Wind Spirit [Ella Clah 10] (36 page)

“Did you get a license plate?” Ella asked. “And was it light blue or dark blue?”

“More dark than light, and the plate was smeared with mud—deliberately. But, Ella, I’m almost sure there was a campus parking sticker on the rear window. They’re bright orange, and I spotted something that color at the left-hand corner.”

“Garnenez,” Ella muttered. “But his pickup is light blue. Are you sure about the color?”

“Yeah. Maybe he borrowed a friend’s truck,” Justine replied.

“As usual, we have nothing we can prove,” Ella muttered. “What happened with the sheriff’s department? Have you heard anything?”

“They put up a roadblock in Kirtland but I don’t think they’ve turned up anything, or I would have heard,” Justine said.

Ella called Sheriff Taylor for an update, her thoughts racing. The last thing she’d wanted to do was to expose Justine to this type of harassment.

Sheriff Taylor came on the line and greeted her. “I have Sergeant Emily Marquez out there working this, Ella. Let me give you her cell number.”

“Thanks, I’ve got it already.” She reached into her wallet and pulled out Emily’s card and dialed.

“Marquez,” came a curt voice.

“It’s Ella Clah. Anything on the vandal in the blue pickup?”

“No, and I don’t think we’ll find him. He never passed through Kirtland. My guess is that he headed back to the reservation, either north or south as soon as your officers called off the chase.”

“Yeah. Could be,” Ella said. “Hey, how is it going, watching my home? Any problems.”

“Not at all. I was going to call you later today about the other officer who covers from midnight on.”

“Is it someone you’ve worked with?”

“Yeah, and he’s a good cop. I wouldn’t have recommended him otherwise. He’s a member of our SWAT team and will be taking the sergeant’s exam next time around.”

“All right. Remember, if there’s any trouble, whoever’s watching can call me.”

“Understood. I briefed him on that. What’s going on at your end?”

Ella told her about the vandalism of Justine’s door. “I hate to have brought this to my partner’s doorstep.”

“If either of you decide to move out for a few days, you can come to my place at the east end of Kirtland. But I should warn you that everything is a mess. I have to move out by
the end of the month. They just upped my rent, and I can’t afford it.”

“I don’t want to endanger my partner by staying here, but I’m not sure it would be any better or safer for you.”

Justine glared at Ella. “Don’t you dare move out! I’m a cop and I can defend myself as well as you can.” She paused, then in a soft but determined voice, added, “Don’t give this creep a win.”

“You’ve convinced me, partner,” Ella said. “Okay, I’m staying here,” she told Emily. “But listen, I know my partner is looking for a permanent roommate. You two should meet. I think you’d get along.” Ella looked at Justine, who nodded.

A call came over Emily’s radio and she signed off quickly, promising to be in touch if anything turned up.

“She’s looking for a place to live?” Justine asked.

“I normally wouldn’t have butted in on your business, but I think you’d like her. Since she works for the county sheriff’s department, she wouldn’t have to travel far to get to work. It’s almost the same distance for us, only we go in the opposite direction.”

“Living on the Rez isn’t for everyone,” Justine said cautiously.

“She didn’t strike me as the type who’d have a problem with it. But this is your place. You decide what’s right.”

Working together, Ella and Justine searched the ground for any evidence the vandal might have left behind. An hour later they still had nothing except for the tire prints.

Ella pursed her lips and weighed her next step. “My sister-in-law is very chummy with Garnenez. I’m going to go have a talk with her,” she said at last. “I’d haul her in for questioning, but my mother and brother would have fits.”

Justine chuckled softly. “You’ll probably get more from her if you go easy.”

“Yeah, but she’s soooo annoying,” Ella answered with a wry smile. “I’ll be in touch later.”

Ella got back into her unit and called Loretta at home. “We need to talk,” Ella said when Loretta answered the phone.

“You can’t come here, sister-in-law,” she said firmly. “My son is home.”

Ella’s hand tightened around the steering wheel. “Where then?”

“Here.” Clifford’s voice boomed from the background. “I’ve had it. My sister can come to this house whenever she wishes.”

“This is
my
house,” Loretta said.

Ella scowled. Loretta was right. Navajo Way dictated that the property always belonged to the woman. Ella bit back her anger. “I just need to ask you a few questions. It won’t take long.”

“Not inside my home,” Loretta repeated firmly. “But I’ll go outside and talk to you there.”

“I don’t care if we talk in the henhouse,” Ella said impatiently. “You may be able to give me some insights. I understand you and Professor Garnenez have become . . . ‘friends.’ ”

“What have you heard?” Her voice suddenly became tight.

“More than was my business and much more than I cared to,” Ella answered truthfully, then added, “I’ll see you in twenty-five minutes.”

Ella drove to her brother’s house, wishing she hadn’t put Clifford in the middle. But maybe it was better this way since it had meant that Loretta would meet her outside. Her questions would have undoubtedly upset Clifford even more. Her brother always kept a firm hold on his temper, but he wasn’t above anger. Ella wasn’t worried that he would show up on the professor’s doorstep and punch his lights out, but she was reasonably certain he’d insist Loretta quit her job.

The problem was that Ella knew how badly they needed
the money. People didn’t always pay in cash for Clifford’s services, but her brother never placed a cash-paying patient ahead of one who could only pay in trade or service.

She arrived at her sister-in-law’s house a short time later. As she parked, Loretta came out to meet her. Clifford, seeing her, came out too.

“We can talk out here as long as you like,” Loretta said. “But you
cannot
go into my house.”

“This is foolish,” Clifford said. “We all have our medicine pouches and my sister has had a prayer done over her. That’s enough for now.”

“I don’t agree,” Loretta said simply. “She will
not
enter the house.”

“Let me talk to your wife here,” Ella said, glancing at Clifford. “It won’t take long.” She motioned toward the house with her head, indicating he should leave.

He looked at her curiously. “You don’t want me present,” he observed. “Why?”

“It’s police business. She knows a suspect, and it’s the way we interview people,” Ella said firmly and hoped her brother wouldn’t press it.

With a shrug, Clifford walked off.

Anger bubbled inside her. She’d hated doing that to her brother, particularly after all he’d done for her. And none of this would have been necessary if his wife hadn’t allowed Professor Garnenez to get close to her.

“Thanks for keeping this between you and me,” Loretta said softly. “I don’t know what you’ve heard, but it’s all just jealousy and gossip. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Ella didn’t comment. She needed information from her sister-in-law and putting her on the defensive wasn’t the way to do it.

Loretta pursed her lips. “Nothing improper is going on. I give you my word of honor.”

Ella gave her an impatient nod. “Let’s go on. We need to
get down to business. How well . . . no,
do
you know the professor well?”

Loretta hesitated. “I guess so. I mean we talk about things other than business.”

“Would you say that he’s truly worried about the threat I may pose?”

“Very much. But, Sister-in-law, you know he’s just one of many.”

“Has he ever become violent or lost his temper around you or his students?”

Loretta shook her head. “Never, and, believe me, he’s had plenty of provocation. There was one time a student really mouthed off to him because of the grade he’d been given. You wouldn’t believe the things that came out of that kid’s mouth! If it had been me, I’d have slapped him, but the professor didn’t even blink. He just told him to leave the office.”

“So he acts cool and rationally even when he’s angry?”

Loretta took a deep breath, then let it out again. “Well, I haven’t worked there very long, of course, but he doesn’t seem to stew on things. He takes action immediately to correct them. For example, when he failed to get the parking spot he’d asked for, he went to administration and presented his case. Even though he got turned down, he told me he’d keep at it until he got what he wanted.”

“What if he felt threatened in some way—would he get violent?”

She considered for several moments. “I don’t know him that well, but I think that’s like asking me whether I would ever take a life. In most cases, no, but if anyone attacked my family, I would, without hesitation.”

“Fair enough. Do you know if the professor does any target shooting for pleasure or in competition?”

“Sorry, it’s never come up. We don’t talk about repairing cars either, though, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a mechanic.”

Ella nodded. “All right. That’s all I have. I would appreciate it if you didn’t tell the professor that I asked about him.” She paused, then continued. “I’d also like you to keep your eyes and ears open. If you find out that he owns a twenty-two rifle, or that he’s a duck hunter, let me know right away.”

“What is it that you think he’s done?” she asked, her eyes bright with curiosity.

“I can’t answer that right now,” Ella replied. Meeting her sister-in-law’s gaze with a level one of her own, she added, “But be careful that you don’t lead him on in any way. You may get more than you bargained for.”

Loretta looked at her in confusion, then shook her head. “You’re just reacting to rumors that there’s something between us. I know you’re just trying to protect your brother, but I’m telling you, there’s nothing between us.”

As Loretta walked back to the house, Clifford came out of his medicine hogan and approached her.

“I’d like to talk to you for a moment,” he said, gesturing toward the hogan.

“Okay, but I won’t be able to stay long,” she warned.

Ella followed him, then sat down on the sheepskin rug across from him on the south side, which, according to custom, was the spot reserved for women. “I’ve always liked your medicine hogan,” she said softly. “There’s such a sense of peace here.”

“There’s not much of that in your world right now, is there?”

“No, there isn’t,” she answered.

“I heard that you moved out of Mom’s house.”

“I didn’t really have much of a choice. Do you know what happened to my daughter at school?” Seeing Clifford nod, she continued. “And to make matters worse, someone’s after me. Just a few hours ago, a spray-painted message was left for me on our second cousin’s door.”

“Will you be leaving her home now?”

“No. She’d have a coronary if I did,” Ella said, laughing. “It’s our nature to fight, not to run.”

“Do you have any idea who’s after you?”

“Yes, but I have to prove it.”

“Is that why you came to speak to my wife? Do you think she knows the person you’re after?”

Ella hesitated. This was the last topic she wanted to pursue with her brother. He’d always been able to read her much too easily.

She nodded, but didn’t say anything.

He exhaled softly. “In case you’re wondering, I know about her job at the college,” he said. “She just went to full-time, and had to tell me. I didn’t like the idea at all, but she’s right. We’re strapped financially and need the extra income.”

“It’s a great job, with benefits,” Ella said carefully.

“It is. But it makes things complicated. I now have to take care of my son until she gets home. Of course Julian’s seven and doesn’t need constant supervision, but when I’m with a patient he gets shortchanged.”

“You’ll find a way to make things work,” Ella said, standing up.

“Sister, there’s one more thing I need to know. My wife has been working closely with one professor on some kind of inventory project and she talks about him a lot. Could he be the one you suspect has been coming after you?”

Ella hesitated, then nodded. “Yes, but as I said, I have no proof. Right now I’m trying to find out if he owns a twenty-two rifle or if he’s a duck hunter. The sniper who’s after me is very skilled at hitting a moving target.”

“My wife will help you all she can,” Clifford said. “She may resist doing something you asked because you two don’t get along very well, but in the end she’ll come through because you
are
family.”

“That’s good to know.”

Ella started to leave, then remembered something else
that was on her mind. “Brother, this is totally unrelated, but I’ve decided to buy a horse so I can start riding with my daughter. I’m looking for a well-behaved gelding, probably. If you hear of any possibilities from one of your patients, let me know, okay?”