Native Born. Jenna Kernan

a hill instead of a pit that strained excrement.

      Cassidy scanned the faces and realized that she and the two representatives from the BIA, Bureau of Indian Affairs, were the only white people in the gathering.

      Clyne spoke loud enough for the gathering to hear and she had to admit his argument for the funding was eloquent, thoughtful and timely, but perhaps wasted on the men who were wearing the equivalent of raincoats in the unceasing wind. They stomped their feet restlessly as she swept the crowd, impressed with the practical clothing of the rest of the gathering.

      Clyne finished and the men all shook hands. Photos were taken for the Black Mountain webpage and Cassidy made sure she was not in any of them. The procession retreated to the string of vehicles that reminded her of a wagon train for some reason. She shadowed Clyne to his vehicle where he stopped to glare at her.

      “Would you like me to follow you or accompany you?”

      “Neither,” said Clyne.

      “Then I’ll follow.” She stepped away so he could open his door. “Shouldn’t Gabe be here, too?”

      He smirked at her and just that simple upturning of his mouth made her insides twitch in a most unwelcome physical reaction to a man in whom she refused to have any interest.

      “He is here. He told me to tell you that you did a pretty good job of scouting the perimeter. Though not too good, obviously.” With that he climbed in the navy blue pickup and swung the door closed.

      The truck rode high, leaving her at shoulder level with the decal of the great seal of the Black Mountain tribe that was affixed to the door panel and showed a chunk missing at the top right. The seal included Black Mountain in the background with a pine tree, eagle feather and something that looked like a brown toadstool in the foreground.

      “Try and keep up,” he said and led the procession back toward town, leaving her to scurry along the icy shoulder to reach her vehicle. Her time in South Dakota had taught her about driving in snow, but she still skidded on the icy patch as she pulled into place. Clearly Clyne was as thrilled at her current assignment as she was. Somehow she didn’t think that commonality would bring them any closer together. If she could just find something that would connect the Cosens to the mobile meth ring or something that made their home unfit, she could challenge custody, collect her transfer and be on her way.

      She made the drive at the end of the snake of cars, parked in the lot beside tribal headquarters and followed the remains of the procession inside, where she was asked to present her credentials, sign in and wear a paper name badge.

      Hi, My Name Is... Pissed Off, she thought.

      Gabe Cosen appeared through the doors and paused only to speak to the receptionist in Apache before coming to meet her.

      “Agent Walker. Nice to see you again.”

      She accepted his offered hand. The handshake was firm and brief. Chief Cosen stepped back from her. Gabe had none of his brother’s swagger. He had bedroom eyes that made Cassidy uneasy and the same full mouth as Clyne. But his gaze was completely different. She saw no hint of distain or banked resentment.

      “Chief Cosen. I understand this isn’t the first time you have seen me today.”

      “That’s true.” Chief Cosen grinned and she felt nothing. Why did Clyne’s attention stir her up like ice in a blender?

      Chief Cosen removed his gray Stetson and gave it a spin on one hand. His hair was cut very short, which was so different from the long, managed braids of his older brother.

      “Police headquarters is right across the street. I’m going to get you and Luke set up right after lunch. Say one o’clock?”

      “That’s fine.”

      “I’ve got to speak to Clyne. Would you mind?” He motioned for her to accompany him.

      She forced a smile. Why had she been hoping she would not have to see Clyne again today?

      Cassidy kept pace with Gabe as they walked down the hall and through the outer offices of the tribal council. She resisted the urge to look at Clyne through the bank of glass that skirted the door to his office.

      Gabe paused before the assistant’s desk. The Apache woman sat with her legs slightly splayed to accommodate her swollen belly. Cassidy thought she looked ready to deliver at any moment. The woman held the phone wedged between her ear and shoulder as she wrote something on a memo pad. She still had time to lift a finger to Gabe in a silent request that he wait.

      Gabe stepped back and faced Cassidy.

      “You settling in?” asked Gabe.

      “I haven’t been to the casino hotel yet.”

      “Oh, it was my understanding that you would arrive last night.”

      “Personal business. Delayed.”

      His smile faded. “Of course. How are you feeling?”

      She shifted testing her ribs and felt the sting of healing muscle. “Fine.”

      He peered at her from under his brow and she felt he did not quite believe her.

      “Well. On behalf of myself and my family, I want to thank you personally for protecting our older brother yesterday.”

      The display of manners, so divergent from those of his older brother, shocked her into speechlessness.

      “Ah,” she struggled. “You’re welcome.”

      “Strange, don’t you think, that you would be the one responsible for his protection?”

      Was there an accusation there or a hint of suspicion?

      “It was a rotation.”

      “Yes. So I understand.” Gabe didn’t try to hold on to his smile.

      “I thought you’d be more present today,” she said.

      “Clyne didn’t want the BIA feeling unsafe.”

      Had she and Luke been too obvious? She didn’t think the BIA officials even noticed her.

      “He’s been courting them for months and was afraid my force would raise questions about security. He has another rally tomorrow. Phoenix this time. Then Friday, some folks from a home-building charity visiting. Another outdoor gathering, touring the proposed building site here on Black Mountain.”

      “So you don’t want help with the investigation. You asked for us to protect your brother?”

      “No. I need investigators. But someone just tried to kill Clyne yesterday. I could use the help keeping him safe.”

      “But why me, specifically?”

      He watched her for a moment that stretched on to eternity.

      “Can’t you guess?”

      “I don’t like guessing games, Chief Cosen. Any games, really.”

      “Miss Walker, you have been a mother to my sister for most of her life. Perhaps the only mother she remembers. It seemed to me that we should know something about you and that you might want to know something about us.”

      She knew all she needed to know about them, or wanted to. “This has nothing to do with the investigation.”

      “It does. But two birds, so to speak.”

      “Do your brothers feel the same?”

      Gabe rubbed the back of his neck and she had her answer.

      “Gabe!” Clyne’s voice was much louder than it needed to be when he called from the open door.

      “Excuse me.” Gabe stepped into his brother’s office and shut the door.

      She could hear their words but did not understand Apache. The angry voices and the flailing arm gestures were clear enough as both men engaged in an epic battle of