The Warrior's Way

Why was he so darn big? She was attracted to big, muscular men. Jack unfortunately ticked all the right boxes except for one—he was trying to get her mixed up in a career-ender. She’d worked too long and hard to get off the Black Mountain rez to jeopardize that. Having a career gave her money, respect and purpose, and it kept her from having to ever rely on the system to protect her.

He held the wheel as he flexed his arm muscles and stretched, showing thick fingers nicked with white scars on the knuckles in the golden light of sundown. He had strong hands to match the rest of him.

Sophia liked men, but she didn’t depend on them. She glanced at Jack, his face now cast in shadows as they crossed below the line of sunlight. Sleeping with him would be dangerous, but perhaps the thrill would be worth the risk. As long as she remembered that after she toured the dam system, she was out of here and he was not coming along for the ride.

Jack angled his head and shoulders, making his joints give a popping sound, without ever releasing the steering wheel.

“We’ll be down soon.”

The road did finally level out to a rolling pasture. He flipped on his headlights. They continued through the town. She glanced at the tribal headquarters, which had lights illuminating the great seal of his people. It featured the river, of course, the cliffs and a single sacred eagle above them both.

They continued downriver as the sun set, and drove past the neat houses and fences that held the cattle. Cattle, ranching and rodeo were all a way of life for her people as well. Signs warned to watch for horses.

“You don’t pen the horses, either?” she asked.

“No. The river and canyon does that,” said Jack. “We’re just up here.” He slowed and turned onto a dirt road, lined with barbed wire on each side. She could see the cattle, dark shapes in the fields. The headlights made their eyes glow green as they passed.

She lifted her phone and called her cousin, checking in as he requested. But she didn’t tell him about the misunderstanding about her flippant suggestion which the detective seemed to be seriously considering.

Jack pulled off the main road and drove toward the river again.

“This is the place where our medicine society gathers. It has a large outdoor meeting space, sweat lodge and fire pit. But most importantly for you, the tribe uses it for ceremonies, so we have several cabins on site. You’ll have a one-bedroom with working bathroom. Hot and cold water, too. I’ll take the one beside yours. Ray Strong has the one on your opposite side and Dylan Tehauno the one after that. Ray’s wife, Morgan, and her girl will be here for dinner, then she’s got to get their daughter back home. Lisa is Ray’s stepdaughter, actually. But Meadow Wrangler will be spending the night. Couldn’t keep her away.”

“I see.”

She was about to say that it wasn’t necessary for the others to chaperone. But the way he looked at her gave her pause. He seemed hungry and that simple glance was all it took for her heart to pound and her stomach to twist. Oh, she wanted Jack Bear Den in all the ways a woman wanted a man. And since she could not leave, having chaperones might be a really wise idea. She needed to either stay away from Jack or get it over with. After all, he was just a man. Getting him out of her system might be the wisest course. There was no regulation against sleeping with him. He was not a colleague or a suspect. He was the friend of her cousin.

Fair game.

Sophia ignored the internal warning alarm sounding in her mind. She’d had short affairs before. They were the best kind, allowing her the excitement and physical contact of a man’s company without the entanglements. Leaving before they did was just self-preservation, because, sooner or later, they all left. But she’d never been this interested before. In fact, she had intentionally picked men she had minimal interest in. Made leaving easier.

“Sophia? Will that arrangement work for you?”

“Seems fine, but not Wrangler. She’s connected to an ongoing investigation. It would be best if I had no contact with her.”

“See, I’d think you’d want contact. Especially if you think she’s involved.”

“Not my investigation,” she said.

“We don’t think she’s involved.”

“Why is she still up here? I’d think a woman like her would be bored to death.”

“Well, if she leaves, the highway patrol or Flagstaff PD will arrest her as a person of interest in the Pine View fire.”

“Ah,” said Sophia.

“She didn’t do it. But you make up your own mind. If you don’t want her to stay, I can speak to Dylan. But it’s an insult and he’s my friend.”

“They’re a couple?”

“Yes, but they don’t live together.”

That surprised Sophia. From all accounts Meadow was a wild woman with numerous short, public affairs.

Sophia took the irresistible bait to meet the infamous heiress, Meadow Wrangler.

“She’s your guest,” said Sophia.

He gave a toot on his horn and hit the lights of the SUV. A moment later the headlights illuminated a large square structure, the lodge she supposed. Onto the porch spilled five men, two women and a child. She recognized only one—Wallace Tinnin.

“That’s our tribal director in red. The rest are all members of Tribal Thunder.”

“The men, you mean.”

“No, all. Our warrior sect includes women. But not children. Lisa, the girl, is not yet a member. But if we are successful, she will live to join someday.”

The gravity of his words struck her. What for Sophia was a hypothetical problem to be considered and quickly set aside was for the Turquoise Canyon Tribe a matter of life and death.

Jack made introductions on the porch. Sophia shook every hand as if she was running for public office. She recognized Meadow Wrangler from her photo, but the blue hair was new. Sophia tried not to stare. When she met the executive council president, she both shook his hand and bowed her head in respect. She did the same when she met Kenshaw Little Falcon, their shaman and leader of their medicine society.

The formalities complete, Morgan Hooke offered to take Sophia to her cabin to freshen up.

“Where’s Agent Forrest?” asked Sophia.

Kenshaw Little Falcon took the question.

“He had to return to Phoenix. I drove him to the airport in Darabee. But he left the car for you.” He motioned toward the dark portion of the field, where she had seen the vehicles parked when they’d arrived.

Luke had abandoned her. Nasty trick, she thought. Sophia tugged at the hem of her blazer and forced a smile. She was now alone among strangers.

“I see.”

Morgan lifted a lantern from a nail and motioned Sophia down the steps.

Sophia knew of Morgan since her cousin had been lead on the FBI investigation into the shooting of the Lilac gunman. Morgan’s father had killed the shooter, a paid assassin, according to Luke. How had that affected this woman and her child?

“Let me show you to your cabin so you can freshen up before supper,” Morgan said again.

Under the bright starlight, they picked their way to the cabin. Morgan preceded her through the door and set her lantern on a small wooden table. Then she fished in her pocket for a book of matches, lifted a second lantern from a nail beside the cabin door and lighted the wick. The smell sent Sophia right back to the home of her childhood, making her stomach roil.

“Everything all right?” asked Morgan. “It’s not much, but Dylan cleaned it up and Meadow changed the bedding. It’s all new.”

Meadow changed the bedding? The woman she believed to be a spoiled little rich girl had made a bed? Sophia couldn’t believe it.

“Meadow?”

“Yeah. She’s not so bad.”