Chapter 3 The Meet-Up #3
He was quick to set her straight. “Comanches have long memories, Dr. Chandrakanta.”
“April. Just April,” she urged. “And in case I don’t get another chance, Mr. Dakota—”
“Bear,” he interjected swiftly. “Just Bear.”
She smiled shyly at the shortened version of his tribal name.
It suited him. “I’ve always wanted to thank you for giving me the kick in the seat I needed to pursue my goals.
It’s what I’ve been doing ever since.” She wanted to pinch herself to ensure she was really standing in front of the guy who’d had such an impact on her dreams and goals.
“My only regret is not being able to tell you sooner, but you’re not the easiest person to get a hold of. ”
“He really needs a website,” Kaya announced in a long-suffering voice as she joined them by April’s door. “I’ve given up trying to talk him into getting a cell phone.”
“The world was turning long before those items came along.” His expression was bland, but his tone was affectionate as his gaze swung her way.
“Besides, I get all the business I can handle from the signup sheet at the grill,” he gave her a pointed look, “which you won’t ever again change without my permission. ”
She gave him a sassy nod that April could’ve sworn almost made him smile. Then Kaya’s expression grew sad. “You may be wondering why I brought the doc to see you.”
“It’s about the bones, isn’t it?”
April nodded, bringing a fresh wave of grief to his eyes.
“Bear, I…” She paused uncertainly. There was no easy way to tell him. It was easy to read what he was hoping to hear.
He glanced away from her. “Do they belong to my sister?”
“No.”
His dark eyes glistened as he gazed into the distance. “That’s not what I was expecting to hear.”
“I know,” she said softly. “It wasn’t what I was expecting to find, either.”
“We’re going to keep looking for her.” Kaya flew into his arms, and they clung to each other for a poignant moment that April hated intruding on. “I won’t stop until we find her. I promise!”
“The bones might belong to a distant relative of the Dakotas.” April’s heart wept for them.
She wished she had better news. So much tragedy had rained down on their family in recent months.
The weight of it would’ve broken many people.
Maybe the reason they were still standing was that they had each other.
“The bones belong to family, huh?” Bear caught April’s eye over Kaya’s head. “That’s a pretty remarkable find.”
“Either a distant relative or a very close tribal connection.” She drew a deep breath. “She’s Comanche. That I know. Just not Tiana Dakota. Like Kaya said, though, we’re just getting started.”
“And you came all the way here to tell me that.” The bruised look in his eyes took her breath away. “Thank you. And thank you for saying my sister’s name.”
“Of course.” She was greatly moved by his show of emotion, something she sensed he didn’t let many people see.
“I’m going to do everything I can to find her and get your family the justice you deserve.
” Dead or alive, thirty years was a long time for a family member to be missing.
“Right now, that involves figuring out who the bones in the morgue belong to and how they’re related to your family.
” She described the fractures on the bones, along with her suspicions that the woman had suffered a deadly fall.
His expression grew thoughtful. “Now that you mention it, there was another woman in our tribe who was involved in a solo collision a year or two after my sister disappeared. As tragic as it was, I had no reason to believe the two incidents were related.”
They might not be, but April was going to make sure before moving on. “What about a family connection?”
He shook his head. “She and Tiana were friends. That’s all I know. We’re a Comanche tribe. If you go back far enough, you might find a distant connection somewhere, just not one I was aware of.”
“I’ll do some research,” April offered. “What was her name?”
“Willow Chaska.”
April committed the information to memory. “I’ll let you know as soon as I find out more.” If Willow had been buried on the rez, there would be red tape involved. Lots of it, and it might be insurmountable, but they’d cross that bridge when they came to it.
“You’ll need a DNA sample, won’t you?” His voice was bland.
“Yes.” Excitement made her heart beat faster. “If that’s something you can help with…” It would save her a mountain of trouble.
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you,” she breathed. She hadn’t been expecting that level of cooperation from him.
“No, thank you.” Something passed between them. Something raw and genuine. Something that held her in its thrall and shook the deepest parts of her. Something that made words unnecessary.
He nodded at her to acknowledge whatever it was, and it felt as if their souls touched. “Who else knows the bones in the morgue don’t belong to my sister?”
His humble gratitude told her she’d made the right decision to handle the situation the way she had. “Only you, me, and Kaya.”
Wonder softened his gaze. “Thank you for coming here.” He paused and cleared his throat before finishing. “I’m glad I heard it from you.”
“I wish I had more information to give you.” She truly did.
He grunted. “You’ve given me reason to keep hoping. Call me a fool, but…” He shook his head.
It hit her that he was referring to finding his sister alive. All she could do was gape at him.
“I know what you’re thinking.” He sounded resigned. “That’s why I said you could call me a fool.”
“You’re nobody’s fool,” she assured quickly. His hope put things in a very different light. For one thing, it underscored his innocence in the matter.
“Listen, ah, if you ever want to go on another wilderness retreat,” he offered, “consider it paid in full.”
“Bear,” she protested in surprise. They weren’t anywhere near closing the case yet. He didn’t owe her a thing. “You don’t have to—”
“It’s an open tab,” he interrupted roughly. “No limit on usage. No expiration date.”
April’s chuckle rang out over the clearing. “Be careful what you offer, mister.” She’d been doing a lot of laughing since her return to Heart Lake. It was sounding less and less rusty.
“I’m always careful.” His dark gaze shone with unabashed gratitude.
Kaya stepped away from him and broke into a jig in the clearing. “I knew you were the right person for the job!” She spun back to her uncle. “Just so you know, she already cleared your name from that eyewitness report.”
He stared at April. “How?”
She brought him up to speed on the security camera recording of the man depositing the bones in the police drop box. “He never looked directly at the camera, but the police know it’s not you.”
“Oh?” His dark eyebrows rose.
“I told them it wasn’t you,” she explained. “Wrong bone structure. Any facial recognition program will prove it. So will his testimony.”
“Who is he?” Bear demanded, frowning slightly.
April gave him an apologetic look. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy.” She didn’t dare glance at his niece.
“Okay, then.” He spread his hands. “What comes next?”
She wasn’t sure he would like her plan, but she floated it past him anyway.
“As far as the public knows, I recommend letting the Haywoods’ housekeeper’s claim go uncontested for a few days.
She opened her mouth for a reason. I’d like to know why, since it could prove material to the case, but only if you’re willing.
It’s a lot to ask of someone who’s already suffered so much. ”
He stepped around Kaya to close the distance between them. “I’m game for anything you need me to do, as long as it doesn’t interfere with what I’m planning.”
She tensed. “Which is…?”
“Starting tonight, I’m going to camp along the old highway, pitching my tent in a different spot each night.
After what happened to my sister, her friend, and now Tiffany, someone may be targeting college girls.
I’m not gonna sit around doing nothing while they come after Kaya or my other niece, Miley. ”
That sounded pretty drastic. “Are you saying Willow Chaska was in college when she had her fatal car accident?”
“Yes, but she was driving a truck, not a car, and I’m no longer convinced it was an accident.”
Whoa! She pressed a hand to her forehead, feeling feverish. It was a lot to process. “Do you have any proof it wasn’t an accident?”
“No, but I’m not taking any chances with my nieces,” he returned grimly. “While I’m out camping along the old highway, keeping vigil, the town of Heart Lake can rest assured no more college students will go missing.”
“You can’t stay out there forever.” April believed he was capable of doing it, though.
“I’m gonna stay out there as long as it takes.” He didn’t look or sound amenable to being talked out of his plan. “Kaya’s graduation from law school is next month, and I have every intention of watching her walk down the aisle in her cap and gown.”
“Do you honestly believe any of this stuff is connected?” It was an angle she hadn’t considered since Tiana and Tiffany’s disappearances were thirty years apart; and she’d only known about Willow Chaska’s tragedy for a few minutes.
She needed to get back to her computer. Back to the proverbial drawing board.
“I think anything is possible at this point,” he said carefully.
“Okay, I’ll look into it as soon as I get back to my desk,” she promised.