Never-ending-snake by David Thurlo Read Free Book Online Page B

hitting the pavement and rolling takes its toll.” She crossed the narrow hall, and entered the living room, where he was waiting.
    “I’d suggest thatyou’re getting too old for this field work crap, but I have a dozen years on you and I haven’t got the sense to start looking for a desk job either,” Blalock said, getting up from the sofa.
    “Have a seat again while I grab a glass of my mom’s herbal tea, will you? I’ve been looking forward to that for the past four days,” Ella said, heading toward the kitchen. “Want one?”
    “No thanks.” He easedback down onto the soft cushion. “Have you decided if you’ll be taking the job at PPS? After what happened to you today, I was wondering if working for three times the pay in an air-conditioned D.C. office has suddenly become irresistible.”
    Ella poured herself a glass of the cool brew from a gallonjar her mom kept in the fridge. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. The money and benefits arehard to beat, that’s true, but I’d be giving up a lot.”
    She stopped in the doorway, looking at FB-Eyes as she sipped the cold tea. “I spoke to three of the women who work at PPS. Two of them are former police officers, and the one thing that struck me is that they’re lonely after hours. They were always looking for ways to connect with other people, through clubs, churches and things like that.On the Rez that’s all built in. We’re all connected—part of the tribe. We have our neighbors, our clans, and our families.”
    “You could still stay in touch with everyone here. E-mail, phone calls, text messaging, video conferencing in front of your computer, even. It’s pretty much instant gratification.”
    “I’m not sure that would be enough for me. But like I said, I’m still thinking things over.”She walked back to the sink and rinsed out her glass. “Right now you and I better get going,” she said, grabbing the paper bag that held her soiled clothing.
    Blalock reached for his keys. “I’ve done some homework while you were cleaning up. Robert Buck, Kevin’s boss, graduated from Harvard and has worked for the tribe ever since. He flies back and forth from his office in Window Rock to D.C.about once a month. He also keeps his nose clean. He doesn’t even have a parking ticket, and his credit rating is excellent. No big bills, and no money problems, apparently.”
    Moments later, Blalock drove down the gravel road leading from Ella’s home to the main highway to the east. “You’ve checked Buck’s background via our normal channels. Now let me go through the back door,” Ella said. Then,using her cell phone, she dialed her mother, who was still at the hospital.
    Rose was well connected, and, more often than not, managed to get the kind of information that went well beyond legal channels.
    Rose answered on the first ring. These days her momnot only carried a cell phone, she actually kept it on. For many months, though she’d take the phone with her wherever she went, she’d refuseto turn it on. She didn’t want to be bothered. Ella smiled. Dawn had finally convinced her to leave it on so she could reach her grandmother anytime in case of an emergency.
    Ella wasn’t sure what career her daughter would end up choosing someday, but her powers of persuasion were second to none.
    Ella told her mom what she needed, asking her to keep the request totally private. “Anything youcan tell me about him might help, Mom.”
    “I know the attorney general’s grandmother. She’s very proud of her son, the lawyer from Harvard. She thinks that he places too much importance on what the
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think, but he told her that he has to play by their rules so he can get some cooperation on matters that affect the tribe.”
    “Thanks, Mom,” Ella said, then hung up.
    “What did she say?” Blalockasked.
    Ella shared what she’d learned. “Kevin’s like that, too—he plays to win. The difference between men like Adam and Kevin is the site of