Wind Spirit [Ella Clah 10] (4 page)

“The Singer you need has gone on a spiritual journey. He’s visiting the shrines of his clan and could be nearly anywhere. I spoke to his grandson and he says that his grandfather does this from time to time and may be gone for weeks.”

“How long ago did he leave?”

“About two days ago.”

“We have to find him quickly. Can you help me, Brother?” she asked.

“I’ve already sent messages to some of his relatives and clan members.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate that. By the way, how’s Mom handling this?”

Clifford hesitated. “She’s a traditionalist and her beliefs tell her to beware of the
chindi
, but she’s also your mother and she’s really happy you’re alive and well.”

There was no doubt that she’d been given a second chance. But Ella still wasn’t sure what had happened. Had she imagined her encounter with her father and husband? Logic continued to battle against what her heart was telling her. The simple truth was that, deep down, she didn’t believe it had all been a dream.

“What are you thinking about?” Clifford asked.

“I want to see my daughter,” she said, changing the subject deftly.

“I’ll bring her tomorrow if they don’t release you in the morning.”

When Clifford stood up she saw the cowhide medicine pouch hanging from his belt. It was a larger version of the deerskin one he normally wore. “Carrying flint?” She knew that was a Navajo’s primary defense against the
chindi
.

“Yes. And I’ve got a bag for you, too. It has flint points, ashes, soot, and ghost medicine.”

“Are
you
afraid of me?” she asked, surprised. Even in the darkest times, Clifford had never backed away from danger.

“No, not
of
you—
for
you. A lot of people are going to be scared of you now and that emotion never fails to bring out the worst in people.” He exhaled softly. “People from outside our tribe say the
Dineh
are superstitious. Yet when their own religions tell them that someone walked on water or parted the sea, they accept it without question. Everyone chooses what to believe and which path to follow. But since you now live among us, regardless of what your personal beliefs are, you have to take into account the fear of those around you. Carrying the medicine pouch will show your willingness to honor our ways.”

Ella took the beaded velveteen medicine pouch he handed her and set it on the stand by her bed.

“No,” he said. “Clip it to your hospital gown. You need to start sending out the right message.”

She did as he asked and Clifford nodded in approval. “I’ll tell Mom that you have the medicine pouch with you now.”

“Find the
hataalii
for me,” she asked again.

“I will.”

Ella watched Clifford leave. Most of the Navajos she’d met seldom said good-bye, they just turned and left. Smiling, she remembered having to adjust to that again when she’d returned to the Rez after years of living on the outside.

Ella glanced down skeptically at the pouch she’d pinned to her hospital gown. She didn’t personally find it useful, but it was a necessary compromise. It was a different world here in
Diné bikéyah
—Navajo country—and danger could come from sources one never encountered on the outside.

The morning sun filtered through the pale green curtains in Ella’s hospital room, nudging her awake. Her body ached today, more so than yesterday, but it was time for her to leave. She’d been given a new lease on life, and she wasn’t going to waste it lying around here counting ceiling tiles.

Tossing the sheet and thin blanket aside, Ella climbed out of the tall, narrow bed and walked over to the small closet. Her mother had taken her dirty clothes earlier and Justine had left some clean ones for her during visiting hours last night.

Ella closed the bathroom door, then washed up and dressed quickly. When she came out several minutes later, she saw Big Ed Atcitty, the chief of police, in her room. “Whoa, Shorty,” he said, using the nickname he’d given her though she was a head taller than he was. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Morning, Chief. I’m getting out of here. I’ve wasted enough time.”

He gave her a long, speculative look. “Well, that cinches it. You’re still the same Ella,” he muttered. He glanced down at the pouch she now wore on her belt and nodded in approval. “That’s a good idea.”

“My brother prepared it for me,” she answered. “He felt it was appropriate and I agreed.” Ella stepped out into the hall and cocked her head toward the nurses station. “Come on. I’m checking myself out.”

Big Ed was barrel-chested, short, and sturdy like a tree stump, with graying temples and coal black eyes grown wise with time and experience. He exhaled softly, then followed her. “I guess I should argue with you, but experience tells me it won’t do much good.”

She smiled and kept walking. “I’m going to need a day off, Chief.”

“Take more if you want. You deserve a rest.”

“A day will probably do. I’m going to be tracking down a Singer—John Tso. I think I can find him fairly quickly with my brother’s and mother’s help. They’ve already put the word out to his relatives. Someone must have seen him by now.”

“I’ve met the man. Well respected, but older than dirt and damned independent, if I remember correctly. If there’s anything I can do to help you, let me know.” Big Ed paused, then added, “By the way, I think you’re right to put him at the top of your list of priorities. You’re not currently working a major case, so this is your opportunity to get a proper Sing done. You’ll never regain the respect or the trust of the
Dineh
until you undo what’s hanging over you now.”

Ella stopped by the nurses station so they would know where she was going, and checked herself out. Her physician, who’d been making his rounds, expressed some concern that the lack of oxygen might have left some neurological damage, but was forced to concede that all the tests they’d run so far had come back within normal parameters.

“I need to see my daughter and get back to my life,” Ella explained, hoping to make him understand, but determined not to let anyone talk her out of leaving.

After agreeing to watch for headaches and some other
symptoms, Ella signed the discharge papers and walked outside, allowing Big Ed to hold the door open for her. Stopping at the curb, it suddenly hit her that she didn’t have her unit here.

“Can I hitch a ride with you, Chief?”

“Of course. Why do you think I hung around?”

They were under way five minutes later. Big Ed kept his eyes on the road, but it was quickly clear to Ella that he had other matters on his mind. “By the way, the place where you . . . had your accident,” he said, finding the right words at last, “is expected to attract skinwalkers once again, for obvious reasons. Your brother and a handful of other
hataaliis
are planning to go out there and do another Sing so our people will know it’s safe to return and continue sealing off those mines. But even after the Sing is done I doubt we’ll ever see another large crowd gathered there again.”

“That’s just as well. Between the contamination and the undocumented mines, that area is an accident waiting to happen.” Ella sat back enjoying the warmth of the morning sun as it played on her face. It was good to be alive.

“A lot of people who go through what you did yesterday never look at their lives in the same way again. Take plenty of time to get your bearings, Shorty. You owe it to yourself.”

Ella took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “I’m okay, Chief, really, though I expect I’ll be smothering my daughter with love for the next few days. Of course, knowing her, she’ll only take it for a short time, then throw her teddy bear at me and tell me to leave her alone. She’s an independent little thing.”

When Big Ed laughed, his entire body shook and laughed with him. Yet, despite his wide girth, the man had the stamina of an athlete. Every spring Big Ed insisted on qualifying with the officers on the obstacle course and track. He’d never failed yet, proving that, as it was with most things on the Rez, appearances could be deceiving.

As Big Ed parked behind her patrol unit in the driveway of her mother’s house, Ella saw her nearly six-year-old daughter Dawn playing with Two, the family mutt. When the little girl smiled and waved, a burst of unmitigated joy filled Ella. She’d never been happier to be home.

As soon as Big Ed pulled to a stop, Ella got out. Dawn ran up and launched herself into Ella’s arms, an increasingly rare show of affection that Ella had truly missed.

“
Shimasání
said you were sick,” Dawn said as they were sharing a big hug. “But I knew you’d come home today.”

Ella hugged Dawn tightly one more time before letting her go. “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away, sweetie.” The connection between them was strong. Dawn, like Rose, always seemed to know when she was in trouble.

A second later Rose came out the front door. Standing on the porch, she gazed at Ella with tear-filled eyes. “You’re home!” Rose opened her arms wide and Ella knew then that no taboo would ever break the bond between them. Yet, as she drew near, Ella couldn’t help but notice the medicine pouch pinned to the side of her mother’s long skirt.

Ella stopped short of hugging her. “Are you sure it’s okay with you, Mom?”

Rose answered by taking Ella into her arms. “The pouch is there to honor who we are as a people.”

Big Ed, who’d remained in his car, called out to Ella, “If you need more than one day off, Shorty, be sure to take it. Unless the case load suddenly picks up, we’ll manage without you.”

As her boss drove off, Rose looked at her daughter. “Did you ask for time off?”

“Yeah,” Ella said with a tiny smile. “There’s a first time for everything! But, Mom, under the circumstances, I figured I needed to go find the Singer as soon as possible.”

“Yes, I agree,” Rose said, then led the way back inside.
“I’ve been trying to get some word on his whereabouts and I imagine we’ll hear soon. Come inside. Your friend the doctor stopped by your hospital room, discovered you’d already left, and called me,” she said, referring to Carolyn, “so I kept breakfast warming for you in the oven.”

Rose went to the kitchen, the heart of their household, and for the first time since she’d left for work yesterday, Ella relaxed. Her mother brought her a platter of scrambled eggs with green chile, flour tortillas, and sausage links while she sipped freshly brewed coffee.

Breakfast was great and she ate greedily. Once her stomach was full, her spirit felt renewed and she was filled with energy. She looked around the kitchen appreciating the earth tones that covered the walls and the richness of the brick floors. She was home and things were going to be all right.

Hearing a car drive up, Rose started to leave the stove where she was fixing mutton stew for tonight’s dinner but Ella, having finished her meal, stood up. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll take care of it.”

Out on the porch, Ella saw Jennifer Clani, Dawn’s baby-sitter, getting out of her car. Jennifer usually arrived at seven
A.M
., except on Mondays and Thursdays. She’d chosen those days off because they coincided with classes she took at the college. “It’s Boots,” she called back to Rose. “I guess she was running late today.” Ella looked at her watch, which had a badly scratched crystal now, but still worked.

Rose came out of the kitchen, drying her hands. “I’m surprised she’s here,” Rose said softly. “Her grandmother, my dearest friend, is a staunch traditionalist. When she heard the stories about what happened yesterday, she didn’t want Boots to come until you had your Sing done, so I really wasn’t expecting her to show up. But maybe your brother has finally managed to convince people that you were never truly dead.”

They both greeted Jennifer Clani warmly and went inside
the house with her. Dawn was in her room now, watching a children’s nature program on the small television set her father had bought for her.

“I didn’t expect you,” Rose said, “but I’m glad you’re here.”

“Your son came by to visit us,” Jennifer said, looking at Rose. “He spoke to our family, said prayers, and gave us some special things for our medicine pouches. He also told Grandmother that he’d already done a blessing over you, your granddaughter, and your grandson, and that you all have medicine pouches of your own now. Since we’re all protected, I saw no need for me to stay away.”