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Ukiah with them. He knew now that Hex killed his father, and his mother was surely dead.
    So who was this Jesse Kicking Deer? Why did he want Ukiah back? How much? Enough to demand that Ukiah move back to Oregon? Even as unlikely as that might be, Ukiah was glad that he was legally an adult and able to choose for himself.
    But if these people were his real family—would he desperately want to be with them?
    A woman’s face appeared in one of the windows. He had been noticed.
    Suddenly the house seemed like the humane cage that Mom Jo had caught him in; his life was about to totally change. He hadn’t expected this. He wasn’t sure if he truly wanted whatever the future held anymore.
    Still, he couldn’t just sit out here. He’d invaded these people’s privacy. He should at least explain his presence. Reluctantly, he got out and walked up to the front door.
    The door opened even as he raised a hand to knock: The rich smell of fried bacon and potatoes flooded out into the summer dusk. The woman from the window stood in thedoorway, without welcome in her stance. She was in her late fifties, long graying hair drawn back into a ponytail. Her dark eyes regarded him with hostility. “Yes?”
    â€œClaire Kicking Deer?” Ukiah got a slight nod. “I’m sorry to bother you. I would have called, but your number is unlisted. I’m looking for Jesse Kicking Deer.”
    Her eyes narrowed. “Why don’t you people just leave him alone?”
    Ukiah blinked with surprise. “Pardon?”
    â€œGo away.” She started to shut the door.
    â€œWait!” He stiff-armed the door to keep it from closing in his face. “There’s some kind of confusion here. I’m not who you think I am.” Whoever that was.
    â€œLet go of the door.” She tried pressing it shut.
    Ukiah resisted, talking quickly. “Please, I just want to talk to Jesse Kicking Deer about an article in the East Oregonian. He was asking for information on a feral child.”
    Claire Kicking Deer tried to yank open the door in a way that suggested she would slam it shut in his face, arm or no arm. He caught hold of the door, reacting without thinking. “Let go of the door, or I’ll call my son to the door, and you don’t want me to do that.”
    He kept hold of the door, sure if he let her close it, she wouldn’t listen to him, and he’d lose this chance to reconnect with his lost family. “I don’t understand why you’re so angry with me. I just want to talk to Mr. Kicking Deer. I’ll ask him a few questions and go away. Please, you have no idea how much this would mean to me.”
    â€œJared!” She called over her shoulder.
    Oh, shit! Heavy footsteps heralded the arrival of the son. Instincts told Ukiah that violence was becoming a distinct possibility. He released the door and backed up. The door jerked completely open, and Jared Kicking Deer stepped out onto the porch, looking fully capable of said violence. He was a tall man, in his late twenties, broad in a way that suggested weightlifting sometime in his past, and had a bearing that spoke of being unafraid of a fight.
    â€œMy mother said to leave my grandfather alone.”
    Ukiah held out a hand to ward off any blows. “Look, I’ma private investigator from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I’m out here on business with my partner.” Once sure that Jared Kicking Deer wasn’t going to swing at him, Ukiah took a business card out of his wallet, and handed it to Jared.
    Jared didn’t bother to glance at the card. “PI from Pittsburgh. You here to find Alicia Kraynak?”
    One surprise after another. “Yes. I’m an expert tracker; we specialize in missing persons. The thing is, when I was thirteen, I was found running feral in Umatilla National Park by my adoptive mother. She took me home to Pittsburgh. I thought, since I was in the area, I’ll try to find out