Jenna Kernan - Shadow Wolf

The border patrol officer paused, looking over what he had typed on the computer monitor. A sheen of sweat made his brown skin gleam despite the churning air conditioner. The stitched name on his forest green shirt read D. Mulhay, though he had not bothered to introduce himself. Where she came from that was considered very impolite.

“Are we done?” she asked him.

“Almost.” He scanned the form. “I just need your partner’s name.”

“I was alone today.”

Mulhay typed in the information and then glanced up, studying her in silence for a moment. “I don’t mean to tell you your business, Miss Altaha, but you shouldn’t be out there alone.” He waved a hand in the general direction of the window. “Guess you know that already.”

“Yeah.”

Mulhay glanced at the glowing screen. “I think that’s everything. I got your number if I need anything else. Oh, Captain Barrow said he wants to speak to you, but he’s still at the scene.”

“Fine. When?”

“We’ll give you a call.”

Lea rubbed her forehead, vainly trying to push away the image of the murdered men. The memory made her flesh crawl.

She rose, hesitated and then returned to her seat. “Um, they impounded my truck, so...”

“Oh, I can get you a lift.” Mulhay made the call then replaced the handset on the cradle. “They’ll let me know when the unit is out front.”

“Is it okay if I make a call?” she asked.

“Of course.” He motioned to his phone. She lifted her cellular and gave it a little wave. “Oh, fine,” he said, turning back to his computer and the report.

Lea called Margie, hoping she’d still be in the office.

Margie told her that Anthony DeClay, the regional director she had yet to meet, wanted to see her first thing in the morning.

“Yes, that’s fine.”

“He’s plenty mad,” said Margie. “Especially when he heard you went out there alone. I think he might fire you.”

“I’m a volunteer,” she reminded Margie.

“Fail you, then. Send you home. The tribal guys are really peeved.” She paused. “Lea, you shouldn’t have done that. It’s against guidelines. And the map you took. It’s of the water stations we are removing, not filling.”

“We need more water stations. Not less.”

“Not up to us. The tribal council wants them out.” Margie hesitated once more then said, “Come in with Ernesta tomorrow and stick with her. She knows the rules.”

That really meant that Ernesta followed the rules. Lea knew them, as well. But rules had never stopped her from doing what she felt was right. In this case, that meant filling any blue barrel she could find. “Listen, I’m sorry about the map, Margie. It was just a mix-up. Ernesta was supposed to do the navigating.”

“Bring me that map tomorrow and you don’t go out until I see Ernesta or Nita.”

“Sure.” Lea’s tone flattened with her spirits. “Can I get another truck delivered to the RV park in Pima tomorrow?”

“Where’s yours?”

Lea glanced at Mulhay, who quirked a brow.

“Impounded. Part of the investigation,” said Lea.

“Geez. Maybe. I’ll see what I can manage,” said Margie. “Do you think Ernesta could use hers? We have magnets for the doors.”

“I’ll ask her,” said Lea.

“And tell her I hope she feels better,” Margie added.

“You bet,” said Lea.

“I’ll see what I can do about getting that truck back.”

“And repaired,” said Lea.

“Repaired?”

Lea described the damage and Margie uttered “Oh, geez” another four or five times.

Margie told her that she’d take care of it and to get some rest. Lea ended the call.

Mulhay watched her. “You’re lucky to be alive, you know.”

That made her chin begin to quiver, a sure sign that tears were imminent.

“And it’s only a truck,” he said. “You gonna be okay tonight?”

She knew she wouldn’t be, but she gave him a quavering smile, nodded and swallowed back the lump growing in her throat. “I’ll be okay.”

“Tribal police will be keeping an eye on you tonight.”

Lea’s phone vibrated. She glanced down to see Ernesta’s name and photo fill the screen. She took the call.

“Lea, you home yet?” Ernesta’s voice had a definite nasal quality from her head cold.

“Not yet.”

Ernesta gave a wet cough that made Lea think the head cold had moved into her lungs. “Boy, Margie was plenty pissed when I called in. How’d it go today?”

She doesn’t know. Lea blinked as that realization sank in.

“Not so good.”

“Well, see, you need us. Nita got back this afternoon, so she and I are going out tomorrow. You can ride along until your new partner shows up. Friday, right?”

Lea wondered how to tell Ernesta about the shooting and, well, everything.

“Are you well enough to go out?” Lea asked.

“I think so. The cold medicine is helping. Listen, somebody cracked our water pipe outside the trailer, so they had to shut it off. Can we use your trailer to take a shower?”

“Sure. You know where the extra key is?”

“Yup. Thanks.”

“Ernesta?”

“Yeah?”

“I need to talk to you. Tell you what happened today.”

“Sure. Nita is out getting us tacos. Come by for dinner.”

“All right.”

Ernesta disconnected and Lea put away her phone.

The border patrol officer took a call and glanced at her as he spoke. “Good. We’re on our way.” He covered the receiver. “Your ride is here.”

Lea rose and the officer followed, standing behind his desk as he returned the phone to the cradle.

“I’ll walk you out.”

She trailed along beside Mulhay, through the maze of hallways and finally out the main entrance of the new Cardon Station. This was the federal government’s answer to the increase in illegal immigration. Though how building a larger detention and processing center addressed the issue she didn’t know, unless it was because they now had a larger morgue and an entire refrigerated tractor-trailer fleet to keep the bodies cool.

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