Aimée Thurlo - Restless Wind

“Hardly. I met her for the first time less than a minute before I took a dart in the neck. The drug wore off in a hurry, and I followed some leads trying to find Hastiin Sani. I was about to check out that cabin when I ran into her, or she ran into me.”

“I have no evidence that contradicts her story, and she comes across as sincere, but I’ve got a feeling she’s holding back…or maybe she’s protecting someone.”

He nodded. “I got the same vibes.”

“Any chance she may have recognized one of the kidnappers, and had a reason to protect him?” Harris offered.

“She came awful close to shooting one of them in the dark, with no idea which one it was, so I doubt it. What kind of description did she give you of the perps?”

“A lot more detailed than the one the tribal detectives got from you. But they’re a match, so she wasn’t holding back on that.”

“That rules out your protection angle, doesn’t it?”

Harris glared at him and didn’t answer the question. “Right before you arrived at the station, I received a call from your tribal president. He spoke very highly of you, and suggested that I give you active status on this case.” The agent said nothing for a beat, then in a low, conspiratorial voice added, “Talk to me. Are you working undercover for the tribal police, or maybe another branch of law enforcement? Something off the books? I see you’ve got a concealed carry permit.”

“I drive expensive vehicles. You’ve already checked my background and found I’m an auto mechanic for the Birdsong racing team. Doesn’t that answer your question?” Ranger replied.

Realizing that he wasn’t going to get more of an answer, Harris shrugged. “Since you’ve already dealt with Dana, and maybe saved her life, I’d like you to stick with her. You’re her bodyguard from this point on-if you’re willing. And if she gives you anything that’ll advance the investigation, I want to know immediately. Just to be clear, I don’t care how important you are to the tribe, I’ll still toss your butt in jail if you obstruct this investigation. Am I clear?”

“Pretty much.”

Ranger stood up. Let Harris assume whatever he wanted. He didn’t work for the FBI. He had his own job to complete.

Almost as if reading his thoughts, Harris rested his fists on the surface of the desk and leaned over. “Listen to me, and listen good, Blueeyes. I don’t care who’s standing up for you. I’m going to close this case, the faster the better, so don’t even think of going cowboy on me. This is no time to make this a tribe-versus-the-FBI fiasco.”

“Remember who said that-you, not me, Agent Harris.”

“I won’t warn you twice.” Harris waved to the other officers in the outer room to join them, then in a show of unity, brought everyone up to date on what they had so far, minus the question of Dana’s involvement.

“The first twenty-fours of an investigation are crucial. I want everyone on this sharing information and working together. We should have some suspect sketches available soon, so everyone will need copies to distribute.”

Seeing Dana coming down the hall, he waved at her to approach. “Ms. Seles, for the time being you’ll need to have someone with you around the clock. Ranger Blueeyes served his country with distinction in the military, and he comes highly recommended from the highest tribal authority. He’ll be responsible for your security.”

Ranger looked at the agent. It was obvious Harris had done a thorough background check on him from the second he’d learned of his involvement. The FBI man was smart and Ranger sensed he’d have to be careful around him.

Dana looked at Harris then at Ranger. “Thanks, but no thanks. A bodyguard will be a disruption in my classroom and will upset the parents. Like all of you, I work for a living and have to teach on Monday. This weekend I’ll just be at home grading papers. If you want, you can put an officer outside in my driveway.”

Ranger gave her a surprised look. After what she’d been through, he’d expected her to demand one. Her actions only confirmed what he’d already sensed. There was more to Dana Seles than met the eye. His priority would be to uncover what she was so determined to keep a secret.

While Agent Harris briefed and questioned Dana again, now that the artist sketches were finished, Ranger walked outside. He needed time to think. Taking a trail behind the station he climbed atop the mesa that overlooked the northern side of the river valley.

In the silence, Ranger could feel his ties to the land. The reservation was as much a part of him as the blood that coursed through his veins. There, standing in the distance, was Shiprock, a silent sentinel perpetually guarding the moonlit desert below. History’s whispers echoed through every canyon and across every mesa. This was the Diné Tah, the home of the Navajo. First Man and First Woman had walked here and Monster Slayer had fought the creatures that preyed on the Navajo people. In this sometimes inhospitable land, The People had learned to endure.

Now, they’d need to draw on that strength. Soon, an age-old ritual would unfold. Once news of their leader’s death became known, warriors would begin reporting to the secret place, three each day, to make their identities known to Hastiin Dííl. The timetable, determined on the day of their induction, had one flaw. Initially, it had been a precaution against enemies who might find them all in one place and kill them. Yet the ancient rule didn’t take in to account that, today, people moved more quickly than in the days of the horse-drawn wagon. The brotherhood’s enemies could travel hundreds of miles in just a few hours.

In the days ahead, the brotherhood would be more vulnerable than it had been at any other time in recent memory. Hastiin Dííl would only be able to deploy the members he knew personally until the process came to an end.

He had to find out quickly what the woman knew. The very survival of the Brotherhood of Warriors could depend on it.

His cell phone rang and he answered it. Ranger recognized his brother’s voice immediately. “Hastiin Dííl is now our leader and I have your first order. You’re to do whatever is necessary to find our medicine man’s killers-quickly. If you decide that the woman has critical information, you’ll have to push her to get it.” There was a pause, then Hunter continued. “What does your gut tell you. Did she set him up?”

“I don’t think so, but she’s definitely hiding something-from me and from the FBI. Until I know for sure what that is, everything about her is open to question.”

“We should discuss tactics. You’ll have to pursue leads to Ignacio, even while you’re with her.”

“I’ll push everyone starting with Dana, then follow whatever paths open up. But I need freedom to operate. Don’t try to nail me down to plans and strategies. I don’t work that way.”

There was a tense silence then his brother spoke again. “All right. Your way then. But work fast, Wind.”

Ranger placed the phone back in his pocket. Gathering strength from the cool breeze sweeping across the mesa from the north, he climbed back down the path and returned to the station.

She was waiting outside Agent Harris’s office when he approached. “Where were you? I gave my car keys to a patrolman, who was going to pick up my car from school and see that it got home. But now that you’re my bodyguard, I couldn’t leave here until you got back.”

“I had something to attend to. Have you been waiting long?”

She shook her head. “No, not really. Agent Harris had a lot more questions. At least he finally knows I’m doing all I can to help him catch those men and that I’m on his side.”

Ranger knew the chances of Harris believing that were slim to none, but he didn’t argue the point.