“Where’s your brother?” Daniel said.
She didn’t answer, but her eyes shot up toward the ceiling. Voicelessly she mouthed, He has a gun.
Cork was driving well over the speed limit. “An hour to Aurora, another half an hour to Crow Point.”
Dross was on her cell phone. “I’ll get a couple of deputies out there to help.”
“No,” Cork said. He was thinking of Prophet and the need to keep him off the official radar. “Let the tribal police handle it.”
“This man’s dangerous, Cork.”
“Keep trying Jenny’s number.” He glanced in the rearview mirror and could see the face of Margot Lachance, who looked exhausted. “Does the name Crystal Two Knives mean anything to you?”
“Never heard of her.”
“She might have been using a different name.” He described her.
“Not ringing any bells. Who is she?”
“A girl who disappeared.”
“Hell, there’s lots of those.”
He thought about what Margot had told them, that she and the other girls stayed with their tormentors because they had no other option. And he thought about Crystal Two Knives, who’d seemed to have found a way to avoid falling into the hands of someone like Boyle and Toad and Paavola. He thought he’d helped her in this. But maybe he was wrong. What did he really know about desperation? In the rearview mirror, Margot Lachance looked so small. She’d crossed her arms over her chest and was staring out her window. What was she looking for, he wondered. Here he was, speeding east because of his concern for those he loved. As nearly as he could tell, Margot had no one concerned for her safety.
“You said you’re White Earth.”
“Yeah.”
“Have you done ceremonies?” he asked.
“Did some powwows when I was a little kid. Long time ago. Before my mom died. Then I lived with my uncle in Fargo. Was that ever fucked up.”
“Ceremonies are different. They can help,” he said.
“Help what?”
“Feeling connected.”
“To what?”
“Your people. I’m talking about healing ceremonies.”
“I never even been to a doctor.”
“I know someone I believe could help you.”
“Not unless they got a million bucks to give me.”
Dross glanced at Cork. “Henry?”
Cork nodded. “Would you let her spend time on Crow Point?”
“Let’s see how things play out first.”
“Mathias, my name is Monte Bonhomme. I’m a police officer.”
Monte and Daniel flanked the bottom of the stairs, their weapons drawn. Agent Shirley had moved Irene Paavola away from any line of fire.
“I’m advising you to surrender your gun and come down so that we can talk,” Monte said.
“I didn’t do anything,” Paavola yelled from upstairs.
“Then there’s no reason not to come down.”
Irene Boyle called out, “Just come down and talk, Matt. It’s not them you’re afraid of.”
Agent Shirley said quietly, “Liam?”
Irene nodded.
“We can protect you from Liam Boyle,” Monte called up the stairs.
“The same way you protected Adrian?” Paavola replied.
“We didn’t know about Boyle then,” Monte said. “You’ll be safer in our custody than on your own, I guarantee it. And if you don’t come down now, I’ll make a call and this place will be surrounded by a sea of cops. There’s no way out of this.”
“Matt, please,” Irene said. “It’s over.”
