Earthway by Aimée Thurlo Read Free Book Online Page B

desk,” Justine answered.
    “Yeah, I did,” Ella said, then added, “Anything new on Ralph?”
    “I called the nurse’s station a while ago. He made it through the night,but there’s been no change. I’m still praying for him,” Justine replied.
    “He’s got a lot of support in our community. Now we have to nail the animal who did this. Why don’t you follow me to my office and we’ll get started,” Ella said. “I need to fill you in on a few things.”
    Fifteen minutes later, Ella had updated Justine, relating what had happened last night at Ford’s home. She then explainedwhat she could about the possible terrorist threat to the nuclear facility. “What do
you
know about Dr. Lee?” Ella asked at last.
    “She’s just a name to me, but I think Marianna Talk arrested Professor Lee several months ago, during a demonstration on campus. The activists wanted to force some tribalcouncil members to talk to the students about the nuclear plant’s safety procedures. Dr. Lee andsome others were arrested when they refused the order to disperse.”
    “Is Marianna on duty now?”
    “I saw her a little while ago meeting with the watch commander,” Justine said, stepping toward the door. “I’ll take a look in the briefing room, and if she’s still there, I’ll send her your way.”
    Marianna Talk had been with their department for only a few years, but she was already on the radar fora promotion. Ella had heard rumors that Marianna had set her eye on the Special Investigations Unit. Considering that Marianna was only a few inches over five feet—a weak point when encountering drunk drivers—Ella thought it was a good career decision.
    Marianna entered Ella’s office minutes later and took a seat. “Justine said you needed to talk to me.”
    Ella nodded. “I wanted to ask you aboutDr. Jane Lee, a professor at the community college. I understand you had to place her under arrest several months back.”
    Marianna nodded slowly. “Professor Lee’s a strange one. She never said a word after her arrest. Maybe she thought that was the best thing she could do for herself, and I don’t dispute that strategy, it just surprised me. The only time she spoke at all was after I’d booked her.She thanked me for all the work I and the other officers do for the
Diné
. What struck me as odd was that she looked at me directly—and you know Diné hardly ever do that. It’s considered disrespectful.”
    “She’s in a leadership position at the college. She’s used to dealing with Modernists. Did any of the others arrested on that occasion make any comments about Dr. Lee?”
    “Gladys Joe did. She wasone of the students I arrested that day. I’ve known Gladys and most of her clan all my life and we spoke for a while. She told me that Dr. Lee was oneof the finest minds on campus. According to Gladys, her professor wasn’t a rabble-rouser, but she had some very deep beliefs and wasn’t afraid to stand up for what she felt was right.”
    The news didn’t give any comfort. Some of the worst felonsthroughout history had been ones who’d professed to be acting according to their highest sense of right. But before she could ask Marianna anything more, Big Ed Atcitty, the chief of police, appeared in the doorway.
    “My office, Investigator Clah,” he said without preamble.
    Ella thanked Marianna, then followed Big Ed down the hall. Along the way she met Justine, who’d apparently also been summoned.It was going to be a busy Saturday.
    As they stepped into his office, Big Ed glanced at Justine, the last to come in. “Close the door, Officer Goodluck.” Their broad-chested superior stepped behind his desk and took a seat, motioning them both toward chairs.
    “I received a one-of-a-kind phone call this morning,” he said. “At first I thought it was someone playing a joke on me. FBI in Washingtondoesn’t generally communicate directly with the tribal police. If it’s important, they contact us through Blalock.”