Read Online Death Walker by Aimée & David Thurlo - Free Book Online Page A

Dodge, carefully avoiding mentioning the victim’s name. “I broughtyou photos of the dry painting. I’ve tried researching those figures, but I couldn’t find anything even close.”
    “You’re certain about the ashes?”
    “The killer used powdered charcoal.”
    “Charcoal?” His eyebrows knitted together. “Let me see the photos.”
    Ella retrieved the file she’d brought. “Here they are, from a variety of angles.”
    Clifford studied the photos carefully, laying them out sideby side on the coffee table. Silence stretched out for a long time, but Ella was careful not to interrupt. Finally, after what seemed an eternity to her, Clifford glanced up. “These are just poorly done stick figures. I have no idea who or what they’re supposed to represent, if anything.” He paused thoughtfully. “And something else. Skinwalkers use ashes to create their dry paintings, not ground-upcharcoal. And normally their goal would be to depict the person or people they intend to kill. There’s nothing in these pictures that resembles the murdered man.”
    “So these figures could represent a future target?”
    “Yeah, but they seem more like some wild combination of the Holy People and plant life.” He shrugged. “Were you able to make anything more out of it?”
    She shook her head. “No. That’swhy I brought the photos to you.”
    He sat back on the sofa and regarded her for a very long time. “The ones we fought before would have shown more skill at dry painting, and they would have known what materials to use. Someone wants to mislead you.”
    She nodded slowly. “I thought that too.”
    “But, just to be sure, may I make a suggestion?” Seeing her nod, he continued. “Talk to Leonard Haske.He has been a hataalii for over forty years. He’s in this part of the Rez now, visiting his daughter who just had a baby.”
    “Do you think he’ll help me? No one wants to answer these kinds of questions,” Ella said slowly, “particularly when I’m the one who asks them.”
    Clifford took a deep breath. “He’ll answer you because the safety of the tribe is at stake. But you’re right in saying he wouldprefer not to speak of these things. Face it, it’s a subject any of us would rather avoid.”
    “If you asked him, would he talk more freely with you? The tribe accepts you, but the same can’t be said for me. To most, I’m still an outsider.”
    “You’re wrong,” he said quietly. “What you’re sensing is the natural reaction most people have to police officers. You do belong here.”
    “Yes, I do,” she agreed,“but no one forgets that I chose to leave, and that I turned my back on all of our teachings.”
    Clifford shrugged. “What you tried to do was foolish. You could never run away from who and what you are. Our family has certain abilities, and those would follow you anywhere, whether or not you acknowledged them. Your gift is your remarkable intuition, and look how it continues to help you.”
    Ellapursed her lips, suppressing the urge to deny Clifford’s comment. He insisted her investigative successes had a supernatural source, while she still preferred to think of her intuition as particularly sharp powers of observation, an instinct honed and developed to perfection by her training as a cop. But some things weren’t worth arguing about. “I wish I could get people to trust me.”
    “Thingswould be easier for you, true. But, little sister, if you have to work hard for it, you’ll appreciate it more when it happens. That’s part of your nature.”
    Ella smiled. “You may have a point.”
    Work finished, Ella stayed for a cup of coffee and a generous helping of local gossip from Loretta. When she left, her brother gave her a map of how to find Haske’s daughter’s home. There were others shehad to talk to, but it was already too late tonight. It was time to go home. She’d get an early start tomorrow and tackle everything fresh then.
    Moonlight covered the desert in a silver-gray