Turquoise Girl Read Online Free PDF

what they’d discovered, leaving out the gory parts and specifics.
    Rose paled, then with an unsteady hand took a sip of her tea. “You made the right decision coming to tell me first. My friend is up in years, daughter, and she has problems with her heart. It wouldn’t be good to give her this kind of news whileshe’s alone. Boots isn’t at home, she’s sitting with your daughter, so I’ll go with you. Just give me a minute to leave a note for my husband in case he wakes up.”
    As Rose went into the next room, Ella set down her empty cup. Learning that Kevin was working late again annoyed her, but the only thing she could do was hope he wouldn’t make a habit of it while Dawn was there.
    “I’ll follow you inmy truck,” Rose said, hurrying to the front door with her. “That way I’ll have a ride back and can stay for as long as I need to.” She paused for a moment, then added, “Boots will have to be told, too,” she sighed. “But maybe we should take things one step at a time.”
    “You’ll have your hands full tonight, Mom. I’ll send one of my officers to tell Boots.”
    It was late by the time they were seatedin Lena Clani’s living room, Rose by her friend’s side. As she broke the news, Ella watched Lena’s face register shock, then sorrow, and finally, rage.
    “Who did this to my daughter?” she asked, her voice strangled. “He’s in jail, right?”
    “No, not yet. We’ve barely had time to process the scene,” Ella said gently. “But we’re not going to let up until we track the person down.
    “Was your daughterseeing anyone special, maybe someone with strong religious ties?”
    “Not that I know of. But what is it you’re implying? Was my daughter murdered by some religious nut? Is that it?” She looked at Ella as if struggling to understand the incomprehensible. “Why would anyone like that pass judgement on my daughter now? She was finally getting her life back!”
    Lena wiped the tears from her face impatiently,then ran a hand through her hair. Then, as if with great force of will, she took a deep unsteady breath and, to Ella’s surprise, met her gaze. Navajos seldom looked directly at anyone. It was considered a sign of disrespect. But all she could see in Lena’s eyes now was anger and, beyond that, the emptiness that came from utter and complete devastation.
    “I want justice for my daughter. I respectwhat you do for the tribe, so I’ll give you a few days to find the man who did this. But I won’t wait long, and if you fail, there are others who still respect the old ways and will help me.”
    Ella didn’t have to ask what she meant. Lena was talking about the Fierce Ones, a vigilante group who believed Anglo law enforcement had no place on Navajo land. The Fierce Ones often got in the way of legitimatelaw enforcement efforts, and although their brutal methods often achieved results, their tactics of intimidation were the antithesis of everything Ella stood for.
    “Your family is very much part of my own. I’ll find whoever did this to your daughter. But I don’t react well to threats,” Ella said.
    “Don’t ask me to turn the other cheek. That’s not our way,” Lena answered.
    Lena’s voice was quietnow and more controlled, and maybe that’s what made it even more disturbing. Ella knew that having a vigilante group breathing down her neck would just slow down her investigation.
    Ella started to respond when she saw Rose shake her head. Her mother stood and urged Ella to the door. They stepped outside.
    “Daughter, she can’t really hear you, not now,” Rose whispered. “Her heart is broken andshe’s in too much pain. Let me take care of her while you return to work. The quicker you solve this matter, the easier it’ll be for everyone.”
    Ella looked at her mother and saw something in her eyes that disturbed her. “You don’t really disapprove of her threat to call in the Fierce Ones, do you?”
    She hesitated for a heartbeat. “ Bilagáana law