Death Walker (36 page)

“We have eight on loan from Farmington, and as far as I’m concerned, you can use all of them on surveillance. I want to prevent any more of our elders from turning
up dead. I saw the list of names you compiled in your report, and the short list of locals. All those people are very important to this tribe. If we lose them, we are losing a part of our heritage.”

He paused. “I’m not sure I believe that evil is going to destroy us as a tribe, but fear can do untold damage. If one more bad thing happens, it’s going to demoralize the tribe. With unemployment
high because of the coal mine closings, and the deaths already on record, people may stop believing in us and start taking things into their own hands. And that chaos would be the biggest threat the People have faced in over a century.”

“I agree. But protecting those who seem to be the most likely targets for the packrat killer is tricky. They don’t want protection,” Ella reminded him.

“Tough.
We’ll watch them from a distance then.”

“He could strike elsewhere. This is a big reservation.”

“We can guard only against what we know. You may have a personal reason for wanting to find Yazzie, but make sure he takes second place to your search for the murderer. I want this packrat psycho behind bars. I’m hoping everything will fall into place after that.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Assign cops
to watch your brother and your mother too. I haven’t seen a report on it yet, but I did hear earlier about those sheep. I want an officer near your family by tonight.”

“My brother won’t stand for anyone hanging around when he’s working, and the tribal council will back him up. But my mother does need protection. I’ll have a unit watching from the mesa behind the house, which also covers the access
road to my brother’s home. They’ll be able to see anyone coming or going, and if there’s trouble, they’ll be there to react.”

“Do it then.” As the telephone began to ring, he looked at it wearily. “Find answers soon,” he said, picking up the receiver.

Ella left Big Ed’s office and walked back to her own. Someone was there, standing with his back to her. “Can I help you?” she asked.

As the man
turned around, she smiled. Herman Cloud, with his weather-beaten face and white hair, was a welcome sight. “I’ve been meaning to pay you a visit!” she said. “But tell me, what brings you here today? Are you worried, Uncle?” she asked gently.

“Not for myself. Your family is in more danger than the rest of us if it’s true that the Navajo witch has escaped.”

“It’s true, but why do you believe my
family is in greater danger than people like you who fought with us?”

“You and your family stand like a wall between those who would harm the tribe and the rest of us. That means you’re the most prominent target, and getting you and those you love out of the picture for good would be a most coveted prize.”

Ella bit her bottom lip pensively. “Yes, that’s true. But so far, no move has been made
directly against us.”

“First they must shake your confidence. Afterwards you’ll all be easier targets. Don’t let that strategy work. Believe in yourself, and in those you love.”

“I do. My family and friends are my strength.”

“And your weakness. Remember that,” Herman Cloud answered. “I will be nearby. When you need me, you won’t have to look far.”

Ella thanked him, then watched as he walked
out. He had remained a staunch family friend throughout all the problems her family had faced. She had no doubt that he’d be there just as he said. Finding comfort in his friendship and loyalty, Ella gathered a few reports, then started toward the door. Somehow she still had to break the news about the carcasses to her mother, and she had to convince her to get Loretta and Clifford to move in.

Ella was in the hall when Justine came by. “I’ve got a problem. I sent one of our officers, Bradford Atcitty, to talk to Sadie Morgan, the linguist. She was adamant that she would not alter her schedule. She records at night, and also sometimes conducts choir practice at the new church.”

“At least she’ll be with others during choir practice, and there will be other members of the congregation
on the road. But I’ve got to talk to her about those solo recording sessions. That’s begging for trouble. Maybe she’ll consent to having one of our tribal cops with her just at those times.”

“I wouldn’t count on it. Bradford said that she was having none of it. She has a rifle, and she’ll use it if she’s threatened, but she’s not going to have a ‘babysitter.’ Her words.”

Ella sighed. This wasn’t
going to be easy. If they put unwanted surveillance on someone like that, she was just as likely to shoot them.

“I know she’ll be at the church tonight for choir practice. Do you want me to go talk to her?” Justine asked.

Ella considered it, then shook her head. “No, she’s going to be a problem. I’ll take care of this. It’s no reflection on you. It’s just that people know about my family. If
I tell her that even they will have protection, it may put things in a different light for her.”

“Who’s going to guard your family?”

Ella filled Justine in on the way to her car. “So we will have some extra manpower. That should help. I’ll have an officer watch Sadie’s house tonight too. The Packrat seems to prefer early morning, so she should be covered at that time regardless of what she says.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” Justine said, stopping by Ella’s vehicle. “If you don’t need me anymore tonight, I’m going to meet Furman. He’s been doing his best to keep his ears open for me and keep a watch out for anyone who might hold a grudge against our ways.” She plucked at the red Chieftains T-shirt she wore. “He’s the one who let me borrow this T-shirt so we could trap Steven Nez.”

“Be careful
about giving him details of what we’re doing,” Ella said, concerned not only for Justine but for the investigation. Handling informants was difficult at best.

“I didn’t tell him why I needed it. I just mentioned it when I saw him on my way back to the station. He brought it here for me. He didn’t have to, you know. He’s really pretty decent.”

Something nagged at the back of her mind, but Ella
reluctantly brushed it aside for now. Justine could be trusted to keep her mouth shut, and she did need a certain amount of autonomy with the sources she cultivated. “Keep me current,” Ella said at last, getting into her car.

Ella drove directly home. When she arrived, she saw her mother outside speaking to Clifford. Ella sighed. The last place they should have been hanging around was near a
lit porch after nightfall.

“Would you two get into the house? I’d like to speak to you,” Ella said, a bit more curtly than she’d intended.

Rose led the way into the living room, then turned to face Ella. Rose’s gaze was hard as it rested on her daughter. “I’ve just heard about the ‘message’ that was left near our mailbox. Why didn’t you tell me? Did you think I didn’t have a right to know?”

Ella sighed, then glared at her brother, who just shrugged. “I came home tonight to talk to you about it,” Ella said. “There was no chance before.”

“Are you telling me that your friends didn’t know?”

Ella knew there was no sidestepping the issue. “You had been really looking forward to my having people over. It was enjoyable for us too. The carcasses were being taken care of. I didn’t want to
bring it up then; it would have ruined your evening.”

“So instead, you kept something from me, something that I had every right to know. I’m not an old woman who needs to be sheltered from the truth. I expected more from you.” Rose turned and strode down the hall to her room.

“I better go after her,” Ella said.

“No, she’s too upset to listen to you right now. Give her some time first,” Clifford
advised.

“Why did you have to tell her?”

“I didn’t. Apparently Samuel Pete came by. His visit was unexpected, and she immediately suspected something wasn’t right. She finally wormed it out of him.”

Ella nodded. “I shouldn’t have waited to talk to her about it, but she really was enjoying having company. I didn’t want to spoil the evening for her. She’s been after me to have people over…”

“Not people—
person,
” Clifford corrected. “She wanted to fix a quiet dinner for you and Wilson.”

“That I can’t let her do, but she did enjoy my having Justine, Wilson and Carolyn over.”

Clifford’s eyebrows shot up. “That doctor was
here?
”

“Yes, and she’s a friend of mine,” Ella said, stemming any protest he might have made. Clifford nodded once, and she continued. “Now it’s time for you and me
to have a talk.” She gestured to the couch. “All of us are in danger, and the department’s manpower is stretched as far as it’ll go. It would help matters all the way around if you and Loretta would move in with us until this is over.”

He nodded. “I agree. That’s why I came over. Loretta’s brother is with her now, but she needs someone there almost ‘round the clock. I can’t be home all the time.
There are others who need me as well. I’ve already asked Mother if we could move in until the baby arrives.”

“Did she say yes?”

“Of course,” Clifford answered.

Ella glanced back down the hall. Her mother’s door was still closed. “Since she doesn’t want to talk to me right now, I’ll go take care of other business I’ve got pending. I’ll be back in about an hour.”

“Good. That’ll give her a chance
to calm down. You really blew it, you know. Don’t ever try to protect her from something like this, even if it’s just for a short while. It’ll cost you her trust. As it is, it’s going to take a long time for you to repair the damage already done.”

Ella felt her heart turn to lead. “I know.” Without further words, she went back to her vehicle. Sometimes you just couldn’t win, no matter what you
did.

Ella glanced at her watch. She’d go visit Sadie Morgan and have a talk with her. Maybe she could do some good there.

Pressing down on the accelerator, she headed back to the highway. Right now, speed, and the sense of control it gave her, was exactly what she needed.

Ella shuddered as she made the turn onto the road to the church. How any Navajo, Christian or not, ever managed to go into
that place without getting the creeps was beyond her. The blood-soaked tunnels that had once run below and the abominations committed there were still too vivid in Ella’s mind. No Blessing rite would ever erase those memories.

Ella watched the moon rise in the night sky. Clouds were massed to the north toward Four Corners, and lightning flashed along the horizon. It was raining, at least somewhere.
But near Shiprock, the pale, silver orb washed the ground with a soft, welcoming light. Even that couldn’t make Ella relax in this particular spot on the reservation. She opted for a shortcut, anything that would get her to the church and back out as soon as possible.

Taking a much less traveled dirt track, Ella shifted into low gear. She’d barely gone two miles when the ground became really
rough. The high winds and summer rains had eroded this section of road. Regretting her decision to take the shortcut, she considered going back to the main road, then decided against it. She’d be fine if she just went slowly; the Jeep would get her there.

Before she reached her destination, she was forced to take two more detours around deep cuts in the road. Her shortcut turned out to be costing
her more time than staying on the highway.

Ella expelled her breath in a hiss. That’s the way it always was for her near this church. This particular area just brought bad luck, no matter how logically she tried to look at it.

Ella glanced at the digital clock on her dashboard. By now choir practice was over, and people would be getting ready to leave. It was nearly nine-thirty. Cursing her
timing, she continued on. At least she’d covered the bases and, whether or not she managed to get to the church on time, a cop would still be watching Sadie’s home tonight.

Ella reached the end of the dirt track and bounced the Jeep back onto pavement. As she shifted back into high gear, she saw headlights speeding directly toward her.

Checking her seat belt, Ella reached for the radio and called
in. Something was wrong. The car coming her way down the church road was weaving practically all over the road. Ella lifted her foot from the accelerator, slowing down, ready to pursue or fire if she came under attack. Racking the mike, she gripped the steering wheel with both hands, ready to maneuver quickly. Her body was tense, a bead of perspiration running down her brow. The driver of the
oncoming car was either running away, or running to, something.

As the car drew near, she recognized it was a VW Bug belonging to old Marie Jim. Ella remembered that Marie had seemed ancient even when Ella had been in high school. The thought of being under attack by old Mrs. Jim was ludicrous.

Mrs. Jim must have finally seen Ella’s Jeep approaching because she slammed on the brakes and came
to a sliding stop at an angle in the road. Ella stopped just short of the VW.

A few seconds later, Mrs. Jim opened the door and slowly stepped out of the car. Each of her steps was halting, but in the light of their headlights it was clear from her expression that something had upset her terribly.

Ella snapped shut the security strap on her holster and walked to meet the woman, identifying herself
as she approached. She glanced automatically at Mrs. Jim’s car, but if anyone was hiding in there, they were the size of a gnome. The backseat was filled with books and old cardboard boxes. “Are you all right?” Ella asked softly.

“It’s terrible, just terrible!” Mrs. Jim’s tone was shrill, nearly incoherent.

“What is?” Ella insisted, forcing her own voice to stay calm.

“They all left, but I
had to go back. I forgot my puffer, my asthma inhaler, and I wouldn’t have been able to get another one until tomorrow. I’m
always
forgetting it, and then the doctors at the emergency room get angry. On the way back, that’s when it must have happened.”

“
What
happened?” Ella tried to remain patient. She liked Mrs. Jim. Most people developed a core of hardness that insulated them from the miseries
of the world, but Mrs. Jim never had. In many ways, she was like a child trying to act grown-up. Almost as if sensing that she was different, she kept to herself. She seldom went out socially. So finding her out here at this time of night alone was a surprise. “If you tell me what’s upset you, maybe I can help,” Ella coaxed her.