Rock with Wings by Anne Hillerman Read Free Book Online Page B

avoided the crater only to encounter a barricade the road crew had created to keep the trail from flooding. The People Mover plowed directly onto a hill of rocks and sand that took up half the roadway. Chee winced at the scraping noise and then felt a thunk as something big and hard made contact with the underside of the vehicle. The People Mover continued forward just fine, but the realist in Chee didn’t trust it. He had no choice, of course, but to drive on.
    As Paul helped the guests unload at the hotel, Chee noticed oil dripping onto the asphalt of the parking lot. After the customers left, he showed his cousin the dark puddle. “I think that’s from whatever I clobbered back there.”
    Paul shrugged. “It had a leak already. They have oil at the store behind Goulding’s. We’ll add some when we need it, take some with us. No problem.”
    Chee’s phone rang. “Just a second.” He hoped it was Bernie.
    Instead, he heard a different woman’s voice. “Sergeant Chee? It’s Monica, the administrative assistant at the Monument Valley substation. The captain asked me to call you. He’s hoping you can start work early. Something’s come up.”
    â€œWhat do you mean by early?”
    She hesitated. “The captain can give you the details, but we’re really short around here. He asked me to see if you could meet with him this afternoon, so he can brief you on your assignment.”
    â€œLet me make a couple calls, and I’ll get back to you, Monica.” If the situation with Bernie’s mother was going to take time to resolve, he might as well make himself useful. And whatever trouble he’d created for the People Mover would have a price tag. Why not meet with the captain and get the lay of the land?
    â€œWhere’s the office?” he asked, and she gave him directions.
    There was no answer on Bernie’s cell number. He didn’t leave a message, instead calling her mother’s house and their home number in Shiprock. No Bernie anywhere. He called Monica back, and told her he’d be there.
    Paul gave him a questioning look, and Chee explained.
    â€œI thought you were on vacation for a few more days.”
    â€œIf Bernie can’t get back, I might as well go in early.”
    â€œStay with me as long as you want, bro. I was thinking we could fix up that old corral while you’re here. I might start some horseback tours.”
    Chee had noticed the corral. Fixing it was not an option; Paul needed to rebuild the whole thing, to make it safe for tourists who’d probably never been within smelling distance of a horse.
    Paul kept talking. “We can work on that when you’re done with the police stuff. We could do it the old way with junipers. Remember how Uncle would bring in a bunch of trees, and we would trim off the branches to make the posts?”
    Chee nodded. The work had been hot and dirty, but they enjoyed it because Uncle told them stories of his army days in Vietnam.
    They added oil to replace what had leaked out and bought more to take with them in case of an emergency. Back at Paul’s house, Chee scooted under the vehicle. He spotted the problem easily: a steady drip that led his eye to a hole in the oil pan. Fixing it would require draining the oil—or letting it simply drip out—welding the hole closed, adding more oil, and making sure the weld held.
    Chee maneuvered himself back out, dusted off his clothes, and explained the situation. “Since I did the damage, I’ll take care of it for you.”
    Paul said, “I told you, it had a leak before. I’ll pay for half with some of that money I get from the tourists. I’m glad you can fix it.”
    â€œI hope I can fix it. Do you know where we can find a welding torch, a rod, and a socket wrench that will fit these old bolts?”
    â€œI’ll find somebody who can loan us that stuff.”
    In the late afternoon