Read Online Death on the Greasy Grass by C. M. Wendelboe - Free Book Online

Crow Agency. “Damn you, Tanno. Spell this guy’s name again.”
    * * *
    â€œDo you really think the journal could be that important?” Willie pinched snuff into his lower lip, carefully stuffing less Copenhagen in than when he’d pinched from Stumper’s can. “With everything else of value up for auction, someone could have taken many things of great value.”
    â€œA journal of one of Custer’s scouts? That’d bring megabucks.”
    â€œIt’ll be next to impossible to off the journal in the black market.” The strong tobacco odor brought up urges and Manny rolled the window down. “The thief could have taken any number of other items that hadn’t the publicity the Star Dancer journal had.” Willie stuck the car in gear and started out of the parking lot of the Justice Building.
    â€œUnless theft for sale wasn’t the motive. Brings us back to that blackmail theory.”
    Willie stopped and turned to face Manny. “Stumper never saw the journal. He assumed Harlan had it in that cedar box. There’s the possibility that Harlan sold it sometime yesterday before he left for the reenactment.”
    â€œSo you think Harlan stole the journal, sold it, and was going to claim that someone came in and lifted it during the show?”
    Willie raised an eyebrow. “Remember Stumper said Harlan was paranoid, built his auction house on a dead-end street so he could better monitor people coming.”
    â€œGo on.”
    â€œIf he was so paranoid, why didn’t he fix his alarm system? Why didn’t he repair the broken window in the spare room? I’m thinking he didn’t because he wanted to point to those places as a way a thief could gain entry unnoticed.”
    Manny smiled, proud that Willie was working things out on his own. Just one more step toward his becoming a top investigator.
    â€œOr maybe the journal’s a diversion.”
    Manny fumbled with Willie’s iPod, which he’d wired into Manny’s car as a condition of going on vacation together. Willie reached over and hit the power and Creedence Clearwater Revival faded away.
    â€œMaybe Harlan was into something else, and the disappearance of the journal is just a diversion.”
    â€œDon’t get more of a diversion than getting killed.”
    Willie nodded. “I guess we can assume Harlan wasn’t counting on that.”
    â€œYou’re talking us right into an extended stay on Crow Agency.”
    Willie slipped his Ray-Bans on. “I’m just spouting shit here. I’m sure by tonight we’ll close this as a tragic accident, then Stumper and the BIA can worry about what became of the journal.”
    They took the I-90 Hardin exit and pulled in to the Custer’s Revenge Motel. Willie stopped in front of a faux hitching rail replete with rusty horseshoes nailed to the weathered top rail. Manny started to get out, but Willie made no move to shut the car off. “You staying out here?”
    â€œThe less time I got to spend in that place the better.” He nodded to their motel room. “That’s the last time I let you book a room.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWhat do you mean ‘what’? Did you think a motel by the name of Custer’s Revenge would be Indian-friendly? The last time I looked, we were still Indians.”
    â€œThe staff is friendly enough . . .”
    â€œBut lazy as hell. The lights don’t work half the time, and that bathroom’s a nightmare. That crack in the toilet seat pinched my butt last night and I thought it’d never let go.”
    Manny laughed. “You could have yelled a little softer. You woke me up.”
    Willie shook his head. “Custer’s Revenge. By the looks of the place, we’re the only business the place has had all year. Custer’s Revenge.”
    â€œCould have been called Montezuma’s Revenge.”
    â€œThat’s all I need, a