Long Road to Mercy

Chapter 59

They headed north to Jacob Lake, then hung a right and traveled east to Marble Canyon, finally dipping south to Tuba City. This was the fastest route, and still the trip took nearly three hours along U.S. Route 89A.

By the time they arrived, the sun was well up.

As they reached the outskirts of Tuba City, Joe Yazzie said to Pine, “What now?” She was in the rear seat directly behind him.

“Drive to the police station,” said Pine.

Joe nodded and steered the Suburban in that direction. “Can you tell me anything?” he said as his wife looked on anxiously. “Because I’m not looking to lose my career over crap I don’t even know about.”

“What I can tell you is that there are some in our government planning some really bad things and I’m trying to stop them.”

Joe nodded and then glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “Feds screwing people? Okay, I can understand that. What are you doing about it, considering that you’re a fed yourself?”

Pine pointed to Roth. “He found some evidence that is vital to the case.”

Joe appraised Roth in the rearview. “Is the evidence what’s in that big pack in the back of my truck?”

“Partly, yes.”

“And you’re dealing with your people, right, not us?”

“Yes.”

“That’s good to hear,” said Joe. “Because we don’t enjoy a lot of our interactions with your government.”

Jennifer quickly glanced at Pine and said, “Present company excluded.”

“We’re just trying to do the right thing, Joe,” said Pine.

“So you people always say.” He looked at Kettler. “And what’s the Park Service’s role in all this?”

“I’m just doing what Agent Pine is telling me to do,” replied Kettler.

“Smart man,” said Jennifer, with an impish grin aimed at Pine.

Joe did not smile. He said, “While the Navajo reservation is sovereign land, we can’t grant you some kind of asylum, if that’s what you’re after. You’re a federal employee. So is the park ranger. And this guy—” He indicated Roth. “I don’t know what he is, but he’s not Navajo.”

“I’m not asking for asylum, Joe.”

“Then what?”

“Just trust me. You’ll see. I swear.”

Joe was about to say something when his wife put a hand on his shoulder and nodded.

“We trust you, Atlee,” she said.

Joe glanced at his wife for a long moment and then returned his gaze to the windshield.

They drove on.

The police station was in the middle of flat land. The building was the color of terra cotta, with the round main structure architecturally enhanced by wooden pergola wings.

As they all trooped in, some of the staff and police officers looked at them curiously, and others suspiciously. Joe Yazzie said tersely, “Official business,” and kept walking.

Pine, Roth, and Kettler cleaned up in the restrooms of the station.

Jennifer had hot coffee and some vending machine food ready for them when they came out.

Blum helped her pass out the hot coffee and food. She touched Atlee on the arm. “I can’t tell you how good it is to see you, Agent Pine.”

“We had a few close calls, Carol. But we made it. Now comes the really hard part.”

They ate and sipped the coffee in Joe Yazzie’s little office, while he and his wife looked on.

“I want to know what’s going on,” said Joe when they were done. “Right now. You’re in my country and it’s my rules. So, no more help until you tell me.”

Pine looked from Yazzie to his wife. “I never told you this. Anybody ever asks, you don’t know anything.”

Jennifer glanced nervously at her husband, but Joe kept his gaze resolutely on Pine. “I don’t tell anybody anything ever,” he replied firmly.

Pine drew a long breath and said, “In the back of your truck is a nuclear weapon.”

“Dear God,” said Jennifer as the blood drained from her face.

Roth stepped forward. “It’s not armed. It can’t go off.”

“Says you,” Joe snapped angrily. He looked furiously at Pine. “You had me drive a fucking nuke to Navajo land? To the police station? With my wife in the truck?”

“The weapon can’t detonate,” said Pine firmly. She pointed at Roth. “He does this shit for a living. And would you have preferred that I left it in the Canyon?”

“What are you going to do with it?” demanded Joe heatedly. “Because it’s sure as hell not staying here.”

“I’m actually taking it to my office.”

“Your office!”

“That’s what I said.”

Joe shook his head, a disgusted look on his face. “Nukes. When in the hell will you people stop this crap?”

“I wish I had a good answer for you, Joe, but I don’t. Now I need a few minutes alone with these folks.”

Joe looked at his wife. “All right. Take all the time that you need. I’m going to go out to my truck. Any black chopper that comes near it, I’m going to shoot down. You cool with that?” he added gruffly.

“Knock yourself out, Joe.”

After he and Jennifer left, Roth turned to Pine.

“You said you’re taking the nuke to your office? Why?”

“Because when you’re negotiating, you need some ammo. I’m betting that nuke has all the bullets I need.”

Roth blanched. “What are you intending to do?”

Blum said, “You can trust Agent Pine, Mr. Roth. She knows what she’s doing.”

“But you have to understand, we’re dealing with Goliath here.”

Blum smiled and said, “Well, then, David, you’re quite aptly named.”