in mind.â
âWe can?â she asked, grinning because she knew how much he loved the museum; it had been his idea to open it. He was a fanatic in the field of Native American culture. He wasnât Sioux, but his mother had taught on the Wapiti Sioux reservation. Like Cecily, he had an affinity for the Lakota nation.
He chuckled. âIâll tell you all about it on Saturday. Six sharp at my house. Donât be late. Itâs a buffet.â
âI wonât eat for days,â she promised.
When she hung up she realized what sheâd said. She did eat more frugally than before. She spent more frugally than before. Her surroundings werenât lavish. But she wasnât having to depend on anyoneâs charity. She was twenty-five and self-supporting. It felt good.
Â
Cecily phoned Leta to let her know that she planned to fly out to Rapid City and drive over to the Wapiti Ridge Sioux Reservation near Custer State Park in South Dakota for the tribeâs annual celebrations. There would be a large contingent of Lakota at the three-day September event, and native dancing and singing as well. Sheâd already bought her plane ticket and reserved a rental car. She wasnât going to back out of the event just because she and Tate werenât speaking. Anyway, there wasnât a chance that Tate would go now.
âTate hasnât called recently,â Leta mentioned when theyâd discussed the event. âI phoned to see if he was at his apartment, and that Audrey Gannon answered. She told me he was out of the country on some job for his boss, Pierce Hutton.â
Cecily felt a lump in her throat. She swallowed before she replied. âI didnât know she was living with him,â she said, trying to sound nonchalant.
âHeâs secretive, isnât he, baby? I guess he must feel something for her,â Leta replied irritably. âShe hates what he is, she hates the reservation and she was barely civil to me when I told her who I was. If heâs as crazy about her as she says he is, she could turn him against his own people, even against me.â
âSurely she wouldnât,â Cecily tried to reassure her.
ely she would. Sheâs against native sovereignty.â There was a hesitation. âIâm glad youâre coming out here. I miss seeing you. Since you went to live in Washington, I hardly get to have you out here at all.â
âI miss you, too,â Cecily said warmly.
âI need something to lift my spirits,â Leta continued. âWeâve just lost the hope of getting an ambulance and a new community clinic, because the funds that were budgeted have disappeared.â
âDisappeared? Where to?â Cecily said.
âNobody knows,â Leta said. âTom Black Knife, you remember our tribal chief, says itâs probably a math error. Iâm not so sure. There are some real suspicious comings and goings around here lately. Especially since the paperwork for the proposed casino was sent off. I guess you havenât been able to get Senator Holden to listen to you about our side of the story?â she added, a curious inflection in her voice.
âMatt Holden is one hundred percent against the casino, despite all my pleading,â Cecily said sadly. âNot that I havenât bombarded him with information. Iâm going to his birthday party. Maybe I can waylay him there and do us some good.â
âYes. His birthday. Heâs inflexible when anything goes against his principles,â Leta murmured.
âYou sound as if you know him!â Cecily teased.
There was a long pause and when Leta spoke, her voice was strained. âI know of him. Everybody here does.â
âWhy donât you come to Washington later in the year and talk to him personally?â Cecily asked. âYou can stay with me.â
âWhat, in that fancy apartment?â she said, distracted.
Cecily winced.