Read Online The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel - Free Book Online Page B

mute as dead trees. When the oil companies decided to shut wells down, there wasn’t much the business council could do. That didn’t mean somebody like Ernest, who depended on the $200 or $300 per capita payment coming to his family every month, wouldn’t be furious at the chairman of the council.
    â€œErnest hates Harvey,” Anthony went on. “He might’ve gotten drunk and decided to do something real stupid, stupider than usual. Why aren’t you questioning him? Why isn’t he in this ...”Anthony clenched his jaws. “Why isn’t he in jail?”
    Banner drew in a long breath and turned sideways, looking straight at the FBI agent’s profile. “He’s right about Ernest feuding with Harvey. Goes back to when Ernest fell out with his grandfather, Will Standing Bear. Will was real disappointed Ernest couldn’t get his act together, with all his drinking. So he started taking an interest in Harvey. Harvey was his Sun Dance grandson, you know.” Banner looked as if he was about to launch into an explanation of how the elder had become Harvey’s grandfather in the Sun Dance years ago and how that created a spiritual bond, which lasted a lifetime, but thought better of it. “Will helped Harvey get elected to the business council. Ernest’s been jealous of Harvey ever since,” he said.
    Vicky had forgotten about the falling out between Will and Ernest. It had happened at least ten years ago, about the time she had left the reservation to go back to school. The elders had enormous influence on who got elected to the business council. If things had been different, it might have been Ernest sitting on the council instead of Harvey.
    â€œDo you really think Ernest could have ...” Vicky stopped. It was hard to imagine someone she’d grown up with as a murderer.
    â€œWe’re asking the questions here, counselor.” Miller didn’t look up, and his pen hadn’t slowed down.
    â€œThat’s what I was gonna find out,” Anthony said, ignoring the agent.
    â€œSo that’s why you ran out the back door? So you could talk to Ernest?” Banner looked as if he had just slapped the last piece of the puzzle in place.
    â€œI was afraid you’d jump to conclusions and think I murdered Harvey. You’d throw me in jail, then you could go home, pop a few beers and watch the Red Sox while Ernest roams around free as a deer. Just what’s happened.” Anthony’s words were crisp with sarcasm.
    As if he hadn’t heard, Miller opened the briefcase and pulled out the zip-lock bag. He pushed the bag down the table toward Anthony. “This look like Ernest Oldman’s knife?”
    â€œThat’s my knife,” Anthony said. “Harvey gave it to me on my fourteenth birthday. He had my initials engraved on it.”
    â€œThe lab will confirm that this knife was used to kill Harvey Castle,” Miller said confidently. He placed the bag back in the briefcase and snapped the lid shut.
    â€œI haven’t seen my hunting knife since July fourth,” Anthony said.
    â€œYou lost it?” Banner asked, hope tracing his face.
    â€œIt was stolen up at Washakie reservoir.”
    â€œStolen?”
    â€œYeah. It was in my tackle box in the back of Harvey’s pickup. Harvey and I were fishing at the reservoir. When we got back to where we’d parked, it was gone.”
    â€œThe pickup?” the chief asked. Miller was pushing his pen across the notebook, his expression unchanged.
    â€œJust the knife out of the tackle box.”
    â€œWhat did you do?”
    â€œWhat could I do? There was nobody around. I was mad as hell it got ripped off. It was just a knife anybody could get in any sporting goods store in Wyorning. Only thing that made it special was my initials, and the fact Harvey gave it to me. That’s all.”
    â€œYou saying whoever took your knife intended to kill Harvey and make