Whispering Spirits (17 page)

“That’s just it. We still don’t know who
attacked John and stole them. Everyone kept saying Jordan Perkins
and his brother had them and were blackmailing Worthington for
money. That didn’t seem the case when Jordan was killed. Without
those papers with Worthington’s signature on them, we don’t have
any proof he knew about the gold.”

“You do realize that once Worthington gets
those papers he’ll just destroy them. It’s his word against ours
that they ever existed…and in the meantime, Worthington will keep
on killing until he gets them.”

“Without those test results I only have
accusations. I would look like an angry Indian woman who would say
anything to make a
napi’kwan
look guilty of cheating the
Blackfeet Nation. He might consider not killing me.”

“Why do you think that?”

“I’ll bring him more grief if I’m found
dead.”

“You just might be right,” Summer said,
giving her a hug. She decided there was no use in telling
Nah’ah
that a man like Worthington could care less if he
killed her. He had powerful ways of making a murder point away from
him.

“Your arms are cold, put my on sweater.” She
pointed to it lying across the arm of a chair.

Summer slipped into the soft, white fringed
garment. It smelled of sweetgrass and
Nah’ah
. “I think
Running Crane will try to get us out of here tonight. Are you up to
escaping,
Nah’ah
?” Summer worked each tiny button…it somehow
comforted her.

Nah’ah
handed Summer several cheese
and cracker packages and a bottle of water. “You must be hungry,
dear.”

“You have no idea.” Summer quickly tore open
the first package and devoured the snack. The water slid down her
throat like a fine wine. “This tastes like a high-end steak dinner.
You never answered me. If Running Crane shows up—will go you with
us?”

“I would only hold you back. Maybe it would
be a better strategy to leave me here. Some of the men would have
to stay and watch me, instead of all of them chasing after us.
Besides, the longer I stay here, the more information I’m
gathering.”

“What do you mean,
Nah’ah
?” Summer
never stopped being impressed with her grandmother.

“Well, they’ve put me up here in this small
bedroom, but they don’t realize it’s a very old place. The heat
vents are piped from the main room downstairs. I hear everything
they say. I won’t remember any of it, so I’ve been writing their
conversations down in a small notebook I found. I’m hiding it under
the mattress…just so you know.”

“You’re something else! I’m not convinced
leaving you here is the best idea. He just might put a gun to your
head and threaten to kill you if we don’t come back. If that were
to happen…you can be sure he won’t be bluffing. I won’t take that
chance with your life.”

“But the choice is not yours to make. This
Worthington knows I have many connections. He will not get away
with killing me and he knows it. I have told him I am not the only
one who knows he is stealing that land from the Blackfeet. He has
tried to get me to tell him who I told…but I won’t.”

“
Nah’ah
, did you really tell others?”
She worried more and more about her grandmother’s decision to
confront Worthington. The man wasn’t above anything when it came to
saving his own skin.

“I did tell others, but they are not safe if
I tell who they are. You would be better off if I told you
nothing.”

Her grandmother was right, the less she knew
the safer she was. If Running Crane came to get them out of the
house, how would
Nah’ah
begin to keep up with them? “Get
some rest. I’m sure this will all work out in time.”

Nah’ah
smiled and laid her head onto
the pillow. “If Running Crane comes for you…go with him. You must
bring back help. If you take me with you, we will all die.”

Summer fought back the tears that surfaced.
So
Nah’ah
wasn’t blind to the truth. She knew Worthington
would never let them leave StoneHouse alive. An accidental fire,
exploding stove…the possible accidents were endless.

Nah’ah
quickly fell asleep. Summer
moved around the small space, checking for possible weapons. A
twelve inch pair of scissors gave her a sense of security. She
moved to the small sliding glass door and realized it opened to the
second level balcony. One of Worthington’s men, gun in hand, paced
back and forth the length of it. In the distance she spotted
Running Crane moving along the bushes, getting closer to the
building. She had to do something.

Briefly closing her eyes, Summer listened to
the soft chanting and the jangling of metal bells clicking
together. Drums and rattles set the tempo for the harmonizing
singers. It didn’t seem real; yet there was no denying she could
hear it. What did it mean? Were her ancestors really trying to talk
to her as
Nah’ah
had said? Sweetgrass floated on the air and
a whiff of campfire smoke mingled.

Summer slid the curtains open, unlocked the
hinge, and slowly opened the door. Cool evening air freshened the
small, stifling room. She adjusted the lamp light on the night
stand down, creating alluring, soft shadows. She stood back and
slowly worked the buttons on
Nah’ah’s
sweater. She hummed to
the chanting she heard and moved her hips in rhythm.

Within seconds she had the attention of two
guards: one on the far balcony and one just outside the door. She
did her best to appear unaware as she swayed and chanted her song.
A quick glance told her the guard toward the back no longer gawked
her way.

“My, don’t you paint a pretty picture,
dancing in here all by yourself? Appears to me you’re a bit lonely
and could use some company.”

The big man sported a tight ponytail and his
thick muscular neck broadcast massive shoulders. He had a square
cut face and a stubble beard. “What are you doing in here?” She did
her best to fake surprise at his sudden appearance. “I’m not alone,
my grandmother’s in here sleeping.”

“You can call me Willie. And regarding your
grandma, there, I’d say we’ll have to be quiet, won’t we?” His
expression held a note of mockery. He took several steps her
way.

“You’d better leave or I’ll just scream. I
don’t think Worthington would be exactly happy with you coming at
me like this.” She stepped back, encouraging him inside even
further. She hoped Running Crane wasn’t going to be much
longer.

“Honey, you scream and I just might have to
toss my knife at your sleeping grandmother. You wouldn’t want that
now, would you?”

“You even think of hurting
Nah’ah
and
Worthington will shoot you himself.”

“And why would that be? You’re both going to
die sooner or later.” Willie laughed as though he’d told a whopper
of a joke.

“What she knows would die with her and your
precious Worthington won’t be happy until he—”

“Enough talk, girl. I’ve got a hard-on that
needs tending to.”

Summer glared at him with open contempt. He
pressed a knife against her neck, just under the jaw. Summer
considered kneeing him, then decided it might cost her life. He
pressed his lips against hers and she pinched them tight, refusing
his disgusting tongue entry.

He moved back slightly and glared at her.
“Listen bitch, this can either be pleasant or miserable for you.
It’s just a quick fuck and I ain’t had one in a while.”

“The way you look and smell…no wonder.” He
moved his palm to her firm breast and she tensed.

“Nice, they ain’t had time to sag yet.” He
slowly lowered his palm, pressing and feeling. In one quick motion
he grasped her crotch. “I’ll just bet she’s tight and moist. I’m
getting excited just thinking about it.”

“What the hell you doing in here, Willie?”
Worthington pushed open the door.

“I…I caught this little tramp trying to
leave. I stopped her and she tried seducing me.”

“Hah!” Worthington fired his gun and Willie
dropped to the floor. “That’s what you get for lying. Tell me you
got hot looking at the girl and that I can abide by. I don’t
tolerate a bold-faced lie.”

Summer stared at the blood spreading from
Willie’s head. Worthington just killed a man without hesitation.
She shuddered inwardly at the thought. She rushed to
Nah’ah’s
side and pulled her shaking body against her.

“What is going on here? What are you doing?”
Nah’ah
glanced from Worthington to the two men with him.

“We’ve got interesting company and I thought
the two of you might want to join us all in a conversation.” A
muscle tightened on Worthington’s jaw.

“My grandmother is very tired. Why don’t we
leave her here and I’ll join you and your interesting guest.”
Summer pressed her lips together.

“Oh, I think grandmother here will find our
guest of great interest.” Worthington turned around and stomped out
of the room. “Bring them both downstairs, boys.”

Summer quickly buttoned the sweater, then
grabbed a blanket off the bed and wrapped it around
Nah’ah’s
shoulders.

“Come on you two, stop dawdling.”

Summer wrapped her arm around her
grandmother’s shoulders and guided her from the room. No doubt this
wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation. Had they caught Running
Crane? Fear washed over her as they made their way downstairs.

“What have you done to Bradley?”
Nah’ah
cried out. “Is he dead?”

“Shh,
Nah’ah
,” Summer pulled her
grandmother against her. If Bradley Wild Horse wasn’t dead, he
could very well be close to it. His face had been used as a
punching ball. His hands were tied to the arm of a kitchen chair
and his feet to the legs. His head dropped to his chest.

“You didn’t have to do that to him. He’s just
a boy who wouldn’t hurt a mouse. You’re a monster, Mr. Worthington.
I hope you never find that paper.” Summer moved
Nah’ah
toward a kitchen captain chair and helped her sit.

Worthington reached-out and slapped
Nah’ah
across the face. “Don’t push me old lady. If it
wasn’t for you and your nosy disposition, Bradley wouldn’t be
sitting there half-dead. Tell me where those papers are and you all
can go free.”

She pressed her palm into her stinging cheek.
“Wish I could tell you…and this would be over. But I don’t have a
clue where those papers are. Just to save Bradley, I’d tell you. If
Bradley knew…I’m sure he would have told you, too.”

“We’ve been having a bit of a chat with your
young friend, here,” Worthington said, wiping his hands on a
dishtowel. “Seems he insists he’s not spying for you, Morning Star.
Should I believe him?”

Summer stared in disbelief at the barbarism
before her. “You…realize if he dies, your daughter will never
forgive you?”

“What would you know about that?” Worthington
took several long steps and stopped abruptly in front of her.

“You forget she was here when I arrived. She
didn’t appear to be bluffing when she warned you not to hurt
Bradley.”

“No one tells me what to do or how to do it.
That includes my daughter.” Worthington kicked at the counter
island, chipping a piece of wood from the edge.

“It might be a good idea to have your men use
that chopper and get him to a hospital as soon as possible. When
she realizes it was you who rushed Bradley to a hospital in hopes
of saving him, she’ll believe any lie you want to tell her.”

“Why would I do that exactly?”

“Because Bradley is telling you the truth and
because your daughter loves him.” Summer drew in a deep breath and
wished Worthington would back away from her.

“He survives and tells her I beat him. I like
my odds of a car accident where he’s burned beyond
recognition.”

“Really?” Summer moved around Worthington and
over to Bradley. She pressed two fingers against the artery in his
neck. “He’s still breathing. Make him understand he doesn’t know
who really beat him. Tell him his life depends on it. He won’t say
a word? If he dies and Domonique will know.”

“Why do you care?”

Summer turned and faced the window. Darkness
enveloped StoneHouse in an eerie stillness. “I don’t care whether
you and your daughter never speak to each other again. I do care if
Bradley Wild Horse lives or dies. He’s been a friend of mine since
childhood. We went to school and even a prom together. He’s one of
the good guys. He doesn’t deserve this beating or your distrust. If
he says he loves Domonique, you can be sure he loves her. If he
says he knows nothing about your sordid business, then I’m sure he
doesn’t. I’m surprised he’d get himself mixed up with your family,
but a woman can cause a man make foolish decisions.”

Worthington’s course, loud laugh filled the
room. “You always this blunt? It’s not an attractive attribute, but
it’s funny as hell.”

“Hmm, a man like you talking about attractive
attributes is like a rancher talking about ballet shoes. You going
to get Bradley to a hospital or not?” She realized she pushed her
luck with Worthington, but she had nothing to lose. She wasn’t
going to let Bradley die without trying to help him.

“Charlie, you and Donnie better take Bradley
here to the nearest hospital. Give Domonique a call and tell her
where she can find her lover boy. Tell her he showed up on our
doorstep a bit messed up. Don’t take off until I tell you. There,
you happy?”

Summer whirled around and faced Worthington.
“Why don’t you pack your bags and head back to Texas? This land
isn’t worth going to prison over.”

“I don’t plan on going to prison. I plan on
taking my gold to the bank. The only thing stopping me from making
it happen is that piece of paper. So, here’s what you’re going to
do. You’re going back to Missoula or Browning, I don’t care much
which. You’re going to find that document and bring it back to
me.”