Read Online Whispering Spirits by Rita Karnopp - Free Book Online

conversations or places you two went and look at it from
the angle, could it have been a deal connection.” He could tell by
her expression she wasn’t convinced.
    “I didn’t come here for accusations, Running
Crane. I came to ask if you’d keep an eye on Nah’ah . I came
to be honest with you…that on the way to Browning…my father and I
were shot at.”
    “You what?” He sat up abruptly. “Why haven’t
you told me this before? Things have escalated and I can’t even let
my team know about it. Neither of you were hit, right?” He glanced
her over, and liked what he saw.
    “Nice. Keep an eye on Nah’ah , not
me.”
    “Come on, Summer. I’m not the enemy. You’d
better do some real thinking and figure out who is. Do you have any
idea who would do that?”
    “No. He phoned and threated to shoot father
in the head unless we pulled into the next rest station. I
questioned his ability to do that and he shot the windshield, right
between us. Father wouldn’t stop and the caller said we’d pay for
that decision.”
    “I doubt anyone could find us here, but you’d
better keep a sharp look-out and listen to your surroundings.”
    “Yes, Sir.”
    “This isn’t a game, Summer. If it was just
you and me, I wouldn’t be so worried. But Nah’ah being here
won’t make things so easy.” He waited for her to respond, hoping
she’d believe he was here to help.
    “I should have brought my pistol. You
wouldn’t happen to have an extra, would you?”
    Running Crane thought for a moment,
considering the consequences of Summer having a gun.
    “I know how to shoot. If I remember right,
I’d won a couple of shooting events that you lost. If you want me
to be aware, that should include a way to protect Nah’ah and
even me.”
    He pulled up the bottom of his jeans and
jerked free the Velcro, producing a Glock 19 pistol. “I’m trusting
you, Summer. Don’t disappoint. It has fifteen rounds. Just so you
know, it has a safety mechanism built in the trigger and prevents
the gun from firing unless the trigger is completely depressed.” He
stretched out his arm and placed the gun in her upright palm.
    “I’d better go back and check on Nah’ah . We’ll probably eat in about an hour…if you care to
join us. I know she wants you to go hunting, but I’m hoping you
won’t take her too seriously. I’m not too crazy about learning to
cook stew or scrape a hide.”
    He liked the sound of her laugh. “Summer,
thank you for deciding to talk to me. I’m here if you need
anything.” He didn’t expect a response and didn’t get one. He
stared out of the tipi opening long after she left.
    Now he wished he’d taken his captain’s advice
and had arranged for a team to go with him. If the killer found
Summer, how would he be able to protect both her and Nah’ah out here in the wild? What seemed the perfect plan, now seemed the
worst scenario.
    There had to be more going on than smuggling
artifacts. Someone had taken a shot at Summer and her father. How
did that fit into the scheme of things? They were capable of
killing; they proved that with Ali and Jordan…and possibly even
Derek. Those robberies had all been well-planned. Shooting at a
moving car and threatening to kill if they didn’t pull over…just
didn’t fit the pattern.
    What was going on? Running Crane dug in his
bag and withdrew a knife in a beaded sheath, and strapped it to his
leg under his jeans. He had lied to the women about the chopper.
The radio had been disabled and the gas tank didn’t hit a tree
branch, it had been punctured several times and plugged…lasting
long enough to get into the air.
    Who would have known Summer was going on that
chopper? Could she be bugged? Running Crane zipped his travel bag
shut, placed it between the front legs under the cot, then smoothed
out the blanket. A quick look revealed everything in a specific
place.
     
    * * *
     
    Summer walked back to Nah’ah’s tipi,
deep in thought. She felt good having talked to