Free Black Thunder by David Thurlo Page A

toss of his head.
    Ella followed him down the hall. Over the years she’d learned to read Big Ed, and right now, judging fromhis purposeful strides despite the late hour, she knew that he had an agenda. Their meeting wouldn’t just be a request for an update.
    At his invitation, she took a seat across from his desk and waited for him to begin.
    “You were shot today—twice—and if you hadn’t been wearing a vest you’d either be in intensive care or one of Roanhorse’s patients. I want you and your team to continue to playit smart. And speaking of that, did you have someone look at those injuries? I noticed you flinching when you sat down.”
    “Dr. Roanhorse looked me over,” Ella said. “It’s just bruising. I’ll be sore for a few days.”
    He looked at her closely. “Take care of yourself, Shorty,” he said, using the nickname he’d given Ella, though at five foot nine inches, she was taller than most other Navajo women.“And keep me updated on this case. I want you to make it your team’s top priority. I’m in talks with the tribal president and the council. Any progress you make—or fail to make—will have an impact on those.”
    Ella looked at him, surprised. Big Ed wasn’t the type who played politics, and this seemed out of character.
    “I’ll do the best I can, Chief. I’ve already pulled Marianna Talk for specialduty, guarding the child who was targeted this afternoon, but we need more manpower. Even with county sharing the load, we’re going to be handicapped working on a shoestring budget. Just today’s overtime is going to cost us a bundle.”
    “I know, that’s why I’m meeting with the president and the council. It’s no secret that the tribal funds are tight, but I want them to know the pressure we’re under,even though we can’t expect much help from them.” He leaned back in his chair, took a breath, then let it out slowly. “I’ve also spent the last few months working on a federal grant that, among other things, will give us the funds needed to upgrade the crime scene van. Let’s face it, that old hand-me-down we got from the sheriff’s department is barely adequate.”
    “It’s been giving us problems,that’s for sure,” Ella said. “A few weeks ago the van refused to start. Then as soon as the engine was fixed, the refrigeration unit broke down. All in all, I’d say it’s only a matter of time before evidence is compromised. Today it worked, but a month from now, when it really gets hot, we could have problems.”
    “This investigation is going to generate a lot of publicity, and our elected officialsare going to want answers quickly. This is the perfect time for me to point out that we’re currently working with insufficient resources. But I need you to give me something straight.”
    He paused, and as his silence stretched out, she waited. She’d learned the hard way never to interrupt the chief or try to press him.
    “I know you hate speculating, but I need you to do just that. Are we reallyup against a serial killer, and is it likely he’s going to strike again?”
    Ella hesitated, then nodded. “Based on the little we know and today’s incident, I’d say yes. He’s also very smart, careful when it comes to leaving any evidence behind. None of the rounds collected match anything we can link to any other crimes, so until we find the weapon, we’ve got nothing except the bodies themselves.”

    “Those two AP rounds are available only to law enforcement. Someone in that career field knows about evidence collection—and how to minimize a trail.” He added, “You think we might be dealing with a cop?”
    “We can’t rule that out, and it would explain how he managed to slip out of the area after the trading post incident. Nobody paid much attention to the other officers or their vehicles. Butwhat would be the motive?” Ella asked.
    “To a serial killer, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time is often enough, and police officers face