Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
Raso, Pratt and York looked at each other. Now they were getting somewhere.
Now they just had to try and piece everything together. Not just for the Blackfoot girls, but everyone missing.
“Your father threatened me? Is that why you didn’t show up the night we were supposed to leave together?” Warcloud asked from where he stood near Jace.
“I was had just snuck out of the window to meet you at our special spot. Apparently, someone heard us the night before when we had made our plans to run away and told my father. He was waiting for me in the yard when I snuck out. He had someone waiting near the location we were to meet and that one call from him and the man was to fire a bullet into your head. He had a lot of money riding on my marriage to Iyei. So, yes, to save your life, I married Iyei. Did I love the man, no. Two months later, I found out I was pregnant with Jace. Iyei thought he’d won after he beat me in a drunken rage when I refused to sleep with him. He beat me and raped me on our wedding night. When I found out I was pregnant, he thought Jace was his. Until he was born.”
“My birthmark?” Jace asked, quietly as he looked down at his arm.
“Yes. Your real father has the same one on his wrist.” Catori said as she looked up at Warcloud, staring him in the eyes.
“Jace is mine, from our time together before I left?” Warcloud murmured softly, looking between Catori and Jace.
“Yes.” Catori said quietly.
“What about Enola and Aiyannei?” Pratt asked, bringing the looks back towards her.
“Also, Warcloud’s” Catori firmly said, looking away from them.
“When?” Jace asked, looking between the man he now knew was his father and his mother.
“The night you took me home from the bar when I was drunk as hell, struggling with my PTSD. It was when you begged me to get help and not be the man your father said I was.” Warcloud stumbled backwards, sitting in a chair, “but we didn’t do anything. I don’t reme…”
“I stayed to make sure you didn’t puke in your sleep. You were pretty out of it. Even in your sleep you called my name. I thought you were awake, so I went over and spoke to you. I soon realized you were dreaming. But I just wanted it to be held for once. Loved. You made love to me passionately and I wound up pregnant from that night. Aiyanneai was born eight months later.” Catori admitted, biting her lower lip.
“Enola?” Jace prompted, looking at his mother in shock.
“She was created the night you and I fought about Jace joining the police department instead of working at the casino. Iyei didn’t want Jace to join the department because he knew you were here. He threatened to kill me if he did,” Catori admitted to Warcloud even though she was answering Jace.
“Fuck!” Jace jumped up and shouted out loud.
“Well, that was obviously bullshit since it looks like the kid joined and you’re still alive!” Pratt pointed out, shaking her head.
“Because my father talked Iyei down. Advised him of the wisdom of having someone in the department that they could control,” Catori admitted shaking her head.
“When one of their people get arrested, included Iyei for drunk and disorderly, instead of jail, they take them home. They see Jace as their inside man. They ask him questions, because it’s his grandfather, he thinks nothing of answering. They use him.” Warcloud sighed, rubbing his face with his roughened hands.
“Okay, I’m probably going to sound stupid as shit but who the fuck is your father to have this much hold?” Pratt asked Catori in shock at what Warcloud had told them.
“The elder chief. Or as you would know it the tribal chief. He’s the head of our tribe here.” Warcloud answered for Catori as he sat down and leaned back in the chair.
“Okay, but the comment ‘his people’ has me thinking there’s more to the story. I mean the man threatened to have you killed if you ran off with his daughter. To me that says more than tribal chieftain or whatever it is. To me, that says kingpin or something.” Pratt fired back looking between Catori and Warcloud.
“Is there a chance your father knows the truth about the parentage of your children and has done something?” York asked Catori, looking over towards her.
“No!” Jace yelled out, glaring at the two women. “My grandfather would never harm them. He loves them!”
“Jace,” Catori warned her son. “No. I don’t think he would harm them or have done anything to them. I know he was trying to set up their marriage for when they were of age. Even if he had, it still doesn’t explain the other girls that have gone missing. I know my father had nothing to do with those girls missing, detectives. He may be many things, do many things, but human trafficking isn’t one of them if that’s where you’re going.”
“Okay. Then what is he doing about it? What is he ordering to be done about these missing girls? If he’s the tribal chief, then shouldn’t he be wanting them found?” Raso asked, looking between Catori and Warcloud.
“You do realize we’re not the only damn tribe that has this issue, don’t you?” Jace sneered their way.
“Actually, yes, I do know that. But we haven’t been brought into those tribes to help them at this time. Just yours. So, the question is legit. What is he doing where your tribe is concerned about the missing girls from here? I would be asking the same question to any tribal chieftain. Look, Jace, I get it. You don’t like us because we’re not Native American. Like it or not, I have zero fucks to give if you like me or my team. We’re not here for you. We’re here to find your sisters and the other missing girls. Your feelings mean zip to me. Your sneering at me only makes me want to roll my eyes. My only concern is those girls and what’s going on with them. Because here’s a clue for you, if we don’t find out who it is and who’s ordering the situation to happen, it’s going to continue to happen even if we do find them. So, fuck you and your feelings!” Pratt smiled back at Jace sweetly.