Read Online Blackening Song by Aimée & David Thurlo - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Aimée & David Thurlo
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could hear was an occasional distant rumble of thunder.
Blalock joinedher again, rifle under his arm. “I asked for assistance, but it’ll take officers an hour to find us. I couldn’t give them very good directions.” He slowly scanned the area with his nightscope. “If he’s still out there, I don’t see him.”
“He’s probably long gone. I don’t believe the attack was meant to kill either of us. Only one shot was fired, and it passed between us.”
“Maybe the sniper justmissed. Your relatives weren’t too happy with me.”
“Nor with me, but it’s highly doubtful they could have made it out here ahead of us,” she snapped. “Keep in mind that they were on foot.”
“Maybe someone was in place already.” After waiting for several minutes, they came out from cover and ran to the truck. Ella studied the bullet hole.
“If you were playing the odds, wouldn’t you say I wasthe intended target?” Blalock asked. “I’ve made some enemies the past few years.”
“Who knows?” she answered slowly. “I have my own enemies here.”
“You think this might all be clan-related? Family ties seem to be strong on the reservation. Maybe two opposing clans are out to settle some score.”
“I can’t say yes or no at this point, but my hunch is that’s not the answer.” She studied the rearglass. “It’s too bad we won’t be able to track down that bullet, but it’s long gone.”
“Time to get rolling,” he said, placing the vehicle in gear. “I don’t want to be anyone’s sitting duck. I’ll call in and tell the Navajo Police we’re out of danger.”
Half an hour later they reached the small diner, well past the fence and simple road sign that marked the reservation’s boundaries. Few customershere would even give them a second glance. Blalock took a briefcase from behind his seat and carried it inside.
Ella picked a table that would give them both a clear view of the room. “This’ll do,” she told the waitress, a middle-aged Hispanic woman.
Blalock ordered coffee for both of them, then waited until they had been served and were alone again. “Listen, you know how graphic a medical examiner’sreport can be. Are you sure you want to deal with it?”
“I’ve already seen the body,” she said, forcing her voice to stay calm and clear.
“Yeah, but you didn’t stand there and study it. This is more clinical and … well, worse.” He opened his briefcase and pulled out a manila folder. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
She opened it. At least photos weren’t included. She read the report, her stomachchurning painfully. Her father had been speared and stabbed to death with edged weapons, then scalped. His ears had been cut off and were missing. All the tendons from his legs, arms, and neck had also been taken.
She swallowed convulsively. Anger and sorrow mingled within her until she could barely draw in a breath. Wordlessly, she closed the folder and slid it back across the table. Withoutlooking at Blalock, she stood and went directly to the ladies’ room. By the time she got there, her legs were shaking and she could barely stand. She leaned against the wall, gulping air, and sank slowly to the floor.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. The magnitude of what had been done to her father hit her full force. The cold, matter-of-fact detachment of the report combined with the vivid imageher father’s corpse had branded in her mind to fill her with black despair. She’d known about the threats. How could she have failed her own family so miserably? She sobbed for what seemed like forever, then finally forced herself to stop. She would continue to fail them unless she got up, washed her face, and went back out there. Blalock didn’t have a prayer of solving this case alone. No onewould talk to him about the things he’d need to know, and even if they did, she doubted he’d understand any of it. She might not believe, but at least she understood.
Ella washed her face,
Blalock joinedher again, rifle under his arm. “I asked for assistance, but it’ll take officers an hour to find us. I couldn’t give them very good directions.” He slowly scanned the area with his nightscope. “If he’s still out there, I don’t see him.”
“He’s probably long gone. I don’t believe the attack was meant to kill either of us. Only one shot was fired, and it passed between us.”
“Maybe the sniper justmissed. Your relatives weren’t too happy with me.”
“Nor with me, but it’s highly doubtful they could have made it out here ahead of us,” she snapped. “Keep in mind that they were on foot.”
“Maybe someone was in place already.” After waiting for several minutes, they came out from cover and ran to the truck. Ella studied the bullet hole.
“If you were playing the odds, wouldn’t you say I wasthe intended target?” Blalock asked. “I’ve made some enemies the past few years.”
“Who knows?” she answered slowly. “I have my own enemies here.”
“You think this might all be clan-related? Family ties seem to be strong on the reservation. Maybe two opposing clans are out to settle some score.”
“I can’t say yes or no at this point, but my hunch is that’s not the answer.” She studied the rearglass. “It’s too bad we won’t be able to track down that bullet, but it’s long gone.”
“Time to get rolling,” he said, placing the vehicle in gear. “I don’t want to be anyone’s sitting duck. I’ll call in and tell the Navajo Police we’re out of danger.”
Half an hour later they reached the small diner, well past the fence and simple road sign that marked the reservation’s boundaries. Few customershere would even give them a second glance. Blalock took a briefcase from behind his seat and carried it inside.
Ella picked a table that would give them both a clear view of the room. “This’ll do,” she told the waitress, a middle-aged Hispanic woman.
Blalock ordered coffee for both of them, then waited until they had been served and were alone again. “Listen, you know how graphic a medical examiner’sreport can be. Are you sure you want to deal with it?”
“I’ve already seen the body,” she said, forcing her voice to stay calm and clear.
“Yeah, but you didn’t stand there and study it. This is more clinical and … well, worse.” He opened his briefcase and pulled out a manila folder. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
She opened it. At least photos weren’t included. She read the report, her stomachchurning painfully. Her father had been speared and stabbed to death with edged weapons, then scalped. His ears had been cut off and were missing. All the tendons from his legs, arms, and neck had also been taken.
She swallowed convulsively. Anger and sorrow mingled within her until she could barely draw in a breath. Wordlessly, she closed the folder and slid it back across the table. Withoutlooking at Blalock, she stood and went directly to the ladies’ room. By the time she got there, her legs were shaking and she could barely stand. She leaned against the wall, gulping air, and sank slowly to the floor.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. The magnitude of what had been done to her father hit her full force. The cold, matter-of-fact detachment of the report combined with the vivid imageher father’s corpse had branded in her mind to fill her with black despair. She’d known about the threats. How could she have failed her own family so miserably? She sobbed for what seemed like forever, then finally forced herself to stop. She would continue to fail them unless she got up, washed her face, and went back out there. Blalock didn’t have a prayer of solving this case alone. No onewould talk to him about the things he’d need to know, and even if they did, she doubted he’d understand any of it. She might not believe, but at least she understood.
Ella washed her face,
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