CHAPTER FIVE #2
David thought for a moment. "Yesterday afternoon. Maybe around five? She stopped by my office to ask about protocols for a particularly sensitive case she was working on. A family's genealogy that had some... complexities."
"What kind of complexities?"
"I can't go into specifics without violating the family's privacy.
But let's just say that sometimes genealogical research reveals things that challenge people's understanding of their heritage.
Patricia was very careful about how she presented such information.
She didn't want to cause unnecessary pain. "
"Did she seem worried? Stressed?"
"A little. But I attributed it to the sensitivity of the case she was working on." David's expression grew troubled. "She mentioned she was planning a community presentation soon, about her broader findings. She seemed nervous about it. Excited, but nervous."
"Nervous, why?"
"Because sharing the truth about family histories can be controversial.
Some people prefer not to know certain things about their ancestry.
Some families have built identities around particular narratives that might be challenged by DNA evidence.
" He leaned forward. "Patricia believed in transparency, in giving people access to their full history.
But she knew that information could be disruptive. "
Kari made notes, her pen moving quickly across the page. "This community presentation—do you know when it was scheduled?"
"Next month, I think. She was still preparing the data, making sure everything was thoroughly documented." David paused, his gaze growing distant. "I told her to be careful. Not everyone would welcome what she had to share."
"Did she mention anyone specifically? Anyone who might have objected to her research?"
"No. Patricia was discreet. She wouldn't have named names to me.
" He looked earnestly at Kari. "Detective, I want you to know that I support the chief's decision to bring you in.
I know it's controversial, but sometimes an outside perspective is exactly what's needed.
People here are too close to this, too afraid to ask the hard questions. "
Kari felt a surge of gratitude for his openness. "Thank you. That means a lot."
"Patricia was a good woman. She deserved better than..." He shook his head. "Whatever happened to her, whoever did this, they need to be held accountable. I don't care about politics or tribal boundaries. I care about justice."
Kari nodded and rose. "As do we. Thank you for being so helpful."
David walked them to the door. "If you need anything—cultural context, access to information about sacred sites, anything—please don't hesitate to ask. My door is always open."
"I appreciate that."
As they walked back down the hallway, Kari felt the difference David's cooperation had made. It was like coming up for air after being underwater. She glanced at Polacca, whose expression remained unreadable.
"He was helpful," Kari said, testing the waters.
"David's respected," Polacca said. "People listen to him. If he's willing to work with you, that will matter."
It was the most forthcoming thing Polacca had said all day, and Kari seized on it. "So if I need cultural guidance, he's someone I can trust?"
"Yes." Polacca stopped at the top of the stairwell. "He knows more about our burial practices, our ceremonial sites, our traditions than almost anyone. If someone is using that knowledge to commit crimes, David would be able to see it."
They descended the stairs in silence. When they reached the main level, Kari tried to open a different kind of conversation. "What do you make of what we have so far?"
Polacca pushed through the front doors into the afternoon sunlight. "I'm not sure I understand the question."
"The arrangement of the body. The choice of that specific burial site. The timing. The fact that Patricia was working on a controversial community presentation." Kari followed her toward the parking lot. "What's the connection? Did someone want to stop her from sharing whatever she'd discovered?"
"Maybe." Polacca's tone was noncommittal.
"You know this community, you understand the cultural context. What's your read on the situation?"
Polacca stopped at her vehicle and turned to face Kari. "My read is that you're the detective. The chief brought you in to figure this out. So figure it out."
The words weren't hostile, exactly, but they were a clear boundary.
Polacca wasn't going to be a sounding board, wasn't going to engage in the kind of collaborative theorizing that Kari was used to with Ben.
She would provide the minimum assistance required, answer direct questions when pressed, but nothing more.
"Ever heard the phrase, 'two heads are better than one?'"
Polacca gazed at her levelly, saying nothing. Might as well talk to a brick wall.
"Okay," Kari said, swallowing her frustration. "You said Patricia worked from home on certain days?"
Polacca nodded. "She had an office there."
"I'd like to see it."
"You're the boss."
They got into the vehicle, and Polacca started the engine. As they pulled out of the parking lot, Kari stared out the window at the Cultural Center receding behind them. She thought about David's openness, about the others' hostility, about Polacca's impenetrable reserve.
This was going to be harder than she'd anticipated.
She'd known there would be cultural barriers, historical tensions, and resistance to outside involvement.
But knowing it intellectually and experiencing it practically were two different things.
Every interview felt like pushing through mud.
Every question was weighted with unspoken history.
And Polacca, who was supposed to be her guide through this minefield, seemed content to let her stumble.
"Can I ask you something?" Kari said as they drove.
"Go ahead."
"Why do you think the chief assigned you to work with me? Specifically, you, I mean."
Polacca was quiet for a moment, her eyes on the road. "Because I follow orders."
The answer didn't satisfy Kari. Everyone in the department followed orders—they wouldn't have kept their jobs otherwise.
"That's not much of an answer," Kari said.
Polacca sighed. "What can I say? I've never been much of a conversationalist."
"Understatement of the year," Kari muttered as she turned back to the window.