“Good. Keep me posted on what you discover. I can tell you find this an imposition, but I appreciate your help in the matter.”
Slowly, Joe dropped the phone back in its cradle and turned to face Captain Tapahe. The man shrugged. “I tried, Joe. He wanted me to pull you from the crystal ice case and I said no. This is give and take. Accept it at that.”
“Accept it?” There was a low burn in the pit of his belly. “Accept that someone who knows nothing about our cases can just arbitrarily pull some strings and screw up months of investigation? When did politicians start interfering with our work?”
“Since longer than you realize.” Tapahe rounded his desk and dropped heavily into the chair behind it. “We deflect as much of this kind of thing as we can, but you’re stuck on this one. Just humor the man. You were continuing to look into the matter anyway, right? That’s why you needed the information from the land bureau. Just follow up on that, get back to the president tomorrow and maybe that will be the end of it.”
“I was going to talk to more of Quintero’s customers today,” Joe objected. “I have a list of them that Arnie and I put together. I might be able to squeeze one or two of them, get something more…”
“Give the list to Garcia. She can do it for you.” At Joe’s scowl he said, “It’s called compromise, Youngblood. Be grateful you got a choice.”
A choice? Joe swallowed the retort that rose to his lips and turned to leave the office. When it came to Delaney Carson, he’d already learned to leave his preferences out of the equation.
Delaney held her sandwich in one hand and clutched the edge of the open screen door with the other to survey the man glowering at her from her porch. “Now what? Did I kick a kitten? Swat a fly? Make a list of my offenses. I’ll throw myself on the mercy of the court.” He didn’t crack a smile. Imagine that.
“You’ve got some pretty powerful friends.”
She cocked her head, considering. “You think? Well, there’s Joe Caprio at the McDonald’s back home in Witchita. He always gives me extra fries with my order, but powerful?” She shook her head. “I wouldn’t go that far.” She let the door slam behind him as he strode into the living room.
His eyes glinted. “I’m not talking about some loser offering free fried food, I’m talking about Taos.”
She blinked. “Navajo Nation President Taos? What about him?”
“Apparently he’s concerned about you. Concerned enough that he threatened to have me reassigned from this drug investigation-the case my colleague and I have worked for months-just to be sure you’re in no danger.”
She eyed him warily. She’d seen him hostile before. Abrasive, even. But she didn’t ever remember seeing him like this. It was like watching a bomb, waiting to detonate. She was pretty sure she didn’t want to be around for the explosion. “I could call him,” she offered tentatively. “Assure him that I feel perfectly safe…”
“That won’t help. The only thing that’s going to keep him happy is for me to clear the whole thing up in addition to my other ongoing cases. So c’mon. Let’s get to it.”
“C’mon…where?”
“To Cowboy Nahkai’s place. I found out today that his family owns the land where you were shot at.”
Excitement warred with trepidation. “You think he might be involved in whatever operation was being hidden out there?”
Joe finally looked at her, really looked. “Are you kidding? He’s over ninety. And although he’s still pretty spry, I doubt he’s out cruising around on four-wheelers. He’s probably leased his land to someone. And since he doesn’t have a phone, we’ll go out and ask him about it.”
Delaney took a bite of her sandwich, chewed. “I still don’t see where I come into this.” She had work to do, photos to load and sort. Recordings to transcribe. The afternoon with Charley had been another treasure trove of information. She wanted to get it written while her notes were fresh.
She might not be above making excuses to avoid spending hours in his company. But tonight she didn’t have to search for any. Unfortunately, she could tell from his expression that he was unswayed.
“You’re coming along,” he said firmly. His lips curved then, but it wasn’t an especially friendly smile. “Taos wants me to look out for you. Apparently he thinks you need a babysitter. So for tonight I do that by dragging you along.”
Delaney stared at him, weighing her options. She didn’t especially want to be dragged anywhere. Not to mention her vow to spend as little time with him, near temptation, as possible.
On the other hand, he wasn’t especially tempting when he was this crabby, so her hormones should be safe enough. And she did feel somewhat responsible for his dilemma, since she knew what long hours he’d been putting in.
Both on the job and off it, a sly inner voice whispered.
“Okay. Let me get my shoes.”
If he was surprised by her capitulation, he didn’t show it. Instead he was eyeing her sandwich with a decidedly avaricious look in his eye. “Do you have any more of those?”
She looked up from the bright pink flip-flops she was slipping on. “None that would fit you.”
He did that thing with his lips, pointed them toward her sandwich and little sparks of awareness flickered to life under her skin as she focused on his mouth. It really was beautifully formed. Full chiseled lips, that looked hard but were surprisingly soft to kiss. Until their desire had torched them both and then his mouth had turned fierce, hungry, whipping her passion to a fever pitch.
Delaney drew in a shaky breath and headed toward the kitchen. “I can make more.” The key, she told herself, as she took out the ham and bread, was to stop focusing on his lips except to keep him talking. She rarely had trouble resisting him when he was ordering her around.
Cowboy Nahkai had a seamed weathered face and a slight body that looked more wiry than fragile. Although it was barely seven o’clock, they caught him as he’d been about to turn in.
“I get up at four every morning. Have for most of my life. It’s a habit I don’t like to break.”
Although he invited them in, they ended up sitting on his front porch, facing what promised to be a truly spectacular sunset in another hour or so. The horizon was already rosy, as if blushing in anticipation.
“I want to thank you, Mr. Nahkai, for your hospitality.” Delaney sipped from her mug of Navajo coffee. “I understand you’re one of those who generously gave permission for me to travel freely on your property.”
“If you are to capture the beauty of our land, you must be able to see it,” he said simply. “The land has withstood much. It certainly will withstand some pictures. Have you had a chance to explore this area yet?”
Before she could answer, Joe put in smoothly, “She plans to, but she’s only been in town a few days. She wanted me to bring her out here so she could familiarize herself with the drive. And also to check if there’s anyone who will be bothered by her roaming the area. You’re in pretty good shape, but I assume you’re not still running sheep yourself.”
The older man cackled. “It’s been a while since I chased after a flock. No, I’ve leased most of the land for years. Phillip Roanhorse had it for a long time, but he sold his livestock a few years back and retired.”
Delaney sat back and let Joe direct the conversation. She wasn’t sure why he didn’t want Nahkai to learn of the incident on his property, but she was willing to let him handle it.
“That’s right, I know Phillip. He used to whittle whistles for me when I was a boy and he’d come to visit Grandfather. I’d forgotten he retired.” Joe brought the mug of coffee to his lips, drank. “Who did you say holds the lease now?”
The old man frowned, as if trying to think. “I’d have to look it up. William has taken care of my lease agreements for the last couple years. I don’t get involved anymore. He’s been a good help since he’s come back. His dark spirit is gone, and he’s recovered his hozho.”