Kylie Brant - The Last Warrior

“If you are to capture the beauty of our land, you must be able to see it,” he said simply. “The land has withstood much. It certainly will withstand some pictures. Have you had a chance to explore this area yet?”

Before she could answer, Joe put in smoothly, “She plans to, but she’s only been in town a few days. She wanted me to bring her out here so she could familiarize herself with the drive. And also to check if there’s anyone who will be bothered by her roaming the area. You’re in pretty good shape, but I assume you’re not still running sheep yourself.”

The older man cackled. “It’s been a while since I chased after a flock. No, I’ve leased most of the land for years. Phillip Roanhorse had it for a long time, but he sold his livestock a few years back and retired.”

Delaney sat back and let Joe direct the conversation. She wasn’t sure why he didn’t want Nahkai to learn of the incident on his property, but she was willing to let him handle it.

“That’s right, I know Phillip. He used to whittle whistles for me when I was a boy and he’d come to visit Grandfather. I’d forgotten he retired.” Joe brought the mug of coffee to his lips, drank. “Who did you say holds the lease now?”

The old man frowned, as if trying to think. “I’d have to look it up. William has taken care of my lease agreements for the last couple years. I don’t get involved anymore. He’s been a good help since he’s come back. His dark spirit is gone, and he’s recovered his hozho.”

Joe went still, his eyes predatory. Delaney glanced at the older man to see if he’d noticed, but he continued to sip his coffee.

“I didn’t know William was out.” Joe’s voice was amazingly even. “Is he around? I’d like to say hello.”

Nahkai waved a hand. “He is probably out back with the cars. If you find him, tell him to come join us. He probably doesn’t even realize we have guests.”

Rising to his feet, Joe cradled the mug in one hand and headed to the porch steps. “I’ll do that.”

William Nahkai did, indeed, have his head under the hood of a new truck in the well-equipped garage out back. Joe looked around, noting the changes that had taken place on the property since he’d last been there, years earlier. He wondered cynically how many of them had been made because of this man’s penchant for squandering his grandfather’s money.

“William.” He watched with satisfaction as the man threw an impatient look over his shoulder, then abruptly paled when he recognized Joe. “You weren’t gone nine years. Get out early for good behavior?”

The other man snatched up a grease rag, twisted it in his hands as he turned to face Joe. “Hey, Joe.” His smile looked more like a grimace. “Yeah, I’ve been out for a couple years.” Seconds ticked by. “Good to see you again.”

Joe leaned against the truck’s bumper. “I hear you’re taking care of all Cowboy’s business. Didn’t recall you cared much for that sort of thing.”

“Things are different now. I’m different.” William worked diligently at scrubbing the grease off his hands. “I finally got that it’s all about family, you know? So I’m looking out for Grandfather. Everyone else is too far away and I’m not married or anything.” He lifted a shoulder. “It’s working out well enough.”

Looking meaningfully at the new truck, Joe said, “Looks like it.” While the other man flushed, he continued, “You’re taking care of the lease agreements now? So maybe you can tell me who holds the lease on the northern part of the property. Where those buttes and caves are.”

William managed a laugh. “Lots of areas like that on Cowboy’s property, Joe.”

“This is a half hour off the highway. Dirt road that’s barely a path runs north and south parallel to it.”

“I’ve got three or four lessees these days. I’d have to look it up, see if I can figure out where you mean.”

Joe nodded. “You could do that. You could even send me to track down the leaseholders and ask them all the same questions, but you know what, William? I haven’t changed in the last few years. I still get downright mean if I think someone’s jerking me around. So if I do go to all the trouble of questioning those people, just to find out that maybe none of them hold the lease to the piece of property I’m interested in, I’m going to be unhappy.” He watched the other man swallow hard. “Then I’m going to come back. And when I do, you’ll join your grandfather and me for a little discussion about what the hell you’ve been doing with his land.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” William said sullenly. “You don’t need to go making trouble and upsetting Grandfather.”

“Just what is it that you didn’t do?”

The other man threw a quick glance toward the house. “I leased all the land. And every dime is accounted for, every penny.”

“Okay.” Joe gave a slow nod. “So let’s go back to the house and you can get me the names and contact information of those you leased it to.”

William didn’t move. “Thing is-” he swallowed “-that parcel you mentioned…it’s not much good for running sheep. I didn’t see the difference if I leased it out separate. Got an extra few thousand for it, and that’s more than I’d have gotten if I’d bundled it with the other acres, the way it used to be. I mean, what’s the harm?”

“The name?”

“I don’t know. Some guy approached me at the flea market, right after I’d gotten out. Seemed to know who I was. He wanted to rent that part of the property and enough surrounding land that he’d have some privacy.”

“For what?”

“He didn’t say and I didn’t ask.” His voice had gone from whiny to mulish. “Nothing illegal about what I did. I don’t have to ask why he wanted it. As long as he sends his money in on time, that’s all that matters to me.”

Joe took the drawing out of his pocket that Delaney had started and the composite artist at headquarters had finished. “Do you recognize this man? Is he the one who approached you?”

William leaned forward to study the picture. “I couldn’t say for sure. It was almost two years ago, and I never saw him again. He just sends a money order to an account I set up in Phoenix. That’s all the contact I have with him. He wanted me to stay clear of the property and it’s not like that was a hardship. It’s out in the middle of nowhere.”

“And that didn’t tip you off because all your lessees request that, right?” Disgusted, Joe folded up the picture and shoved it in his pocket.

“So, what’d he do? I mean…” William shuffled his feet when Joe looked at him. “Why are you hunting for him?”

“Well, attempted murder, for one thing.” Given the shots the man had fired at Delaney, Joe didn’t figure he’d have trouble making that charge stick. “I’m not sure yet what he was up to on your grandfather’s property. But you’d better start hoping that whatever dirt he was into doesn’t come back to splash on you. I understand parole officers aren’t too forgiving about things like that.”

“You and Cowboy seemed to be getting along well.” Joe shot a look at Delaney across the interior of the Jeep. “I’ve never known him to be that open with strangers.”

“It’s my midwestern charm. Few men can resist it.”

“Maybe it’s the other way around. I’ve heard stories. Back in the day, I hear he was quite a ladies’ man. Been married three times. Outlived them all.”

She scooched down in the seat and braced her knees against the glove compartment. “You didn’t tell me he was a shaman. A crystal gazer, he said. He invited me back to talk to him. I’ll definitely make a point of doing that.”