Maybe the unexpected connection was the very reason that Ella had avoided him, however. Maybe that’s why she’d looked so scared. He got it. Truly. But he couldn’t stay away from her. Even knowing that he was asking for all kinds of trouble, Tiernan couldn’t not try to help Ella—to protect the too-vulnerable lass—in any way he could.
“Anything I should know about this Hawkins lad before I meet him?” Tiernan asked.
Ella shrugged. “I don’t know him as an adult. I haven’t even seen him since I returned. I remember Leonard as being not so serious about becoming a shaman. He always came up with some excuse to get out of the work he didn’t want to do. I know he exasperated Father at times. But he was still young—maybe twenty—and always charming in his apologies, always making promises to do better. Father never had the heart to send him away.”
Leonard Hawkins sounded like the exact opposite of the ultra-serious Nathan Lantero, Tiernan thought.
The ride to the reservation wasn’t long but it could take a man’s breath away. The road wound through forested area, with dips and sharp curves but no guardrails. In places, the road switched back on itself sharply and the land quickly fell away. He imagined there had been more than one accident with someone driving too fast, especially in the dark or in foul weather.
At last they passed a sign saying they were entering Bitter Creek Reservation land. The road straightened and Tiernan tensed a little as he drove past sorry-looking houses and trailers that spoke to poverty. Ella guided him straight to the center of town and a plain single-story brick building. A gas station and auto repair sat to one side, and there was a small general store across the way. The casino was the biggest building on the rez as far as he could see—definitely bigger than the nearby government offices that housed the tribal council, tribal police and health center, among other services.
Tiernan parked his truck near the door and was out of the cab and at Ella’s side by the time she opened her own door and slid from the passenger seat.
Again, she avoided his touching her.
“You’d better remove that,” she said, indicating the sheathed knife at his waist. “Or they won’t let you in.”
He nodded and quickly removed it. “I’ve gotten used to wearing this since I came to South Dakota. I never know when I’ll need it out in this wilderness.”
He threw it on the truck floor and then slammed the door shut and followed Ella into the casino.
The moment he stepped inside, Tiernan had to catch his breath—a cloud of smoke hovered in the atmosphere, reminding him of Irish pubs before the ban on smoking had gone into effect. Never having been addicted to tobacco himself, he’d been glad of the change. Now he felt as if he could hardly breathe.
“We’ll have to ask someone where to find Leonard,” Ella said over the musical sound of dozens of slot machines, “then head for the cashier cage.” Stopping suddenly, she pulled close to him and lowered her voice. “Uh-oh, the cashier doesn’t look very friendly.”
Tiernan noted the middle-aged Lakota woman who frowned as if she’d had a bad day. She was sorting a pile of chips.
“We can fix that.” He stepped forward and gave the woman his best smile. “A pleasant evening to you, darlin’. If you would be so kind to point out Leonard Hawkins to me, I would be in your debt.”
The woman’s expression softened a bit. “Do you have an appointment with Mr. Hawkins?”
“No,” he said, placing an arm around Ella’s back and pushing her forward. “But this charming woman is an old friend of your employer. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see her.”
The woman eyed Ella with suspicion. “I don’t know. He doesn’t like surprises.”
Tiernan wondered if good-looking women often surprised the casino manager at his place of work.
“I used to live on the rez when I was a kid,” Ella said. “I’m back visiting relatives and thought I would catch up with some old friends.”
“If I get in trouble—”
Tiernan interrupted. “Nah-nah, we will not be saying a word about who sent us in his direction.”
The cashier considered it for a few seconds, then said, “I suppose there’s no harm. He’s in the office.”
“And that would be where?”
The woman indicated the direction.
“Thank you, darlin’.” Tiernan winked at her and moved off, Ella in tow.
“You certainly can turn on the charm when you want,” she muttered.
Tiernan grinned. “Shall I be turning it on for you, then?”
“Don’t bother, McKenna.” She raised one eyebrow. “I have your number.”
“Hmm, I shall have to do something about that, Thunder.”
He laughed and then had to work to keep up with Ella as she sped up past a handful of gaming tables—poker, blackjack, roulette and craps—and led the way to the office. He spotted Nathan Lantero at one of the poker tables.
Nathan saw them, as well, and once more, Tiernan got a weird vibe from the man. The way Nathan was looking at him and Ella made Tiernan think he would be trouble.
Chapter Six
When they entered the office, no one was inside, but raised voices indicated an inner room behind one of the two doors on the rear wall.
“Ooh, sounds like someone is unhappy,” Ella said. “Maybe we came at the wrong time. I suppose we should have made an appointment.”
“Then you would have had to explain yourself and the man could have said no. This way you can simply say you wanted to stop by to see an old friend.”
“That’s stretching it a little, but okay,” she said.
Listening intently, Tiernan heard a man say, “Don’t ever make me warn you again or you’ll regret it!”
Just then, the office door flung open and a man in dusty work clothes exited without closing the door behind him. He pushed by them rudely, knocking shoulders with Tiernan, who felt careening emotions from the brief touch.
Before he could sort them out, another man—Leonard Hawkins, no doubt—came to close the door. He was dressed in a well-tailored suit with a crisp white shirt and a designer silk tie. His hair had the look of a hundred-dollar cut, Tiernan thought. Not much of the Lakota to be seen beyond lightly bronzed skin and fathomless dark eyes. He was handsome enough, but at the moment, his chiseled face was twisted with irritation.
When the man realized he wasn’t alone, he took a step back and tried to cover, immediately forcing a smile. “Are you looking for me?”
“Leonard… it’s Ella.”
“Ella?” Leonard started. “Little Ella Thunder?”
“Not so little anymore.”
Tiernan watched the other man transform himself from an angry casino manager to a welcoming friend. Leonard put his arms around Ella and hugged her, then with hands on her shoulders held her away from him to take every inch of her in with those penetrating eyes.
Tiernan twitched but held himself in check.
“I always knew you were going to grow into a beauty,” Leonard said.
Ella’s color rose and a smile stretched her lips. Tiernan wasn’t smiling—the man was too smooth, and there was something off about him.