Whispering Spirits (27 page)

Summer gasped and pulled his head into her.
She lay back on the grass and Running Crane stretched across her,
recapturing her lips.

He sat and moved back, pulling off his shirt.
She smiled and removed her blouse, jeans, shoes, socks, and finally
panties. She wanted him, and in this peaceful place…it seemed more
right than ever.

She shivered more from his touch than the
cool morning air. The more he kissed and touched, the more she
wanted. Finally he slid into her…and she raised her hips to receive
him. As he increased the tempo, she found herself trembling in
want. Wrapped in emotion and desire, Summer took him fully – giving
all she had in return.

A gripping jolt sent them over the edge
together and they lay spent in each other’s arms.

He rose to an elbow and slid several strands
of hair behind her ear. He stared into her eyes and she stared back
at him. She hated to admit she really cared about Running Crane…if
she was honest – she more than cared. It seemed they belonged to
each other in a way she’d never felt before. It seemed right and
destined.

“You know I’m falling in love with you,
Niipo
? Could I possibly believe you feel the same way about
me?”

Summer smiled up at him. “Possibly. I…it
feels right to be in your arms. It’s almost like we were made for
each other. I’m so afraid something will come along and take you
from me. My track record for relationships is on the flip-side of
right.”

“Maybe together we can make it right. That
would mean…some changes and big decisions from both of us. But
right now we have more pressing decisions to make. Let’s get
dressed before our guests arrive.”

“Good idea,” she laughed.

“Not before we have a refreshing wash.”

Before she could answer, he swept her into
his arms and ran into the icy water. The deep drop-off sent them
both plunging beneath the surface, then sputtering as they
surfaced. They laughed at the surprise it offered them both.

“You’re in big trouble, mister. When I get
even you’ll wish you’d never dropped me into this icy water!” She
swam until her feet touched the ground. She twisted her hair
squeezing it tight as she ran toward her clothes.

“That was twice as cold as I expected.
Mountain waters just don’t warm up,” Running Crane laughed.

By the time she pulled on her jeans, her body
had dried. She walked to the car and retrieved her brush. “Hey, I
hear a chopper heading this way,” she shouted.

“Yep, me too.” Running Crane pulled up the
zipper of his jeans and walked toward the car squeezing water from
his braids. “You have to admit, that felt incredible.”

“I might agree, but if I do then I can’t get
even. I think I prefer being upset.” She smiled, then quickly grew
serious. She said nothing when Running Crane slid his forty-five
down the backside of his jeans, pulling his plaid shirt over
it.

As the chopper approached in the sky, a
sudden wind whirled up and passed across them…then left as quickly
as it appeared. “That was strange…almost like a warning.”

“You’re becoming paranoid. It was only a wind
devil.”

“I think it was more than that…I believe…my
ancestors’ spirits are whispering to me. They want me to be
careful. Things are not what we believe they are.”

“I’m not going to question that. If you
believe they were among us—I believe it.”

In silence, they waited by the car, shielding
their faces from whirling wind, dirt, grass and sticks from the
chopper’s blades. Domonique Worthington and one male escort headed
their way. It seemed more of a relief than she imagined. What would
they have done if a group of gun totting thugs jumped out of that
chopper?

“Charlie, stay back and keep an eye out for
anyone approaching. Hi, Summer…Running Crane.”

Summer didn’t miss the arm cast beneath her
expensive wool jacket. “Hi. We’re glad you came. I know you had
nothing to do with my grandmother’s abduction. If I thought
otherwise, we’d never have called you. And…I’m…sorry I broke your
arm.”

“You might say I asked for it.”

“You’ve walked a fine-line with me,
Domonique,” Running Crane said.

“What exactly do you mean by that?”

He stretched his neck first right, then left.
“There was a time I thought you were the center of everything
happening. Once we saw those papers Borden had been hiding…well…I
have to admit, I might have been wrong about you.”

“You really have those documents my father’s
been ranting about? This ought to be good, since it takes a lot to
rattle his chain. You do realize we have to strike some kind of
bargain…as…angry as he can make me – I don’t want him spending time
in prison.”

“You might not feel that way…in a while.
Running Crane, do you want to get the documents and we’ll sit on
those rocks by the shore?”

“Sure,” he said.

Summer realized Running Crane had become
quiet and she wondered what was bothering him. “Have you been to
the mine?”

“I’ve only heard talk about it…can’t say I
really know where it’s located. One thing about Montana, it’s
certainly as big as Texas.”

Summer smiled. “I’d venture to say we’re as
beautiful as we are big. Why don’t you sit there on that
boulder?”

“This is a pretty spot, although I’m not
crazy about sitting on dirty rocks. I didn’t come here for the
chit-chat or the scenery. You two implied my father…what…is doing
something illegal? You do realize just because we have money, that
doesn’t make us crooks, right?”

“We aren’t trying to imply anything,” Running
Crane said. He sat on a rock next to Summer, facing Domonique. “We
have proof. For instance here’s a contract between your father and
Kevin Wild Horse.” He handed it over to Domonique.

“It looks like a legal land sale contract.
This proves nothing.” She handed the document back.

“Here are core sample results that date-wise
prove your father knew about there being oil and a rich vein of
gold on that land. No problem with the oil, since that was what the
lease was all about. But, purchasing Reservation land—that’s
another thing completely.” Running Crane dug through the stack of
documents he held on his lap.

“It looks all legal and binding to me. How
exactly do you figure this endangers my life?”

“Do you remember a time when your father and
Winter were…a couple?”

Summer noticed Domonique’s cheeks color. She
swallowed and Summer wondered if it was going to get ugly. “You
know she’s my mother, right?”

“Yes, I know the woman. Why?”

“Do you remember having a younger brother?”
Running Crane asked.

“Umm…I was uh…around ten when he died. Why
are you asking about my brother?”

Summer leaned forward. “Did you know he
wasn’t…your father’s son?”

“What the hell are you talking about? Of
course he was my father’s son.”

Running Crane handed Domonique a paper. “This
birth certificate states Lawrence Anderson Borden, son of Lawrence
Borden and Winter Anderson.”

Summer drew in a breath. “Winter Anderson is
my mother’s maiden name.”

“Why are you telling me this? I don’t get
what this has to do with me. So…my dead brother wasn’t my dad’s
kid. It was so long ago…who cares?”

Running Crane took the birth certificate
back. “Lawrence Borden and Winter Timber Wolf care. Your father
killed their son.”

“I repeat, what’s that have to do with me?
Why should I care one way or the other? The two of you aren’t
making any sense.”

Summer leaned forward. “We believe Borden and
my mother want your father to suffer for their loss. They are
setting him up for—”

“Kidnapping, land swindling and here are
plans to bury hazardous waste on the Reservation land after the
gold and oil is gone. These are all Federal offenses and will put
his ass in prison…I would guess he’ll die there.”

“Again, how is this going to threaten my
life? You two made it sound like someone was out to kill me.”

Summer leaned back and stared at Domonique.
“You don’t care they’re framing your father for all this…which will
land him in prison for the rest of his life?”

Domonique scrunched up her lips and rolled
her eyes to the sky. “Of course, I don’t want that to happen.
I’m…not sure why you thought it necessary I fly here to hear all
this.”

Running Crane stood and faced the lake for a
few seconds. “We believe Borden and Winter want your father to
suffer…really suffer…like they suffered when they lost their son.
The best way to do that is to make him experience what it’s like to
lose a child.”

“Lose a child?” Domonique jumped to her feet.
“You two are here to kill me so my father can experience the loss
of a child! Fuck you!”

Summer stood and grabbed Domonique by the
arm. “No, we aren’t trying to kill you…we wanted to warn you we
believe Borden and my mother want to see you dead. We…are trying to
protect you.”

“Why? Why would either of you care whether I
live or die?”

“Because your father has
Nah’ah
hostage and wants these documents in exchange for her life,” Summer
said. “Before we hand them over…we wanted you to know the truth.
The only way that was going to happen is if you saw the real
documents.”

“So now what? You go your way with those
documents and I’ll go mine? What if I want those documents…and I’ll
do my own sort of payback?”

Running Crane picked the computer case up off
the rock. “Don’t do this, Domonique. If you want, maybe we all
should go to the mine and face your father.”

“And do what?” Domonique stared at them.

“Offer all these documents over, and our
silence, for the release of
Nah’ah
, Kevin Wild Horse, and
John Timber Wolf.”

“You really think my father would be willing
to accept that deal? He has no guarantee you won’t talk. He has
no—”

“How do you think he could explain their
deaths as well as ours? Five people die and you don’t think
there’ll be an investigation?”

“What are you saying?”

“You don’t think he’s been under
investigation for the past year? Have you forgotten I’m BIA and
they know what case I’m working on?”

“Let’s go see what my father has to say. I
guarantee you—”

“Just walk right up to the man? Are you
crazy? You can’t guarantee shit.”

“He’ll listen to me.”

“Domonique, he didn’t listen to you when you
wanted him to spare Bradley Wild Horse.”

“He didn’t kill Bradley…I know that for a
fact.”

“No, but he hired Stuart Wallace to do it for
him. So…you might say he killed him. That’s the man you want to
trust? He knew you loved Bradley, but he still ordered his death.
He killed your baby brother and posed you, his ten-year-old
daughter, at the crime scene so he wouldn’t be accused of murder.
What kind of man does that?”

“We’re going to the mine and ask him.”

“I’ve been working in tandem with two friends
of mine, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Director Josh Black Weasel and
Chairman of the Blackfeet Law Enforcement Committee and Secretary
of the Blackfeet Tribe, Tyson Running Wolf. I know they could have
an army up at the mine in a snap. We’ll shut them down and arrest
everyone. We have the documents and we can prove every
accusation.”

“He has money…he’ll buy his freedom.”

Running Crane turned around and faced the
women. “You knew all this…didn’t you, Domonique? Those pictures of
you holding that knife, covered in blood wasn’t staged…it was real.
You stabbed and killed your baby brother, didn’t you?”

Summer glared at Running Crane, shocked by
his accusations. “She was only ten years old. How can you even say
such a thing?” Summer asked.

“But I’m right, aren’t I, Domonique?”

“We’re going back to the mine, no BIA and no
Blackfeet Law Enforcement.”

Running Crane set the computer case on the
rock. “Why would that be, Domonique? You already knew what was in
these documents, didn’t you?”

“How would she know, Running Crane? We just
found them.”

“I think she saw them before Jordan ever
stole them. You knew about your brother, didn’t you? I saw no shock
on your face when I told you. You knew that little tike wasn’t
really your brother, because even at ten your father told you the
truth.”

“What are you saying, Running Crane?” Summer
couldn’t believe he was attacking Domonique.

“Like I said, that murder scene was
staged…was it? You really did kill your brother…didn’t you? Why?
Because your father told you to, didn’t he?”

“I was ten…and…I loved my father. I hated
Winter and I refused to call her
mother
. But my father loved
her and when she was around he had little time for me. Then she
became pregnant and they had a boy. I ceased to exist. I hated all
of them. But, then my father found out that Winter was having an
affair with a rich man…that’s all he knew at the time. He was
furious. He threatened her that if he found out Little Lawrence
wasn’t his son—he’d stab the kid to death himself.”

“So you decided you’d do it for him?”

“I…listened to all their fights. Then one day
when father was away on business a very handsome man came to the
house. They teased each other and made love in the kitchen, the
bathroom, and in father’s bed.”

“So you told your father, didn’t you?”

“I was his daughter…and I wanted him back.
Yes, I told him. He…told her to end it. I couldn’t believe it. He
should have thrown her and the bastard out the front door. He told
her if that man, or any man, ever came to the house again, he’d
kill her himself.”

“He still didn’t know little Lawrence wasn’t
his son?” Summer asked.

“No…and if he suspected, he didn’t want to
admit it. He wanted a son to take over his businesses and that son
was going to be Lawrence Anderson Worthington. So…that night I told
Winter I knew the truth. That father had found proof Little
Lawrence wasn’t his son. She quickly ran to her room and pulled a
drawer open and pulled a taped envelope from the bottom of it. I
watched her put it back and pack a travel bag.”