me you'll at least let one other person know what you're up to."
"Agreed," Channing said. "If Nenegean does kill me, I'd at least like my body put to rest somewhere. Well, my ashes, since I plan to be cremated."
"All right. Then the first word you probably want to learn is child, which is abinoojii." She sounded out the word again: ubin-ooo-jee.
Channing was yawning a half-hour later, but she could tell Kymbria was somewhat impressed by how quickly she'd learned at least the basic words she might need.
"Nenegean also communicates telepathically," she told Kymbria when they both felt she had a decent grasp on what Kymbria had taught her. "If I can't vocalize the words so she can understand them, I'll have your voice in my memory. I have a fair photographic recall, which helped me get through med school. Nenegean also uses gestures and signs, so I imagine I'll be as prepared as I can get."
"Not quite," Kymbria said. "I can hear how exhausted you are, but there's one more thing you need to learn. It's a protection prayer my grandfather taught me."
"Is it the one that begins, 'Mino-dae/aeshowishinaung?'" Channing asked.
"Ah, I should have known Nodinens would make sure you knew that one," Kymbria said. "You don't need to say it in the Old Words, though. Since it's for your protection, you can use English."
"Fill our spirits with good; upright then may be our lives," Channing quoted. "Defend our hearts against evil; against evil prevail."
"Excellent," Kymbria said. "One more thing. I know Nodinens has a satellite phone, so you should have her bring it, along with your cell phone."
"Nodinens was injured, remember? I can't ask her to go with me."
Kymbria laughed. "You may not have a choice. Don't underestimate Grandmother. She's going to have a sharp eye on you, and I would swear she can read minds at times. Also, get some rest before you start out. You want to be in good shape, your mind sharp."
"I will," Channing promised. "And you have my heartfelt thanks."
"Go with Midé Manido," Kymbria said before they disconnected.
Glad she had taken a shower that morning, Channing walked over to open her bedroom door in case Nodinens needed her. She also set the alarm clock in order to get up in two hours to check on her patient. Then she yawned and slid under the covers.
Before she went to sleep, she put her ear bud in her phone. As she drifted off, she listened to the replay of Kymbria's Old Word lessons.
~~~~
Channing found Nodinens in the kitchen the next morning, a fresh pot of coffee ready and a stack of fry bread keeping warm in a pan. She wore the sling Channing had adjusted to her slight stature, but Channing frowned at the touch of flush on her high cheekbones. She hoped it was just because she was overexerting.
"Good morning," Channing told the elderly woman. "I won't bother to chastise you about needing your rest. However, I do want to examine your wound and change your bandage this morning."
"I am glad you realize I am old enough to make my own decisions, even if they are not what others think they should be. It hurts my heart when the younger ones treat their elders as though they are now the children and need to be told what to do."
"I try never to do that with my patients." Channing poured herself a cup of coffee and added creamer. When she sat at the table, Nodinens placed a plate with several pieces of fry bread on it in front of her, then pushed the butter and honey over beside the plate.
"Eat," she said. "You are a doctor. You know breakfast is the most important meal of the day."
"I couldn't turn down that luscious smelling stuff. It's fry bread, isn't it?"
"Yes." She opened the oven door and retrieved a platter of crispy ham slices. "How do you like your eggs?"
Channing muttered, "To hell with cholesterol this morning," under her breath and replied, "Sunny side up, and I'll have two."
Nodinens joined her at the table after she served Channing's eggs. She had another plate for herself, and the two of them ate silently until Channing finally used her last piece of fry bread to wipe up egg yolk.
"That was delicious, Nodinens. Good thing I'm not a runner. I'd feel like I had to go at least ten miles to work off those calories."
"We might as well have some enjoyment when we are imprisoned." Nodinens sighed and then slipped Channing a sly look. "Do you need any help with your Old Words lessons?"
"How did —?" Channing laughed. "Kymbria warned me about you."
"My ears are still good, although my bladder is not. I get up at least twice at night."
"My ear bud fell out," Channing admitted. "I don't know how long it was out before it woke me."
Nodinens' eyes darkened. "You are not to try to find Nenegean alone, Channing. She is dangerous. She has killed twice, and one of those kills was a woman."
"Didn't you just mention the fact that some of us are old enough to make our own decisions?" Channing asked softly.
"That does not count towards those who have a need to listen to experience. This entity is just that … an entity. Her mind was once human, but there are only remnants of that in the being she is now. You heard your doctor friend explain what a sociopath is. Someone with no conscious. No morals. That is how Nenegean is now. Along with no conscious, she also has little ability to reason. If you make one wrong move around her, she will tear you apart."
"She's after the man who's molesting our children, Nodinens. That doesn't sound like someone without morals."
"If I thought Nenegean had any inkling of who this man is, or could tell us something that would help catch him, I would completely approve of you trying to communicate with her. But she does not. She would come into a room full of other people to kill him."
"Nodinens —"
Nodinens held up a hand. "I am not done yet. The only way you would be able to communicate with Nenegean well enough to understand her is to get close without the protections we use. And this would leave you completely vulnerable, should you say something that would … would piss Nenegean off. Piss her off to the point where she lost every iota of any humanity she might have. Then she would tear you
apart, as she did Alan and Annalise. The reason we have the protections and chants and prayers is because we have dealt with those like Nenegean over the centuries. I cannot allow you to ignore the truth of what we know to be fact."
Channing ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "I understand. And to be honest, I'm scared to death to try anything with Nenegean, so I'm just as glad not to have to confront her. We'll figure out some other way to talk to her."
"No, that is not what we need to do," Nodinens refuted. "We need to find this other monster in our midst. The one hurting our children. When we have him captured, Nenegean will go away."
"Go away where?" Channing asked, actually curious as to the answer. "Where do you believe she was when she was … well, when she was dead, for want of a better word."
Nodinens rose from her chair. "I do not know. And I do not care. She is an evil entity. If I knew how to destroy her, I would do it in a heartbeat. However, the only conclusion I have come to is as I said. We need to find the man hurting our children, so we can punish him. Then Nenegean will be satisfied and leave."
"Let me put the dishes to soak," Channing said as she picked up her plate. "I want to look at your wound."
"It is rather sore," Nodinens admitted. "I may have to give in and take another of those pain pills."
"There's no guilt in taking something for pain when you need it, my friend."
Several minutes later, Channing stared worriedly at the exposed wound. Twice she had cleaned it as well as she could. However, infection was setting in. Right now there was only one tiny place that might be just swelling or bruising from the bullet or stitches. But something told Channing it was the beginning of a sepsis rash.
"Nodinens," she asked as she tenderly wiped the wound with a warm washcloth, "did you take the oral antibiotic I gave you last night?"
Nodinens evaded Channing's gaze. "The pill made me ill. I threw it up."
"And you didn't ask me for a different one?"
"I did not know I could do that."
Channing gently turned Nodinens' face towards hers. "You have two choices. I can have someone take you to the hospital in Grand Marais, or you can go back to bed with an IV again. Even with the second choice, it may not work. You might still have to go somewhere that has better facilities and medicines than at the clinic."