Heaven's keep

FORTY

Sheriff Kosmo arrived by helicopter, courtesy of Jon Rude. Through the window of No Voice’s office, Cork watched the chopper land in the gravel parking area. The headquarters of the tribal police was a long, narrow one-story cinder-block construction at the southern edge of Red Hawk. It was separated from the school grounds by a field of irrigated alfalfa. As soon as the helicopter touched down, Kosmo leaped out and headed for the headquarters’s door. No Voice didn’t get up when Kosmo walked in. He just nodded toward Cork and Parmer and said, “All yours, Jim.”

Kosmo stood with his beefy arms crossed, staring down at the two seated men. “You talk to ’em?”

“Yeah,” No Voice said.

“Don’t suppose you wrung a lock-solid confession out of ’em.”

“They were cooperative. And they didn’t do it.”

“How do you know?”

“Earl Vixen, next house up the street from Ellyn’s, he was out in the yard with Kong, that Chihuahua of his, waiting for his dog to take a crap. Corroborated O’Connor’s account of the men firing from the field out back. It took a while for Earl to stroll over here. Told me he didn’t say anything to anybody cuz he was concerned someone might come looking for him, too. He’s still here. I got him in a back room working on an official statement. Bottom line is that at the moment a lot of folks in Red Hawk are under the impression these two killed Ellyn. I’ve had some pretty irate calls already. I didn’t want to turn them loose until I was sure they had safe passage to Hot Springs.”

“I’ll have Rude fly them back,” Kosmo said, then he addressed Cork. “You able to ID the guys?”

“I didn’t see them, but I have a good idea who they were. One calls himself Gully. The other is Mike.”

“Last names?”

Cork shook his head. “They were the two who tried to take us out at the plane.”

“Them and Dewey, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Where’s my deputy, Andy?”

“In a holding cell in back. He’s got himself a pretty good flesh wound. I had Grace Lincoln from the clinic come over and clean him up and sew him closed. He’ll probably have a nasty-looking scar, but he’s in no danger. Want to talk to him?”

“In a bit.”

Rude strolled in and stood just inside the door. “Good to see you two alive,” he said. “Want me to stick around, Sheriff?”

“Yeah, I want you to give these two a lift back to Hot Springs. For a while we’ll need to keep them out of harm’s way.” Kosmo turned back to Cork and Parmer. “We found the plane. DCI’s on their way up from Cheyenne. They’ll process the scene.” He looked at No Voice. “I asked ’em to send someone over here to go over Ellyn’s house, too.” He eyed Cork. “Five bodies onboard, all male. So. Where’s your wife, O’Connor?”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to Ellyn Grant about.”

“Did she tell you anything?”

“Yeah. She said Jo’s behind a white door.”

“What’s that mean?”

“She didn’t have a chance to explain.”

“Got an idea?”

“None.”

“You came straight to Red Hawk from the plane site?”

“No. We stopped at Nightwind’s ranch on the way. He wasn’t there.”

“Find out where he is?”

“The Arapaho there-”

“Ben Iron.”

“Right, and his wife, they claimed they didn’t know.”

“You thought Nightwind might have an idea where your wife is?”

“I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask him.”

“These two guys, Mike and Gully, would they know?”

“I doubt it. They seemed genuinely surprised that she wasn’t there with the others.”

“Maybe she dug her way out?”

“Maybe. But we didn’t see any sign of that,” Cork said.

“She was definitely onboard?”

“I found her briefcase under the only seat not occupied.”

“So how do you explain her absence?”

“I have no explanation.”

“All right. I’m going to head down and have a word or two with my deputy.”

“Mind if I come along?” No Voice said.

“Be my guest, Andy. You two gentlemen just relax. I might want to talk some more after I hear what Dewey has to say.”

When the two law officers had gone, Cork said to Rude, “So, you’re the sheriff’s personal escort these days?”

Rude grinned. “I’m the fastest transport to a remote location. Around here we all lend a hand when we can. Truth is, when Kosmo called and told me what was going on, I wanted to see for myself. Any idea what’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you, Jon, I’ve been looking at it from every angle, and it’s got me stumped.”

“You think she’s alive?”

Cork rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands, overcome with weariness. It was the long day, the hard labor of the dig, the fact that he had no answer to Rude’s question.

“I’m not going there yet, Jon,” he said.

“Sure.” Rude nodded. “I understand.”

Kosmo came back. “You two are free to go. I’d like you both in my office early tomorrow. I’ll need formal statements.”

“Did Quinn tell you anything?” Parmer asked.

“He’s reluctant at the moment, but I’ll be talking to Dewey all night. By the time I see you in the morning, there won’t be anything he knows that I don’t.” To Rude he said, “I’ll have one of No Voice’s men transport me and Dewey. Thanks for your help.” He didn’t leave immediately. Instead he turned to Cork. “O’Connor, I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time. I apologize. But this, hell, this is such a bizarre situation. Look, from here on in, I’ll do everything I possibly can to help you find your wife. That’s a promise.”

“Thanks,” Cork said.

Kosmo gave a parting nod and left.

“All right,” Rude said. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

The moon was up. All the way back, Cork stared at the ground below, a vast emptiness punctuated at great distances with solitary yard lights. It made him think of the cold universe where an eternity separated the stars. Jo was somewhere in all that hollow space. God alone knew where. Alive? No, that was too much, too painful a hope to lose again. If she was alive, wouldn’t she have let him know? And how could it possibly be? She’d been in the plane with the others. Mike shot her in the heart. There was no sign that she’d dug herself out. Hell, she couldn’t even have opened the door, the dirt had been packed against it so firmly. Yet she was not there. It was Houdini. It was magic. Or, it was a miracle.

They landed at Rude’s ranch. He gave them a ride from there to where they’d parked their Jeep on the Horseshoe Creek Trail that morning. By the time they were ready to separate, it was well after midnight. They stood among the cottonwoods beside the trickle of the creek. The moonlight was so bright it was like silver fire burning shadows into the ground.

“What do you have planned for tomorrow?” Rude asked.

Cork shook his head. “I’m fresh out of ideas. I’ve followed every lead I can. I expect Lame Nightwind knows we’re on his trail, and I’m guessing he’ll stay vanished. From what you told me, Jon, he knows those mountains well enough he could disappear there and never be found.”

“True. But he’d be leaving everything behind.”

“With Ellyn Grant dead, maybe there’s nothing for him to come back to,” Parmer said.

Rude crossed his arms and looked up at the moon. “You want my take on it, Lame won’t be satisfied until he’s dealt with whoever killed her. At the moment, he probably thinks that’s you.”

“We won’t have to worry about Nightwind. Gully and Mike’ll be gunning for him. Another thread they need to cut,” Cork said.

“I’d love to be there when those guys face off,” Parmer said. “Little Bighorn meets the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.”

Rude extended his hand in parting. “You need anything from me, Cork, just holler.”

“Thanks, Jon.”

Rude took off, heading home, and Parmer got in the Jeep. Cork stood by himself, staring at his shadow, black against the ground. It seemed to him he was looking into a bottomless hole, and he felt empty. He’d been so close to finding Jo, and then he’d lost her. Again. And he had no idea anymore where to look.

“Cork?” Parmer called.

After a long moment, Cork said, “I’m coming.”