“Older. Maybe early thirties. Maybe a teacher?”
“No teacher by that name since I’ve been here. Maybe you should talk to Candyce Osterkamp. She’s been at Sizemore longer than anyone.”
“We were told she’s not here today.”
“Oh, that’s right. She found a blueberry patch somewhere north of town. Guess she wanted to pick some of the berries before anyone else discovered it. She’s quite a good baker. Her blueberry muffins are legendary.”
“Did she tell you where the patch is?” Daniel asked.
“She was quite secretive.”
“Is there anything else you can tell us about Fawn Blacksmith?” Monte asked.
“Why are you so interested now? Nobody came looking for her when she ran away.”
Agent Shirley took a deep breath. “Three days ago, the body of a young woman was found buried in a shallow grave. We believe it might be Fawn Blacksmith.”
“Oh, dear God. That poor child.” He gathered himself and shook his head. “I think I’ve told you everything I can.”
“Do you mind if I take this?” Daniel tapped Fawn’s drawing. “I’d like to give it to the one person she knew that loved her.”
They stood on the grounds of Sizemore School, in the shade of a cottonwood.
“If Billy Bones doesn’t ring a bell for Crowe, do you think it would do any good to talk to this Osterkamp woman?” Agent Shirley said. “They were both here during the time Fawn Blacksmith was a student.”
“Blueberries,” Daniel said. “Coincidence?”
“There are such things,” Monte said. His cell phone rang and he answered. “LuJean, what’s up?” As Monte listened, Daniel saw his brow furrow and his eyes go hard. “Head out there right away. And take Zuppardo with you. We’re on our way.”
“What is it?” Daniel asked when Monte had ended the call.
“Trouble on Crow Point,” Monte said. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 32
“Are we in danger, Henry?” Annie asked.
“Prophet will see to our protection. But it would be best to bring the others back to my cabin,” Henry replied calmly.
Annie stood and hurried outside. Although she could see Waaboo, Jenny, and Maria in a far corner of the meadow, Prophet had disappeared. She ran to the edge of the tall grass and wildflowers and called out. Maria turned to her and waved.
“Come back!” Annie cried, gesturing for them to return.
They didn’t come immediately. Waaboo was kneeling and appeared to be intently studying something hidden in the grass. His mother was bent over him. Annie gestured more frantically. Maria said something to her companions, and Waaboo and Jenny finally looked toward Meloux’s cabin. They waved, rose, and began to amble in her direction.
That’s when Annie saw the glint of sunlight reflecting among the pines at the edge of the clearing, a brilliant flash that lasted only a moment before it vanished. She knew there was nothing natural in those woods that would reflect sunlight in that way. She hoped it might be Prophet, but all her sensibilities told her different. She’d been using one arm to gesture. Now she used both arms, stretching them toward the others and drawing them back as if scooping air. She shouted, “Hurry!”
She saw the man step from the trees, a rifle gripped in his hands. He wore a ball cap whose bill shaded his face. Jenny and the others had their backs to him and could not see. He lifted the rifle to his shoulder and took aim. Annie screamed, a desperate single drawn-out word, “No-o-o!”
But the man didn’t sight his weapon at Waaboo or the others. The barrel was trained on Annie.
At the same moment the crack of the rifle shot came, she felt herself grabbed from behind and thrown down into the wild grass.
“Lie still,” Meloux said. “He cannot see you if you stay down.”
“But Waaboo,” she said.
“This one did not come for the little rabbit.”
Meloux’s arm lay across her, pinning her to the ground, but Annie rolled from its protection and lifted herself so she could see.
Jenny, Waaboo, and Maria were running for the cabins. Behind them, Annie saw only one figure now, and it was not the man with the ball cap. Prophet stood where the man had been. In his hands was Meloux’s ancient firearm. He looked down at the tall grass at his feet and spoke words Annie couldn’t hear. Then he gestured with his rifle, and a moment later a man slowly rose and raised his hands. He no longer wore his ball cap.
Annie stood up, along with Meloux. The others joined them. Together, they watched as Prophet herded the intruder across the meadow. When the man was near enough that she could make out his face, Annie’s anger exploded. “Lewis,” she said, the word like phlegm spat from her mouth. At that moment, if she’d had a gun, she would have shot him dead.
“Into my cabin,” Meloux said to Prophet, and he led the way as the others followed.
They seated Lewis across the table from the ancient Mide. Blood ran from a knot on the side of his head where, Annie assumed, Prophet had delivered the blow that felled the man, probably with the butt of Meloux’s rifle. The blood dribbled over the shooter’s right ear, which was scarred and misshapen. Lewis glared at the gathering, lingering on Annie with a look of seething hatred. It was she who asked the first and most obvious question: “Why?”
He answered with a single word: “Slut.”
“I’ve done nothing to you.”
“Just got me fired is all.”
“And for that you’d shoot me?”
“And my son?” Jenny said.
