Navajo's Woman (25 page)

Joe eased the door open and walked into Eddie's room. For just a second, Joe saw Eddie as he had looked five years ago, as a boy of eleven.Small.Skinny.All bony arms and legs.And a big smile. The young man who lay in the hospital bed was no longer small, and although he was lean, he was no longer thin. And his carefree smile seemed to have vanished forever.

“Did you want to see me?'' Joe approached the bed.

"Yes, I must talk to you. . ." Eddie swallowed hard. "I didn't tell the police everything. I left out parts.

I—I want to tell you the truth. Then maybe you can help Russ."

Joe held his breath, entertaining a certain amount of healthy fear about what Eddie was going to tell him.

He pulled up a chair by the bed, sat and focused his complete attention on his nephew.

"I'm listening."

"Well, everything I told Captain Cummings was true," Eddie said. "It's just that I didn't tell him that when Russ got out of the car, Jewel went with him."

"Jewel?"

"Jewel Begay.Russ's date."

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"Jewel Begay went into Bobby Yazzi's apartment with Russ?"

Eddie nodded.

"Did she see who killed Bobby?" Joe asked.

"Yeah.She and Russ both saw the man kill Bobby."

"Then Jewel can back up Russ's story, can't she?"

"She could," Eddie said. "But she won't."

"What do you mean, she won't?"

"Russ tried to call her a few times, and she always hung up on him. He doesn't think she'll admit to being there and seeing anything because she's scared of the guy who shot Bobby. And without Jewel to tell the police that somebody else killed Bobby, Russ is convinced they'll arrest him for murder and he'll wind up spending the rest of his life in jail."

"Damn!" Joe dropped his hands between his knees and stared down at the floor. "You're going to have to tell Bill Cummings about Jewel Begay."

"No, Uncle Joe, I can't. I promised Russ that we'd protect Jewel. He said if the police question her, then the guy who shot Bobby will find out and he might kill her."

Joe sat up, braced his palms on his thighs and blew out a long, exasperated huff. "Do you know who killed Bobby Yazzi?"

"I told you, I didn't see the guy's face. I wasn't—"

"Do you know who he was? Did Russ tell you?"

"Yes."

"Then how about telling me?"

Eddie bit down on his bottom lip. "LeCroy Lanza. He's a—"

"I know who he is," Joe said. "J.T. has a ton of in-formation on that son of a bitch."

"He does?" Eddie's eyes widened.

"Yeah.Lanza's name came up. Seems more than one person knows there was a connection between Bobby Yazzi and Lanza."

"He's a real bad guy, Uncle Joe. Russ says that he won't stop until we're both dead. He's not going to let us live to testify against him."

"You're safe, Eddie. There's a police officer outside your door twenty-four hours a day, and a Dundee agent will arrive soon to help protect you. But the best way to keep you and Russ both safe from now on is to put LeCroy Lanza behind bars where he belongs."

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"I know you're right. I tried to convince Russ that—" Eddie stopped and stared at Joe, a look of deep concern on his face. "Don't blame Russ for what happened. It wasn't any more his fault than it was mine.

I know we shouldn't have run away, but sometimes you run even when you know you shouldn't. You understand, don't you, Uncle Joe?"

"Yeah, I understand." He had run away five years ago, and deep down inside he had known that leaving was the wrong thing to do, that he should have had the courage to stay on the reservation. "And I know Russ is your friend and that a lot of his problems are because he lost his father. Believe me,Eddie, I want to help Russ just as much as you do."

"You really do, don't you? I mean, you care about what happens to Russ."

“We have to figure out a way to get Russ to safety and bring LeCroy Lanza to justice. But first, we have to fill Bill Cummings in on all the details you left out of your statement earlier today." Joe patted Eddie on his unin-jured shoulder. "I'm going to give Tom Nelson a call and tell him what you just told me. We'll want him here when you talk to Bill again."

Andi met Joe at the front door. Weariness hung heavily on his broad shoulders. She took his hand in hers and led him up the stairs to her bedroom.

"How did it go?" she asked.

"Good," he replied as he flopped down on the over-stuffed plaid chair. "Eddie told Bill everything. He'll rest better now that he's gotten everything off his chest. Af-terward, Bill and J.T. and I met with Captain Dashee, and representatives of the New Mexico State Police and Ari-zona and Utah highway patrols, as well as Sawyer Mc-Namara from the FBI and Vic Noble from the DEA."

"Good grief, Joe, why are all those different law en-forcement agencies involved?"

"Because we're dealing with a very dangerous man, and everybody wants a little piece of him." Joe motioned for Andi to come to him. "This is considered a Navajo crime, committed on the reservation.

And Bobby Yazzi was Navajo. Since the reservation spans areas in all three states, all three states are involved. And we're dealing with three murders, the death of a hit man and the like-lihood that everything that's happened is drag related, so the FBI and the DEA both have a horse in this race."

Andi went to Joe, and when he grabbed her on either side of her waist and dragged her onto his lap, she draped her arm around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. "Now that I know for sure Russ saw this man—this LeCroy Lanza—commitmurder, I'm even more afraid for him. Joe, we have to do something to—"

“We agreed on a plan,'' Joe told her. “It was a joint decision, and when it comes together, there will be so many law enforcement people there that nothing bad will happen to Russ."

Andi lifted her head and looked directly into Joe's eyes. "What do youmean, nothing bad will happen to Russ? What sort of plan did y'all agree on? And just who isthewethat made the decision?"

"Weis all the different men I told you about. We put our heads together and devised a plan to bring Russ out in the open, to bring him right to us. We have to do this. It could be the only way to save his life."

Andiswallowed, nervousness obvious in the simple movement. "Whatever it is that y'all planned, will it
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put Russ in danger?"

"He's already in danger. And if Lanza finds him. . ." Be honest with her, Joe told himself. Be totally honest. "Yeah, the plan puts Russ right in the middle of all the action, which will mean danger."

"I don't like the sound of this already," she said. "I want to know everything. And don't leave out one little detail."

Joe nodded. "I'll give you the condensed version first, and then I'll answer any questions you have. Will that be all right?"

"I guess so."

"Arrangements are going to be made with Jewel Be-gay. Eddie told us that Russ tried to contact her several times, but she always hangs up on him. Well, the next time he calls her—" Joe held up his hand

"—and before you ask, yes, we believe he will contact her again soon—Jewel will tell him that she will back up his story about Lanza killing Bobby, but that she wants to meet and talk with him first. She'll set up this meeting for the Navajo Nation Fair."

"That begins Wednesday, doesn't it?"

"Yes."

"What if Jewel won't cooperate?"

"I think if we handle things just right, she'll be more than glad to cooperate."

"What if Russ doesn't call—"

"He'll call. He believes getting Jewel to back up his story is his only hope. And when he does call and they arrange to meet, our plan will move forward."

"I want to be there," Andi told him. "When Russ meets Jewel and the police arrest him. Oh, Joe don't you see that he'll be less likely to bolt and try to run if I'm there. All I want is to help ensure his safety. If he runs, they might shoot him."

“No. No way. I don't want to have to worry about Russandyou. Since Russ doesn't trust me, then J.T.

is going to handle things. But I'll be there, in the background, to ensure nothing happens to Russ."

"I'm going to be there and you can't stop me. I promise I'll stay out of the way and not cause any trouble. But I need to be there."

“What the hell am I going to do with you, woman?''

Andi smiled wickedly. "You're going to let me have my way.Tonight and at the fair."

"I am?"

"Yes, you are."

"And if I let you have your way tonight, just what do you intend to do?''

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She unbuttoned his shirt. "I intend to help you relax." She unbuckled his belt. "You've had a long day, and what you need is a shower." She unzipped his jeans."And a comfortable bed." She slid out of his lap and onto the floor at his feet,then proceeded to remove his boots and socks."And a massage."

"You're right," he said. "Iamgoing to let you have your way."

Chapter 15

The gun fired. Andi screamed. Joe slammed his body into Russ, knocking him out of harm's way. The bullet hit Joe in the back Andi screamed again. People swarmed all around her, like flies around an animal carcass. She tried to fight her way through the crowd, struggling to reach Joe.Desperately needing to help him.

“Get out of my way,'' she pleaded. “Let me through. Joe needs me!"

Joe needs me. . . Joe needs me. . . Joe needs me.. ..

Andi woke with a start, tears streaming down her face and her body trembling with anger and fear. Her gaze focused on the man who held her shoulders and shook her gently.

"Joe!" She rose from her reclining position and threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, thank God, it was just a nightmare." With her mind still partially in that hellish dream state, she clung to Joe with all her might.

"It's all right, Andrea, I'm here." Joe pressed his lips against her right temple, his breath warm on her face. "You're safe and I'm safe."

"But it was so real," she said. "I can't believe that it was nothing more than a bad dream. I'm awake, but I feel as if what I saw and what I felt really happened." She pulled back,then grasped his face, her hands cupping his cheeks. "He shot you. Oh, Joe, he shot you in the back."

Joe rubbed her neck, her shoulders and down her spine, his touch caressing, circling, soothing her.

"Nobody shot me. I'm fine."

"I know." She sighed deeply. "I know it was only a nightmare, but it was—"

"You're worried about Russ and about what will hap-pen at the fair when he meets Jewel," Joe told her.

"All those worries stirred up your subconscious mind and cre-ated that bad dream. And that's all it was, just a dream."

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"No! No, it was more than a dream." She tightened her hold on his face as she gazed into his eyes.

"Don't you see—it was a premonition. I have them all the time.Odd feelings. Strange worries when something bad is about to happen." She released his face and clutched his shoulders. "But this is the first time I've ever dreamed about what is going to happen."

"Andi, listen to yourself," Joe said. "You're talking nonsense."

"It's not nonsense." She dug her fingers into his flesh. "You know that premonitions are possible, that visions can be real."

"For ayataalii,yes, but not for—"

“You can't go to the fair. Do you hear me? If you go to the fair and try to protect Russ, you'll getshot. .

.in the back."

"You're getting all upset for nothing."

Joe took her in his arms and caressed her, slowly and sensuously. She shivered as pleasure mixed with the fear that had been tormenting her. He kissed her neck and nuzzled her shoulder. She sighed. While he delved his hands beneath the sheet to fondle her naked hips, he low-ered his head until his mouth could reach her breast.

Realizing that he was trying to use seduction to take her mind off her nightmare, Andi forked her fingers through Joe's hair and clutched the back of his head. "I won't forget the dream," she told him. "I know it was a premonition. You can't go to the fair. You must let—"

He sucked hard on her breast. She gasped as the sen-sations spiraled from her nipple to the very depths of her femininity.

"Let's talk about the dream later," he murmured as he moved to her other breast to give it equal attention.

"Mmm."She knew she was fighting a losing battle at themoment, she could not resist Joe's touch. But the war was yet to be won. After the loving, reality would return, and then she would make him listen to her and take her premonition as a real warning.

Joe whipped back the covers, exposing their naked bod-ies. The moment she ran her hand over his chest, he dipped his fingers between her feminine folds and found her hot and wet and ready. She closed her thighs to cap-ture his hand, and when she did, he cupped her hip with his other hand and lifted her, nudging her until she rolled over on top of him.

She pushed herself into a sitting position, straddling him. His sex pulsed against her, big and hard and de-manding. She leaned forward, offering him her breasts, and rubbed herself intimately over his arousal.

He clutched her hips and repositioned her just enough to seek entrance into her body. She happily accommodated him, sliding over his erection and opening herself for his up-ward thrust. She settled around him, moaning with plea-sure at the fullness he created within her.Large, hot and throbbing. She ached with wanting.

Joe waited. She understood that he was giving her the power to set the rhythm, to be the one in control.