“That I do,” Tiernan said, taking the folder from Doug and browsing the contents. “What about the horses from the reservation?”
“Not your headache. You’ll coordinate with a Lakota—Nathan Lantero—who should be bringing in the reservation’s horses anytime now.”
Closing the folder, Tiernan said, “Looks like I’d better do the same since you’ll need some of those horses first thing in the morning. Which pasture do I use?”
Doug shrugged. “First come, first served. Both have trailers parked outside the gates to use as tack rooms. Just let me know when you’re finished setting up.”
“Will do.”
An all-day job, Tiernan thought, but one better than rounding up cattle. Until he’d come here, horses had been his life. Hoping Kate or Chase could help him for a few hours, he left the trailer and made for the truck. He’d barely reached the parking lot when he spotted the familiar, green SUV. He turned back toward the set to look for Ella, but he didn’t see her. He was getting that odd feeling again, that sense of connection. The prophecy came immediately to mind, and Tiernan told himself that it would be best for him to stay away from the woman.
What was Ella doing here in the first place? he wondered.
Was she an extra? Or had she simply come along with a friend or relative for the experience?
Whatever the reason, he intended to avoid her and hoped their paths wouldn’t cross when he returned with the herd.
***
“Why does it have to be a cottonwood?” Jane Grant asked. “I don’t understand why any tree wouldn’t do.”
They were discussing the Sundance to be shot in the next few days and Ella wanted the scene to be as authentic as possible. They’d been at it all day and this was the last planning detail that needed attention.
“Well, it doesn’t. You could use another tree, but the cottonwood is sacred to the Lakota,” Ella told her. “The leaves are shaped in the conical pattern of the tipi. And an upper limb cut crosswise will show a five-pointed star that represents the Great Spirit. If you want the scene to be truly authentic—”
“All right, then, a cottonwood it is.” Jane made a note of it on her laptop. “I’ll get someone on it before we break for the day.”
While intelligent and efficient, Jane Grant seemed too young, not even thirty years old, to be a producer of a major motion picture. Her short blond hair was spiked, her medium-length fingernails painted the same dark blue as her tight pants. She wore a hand-worked leather halter top and matching boots with three-inch heels. Ella wondered how in the world she could walk in those on such uneven ground without twisting an ankle.
When Jane looked up and closed the lid of her laptop, Ella said, “I appreciate your taking the details of our ceremony so seriously. Rituals need to be observed properly so the gods bestow the blessings of life on The People.”
Jane nodded. “All right. I appreciate your willingness to work with me. Not all Lakota are as cooperative.”
Ella’s only response was a smile.
“Well, that finishes your work for the day,” Jane said. “Meet me here in the morning. Ten should be fine. I’d like you to look over everything before we start shooting.”
Ella got to her feet. “Good, I’ll see you then.”
As she left the trailer, a ruckus caught her attention—stomping hoofbeats accompanied by sharp whistles. Horses, twenty or so, were being driven toward the pasture on the set. Ella couldn’t help but be drawn toward the activity. And when she spotted Tiernan McKenna bringing up the rear of the herd, her step quickened. His cousin Kate remained at the gate and shooed the horses through.
Then, remembering her earlier thoughts about Tiernan and Irish magic, Ella slowed and thought twice about approaching him. What in the world was she doing?
Too late. Tiernan spotted her. Not knowing what else to do, she waved and indicated she wanted to talk to him. Maybe he knew something about the murder—a good enough reason for her interest.
Tiernan and Kate quickly got the horses into the fenced pasture. He bent over to say something to his cousin, who grinned at him and hit him in the arm as if she were teasing. Now, what was that about?
Then Tiernan turned his gelding in her direction, and Ella felt her pulse rush a little faster. Behind him, Kate watched, waved to Ella, then took off the way she’d come. His expression sober, Tiernan stopped the horse directly in front of her but didn’t dismount.
Feeling her face grow warm, Ella looked up at him and said, “I didn’t know you were working on the set.”
“That would make two of us. Are you just visiting or are you one of the actresses?”
“Actress?” Ella couldn’t help but laugh at that. She’d made the same mistake with Nathan earlier. “I couldn’t act my way out of a paper bag. I’m just doing a little consulting work. The producer wants to get the Lakota scenes dealing with spirituality right. I’ll only be here for a couple of weeks.” She realized that, despite her earlier thoughts, she’d relaxed while talking to Tiernan. His expression had softened, as well. “And you’re wrangling the horses?”
“The ones from both the family ranch and the refuge. Not the reservation horses.”
“No, that would be my cousin.”
“Cousin?” His forehead pulled into a frown. “Do I detect some tension there?”
“Nathan can be difficult,” Ella said, then admitted, “We had words earlier.”
“’Tis a shame.”
She shrugged. “The reason I stopped you. Have you heard anything about what happened yesterday?”
“It seems that Harold Walks Tall’s death was declared an accident.”
“No! That can’t be right!”
“I don’t believe it, either. But apparently they found no drug in his system.”
“What about what happened to me?”
“The deputy put it to a hunter making a mistake, thinking he was aiming at an animal. A waste of time ’twould be going after someone who merely made a mistake.”
She didn’t miss the sarcasm in his voice. “That was no more a mistake than Harold Walks Tall’s death was an accident!”
“’Tis not me you need to convince.”
“There’s just no way to prove it,” Ella said.
No easy way.
No way she wanted to take.
All her instincts had been aroused by the incident. Before she’d known there was a body, she’d sensed the darkness and danger, and then she’d seen the raven’s track in the earth. But those were all things she was unwilling to talk about. Things that could raise suspicions. Things that could get a person killed.
Forcing the image of Father as she’d seen him last out of her mind, Ella was about to suggest it would be best to leave it alone when the thunder of hooves caught her attention again. She looked past Tiernan to see another herd of horses heading toward the fenced pastures.
“Looks like Nathan is here.” Her cousin and two other men from the rez were bringing in the herd.
“I should be introducing myself, then. Forge a bond since we shall be working together.”
“I’m not sure that’s possible. Even though Nathan went away to university and lived in the white world for years, he returned to his mother’s people and the rez. He’s become something of an activist, part of a group that wants to dissolve treaties and take back the Black Hills for the Lakota.”