Redhawk's Heart, page 7
“She does sound like a good source,” Casey conceded, glancing at him. A delicious shiver danced through her as she saw the way his wet shirt clung to his muscular shoulders. His smile broadened slightly and she knew he’d noticed her reaction. She looked away. “Was she able to help?”
He shook his head. “She knew nothing that could help us, but she’ll keep her ears open.”
Casey bent down to examine the tire tracks they’d found. “Are you willing to work with me, on my terms? I’d like you to be my liaison. But it’s a limited partnership. I’ll be calling all the shots.”
His wry smile never touched his eyes. “What you’re really saying is that you want to keep an eye on me. But why?”
Ashe was too sharp. He seemed to read her with an ease that she found incredibly irritating. “I’ve got news for you. You’re not my primary concern—this case is,” she said in a tone she hoped was convincing. “Besides, wasn’t it you who just pointed out we can find answers faster if we join forces?”
Ashe said nothing for several long moments, but Casey was aware of everything about the man. He held his powerful shoulders and back erect. His strong hands flexed and unflexed as he thought things through. He obviously didn’t like her terms, but he was considering accepting them. His quiet presence had the impact of a lion’s roar as he allowed the silence to stretch.
“If we keep tripping over each other, we’ll lose time we just don’t have,” Casey pressed. “I don’t usually like working with a partner, but I can make the sacrifice for the sake of the case.”
Ashe took a deep breath. “Our ways are different. But if we both try, I believe we can make things work.”
“Just remember I’m in charge, and we’ll get along great.” She’d said it not as a challenge, but as a reminder to herself. They were agreeing to work together—nothing more. The crazy attraction she felt for this man had to be put on permanent hold. “Will you take a plaster cast of the tracks? We may need that later on for comparison.”
Casey walked away, following the van tracks toward the highway. She didn’t want to look into Ashe’s eyes. Too often what she’d seen there had filled her with a longing she couldn’t understand. In those twin dark pools, there was the promise of passion as wild as a summer storm, and as intense as lightning flashing across a dusky sky.
Chapter Five
Casey was just getting out of the shower later that afternoon, when she heard someone knocking at her motel-room door. “Who is it?”
“Ashe.”
His voice set off sparks all through her. “I’ll be there in a minute.” Casey yanked the towel from her hair, pulled on her clothes, than answered the door, finger-combing her hair. “What brings you here? Did the captain tell you where I was staying because there’s been a break in the case?”
“Everyone knows where you’re staying. You’ll soon learn that there are few secrets on or around the Rez,” he said, stepping inside. “And, no, there are no new leads, except that the van that chased us fits the description of one stolen earlier today from a Farmington-mall parking lot. That’s why I figured we both needed to keep digging. I suppose Bureau agents aren’t religious about punching the time clock at any particular hour, right?”
He was teasing—treating her like a fellow cop—not an enemy. It felt good. Seeing a grin on his face, Casey smiled back. “No more than cops do.”
Ashe sat down in the armchair by the window. “This case... Well, let’s just say it stays on my mind even when I should be off duty.”
Her heart went out to him. She understood only too well. She remembered the pain that had stayed with her like a shadow, after her mother’s death. Her mom had been the only family Casey had ever known. Her father had abandoned her mom and Casey as well, breaking her mother’s heart. Mom just hadn’t been the same after that, and when she passed on, the gnawing emptiness inside her had remained for nearly a year, even though she’d tried to bury it under piles of work. For Ashe it had to be even worse. Right now, his work was a reminder. And until he found his sister, nothing could have closure.
“Do you have any idea what our next move should be?” she asked. His gaze was mesmerizing. Restless, she paced around the room. “Obviously, we can’t just sit tight and hope that van turns up.”
Having Ashe alone with her in this place that was nothing more than a glorified bedroom, made Casey vividly aware of a part of life she’d missed. After seeing how her mother had been destroyed by love, Casey had avoided relationships that might do the same to her. Consequently, she’d never experienced grand passion, never felt that crazy kaleidoscope of feelings that love was supposed to be. The thing was, she’d never thought about it much—until now. Casey found she was still afraid of what those strong feelings would do to her. Needing to stay busy, she readjusted the pancake holster on her belt.
“Why don’t we get something for dinner while we work on a plan of action? There’s a place near here that’s reasonable.”
“That’s a good idea. I’m starving.”
As they walked to the parking area, Ashe pointed toward his police-issue four-wheel-drive carryall. “Let’s take my unit. It can get through anything. I’m not certain your sedan is going to make it down some of our back roads right now. The rain’s been pretty heavy the past hour or so, and has become widespread.”
“No problem.”
They hadn’t gone very far when Casey decided it was time to question Ashe about what Ilene Begay had said.
“I heard today that your foster parents had a problem acquiring the land that their school is on. Did you know about that?”
“I remember hearing about it. But they’d moved here with Fox and petitioned the tribe for the land long before my brother and I ever knew them,” Ashe said, then fell silent.
Casey knew there was more, so she tried to be patiently quiet as they rode along.
“The dispute was with the Nakais,” Ashe said at last. “I remember having a fistfight with John one day at school when he called my foster parents thieves. I guess it was something he’d picked up at home. Eventually he and I became friends, and now we’re both cops. You don’t seriously think that old land dispute could be a motive for killing them, do you?”
“I don’t know. Wars have been fought over land for centuries. What do you think Officer Nakai would do if I brought up the subject?”
“I think he’d just walk away, and you’d lose the cooperation of a good cop. Drop it. It’s ancient history now.”
“I’ll accept your opinion on that, for now. But if we start hearing that the Nakai family is petitioning for the land back, we should take a closer look.”
“Fair enough.”
They arrived a short time later at a place that could fairly be described as a dive. Police vehicles were parked all around, and it wasn’t clear to Casey at first if the cops were there on official business or in search of a meal.
“Welcome to Pig Alley,” he said.
“A cop hangout?”
“Yes. Cops usually know where the best food can be found. No laminated menus here.”
They went inside and Ashe led the way to a table in the far corner. It was hard to note the decor, if there was any, because the four lights she could see were deeply recessed in the ceiling, and they were dim at best.
“It’ll get crowded later, but this is just the start of the dinner hour,” he said. “Most of the off-duty Farmington cops will drop by here sooner or later.”
Casey smiled slowly, understanding what Ashe had in mind. This glorified bar had not been as random a selection as he would have had her believe. If her hunch was right, he was still searching for the cop who’d harassed Fox. “Smooth,” she commented in a dry tone. “It’s easier to pick up gossip about an officer if you give the impression that you’re off duty and on a date rather than working a case.”
Ashe’s gaze was steady. “Fox is still my priority. You understood that all along. But the steak sandwiches here are good. And you did say you were hungry.”
“I wish you’d played it straight with me.”
“Like you’re doing with me?”
She studied his expression. There was no anger there. He was simply sating facts. “We both know something about higher loyalties,” Casey said slowly. “If there are things I can’t tell you, then, as a cop, you should understand that. I’m sure that there have been times you’ve been forced to withhold information from people you’d rather have trusted.”
She regarded him thoughtfully, trying to appear cool, though the pull he exerted over her senses was absolutely devastating. Ashe looked even more wonderful than usual tonight in a chambray shirt, jeans and brown leather vest. His lean strength and his warrior spirit packed a sensual wallop that made her tingle all over.
Determined to avoid looking into his eyes, Casey glanced around and caught sight of a man approaching their table. She sensed trouble even before he reached them. There was something about the way he carried himself that issued a challenge. He wasn’t in uniform, so she couldn’t really define how she knew, but she was one-hundred-percent certain he was a local cop. What worried her was seeing how the other uniformed police officers gave ground around the bar as he went past.
“Hello, beautiful.” He leaned down toward her, placing one hand on the back of her chair, by her shoulder.
Casey coughed, and moved away slightly. He smelled of tobacco, and his breath was heavy with alcohol, but his eyes were clear. He wasn’t drunk, though perhaps he wanted to make it appear that he was. “Sorry, guy. Call it intuition or fate, but I just know there will never be room in my life for you. Why don’t you go back to your beer?”
“Aw, now, come on, honey. Have a drink with me,” he said, helping himself to a chair. “Good old Ashe always has great ladies with him. Never the same one twice, I’ve noticed.”
“Take no for an answer, Walker, and go back to the bar. The lady is out of your league,” Ashe replied, his voice calm but with an edge that was impossible to miss.
The officer sat back and regarded Ashe coolly. “You’re really great at making rules for other people, aren’t you? You did that with Katrina, and nearly ruined her life. But maybe this lady just needs a comparison test.” He looked at Casey and winked. “What do you say? Shall we have a drink at my table?”
Casey considered it. In her book, his “No means Yes” attitude, coupled with the fact that he knew Katrina, made him a possible suspect. They had come looking for information and this guy seemed an ideal source. Before she could answer, the man reached for her hand.
In a heartbeat Ashe intercepted him, pinning Walker’s wrist to the table. “Don’t touch the lady unless she’s made it clear she’ll welcome it,” he said quietly. He waited for a moment, then released the other man.
Venom shone in Walker’s eyes. “Don’t even think of trying to lean on me,” Walker growled. “The cops in here will back me up. You and your brother may have hassled me when I was a kid, but those days are over now. We’re off the Reservation, and you’re on my turf, here.”
As Walker pushed his chair back and stood, ready to square off with Ashe, Casey grabbed Walker’s forearm gently. “Instead of a drink, why don’t we go for a walk instead? It’s such a nice evening.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Walker put his arm around Casey’s shoulders.
Casey saw the way Ashe tensed, but she shot him an icy look that warned him to let her play this out.
As they walked outside into the parking lot, Casey slipped out of Walker’s grasp. “You’re a friend of Katrina’s?”
“Not really. I asked her out a few times, that’s all. But let’s not talk about her now. I’m with you, beautiful.”
Casey sidestepped as he reached for her. “Let’s get to know each other first.”
“Later.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her close, hurting her with his tight grip. “You like cops, do you, baby?”
Casey brought her boot heel down hard on his instep, then broke free as he jumped back with a yelp. “Put on the brakes, will you? I don’t like to rush things,” she said softly.
“Well, I do, and I’m through playing.” He pushed her against the wall and snaked a hand between the buttons of her blouse, fumbling for her breast.
Casey kicked him sharply in the groin, then, as he bent over, brought the edges of her hands down hard on both sides of his neck in a karate blow that stunned him. Walker sagged to the ground.
“I’m an FBI agent, you moron,” she said. “Keep your hands to yourself or you’re going to have a truckload of garbage raining down on you. I won’t mess around with sexual-harassment charges. I can go all the way to attempted assault. You could be suspended in thirty minutes. Got that?”
Walker stood, brushed off the seat of his pants, then reached for a pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket. “Well, at least you have more guts than Redhawk’s stuck-up little—”
Casey had seen Ashe approach, but she couldn’t react in time to stop what came next. In the second it took her to draw in a breath, Ashe spun Walker around, smashing his fist against the other cop’s jaw. Walker went down as if his legs had been suddenly removed, and his cigarettes went flying.
Casey saw three other men coming out the tavern door. If this turned into a brawl, she was going to have to explain it all the way to Washington. She turned and faced the men, her badge in hand. “Your friend is trying to get charges filed against him, boys. Is that what you want, too?”
She saw the anger that flashed in their eyes as they glared first at her, then at Ashe.
“You’re out of your jurisdiction, Indian,” the one built like a refrigerator growled.
“I’m not here to make an arrest,” Ashe answered smoothly. “And the lady, here, is a federal officer. We were still in the U.S. of A. last time I checked.”
Ashe took a step toward the men, stopping just a few inches in front of Casey. She wasn’t sure whether to thank him for it, or to hit him herself for interfering. He should have warned her before he dropped them in the middle of this situation. Whatever was going on here transcended the current difference of opinion. There was obviously some history between Ashe and these men—or at least, with Walker.
Just as she was certain that a fight they couldn’t win was about to erupt, two barrel-chested Navajo men stepped out of a newly arrived pickup and waved. Ashe smiled at them, then looked back at the locals. “Things just don’t seem to be going your way tonight, fellows.”
“Cool the testosterone, guys. We’re all law-enforcement officers here,” Casey said, looking from man to man. “If we don’t walk away now, some of us are going to be facing suspensions and worse, especially once news of this hits the papers. Let’s see if we can save a job or two by backing off while we still can.” Seeing Walker struggle to stand, Casey offered him a hand up. “Get this officer an ice pack from behind the bar before he really gets ugly looking.”
She breathed a silent sigh of relief when two of their antagonists actually smiled at her weak joke. They glanced at the Navajo men, then took Walker by the arms and half carried him back inside Pig Alley.
Casey nodded to the two Navajos. “Thank you, guys.”
“These are my cousins,” Ashe introduced. “Arthur and Eugene Begay.”
Casey nodded and, with a smile, extended her hand. “I’m Agent Casey Feist. What brought you two here tonight?”
“Good timing, it looks like,” Arthur replied, shaking her hand after a split-second hesitation.
Casey noted the way the men had exchanged quick glances before the handshake, and realized that shaking hands was probably something else The People didn’t do.
“We were on the way home when we saw Ashe’s unit parked here. We figured that he might need some backup,” Eugene told her. “This isn’t friendly territory for any of us.”
“I don’t understand. What’s the problem?”
The men looked at each other and then at the ground or at the cars. Eugene finally answered her. “Turf, rivalry, prejudice—all that. It’s never far away, not even here. Navajo cops aren’t exactly welcomed with open arms off the Rez unless somebody needs help in a hurry.”
Casey glared at Ashe. “You could have mentioned this to me beforehand.”
“I wouldn’t have let you get hurt. I can take care of myself—and you—in a fight.”
Casey believed him, but she wasn’t going to let him off the hook. “I can look after myself, thank you. But you’re missing my point.”
Eugene and Arthur glanced at each other, then muttered quick goodbyes.
As his cousins left, Ashe started walking back with her to his carryall. Casey could feel the warmth of his body as he remained close by her side. It touched her intimately, winding its way around her imagination and sparking sensations she couldn’t brush aside. Ashe was strong physically and spiritually, and that was a combination she rarely saw nowadays. She was drawn to him on such a profound level that it scared her.
Annoyed by the direction her thoughts had suddenly taken, she kicked a rock in her path and quickened her pace. “What the heck happened back there with that guy?” she demanded. “You owe me a full explanation. You’re one of those cops who never loses his cool on the job, yet Walker pushed your buttons like a pro. What’s the history between you and him? Is he the one you think might have something to do with Fox’s disappearance?”
Ashe nodded. “But, honestly, I didn’t know he’d be in there tonight—not this early, anyway. I came hoping to get word about him, not push a confrontation.”
“That’s still not enough of an explanation,” she said.
Ashe took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “Jerry Walker has been a thorn in my brother’s and my side for years. He had a thing for Fox when we were in high school and she was in junior high.”
