“Tell me what’s waiting for me up there.”
Bernie explained. “When I realized what I’d come across, I was careful to retrace my steps. I have photos and information on the people who came by after I found the body.”
“You don’t need to defend yourself. It’s good for the investigation that you discovered the victim rather than some kid on a bike. Everything I hear about you is exemplary. You being here is lucky.”
The compliment made Bernie uneasy. “You know, I’ve had better luck. Next time, I’d like to find a winning lottery ticket, not a dead guy.”
Johnson climbed out of the sedan and locked it. “I’m going to the site. Stay here to keep the trail closed until Agent Berke and the ERT arrive.”
Bernie knew ERT was the Evidence Response Team. “Will do.”
Two more vehicles, a white coupe with a smashed front end and a relatively new dark blue SUV, pulled up to the parking area. Johnson studied them, then turned her attention back to Bernie.
“How far is the body?”
“Maybe fifteen minutes.” Bernie picked up the rope and a water bottle and handed them to Johnson. “You or Bigman might want these for the dog.”
“I’ll be in touch for a follow-up interview, probably tomorrow. I’d like to get this investigation moving.”
The sight of a white woman in jeans walking up a closed trail made it harder for Bernie to persuade the newcomer Navajo runners climbing out of their vehicles that the area was, indeed, off-limits, but she did it. FBI agents from the ERT arrived within half an hour, and one took her place as trail and parking lot monitor.
Bernie grabbed another bottle of water from Bigman’s unit and left his keys with the FBI parking lot man. Picturing the red shoes and the torn black pants, Bernie started the jog back to their trailer.
Questions swirled as she ran. Who was the man? Why was he dead? Why was he there? Where had he been killed? Had the dog followed him?
She was halfway home when Chee’s truck pulled up next to her. “Hey, beautiful. Want a ride?”
“I don’t know. Are you trustworthy?”
“I may have ulterior motives, but I brought you a Coke.” He reached across the seat and opened the passenger door.
The truck’s air-conditioning felt great, almost too cool on her sweating arms. He handed her the cold can, and she rubbed it on the back of her hot neck before opening it and taking a sip.
“You just earned about a million husband points. Are you done working for today?”
“Well, they say even crime takes a holiday. So, yeah, for the moment.”
“Who says that about crime?” Bernie put on her seat belt.
“Give me a minute.” Chee chuckled. “I think it’s the title of an old movie about a cop who sets up an elaborate scam to catch a crook.”
“I never heard of it.”
“That’s because you’re so young and cute.”
For the first time in hours, she began to relax. “Me?”
“You’re cute even when you’re hot and stinky. But if you’d like a shower, I’ll get dinner going while you’re in there. And then you can tell me more about what happened if you want to.”
As she felt the water against her skin, she flashed back to the trail and the body. Something bothered her about the crime scene, and it was more than being near the corpse.
Why make the effort to dump a body off a popular trail where it was likely to be discovered? Had the killer left the body as some sort of message? Who was the victim and how did he die?
She pulled back the thoughts and shampooed her hair. She turned off the water and grabbed for a towel. The FBI was in charge of homicides. She had plenty on her plate, but she’d talk to Largo and Johnson about helping with the case. There were plenty of Navajos who might recall more than they’d told her, and she had their names.
She walked out to the deck where Chee was cleaning the grill. He smiled when he saw her. “Your mother called while you were in the shower. I told her I’d let you know.”
“What did she say?”
“She told me that you look too thin and to make sure you eat. She told me not to let you work so hard. She said she wants to talk to you about your sister. That covers it.”
“I’ll call her later. Let’s take it easy for a while.”
Chee chuckled. “I know you. You want to make some notes about that crime scene.”
“Johnson said she needs to interview me again, probably tomorrow and—” The ringing of the house phone interrupted her. “And I bet that’s Mama.”
“I bet you’re right.”
Bernie looked at the caller ID before she answered. “Lieutenant! How good to hear from you.”
“Hello, Bernie. I hope you’re enjoying this beautiful day.” Joe Leaphorn’s voice sounded strong, and she loved the natural rhythm of his Navajo.
“Chee plans pork chops on the grill, and I made a pie to go with them. Come join us tonight.” As she said it, she cringed at a vision of the sweet blackened mess.
“I can’t. Speaking of Chee, is he free to come to the phone?”
“Yes, sir. Just a moment.”
Chee’s side of the conversation was brief, a string of “Yes, sirs,” one “I’m really not comfortable with that,” and then, “I’ll think about it.”
He said good-bye and put the phone on the table. She waited to hear what he’d share.
“Largo asked the Lieutenant if he’d mentor Wilson Sam.”
“Why?”
“After the hay-sale argument, the captain is seriously annoyed with the rookie. He wants to help Sam before he screws up again and gets fired or killed.”
“I meant why the Lieutenant. Sure, he’s smart and well respected, but he isn’t an active member of the department. He’ll have to figure out what’s going on with the rookie. Someone like you already knows the story.”
“Largo thinks highly of the Lieutenant, plus, he has experience as a mentor, and now that he’s retired he might have time to do it.”
“So, why the phone call?”
“He heard about Sam’s injury, and he wanted to check the story with me.”
She could tell from the way Chee ended the sentence that there was more to come.
“Leaphorn’s reluctant because he’s at the beginning of a new PI case, but he owes Largo a favor. He asked if I’d give him a hand. I said I’d consider it, but I feel uncomfortable, like a snitch or something.”
“I understand. But we’ll be even more slammed if the rookie gets fired. If you can help, that would be great.”
“The Lieutenant offered to meet with the rookie for an initial interview and then talk to Largo about his assessment. That might get me off the hook.”
Chee began dinner preparations, and she continued to work on her chronology of discovering the body. Compiling the notes heightened her recall. She revisualized what she’d seen as she approached the path, searching not only for the extraordinary but for something slightly askew that might have relevance in the murder. She wrote down everything she remembered, no matter how minor and boring.
She’d nearly finished when she felt Chee’s eyes on her.