Bernie said, “One of the people I talked to about that night mentioned a young man outside the gym, standing there looking suspicious, wearing a blue sweatshirt with a hood. Was that you?”
“I went out to find Rick.” Robert’s voice grew softer. “I think he knew that thing might go off if he messed with it. He was just sitting in the car and he waved at me to go back inside. Rick died because I got him involved in that. He liked Aza and never would have harmed him. My dad loved him, loved him better than he loved me.”
Lona put her hand on Robert’s shoulder. “Aza did love Rick, and he loves you, too. He wanted custody when we got divorced, but I wouldn’t hear of it. I was so furious I wouldn’t let him talk to you when he called. I threw the letters and presents he sent you in the trash.”
Chee walked into the hall to take a call.
Bernie turned to Lona. “Lee was jealous of Aza, that’s why he wanted to kill him. And he used Robert to help.”
Robert said, “Rick told me Blankenship was the guy who hired him. But I did give his name to Lee.”
“Lee hated Blankenship, too, because an environmental group Blankenship had worked for cheated Lee’s sister. Lee arranged the explosion and used Blankenship’s name in case things went bad. That’s why Lee showed up after the explosion.”
“So Rick is dead because of Lee. I liked Mr. Lee.”
Bernie said, “Lee wasn’t all bad. He helped at the bomb scene.” Lee must have wanted to make sure Rick didn’t talk to anyone about his role in the explosion, but she didn’t say that.
Chee returned from the hall. “The nurse said Aza came through surgery just fine. He’ll be in recovery awhile, and then they can move him to a regular floor.”
Robert looked at the empty bed in his room.
“I’d like it if he could be here with me.”
Lona said, “Me, too.”
Bernie stood. “One last question. What happened with your accident, Robert? Everyone says you’re a good driver.”
He looked at the faces in the room. “Rick was dead because of me. I thought I deserved to die, too. I drove too fast and went off the road on purpose. I wanted it to look like an accident so I scrapped the fender against a fence first. I didn’t want anyone to feel guilty. But Dad always made me wear my seat belt. I got in the habit, and that’s what saved me.” His voice broke with emotion. “Dad gave me another chance.”
Chee handed Palmer’s bag to Lona. “He treasures this. He takes it everywhere. I think he’ll be glad to have it back.”
Lona touched the leather. “I thought he’d forgotten all about it, the same way he forgot all about me.”
“You were wrong on both counts.” Chee smiled at her. “Good luck.”
Chee drove himself and Bernie back to the Tuba City motel, north on US 89 and then northeast on US 160. Bernie, who seldom fell asleep on the road, snoozed with her head against the headrest, waking only when he turned off the engine at the motel.
She smiled. “Thanks for driving.”
“Gave me time to think about the last few days. It makes sense except for one thing. Mrs. Nez. Did she lie to you and Cordova about her grandson knowing Palmer?”
Bernie shook her head, noticing the ghost of a headache. “Sort of but not exactly. I asked her if he ever mentioned Palmer’s name and she said no. Cordova and I didn’t ask the right question. Of course he wouldn’t use Aza’s name. She told Leaphorn the boy called him shidá’í. What else would he call his uncle?”
“Are you going to tell Cordova he goofed?”
“No. That’s his going-away present.”
When they entered the motel lobby, they found Darleen and CS waiting.
“Hey there,” Darleen said. “We’re heading home, but we were wondering if, well . . .”
Bernie guessed her sister needed money.
CS picked up the story. “We saw this lady with a flock of sheep out by the highway today. The animals were all over the road, and so Darleen thought we should help.”
Darleen said, “She wanted to take them to Tuba City to meet our president, but I told her the whole mediation was canceled. She didn’t know what to do, but CS had a good idea.”
He took up the story. “I said we could do a video with the sheep and what she wanted to say, and then send it to the president. She liked the idea.”
“So, sister, could I borrow your red earrings for the video? CS wants me to talk with the sheep lady, you know, ask her questions. Something colorful would look good in the shot. She invited us to camp there so we can get started right at dawn.”
Chee looked at CS. “Do you need money for gas?”
“No, sir. Her car gets great mileage. The gas gauge doesn’t ever seem to move.”
Bernie knew the gauge was broken, stuck on full.
Darleen said, “It’s my car, so I’m buying gas. Don’t worry, Cheeseburger. We’re cool.”
Bernie took off the earrings, the ones she loved best, the ones Chee had given her after she’d seen Leaphorn get shot. She pressed them into Darleen’s hand.
She and Chee watched Darleen drive away in her old car, CS shooting video out the window, capturing Tuba City and Moenkopi after dark.
Chee put his arm around her. “Did you ever do a background check on that guy?”
“No. I got kind of busy.”
A few days later, they were headed to Window Rock to visit the Lieutenant. Chee drove so Bernie could pay full attention to her call to Mama. They talked a long time. From Chee’s perspective, the conversation consisted of his wife occasionally offering, “I understand.”
Then she said something that surprised him.
“No, Mama, I want to keep my loom. I’d like to start weaving again. Maybe I can join you and Mrs. Bigman at the senior center for some lessons.”
He couldn’t hear Mama’s response, but it took a long time. When he glanced over at Bernie, he noticed her smile and the tears in her eyes.
They had dinner with Lieutenant Leaphorn and Louisa. As always, Louisa fixed something she deemed healthy: grilled chicken breasts cooked juiceless, chewy brown rice, and vegetables Bernie had never seen before. Chee had volunteered to provide dessert and brought along brownies. Bernie and the Lieutenant each ate two.
While Louisa did dishes and made coffee, they moved into the Lieutenant’s office. He wanted to show them something and was happy to speak Navajo.
Bernie said, “You know the FBI guy, Cordova, who Chee and I worked with?”
The Lieutenant nodded.
“He sent us a picture of his field office in Detroit.” She showed him the photo of the building on her phone.
“And listen to what he wrote.” She read, “‘I just learned that a woman from California, fresh out of school, is being assigned to work out your way. Good luck with that, you guys.’” Bernie put the phone down.
Chee said, “I hope she likes the desert. Farmington and Gallup aren’t exactly LA.”
Bernie noticed a basket on the table with colorful cards, the kind with balloons, dancing elephants, and space ships. Leaphorn saw her gaze and pulled one out.
“Remember the dead one from the bomb?”
“I’ll never forget him.”