Hawke leaned against his official vehicle, waiting for the feds to arrive. The beauty and serenity of this spot always drew his soul. His gaze swept over the vistas before him. Eagle Nest Butte known as a sacred place to Lakota people, and other Native American Tribes. Did it speak to DeShay, as well? Had she lost some of her Native spirituality during all the years she’d forsaken her heritage while getting her education? Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her watching the fluttering of a butterfly. What kind of person had she become?
A dragonfly flew nearby His thoughts went to the image his grandfather had painted so vividly in his mind so many moons ago. His gentle voice echoed as a whisper:
“My grandson, the dragonfly was admired and used by our warriors long ago. It is fast and hard to kill. They fly close to the ground and make clouds of dust, so they will be hard to see. The warriors painted them on their horses because the image would help elude upcoming danger. It is an energy being that darts about and seems to outwit capture.”
DeShay’s gaze followed his. The dragonfly darted over his head.
“Hawke, the dragonfly seems to be acquainted with you. He is a sign of the warrior.”
, she did remember some of her Native culture. He pointed to the dragonfly woven onto his shirt. “They are special to me. The one on my shirt is flying downward so I will always return home safe.”
Dust penetrated the air while an unmarked black SUV pulled up. The feds pulled in. When the engine shut off, the door opened, and Agent Melina Wolfe emerged.
DeShay watched Hawke out of the corner of her eye. His expression revealed what DeShay had already known. He still loved Melina. After all, he had been in a relationship with her before she left the reservation to pursue her career. They had not seen each other for several years, so far as she knew, but eyes still sparkled at the very site of her.
Melina Wolfe was well-known on the rez because of her grandfather and also for the tragic deaths of her parents to a drunk driver. Everyone said she grew more beautiful with age. Her straight black hair hung to her tiny waist. Her radiant smile would send any man’s heart leaping.
“Hello, Wolfe, long time since we have seen the likes of you around here,” Hawke shouted.
“I am here on official business. Now, let us get started. Who found the body?” She was also known for her professionalism.
DeShay stepped forward. “Hello, Melina. I found the body while preparing for a dig.”
Agent Wolfe turned to face her, smiling. “Hello, DeShay. Glad to see you again.”
“Well, you know me. Constantly out doing the job I love.”
The smile slid off Agent Wolfe’s face. “Tell me everything you saw.”
“When I scanned the area for my dig, the body stuck out in plain sight.”
“So, it lay there without anything over it? No signs someone tried to camouflage it?”
DeShay shook her head. “No. Whoever put her there didn’t try to conceal her body. I didn’t see any clues except for something I’d picked up. I forgot to give it to Hawke”
Agent Wolfe’s gaze slid to Hawke and then back to DeShay. “What? You found some clues?”
“I found a feather close to the body.”
Hawke nodded. “There is also a medicine wheel keychain tucked inside her grip, Melina, but we did not want to remove it until you got a chance to see it.”
“Detective, where is this feather? And from this point on, address me as Agent Wolfe?”
He held out the evidence bag
“I’ll take that. It could have blood splatter on it and might lead us to the person responsible for this crime.” Agent Wolfe instructed.
As he passed it to her, his hand swept across hers DeShay watched as the their eyes met and locked. After a long moment, Agent Wolfe blinked.
“Okay, show me the site.”
Melina had missed the reservation. She’d missed her time with Hawke, too. And her wise grandfather, Joseph Whitehorse. Her last living relative was a respected elder and medicine man, the Sacred Calf Pipe Bundle he carried sacred to the Lakota culture.
She moved through the rusty gate leading to Eagle Nest Butte, watching for clues.
“So, Melina, will you be staying with your grandfather while you’re here?” DeShay asked, coming up to walk beside her.
“Yes, he insisted I stay with him.” She hesitated then went on. “He says he has many things to discuss with me.”
The crime scene lay just ahead. The victim’s family would be torn apart once the devastating news about the death of their loved one was revealed to them.
Hawke waved toward the body. “Okay, here’s the area. We did not touch the body. Note the medicine wheel, which appears to be painted with an arrow pointing to the southwest. We flagged the tire prints and waited for you to arrive so you could decide what to do next.”
“Great, Detective. I need all the help you can give me. This entire area must be searched and anything found will be sent to the lab in Sioux City. With any luck, the blood on the feather belongs to the killer..”
Wolfe nodded, turned, and headed back to his vehicle. He glanced at DeShay and rolled his eyes.
Once he was out of hearing range, DeShay turned to Melina. “You know, he never got over you.”
Melina pursed her lips and nodded. Her heart still belonged to him, but she could not let him know, at least for now.
***
DeShay started the tedious task of helping Melina in any way she could. This would be a long day. Her cat, Tail Feather would be okay until she returned, although he grew attached to her and expected his meals on time or he would ignore everything anyone would try to do for him.
Without warning, an eagle flew overhead. Its flight led it to the area where its babies waited. A sacred site nestled high in the butte.
The body had waited on this sacred site for the right time to be found. Why had Abby Winters met her demise and her body dumped.
Hawke and Wolfe were once again a team, and they would uncover the truth so Abby could rest in peace. In the meantime, maybe the stubbornness of the two would redevelop into a love nobody could touch.
DeShay sensed they loved one another just as much as they had many years ago. They had been torn apart by the heartache of the sudden deaths of Melina’s parents, and now it appeared death would reunite them.