Free Turquoise Girl by David Thurlo Page A

require any special playing pieces, like dice or cards. A team of players gathered up a pile of shoes, and hid something simple, like maybe a pebble, inside one. Then the others would try and guess which shoe it was in. The game required the ability to read faces and note even the smallest of reactions. And, ofcourse, every attempt possible was made to mislead the players. Bets would then be placed on the likely shoes. It was a bit like poker, but in a more down-to-earth way.
    “Everyone’s seen the shoe game sign that sits on his front porch, but your officers never bother us. There’re never any fights or trouble of any kind. We just play.”
    Benny fell silent, and Ella waited, knowing he needed timeto gather his thoughts. On the Rez, patience was not only a courtesy, it was a sign of respect for their culture.
    “I left early ’cause I’d already lost a bunch of cash and I knew I’d need some time alone to come up with a way to cover for that, or Jane’d kill me. Then, as I went by the café, I heard a woman screaming her head off from somewhere close by, and then there was this big crash, likefurniture smashing or something. Everything went quiet after that.
    “I walked over and peeked into the café window, but it was empty and closed. Wondering if the noise had come from the little house in back where Valerie Tso lived, I stepped over there, but just as I got close, her TV came on. Once I heard that, I breathed again. Her car was there, and it was the only vehicle I could see, so Ifigured she was okay, and I should get the heck out of there. Valerie…well, she has a reputation with men. If anyone saw me there they’d think the wrong thing and I’d catch hell from my wife.”
    “So why did you call us at all? What am I missing here?” Ella asked.
    “Later, I was half watching the cable news at the store when they ran that story about the lady in Rhode Island who’d died and noneof her neighbors noticed. Her body had been on her kitchen floor for weeks before they found her. Anyway, I started feeling guilty after that, so I decided to call the station and have them check on Valerie. I was hoping to keep my name out of it. Otherwise, I knew I’d have a lot of explaining to do. If Jane ever found out, I’d be screwed in more ways than one.”
    “Did you see anyone on your wayto the game or when you were coming back?” Ella asked, keeping Benny on track. “Or any vehicle other than the victim’s?”
    He paused, considering her question. “On the way to the game I heard a coyote howl and I remembered my mother’s words. She’d taught me that First Man gave Coyote the name First-to-get-angry. Trouble always follows him. He brings bad luck. And death sometimes. I should havegone straight home then and forgotten all about the shoe game. Instead, I ended up losing my entire roll on the first bet. After that, I figured I should head back to the store before Coyote brought me even worse luck. But then Coyote really let me have it. First there was that scream, then the awful silence. It was as if everything that hides in the darkness was suddenly holding its breath,” he saidand shuddered.
    “Think hard. You were walking home. Did you see any cars drive past you?”
    “Yeah, later, when I was farther down the block, two or three went by. But I didn’t really pay any attention to them.”
    “Who was at the shoe game?”
    He listed several names and Ella wrote them down.
    “But they all live in that neighborhood. I bet they walked to the game, like me.”
    Ella waited, hoping thathe’d remember something useful, but he just stared at the cup of coffee as if it contained the secrets of the universe.
    “I want you to think back,” Ella pressed. “Did you have any customers at the Quick Stop before you left, or maybe right after you came back?”
    “Reverend Campbell pulled up just as I was unlocking the door. He came in to get some coffee and a loaf of bread. And right before Ileft, one person showed