Hawke stared out the window at the sheriff’s department, taking in the beauty of Cactus Flats. The department had offered them an office to work out of for the next few days. It was small, but adequate for their needs. Thoughts of Abby Winters spiraled in his mind. He could not wait to learn more about Ian Guidara. He prayed the man’s sobs were for the loss of the woman, he professed to love and not for fear of spending the rest of his life in jail.
He turned to gaze at the woman he loved as she entered data on her laptop. “Melina, I confess to feeling conflicted about Ian. Although he seemed brokenhearted, a strong feeling tells me he has something to do with this. He says he loved Abby and could never hurt her, so why do I feel he’s lying? When I heard his words, I couldn’t help but think how destroyed I’d be if I ever lost you.” The tickle in his throat forced him to stare back out the window.
Melina walked over to him, touched his shoulder, and fingered his long dark hair. “Yes, the same thoughts ran through my mind, as well. I’m glad we’re working on our relationship.”
He turned to face her, wrapping his arms around her narrow waist. “I love you, and I know we can make this work.” He inclined his head, intent on kissing her. Suddenly his cell phone rang, interrupting their moment.
“Hello., Detective Hawke speaking.”
A short pause and then a female voice spoke . “Ian Guidara is hiding the truth, and you must find it.” Then the phone went dead.
He snapped it shut and slipped it into its leather holder on his belt. “Wow, interesting. A female caller who stated Ian knows more than he’s telling us. I wonder if she knows we’re here in Cactus Flat? Are we being watched?”
“You’re right. That’s very interesting. If someone wants to watch us, let them. The spirits will tell us. All we have to do is be in tune with the spiritual world. Perhaps we better get going to Ian’s restaurant before he threatens all his employees.” Melina closed her laptop and grabbed her purse. “Ready?”
***
The drive to the high-class restaurant gave Melina a new outlook on many things. An eagle soared high then spiraled toward the ground. The symbol of spirit and urbanity achieved through hard work. Hard work came naturally to her. She welcomed the symbol.
Then she focused on the medicine wheel hanging on the rearview mirror of Hawke’s vehicle. The wheel of life forever evolving.
Hawke’s cell phone rang. He stretched to remove it from his belt. “Melina, I’ll put the speaker on so you can hear, too.”
“Thanks.” She liked how Hawke showed respect toward her. Many men would have a hard time handling the FBI’s help, especially in a personal relationship. On the job, she became his superior, yet he handled it like a man. Hawke’s persona as a strong man revealed his inner strength. He’d never be intimidated or put off by a woman’s strength.
“Hello, Hawke here.”
“Detective, DeShay needs to speak to you. Hold on.”
A short pause then she came on the line. “Hawk, I had to speak to you. Ian Guidara is hiding something very crucial to the investigation. He thinks he can fool everybody. He is dangerous, so please be careful. I feel this very strongly. The spirits have spoken to me.”
Hawke’s gaze swept to Melina’s. “DeShay, don’t worry., We’ll be very careful. We will find the underlying cause of this. I know we planned to meet tonight, but Melina and I are in Cactus Flat. Looks like it’ll be a long day for us., I’ll have to reschedule.”
As he ended the call, Melina felt a sense of pride for knowing such a caring person. She hoped DeShay and Officer Ryan Creek could work things out in their relationship, too. Both of them revealed stubborn streaks. so it would take time. She glanced at Hawke.; Good things often took time.
The rest of the drive continued in silence. Thoughts of the unknown ran through Hawke’s mind. He eased the SUV to a stop in front of the restaurant, and the door to the establishment swung open. Drunks staggered out.
“Looks like a lovely place, huh?” Melina applied lip-gloss, her bearing stiff with disgust.
Hawke gave her a wink. She had hated drunks since the night one killed her parents.
Ian stood behind the bar.
Hawke pressed against the small of her back, leading her to a table near the large windows. “Yeah, the mourning man seems to have pulled himself together quite well.” Hawke scanned every person in sight as they sat at their table. All eyes scanned them . They stuck out like a sore thumb. They, after all, were Lakota. Most of the people in the town of Cactus Flat were white folks. Did Abby feel out of place here, too? Could she feel everyone’s eyes on her?
Ian disappeared from their line of vision.
“I don’t see him. Do you think he’s hiding?” Hawke raised his hand to the a bartender, and the red haired woman walked over.
“What do you want?” Her voice was husky as if from years of heavy smoking or drug use.
Hawke pulled out his badge and flipped it open. “We’re here to speak to all of the employees of this restaurant. Could you please have your boss gather everybody together in the back room so we can speak to them in private?”
The expression on her face revealed disgust. “Hell, I’m busy. We ain’t got nothin’ to say to you. Oh, we know why you’re here. Ian is a wonderful boss, so why don’t you just leave.”
“Ma’am, need I remind you we’re here on official police business? If you don’t cooperate, then we will have to arrest you.” He put his badge away and shrugged. “Your decision. But if you continue not to cooperate, then you’ll go to jail, so which will it be?”
The middle-aged woman grew agitated. “I told you there’s nothing I can tell you about Abby.” Her eyes darted around the restaurant. “She dated Ian. He’s hurting over her death, so why can’t you folks just let him be? He is having a hard time dealing with this. I’ve worked here for the past twenty years, so I know what goes on.”
“Okay, thank you for your opinion, but we still need to speak to the rest of the employees. We’re prepared to stay here until closing, if necessary.” Agent Wolfe flashed her FBI badge. “We won’t give up.”
“It appears somebody is leading you on a wild goose chase.” She chuckled as she walked away.
They glanced around, hoping to catch another employee but they ran around taking orders and paying no attention to their presence. Ian walked out from the back, whispering to his employees. He probably instructed them not to speak to the police.
Ian walked over to their booth. “I know you wish to speak to all my employees, but as you can see, we’re busy, so unless you want to stay here until we close, we will have to take a rain check.”
Hawke stood up and stared into the uncaring man’s eyes. “Mr. Guidara, we will sit here for however long it takes to speak to every employee you have. If not here, then we’ll find out where they live and speak to them in private at their homes. Don’t think you can outsmart us. We know you have more information than what you have told us, and we will prove it if we have to stay in Cactus Flat for months.”
Ian’s face turned white. The muscles in his jaw clenched. His hands fisted. He turned on his heel and walked away, disappearing behind a swinging door.
Agent Wolfe leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. “Wonder who called and warned us Ian wasn’t telling the truth. Why would somebody want us to keep our focus on him? Female caller, strange, isn’t it?”
Detective Hawke nodded. Whoever called had a reason. The puzzle pieces smacked him in the face but to put them together to fit perfect eluded him. Was the caller trying to be helpful, or was she trying to throw suspicion off someone close to her—herself perhaps—and onto Ian? Either way, he would stay at this restaurant until he could speak to everyone who worked here.
***
Time passed as they waited for business to slow down so they could speak to the employees. While waiting, they ordered steak and salads. Neither had eaten all day, and their stomachs growled. As Hawke sat at the table, sipping a cup of coffee, night fell upon the Black Hills. His mind kept going from table to table, almost seeing Abby running around the place. The Great Mystery had sent this to him, and he would find her killer.
Abby Winters’ death was a heartless murder, and the people she worked with knew more than they were willing to say. Perhaps all they were allowed to say if, as he suspected, Ian had warned them all to be silent.
The feather, medicine-wheel keychain and Abby’s murder were related in some way. He would discover the connection between them.
He would solve the murder so everyone involved would have some closure.
Hawke reached out and took Melina’s hand, entwining their fingers and gazing into her beautiful dark eyes. He gave thanks to the Creator for bringing them back together. This woman held his heart, his soul.
Holding her hand gave him a sense of rightness, of peace. His gaze returned to the view through the large window, as did Melina’s. The sky appeared as a painting right before their eyes. Mauves reds, and oranges lit up the night sky as darkness cascaded over Mother Earth. Clouds floated, careless, over the magnitude of colors, giving calmness to the pain.
A picture of excellence, given to the human eye, which could never be matched or duplicated. Peace fell over the entire horizon, giving way to harmony, if for a short while.
Micaje, my name is Hawke, cetan nagin as he called to the Great Spirit, he-ay-hee-ee, as a star fell outside the window of the restaurant.
“I promise to always keep mitawin, my woman, safe. Thank you for allowing our love to come together. I will do everything in my power to make her happy. In addition, I will not leave a rock unturned in solving the case of Abby Winters. Please give her peace. Pilamaya, thank you.”
When a pickup entered the parking lot, Ian walked outside and spoke to the driver, casting glances toward him and Melina. “Wonder what that’s all about?” He jerked his head toward Ian and the man behind the wheel.
“If we had the hearing of an owl,” Melina replied, “we could hear what they’re saying and plotting.
The vehicle left within minutes of its arrival. As the rusty truck rattled out of the parking lot, stones and dirt flew. Hawke bit back a scream when he saw a turtle nearly ran over by the speeding idiot. “Did you see that? He almost ran over the turtle. Our symbol of Mother Earth.”
“He is white and doesn’t understand the turtle reminds us of the give and take in all parts of our lives. Mother Earth provides so much to all, which is why Natives always remember to give back to her.”
Hawke drew her close. “Too bad all schools don’t teach the importance of all the animals on the Earth. They could teach the children, all children, to always give back to Mother Earth for all she has given to us. Thank goodness the turtle’s life was spared.”
“Yes, Hawke, we’re given a blessing by witnessing the turtle crossing our path. We should give thanks for the thoughtless driver’s missing the turtle.”
Her words reminded him why he loved her so much. She had a deep connection to Mother Earth. They also reminded Hawke to keep his cool now and later when he spoke to the employees. He would conduct himself properly, so the spirits would bless his actions.