Earthcrack: A Lin Hanna Mystery (14 page)

One thing Lin definitely wanted to do was
talk to Cullen’s family herself.
 
She
wanted them to know that she didn’t believe he had been drinking, not without
any physical evidence at the scene.
 
Of course, there could have been something in the truck. Apparently, it
had not been examined thoroughly when it was found and, if anyone had noted
anything, that information was not in the report that she had read.
 
The family might know if anything was in
the truck when it was returned to them.
 
Having finished her meal, Lin got up and located a pad of paper and
pen.
 
She began to write down points
she wanted to explore starting with a visit to the family for more information
about the victim.
 
She wrote down
all the questions she wanted answers for—Why was he there? What did the
family know, if anything, about his reason for going to the park?
 
Who might know more about his work for
the tribe?
 
Was that related at all
to his presence in the park at that particular place?
 
Had he told anyone where he was going or
what he was going to do? At the end of her list Lin added one more item—Did
Cullen know Dr. Neal Smith?
 
She was
beginning to have questions about why Smith appeared so nervous whenever the
subject of this incident arose?
 
Were there any connections that had not been revealed earlier?
 
Lin realized that this reaction on her
part was based on a feeling she had rather than evidence, but still she wanted
her curiosity satisfied on all counts.

Having finished her list, Lin still felt
agitated and unsure about how to proceed.
 
She knew she couldn’t just drop this matter but she didn’t know how best
to approach these issues.
 
What
should her next steps be?
 
She
suddenly realized that she knew someone who might be able to help, someone who
took her concerns seriously—Sue Gray, the volunteer at Walnut
Canyon.
 
Grabbing her cell phone,
Lin quickly left her apartment.
 
Noting that neither Toby nor Danielle had returned as yet, she jumped
into her car and headed out for Doney Peak.
 
That was the best spot for cell phone
reception in the area.
 
It was
growing dark now, so she proceeded carefully along the park road.
 
Pulling out in the parking area at the
highest point of the road, Lin stopped just past the entrance to the picnic
area.
 
The view here was very
nice.
 
She could see the last
remnants of sunset and the brilliant stars that were beginning to pop out in
the darkening skies.

Taking out her cell phone, Lin dialed the
number Sue had given her and soon she was talking to the volunteer.
 
She had decided not to tell Sue exactly
how she had come to read the police report.
 
She simply said the report was out and
the information left her with lots of questions and concerns.
 
She also told Sue about the truck found
abandoned the previous year and about her talk with Sarah Chee and what Sarah
had said about this person who had died in the box canyon.
 
After sharing all the information, Lin
paused.

“I’ve decided that I want to look into
this more fully,” she said, “ I feel that this man deserves more attention than
he has gotten.
 
You seemed to
understand my feelings the other night and I thought you might have some ideas
as to how I should proceed.”

Sue was quiet for a moment and then
responded, “ I agree with you.
 
There has to be more information available than has been uncovered so
far and it does appear that the authorities were quick to reach a conclusion
here.
 
They have probably seen a lot
of cases of unexplained deaths on and near the reservation,” she acknowledged, “perhaps
their experience has led them to their conclusions.”
 
Lin thought she was being pretty generous,
but she grudgingly admitted that perhaps she was too quick to condemn these law
enforcement officers who had seen a lot of cases that were similar to this one.

“ I don’t know how to start, what do you
think?”

“ I think the family is the logical place
to begin,” the reporter was talking now. “You said you had their names and
address?”

“Yes, I do, but I know that native
families are sometimes reluctant to talk to outsiders.
 
How do I approach them?”

“Well, I’m not familiar with customs on
the reservation either, but it seems to me that any family would want to know
how their loved one died.
 
Do you
think the police gave them a copy of the report?” Sue asked.

“I’m not sure,” Lin responded, deciding
to reveal a bit more information, “ I’ve seen a copy of the report and it does
not indicate who received it. I somehow doubt that the authorities went back to
see the family after they talked to them initially.
 
They confirmed the identity as that of the
man who had disappeared and noted the information about the abandoned truck,
but that’s all. I’m not sure what else the family was told.
 
I expect they were just told about the
ruling of accidental death.”

“Can you get a copy of the report?” Sue
sounded more and more like the investigative reporter she had been.

Lin took a deep breath, “ I already have
one but I’d prefer you keep that information between us.”
 

“Good,” Sue responded. “When do you have
a day off?
 
I think we need to make
a trip to Moenkopi.”

“I don’t have a full day off until
Sunday,” Lin responded, “just a few hours here and there over the next days.”

“Oh, I’m supposed to work Sunday but I
have Saturday off all day. Let me see what I can do.
 
I might be able to switch days with
someone.
 
I’ll call you at the
visitor center tomorrow.”

After ending the call, Lin sat back and
watched the sky for a bit.
 
She
loved how bright the stars were out here in the dry atmosphere far away from
the lights of any town.
 
She felt
that she had taken a significant step tonight.
 
She was now committed to doing some
investigating of her own regarding this death and she had even managed to find
an accomplice!
 
She knew that some
would think it unwise of her not to just let this go; after all, the case was
considered closed at this point.
 
That was just not in her nature; she could not stand to see anyone not
get justice if it were deserved.
 
She knew that she would not drop this matter until she knew something
more.
 
Lin started her car and drove
back down the road to the park.
 
As
she parked near the housing area, she noted that lights were on at Danielle’s
home and in Toby’s apartment.
 
She
felt more tired than usual, probably an emotional response to what she had done
and what she was planning.
 
Returning to her apartment she decided that a hot shower would help her
relax before trying to sleep.
 
That
and maybe a glass of that red wine she had purchased in Flag last week.
 
Tomorrow she would hear from Sue and
they would make plans for the next steps.

Lee Chou sat in his Santa Fe gallery
office considering his options regarding the pottery he had now promised his
client was almost in his hands.
 
Perhaps he should not have spoken so quickly.
 
His associate had called every day for
the past week but essentially had nothing substantial to report.
 
Oh, Mr. Steele had apparently done some
searching here and there around the park but his man reported seeing nothing
that he had found.
 
In fact, it
seemed that most of Darren’s time, and apparently Chou’s money, was being spent
in a local brewery in Flagstaff.
 
Steele had apparently taken a cheap motel room there and had made a few
trips out to Wupatki in the late afternoons and at night to conduct his search.
 
As the days passed, it seemed he did
less searching and more drinking.

 
Chou was convinced from these reports
that Steele really did not know exactly where the pottery was.
 
He would have produced it by now if that
were the case.
 
He wadded up the
hand drawn map and pitched it in the trash.
 
This was worthless information after
all.
 
Chou was angry.
 
He did not like being toyed with.
  
He picked up his phone and dialed
the mobile number of his associate.

“ I think your time there is being
wasted,” he said. “Finish up this business and come on home.
  
I will do no more business with
Mr. Steele.”

“I got it boss—you are ready to be
done with Mr. Steele,” his associate replied. “It may take me a few more days
to finish things up here but I’ll take care of things and be back in Santa Fe
soon—the first of the week at the latest. ”

“Take the time you need and be careful,”
Chou responded.
 
He had faith in
this man and knew he could be counted on no matter what their business called
for him to do.

Chou smiled as he hung up the phone.
 
It was good to have some faithful
workers.
 
He would see that this one
was properly rewarded for his efforts.
 
Now he had to consider his next steps.
 
He still believed the pottery was
somewhere to be found.
 
John
Sessions was a serious man and would not have tried to cheat him; he did not
think.
 
He began to formulate
another plan to get these artifacts.

Perhaps he should contact this Raymond
Tso whom Darren had originally mentioned to him.
 
Apparently he was a pawnbroker, lender,
and small time dealer in artifacts in Tuba City on the Navajo reservation.
 
He probably knew the area in question
well and, no doubt, had some folks associated with his business that could do
the hard work of looking for the pots.
 
Chou was ready to form some new connections in Arizona anyway; he hadn’t
heard from John Sessions since this deal went south last year, and he suspected
that Sessions was branching out and doing more surreptitious business on his
own. Chou was aware that Sessions had opened a line of business through the
Internet. That made it easier to hide “irregular” deals among legitimate
sales.
 
He had a pretty lucrative
Internet business himself after all.
 
Now he needed to form a network of his own on the reservation and Tso
seemed a good place to start.
 
He
did a search on his computer and soon had the number for the pawnshop in
hand.
 

He thought for a moment and then
retrieved the wadded map from the trashcan.
 
He smoothed the wrinkles, as best he
could, and folded the map.
 
Maybe it
could serve as a starting point for a new search.

Checking the shop to make sure he was
alone, Chou smiled to himself as he reached for the phone and dialed the
number.

***

Raymond Tso looked up from the counter
where he was sorting through jewelry and smiled at the Chinese gentleman who
entered, “You must be Mr. Chou, welcome to Tuba City.”

“Thank you, I am happy to be here.
 
This is a long drive from Santa Fe.”

“Yes, I am sure you must be tired and
thirsty—maybe hungry too?
 
Why
don’t we walk to the diner next door and grab a bite.
 
We can talk privately there, as well.”

Tso went quickly to the back of his shop
and located a young man who was working there.

“Michael, why don’t you come out to the
front and watch things for awhile?
 
This gentleman and I are going next door to get some lunch.”

The young man put aside the boxes he was
packing and moved to the front of the store.
 
Silently, he positioned himself on a
stool behind the counter.
 
He
watched as Tso put up the jewelry and then left with the Chinese
gentleman.
 
He hated working here
but he had no choice.
 
He still owed
Tso a lot of money and he had no other way to repay him.
 
He still had scars from the beating he
received a year ago when he could not pay and he had no desire to repeat that
experience so he cooperated and came in several days a week to work off his
debt.
 
If only his uncle had not
disappeared last year, abandoning his truck on some remote ranchland. He had
promised to help him but then, when the appointed day arrived, he hadn’t shown
up and he hadn’t been seen or heard from since. Michael thought about last week
when the deputy from Flagstaff had arrived to report that Cullen was dead.
 
His remains had been found and it looked
like he had fallen and hit his head.

 
Michael was stuck between a rock and a
hard place.
 
With no money to pay,
he had to do whatever Tso wanted or face another beating.
 
He feared he would never be free of this
debt.
 
Besides, Tso refused to let
him, or the others who worked under similar circumstances, see the ledger where
he supposedly recorded their payments.

Michael knew that some of the items he
packed up for shipment were stolen from homes and gravesites on the
reservation.
 
He had even gone out
on the reservation with some of the other young men to search for artifacts and
other valuables to sell.
 
Sometimes
they found nothing but, on other occasions, they had been lucky enough to
locate some small items.
 
He knew
this was not legitimate business; he also knew that to refuse this work or to
report this to anyone would only bring suffering to him and more suffering for
his family so he cooperated and kept his mouth shut.

Now he watched in silence as Raymond Tso
left the shop with his visitor heading for the diner next door.

***

Entering the restaurant, Tso pointed his
guest toward a booth in the far back corner where they could have privacy.
 
The waitress quickly brought water and
asked if they would like some iced tea while they perused the menu.
 
Chou said nothing while they made their
lunch choices.
 
While they were
waiting for their food, he introduced himself—after all, their only previous
contact was by telephone.

“I am happy to meet you Mr. Tso, I
understand you are in the art and artifact business.”

“I handle a few small sales,” Raymond
responded, “pretty small time I’m afraid, but I have a good network of
associates with ties to the reservation and I’m eager to expand my
markets.
 
Perhaps we have something
to offer each other.”

“Perhaps,” Chou responded.
 
He pulled out the hand drawn map of the
Lomaki area and placed it before Tso, “are you familiar with this place?”

“Where did you get this?” Tso asked. “
Yes, I know the place, but why do you ask?”

“Let’s just say I got this from a former
business associate—someone I believe you know also.”

“ You must mean Darren Steele, my
cousin.
 
He once mentioned doing
business with you. That was a year ago and Darren disappeared shortly
afterward.
 
Frankly, I assumed he
was cutting me out of the deal,” Tso shifted uneasily in his seat.

“ You are right, he disappeared.
 
I did no business with him and I don’t
expect to do any in the future.
  
You have not heard from him?”

Tso nodded in agreement, “No contact in
more than a year and I have had folks looking for him with no luck.
 
Frankly, I think he may be dead —or
hiding out somewhere on the Rez.”

“Who knows?” Chou smiled. “He gave me
this map about a week ago, wanting to do business with me, but I have had no
contact with him since then.
 
He
seems to have dropped out of sight again. I just have not had time to follow
through until now.
 
I don’t know
where he might be, but I’m interested in finding out where the pottery he told
me about is.
 
That is where I hope
you can help.”

Tso grew excited.
 
This could be the break he was
after.
 
Association with this man
Chou could be profitable indeed.
 
In
fact, Darren had mentioned he was a big time dealer who was going to market the
pottery Darren told him about.
  
It seemed that Chou was ready to cut Darren out of the picture. He wasn’t
dependable anyway. Tso could do business for himself.

He pulled the crude map toward him.
 
“I know this place and, if the pottery
is there it can be found.
 
It will
be a costly operation I’m afraid though,” he smiled at Chou. “This is park land
so one can’t work openly.
 
My
associates will have to enter after hours, maybe even at night and work
secretly.
 
There is risk involved…”

“I am well aware of the risks, Mr. Tso
and I will certainly make it worth your while.”
 
Chou took a roll of bills from his
pocket and peeled off several big ones, handing them to Tso while glancing around
to be sure no one was watching them. “There will be substantially more coming
when the goods are delivered.”

Tso eagerly grabbed the bills and shoved
them into his pocket; “ I should have something for you by the end of next
week.”

“See that you do, Mr. Tso,” Chou stared
at him directly, “I’m a serious businessman and I do not treat kindly those who
try to cheat me.”

“I do not either,” Tso responded.
 

The food arrived and both men eagerly dug
in.
 
When their meal was finished
they left the restaurant together.
 
Shaking hands, they parted company in front of Tso’s shop with Michael
Honeyestewa looking on from inside behind the counter.
 

“I will call you next week, Mr. Chou,” Raymond
nodded.

“Till then Mr. Tso, good luck.”
 
Chou walked back to his car and soon was
driving out of town on his way back to Santa Fe.
 
It would be quite late when he returned
but hopefully this trip would turn out to have been worth his time.

Michael tried to look away as Tso entered
the pawnshop.
 
He thoroughly hated
this man and was afraid to look directly at him for fear he would reveal his
contempt with his look.
 
Besides,
looking directly at someone was frowned upon in most native cultures, often
seen as rudeness on the part of a young person.
 
No matter, he tried to appear to be busy
by sorting through some merchandise.
 
Truth was only a couple of people had entered the shop and they were
just “lookers”.
 
No sales had been
made.

Tso walked up to the counter and spoke, “Michael,
did you do any business while I was out?”

“Just lookers, nobody bought anything,”
Michael responded as he turned to go back to the workshop in the rear of the
store, “I’ll get back to packing that order I was working on.”

“ Yes, do that,” Tso said
thoughtfully,
 
“and when you finish
come to my office—you and Teddy also—we might have something to
talk about—something that might help you actually finish paying off your
debt.”

Michael perked up and almost smiled.
 
He couldn’t believe what he had just
heard; he really did not trust Tso, but he really wanted out of all of
this.
 
He wanted to go back to
school, get a good job, and be a real help to his family.
 
If there was a way to do that…

An hour later Michael sat in Raymond Tso’s
office.
 
Teddy Begay, another young
man in Tso’s grip, sat beside him.
 
Both boys were nervous but eager to hear what was going to be presented
to them.

“Michael, Teddy, I think I have a job for
the two of you.
 
It is risky and
could be difficult but if you succeed it could prove valuable.
 
Perhaps valuable enough to clear your
remaining debt to me.”
 
Tso smiled
at the boys.