Death Walker (50 page)

Her only response was the same eerie, lifeless silence that had encompassed her since Carolyn had left the floor. Ella stepped to within three feet of the gurney. The mark
on the sheet was a footprint. She stared at it for a moment. Slowly, comprehension dawned on her. Ella looked up quickly just as Furman came crashing down through the ceiling tiles from above.

He collided hard against her, the full force of the blow slamming her in the middle of her back. Ella fell heavily to the floor, losing her pistol in the process. Furman spotted it and moved toward the
weapon, but Ella grabbed at his leg and twisted his ankle as he kicked out.

Furman groaned in pain. “Let go, you bitch!”

With both hands on his ankle, Ella rolled over, gaining enough leverage in the move to roll Furman with her, farther away from the pistol. “Give it up, you little asshole.” Furman would never be able to defeat her in a hand-to-hand fight. All she needed was to get a little
closer to him, and she could put him down for good.

Suddenly there was a flash of silver, and instant recognition caused Ella to jerk her hands back from Furman’s leg. The scalpel missed her hands completely, but sank into Furman’s own calf at least halfway. He screamed and scrambled to a sitting position, leaving the blade in place. Ella quickly reached for the backup pistol in her boot, but
the fight had gone out of Furman. He arched his back and cried like a child as blood gushed from the jagged wound. Ella stared, almost feeling sorry for him.

The other officers arrived a minute later. By then, Ella had the Packrat in cuffs and was trying to stem the flow of blood.

*   *   *

A half hour later, Ella was back with her mother, standing outside the room where her brother and his
wife were both asleep. Ella was beyond sleep at the moment, but she knew that when it finally came she would be out for a whole day.

Ella glanced at her mother. “Our family, and our tribe, have been through so much the last few weeks. Has the danger finally passed?”

Rose shut her eyes for several moments, then opened them again. “Yes, for now, we are safe. You can rest, daughter,” she answered
softly, then smiled. “Maybe you should call Wilson. Spending a quiet evening together would do you both worlds of good.”

“Rest? Quiet evening?” Ella chuckled and shook her head. “No way. I’ve finished the fieldwork, true, and the Packrat is locked up and under guard. But now I’ve got to face the real scourge of every cop’s life.”

“I don’t understand. What can be worse than what you’ve already
confronted?”

“Paperwork,” Ella answered. Giving her mother a quick hug, she headed for the exit.

“Those who appreciate the details of Navajo attitudes and culture will enjoy the Ella Clah mysteries as much as they do the Leaphorn/Chee stories by Hillerman. Subtle humor makes the story even more enjoyable.”

—
Baton Rouge Advocate,
Louisiana

“A satisfying combination of a right-now heroine and an age-old culture. The authors have created grittily convincing atmosphere and landscapes for
the Clah novels, the Southwest desert’s sweeping scenery forming an ironically sublime backdrop for people whose natural dignity and profound spirituality belies the bare-bones poverty in which they live.
Death Walker
allows valuable glimpses into an ancient culture as well as probing the eternal clash between good and evil.”

—
The Armchair Detective

“Winning.
Death Walker
is as much about family
and roots as it is suspense and mystery. Characters confront superstitious enmity with modern technology, patience, and understanding. They keep the story and the reader moving forward; there are no boring pages. A great read. The Thurlos provide Tony Hillerman with good company on the sunburnt sands and hills of the Southwest.”

—
Cape Coral Breeze,
Florida

“A brilliant and colorful mystery narrative
that gives a clear insight into the Navajo lifestyle in contemporary New Mexico. This is ethnic fiction at its best with the mystery used as a brilliant device to impart knowledge about the dichotomy between the Navajo and Anglo world views.”

—
Affaire de Coeur

“A pretty fun read, one that will help Hillerman fans fill the spaces between his mysteries. Ella Clah is a complex, well-crafted character
with both strengths and flaws that make her appealing to readers. I never wanted to quit reading. The story is steeped in authenticity. If Hillerman ever retires [the Thurlos] will be the obvious heirs apparent.”

—
Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph

“The Thurlos use their impressive writing skill to come up with a thriller that combines the best of southwestern mysteries with the terror of thrillers
like
The Silence of the Lambs. Death Walker,
replete with Indian lore, intriguing vignettes, and an exciting plot will keep you hooked from first to last.”

—
Romantic Times

ELLA CLAH NOVELS

Blackening Song

Death Walker

Bad Medicine

Enemy Way

Shooting Chant

Red Mesa

Changing Woman

Tracking Bear

OTHER BOOKS BY AIMÉE
&
DAVID THURLO

Black Mesa

Second Shadow

Spirit Warrior

Timewalker

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.

DEATH WALKER

Copyright © 1996 by Aimée & David Thurlo

All rights reserved.

A Forge Book

Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

175 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010

www.tor.com

Forge
®
is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

Library of Congress
Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Thurlo, Aimée.

Death walker : an Ella Clah novel / by Aimée and David Thurlo.

    p. cm.

“A Tom Doherty Associates book.”

ISBN 0-312-85651-2 (hc)

ISBN 0-765-30651-4 (tpbk)

1. Navajo Indians—Fiction. 2. Police women—Fiction. I. Thurlo, David. II. Title.

PS3570.H82 D4 1996

813'.54—dc20

95-51556
CIP

First Hardcover Edition: June 1996

First Trade Paperback
Edition: March 2003

eISBN 9781466847897

First eBook edition: May 2013