Earthway (10 page)

Once again there was no hesitancy or doubt in
his voice.

They went inside, but it was soon clear nothing was amiss there either. Abednego, wearing the loaned blue ballistic vest, was waiting in the kitchen, and greeted them eagerly. Ford scratched the big animal between the ears, checking him out for wounds or injuries. “His muzzle is wet, and from the water on the floor around his dish, he just drank.”

“That vest has got to be hot, or
maybe he’s just nervous. A lot has been happening lately,” Ella suggested.

“If he’d kept on barking I would have been more inclined to agree with you. But he only barks when something’s not right. Take a look in that arroyo out back just beyond the block wall. If I’d have wanted to approach this house and not
be seen until I got real close, that’s the route I would have taken.”

“Okay, I’ll check
it out. Stay here. I’ll be back as soon as possible,” Ella said. Once outside, she grabbed a big flashlight from the glove compartment of her SUV, then contacted Phillip via her hand-held radio.

Moments later, Ella and Phillip met out back and, together, climbed down into the six-foot-deep, rainfall-carved arroyo. They found a variety of footprints, most small, indicating the presence of children,
who tended to play in arroyos. Yet one set, much fresher than those kid-sized impressions, caught Ella’s immediate attention. They were barely visible and without patterns, as if the person had worn moccasins and worked hard not to leave a trail. After a careful search, Phillip found a spot where that same person had climbed up on the side facing the rear of the house, and had lain flat on the
ground. The size of that impression suggested an adult.

“It looks like he stopped here to case the place. But he’d have needed a night-vision scope like mine to see anything at this time of night,” Phillip said.

“He was looking for weaknesses,” Ella said after a moment. She thought back to Dr. Lee, but the professor’s whereabouts were accounted for tonight. Her teaching assistant had left the
gathering early, but Mona Tso wasn’t very big, and these impressions seemed more man-sized.

Ella was now sure that there were other players she’d yet to identify lurking about somewhere, maybe watching them right now, hidden by the darkness. That possibility unsettled her, and for the first time, she found herself grateful that Dawn was away with her father.

Ella walked into the kitchen to
fix herself some coffee before leaving for work. She’d just turned on the pot when Rose came in.

“I haven’t had a chance to see or talk to you lately and
I’ve been worried,” Rose said. “I heard about that blast at the college. I understand it even made the national news on TV.”

“I’m working the case. That’s why I’ve been putting in such long hours—even working on Sunday,” Ella said. Her mom
had stopped watching the news a few years earlier after noting the increasing number of commercials advertising prescription medications. As a Traditionalist, Rose believed that speaking about something could bring it into existence, and had refused to listen to companies talk about diseases so they could sell their pills.

“I’ve heard that the officer who was injured is a member of your team
and that you were there when it happened. Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?” Rose asked.

“Mom, I haven’t been avoiding you. Really. It’s this case . . . it’s taking up all my time.”

“Are you really all right?” Rose asked, her voice a taut whisper. “You have a bruise on your forehead, and scratches on your cheek.”

“I’m fine, Mom,” Ella said softly.

“So many things are changing here,” Rose
said with a long sigh. “The Navajo Nation was a place of peace once. Now harmony is something we have to struggle to maintain so we can continue to walk in beauty.”

“Progress can be good, but it also usually brings things no one wants.”

Rose nodded slowly. “The Plant Watchers have to meet more often now because it’s harder to find the herbs we need. Did you know that? The earth is suffering.
So many of the Plant People are moving away. Even our
hataaliis
are having trouble finding what they need for our ceremonies.”

Ella poured herself a cup of coffee and proceeded to drink it standing up. “
Tsétaak’á
Generating Station is supposed to be much less polluting. It uses less water, and no smoke is produced. Our air should be cleaner in the future.”

“Only if they get rid of all the cars
and trucks. Every family wants two or three of them these days. Sit down,” Rose added in her best mom’s tone. “I’m fixing you a proper breakfast.”

Ella started to argue, then changed her mind. She
was
hungry, and Rose’s special breakfast burritos had no equal anywhere. More importantly, Ella had a feeling her mother had something else she wanted to talk about.

Silence stretched out between them.
As she waited, Herman came in, saw them together, poured himself a quick cup of coffee, then wordlessly left the kitchen without even glancing their way. That alone assured her that something important was going on.

Rose finally placed her specialty breakfast in front of Ella and, as Ella began eating, spoke again. “My friends and I have heard a rumor. Some are saying that government people have
been sent here to spy on us because they’re expecting violence at the power plant. They might even send in the National Guard.”

“I haven’t heard anything about government agents coming into the area,” Ella said, wondering who was spreading these stories.

“Even if you had, I know you probably couldn’t say so. I just thought I’d pass these stories on in case it could help.”

“You did the right
thing, Mom,” Ella said, taking another big bite of the burrito.

“Would you like another one?” Rose asked.

“No, I’m fine,” Ella said with a happy smile, looking down at her plate.

“You don’t eat much when your daughter is with her father. You worry all the time she’s gone.”

Ella didn’t bother to deny it. “A part of me thinks she’s still too young to be away from home. We talk every day on the
phone, so I know she’s homesick, but she wants to act all grown up for her dad.”

“And the fact that she tries to impress him bothers you,” Rose observed.

It hadn’t been a question. “I just wish I could convince her that she doesn’t have to impress
anyone
.”

“She idolizes her father. He’s important to the tribe, working for the Navajo Nation in Washington D.C.”

“I know and that’s okay, to a
point. But she shouldn’t feel the need to become someone else just for his benefit. I intend to talk to her about that when she gets back.”

“She’s not sure who she is, daughter. She’s trying to find that out, just like you did at that age. She’s growing up so quickly,” Rose said sadly.

“I just wish the house didn’t feel so empty when she’s gone. Believe it or not, I miss the chaos—the radio
blasting, the constantly ringing phone, and that cartoon horse announcing she’s got e-mail. . . .”

Rose nodded. “Children remain children such a short time. But it’s not too late for her to have a sister. . . .”

Ella laughed. “I don’t think that’ll happen, Mom.”

“Are things okay between you and your friend?”

“I have feelings for him,” Ella said, always avoiding names out of respect for her
mother’s traditionalist ways. Names were said to have power and weren’t to be used lightly. “But his religion creates some problems between us that I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to fix.”

Rose nodded. “It was that way between your father and me, too, but I never regretted marrying him.” She smiled slowly. “Well, hardly ever.”

Ella laughed, then after a moment, grew serious again. “You know,
at the beginning, I never thought religion would matter, but the longer we see each other . . .” She exhaled, expelling her breath between her teeth. “I like having the freedom to follow my instincts and my heart, but he lives by so many rules.”

Aware that she’d said too much already, Ella stood. This
wasn’t something she’d meant to discuss with her mother. It was something Ford and she would
have to figure out for themselves.

Or maybe they never would. Some problems had no solutions, and he still carried a considerable amount of baggage from his dangerous past. Those memories seemed to make him cling even more tightly to his beliefs. Perhaps he was afraid of reverting to his old ways if he wasn’t strong or pious enough as a minister. Or maybe it was more complex than that. Either
way, she’d try to be more understanding.

Ella reached for the top of the cabinet, where she normally kept her weapon. When Dawn had been younger, Ella had stowed it there to make sure it remained out of her daughter’s reach. Somewhere along the way, it had become a habit.

“I don’t suppose I should count on you for dinner?” Rose asked. “We’re having green chile stew and fry bread.”

“You really
know how to tempt me,” Ella said. “Unfortunately, I can’t plan on anything until we catch the person who planted that bomb.”

Moments later, Ella hurried out the front door. While she was driving north toward Shiprock and the station, Justine called.

“Big Ed has called a meeting this morning, and he wants us there ASAP. Joe Neskahi and Marianna Talk have also been called in. I’m on my way to
the station now. Do you have any idea what’s going on?”

“No, not a clue,” Ella answered.

“There’s more. Ford and Blalock are also coming.”

“When did you hear that?”

“About three minutes ago. I ran into Blalock at the Morning Star when I stopped by for coffee. He was finishing breakfast and mentioned he was on his way to pick up Ford, who conducted the seven o’clock service this morning without
a hitch. An officer was watching the grounds, by the way.”

Ella wondered if Big Ed had also heard the rumor going around. Either way, she was about to find out.

“One last thing, Ella. I sure could use some help with the lab work. I’ve been trying to run down the lead to the rat poison by talking to the feed store owners in the area, but when I have lab work
and
field work I’m stretched to the
breaking point.”

“I hear you, but our budget problems haven’t changed,” Ella answered, wishing she didn’t have to give Justine the same answer each time she asked for help.

“Could you bring this up again with the chief? I’m burning the candle at both ends each time we work a top-priority case, and that’s how mistakes get made. So far nothing’s happened, but I don’t know how long I can keep this
up. I was at the station until two this morning, and it’s Sunday. I’m pushing my luck.”

“I know. You’re carrying too heavy a load, cuz, though you’re still doing an incredible job for the department. Let me see what I can do, but no promises.”

“It’s not like I’m asking for a raise. I just need help to keep doing the job right.”

“I wish I
could
give you a raise,” Ella answered honestly. “If
anyone deserves one, you do.”

Ella hung up, the knowledge that her team was stretched to the limit weighing heavily on her. The SI unit had lost two people to higher-paying jobs at other agencies these past few years, and she’d only managed to find one replacement, Sergeant Neskahi. Then he’d been pulled back to patrol duty after three other officers had left the force. Though Ella desperately
needed more people, the budget hadn’t allowed her to recruit any more officers or techs. Now with Ralph Tache out of commission, it came down to herself, Justine, and whoever happened to be available.

Ella was about a mile from the station, crossing the eastbound bridge over the San Juan river, when her cell phone
rang. Without looking at the caller ID she picked it up, hoping it was Dawn. Her
daughter usually called early. She was a morning person, and woke up with lots of energy, ready to talk to anyone who would listen.

To her surprise, it wasn’t Dawn, but rather her old friend, Teeny, whom she’d been planning to call anyway. Ella greeted him warmly. Despite being one of the best support assets their PD had, Teeny was also a friend she could count on. Friendships like theirs were
rare, and all the more precious because of it.

“Hey, Teeny,” she said, knowing she was one of only a few who could call Bruce Little by that nickname and live to tell the tale.

“Hey, Ella. After hearing about the bomb and the injuries to Tache, I thought I’d check in and see how I could help out. I worked with Ralph a few times when I was still on the force, and I’d like to help nail the sicko
who did this to him.”

“Great minds think alike, don’t they? I was going to pay you a visit this morning, but Big Ed called a meeting. I’m on my way to the station now. As soon as I can, I’ll head over to your place.”

“Good enough. I’ll be here all morning,” he said, then added, “Oh, I also spoke to Eugene Garner this morning. He finally took over the feed store from his dad. I stopped by because
I’d picked up a story that someone had tried to poison Reverend Tome’s dog, and thought Eugene was the man to talk to. I got a hit. Someone shoplifted a box of rat poison the other day from his shelves.”

“The timing’s right. Thanks for the lead, Teeny. It’s much appreciated.”

“See you later.”

Ella parked in her usual spot near the station’s side entrance. Inside, she saw Blalock and Ford standing
in the hallway right outside the break room, cups of coffee in hand. Justine came out a moment later and gave her a nod.

“What’s going on?” Ella asked, pointing down the hall. Big Ed’s door was shut—a
very
rare occurrence unless an officer was being reamed out.

“We don’t know,” Justine said. “Joe and Marianna are in there with him now. All I can tell you is that there hasn’t been any shouting—yet.”

Ella was about to respond when Big Ed stepped out into the hall and waved an invitation to them. Folding chairs were soon brought in, and moments later Big Ed regarded all of them with a satisfied smile. “I’d like to introduce you to the new, permanent members of the SI team—Sergeant Neskahi and Officer Talk.”

Ella blinked in surprise but before she could comment, Big Ed continued.