Later that Wednesday, Amy and I took a walk, and Amy got to thinking back to our first trip to New Mexico when my grandmother had her heart attack and had a quick recovery once we were here. Now Charlie’s had a speedy recovery from surgery while I was around him. Was this a coincidence?

On Thursday Amy and I had gone to see Mrs. Cyl. She’s the lady that owns the shop where we purchased our Biil dresses. We were looking for a headdress to wear with the Eagle feathers to the gathering on Thursday. Mrs. Cyl had two identical headbands that her mother turned into headdresses for use by adding the Eagle feathers.

The rest of the week and weekend was boring, well it was normal. Sunday and Monday we had a rain and snow mix, so that ruined doing anything outside. Monday we did manage to pick up the headdresses that Mrs. Cyl’s mother had made for us, and they were amazing. Tuesday I stopped by the bookstore, and eight of the nine books that I’d ordered were in. So, while Amy was at the ER, I started looking at the books.

There are no classes after Noon today, Wednesday, as the university closes early for the long holiday. Amy was at the university teaching Cheryl’s two classes, one at ten and one at eleven, as payback for Cheryl covering for Amy when we went to the resort two weeks ago. This was after teaching her two classes.

We’d planned that when Amy was back at the apartment we, Charlie, Jackie, Amy, and me, would leave for a long weekend at the resort with Charlie figuring it was only for two nights.

At around eleven, Charlie, Jackie, and I were sitting in our apartment after putting our suitcases in the car. And, we were waiting for Amy to come back from the university. Charlie asked Jackie, “Honey, we’re only staying two nights. Why are we taking so much stuff?”

“A girl needs to have things.”, Jackie replied.

I knew better. Jackie had packed enough things for four nights.

Right about Noon Amy walked in the door, and she said, “I’ll go change, and we can get going.”

“Amy, that was a pleasant surprise today.”, Jackie said.

“What was?”, Amy asked.

“Having you teach our class.”

“I was paying back Cheryl for teaching my classes two weeks ago when Kai and I went up to the resort.”

“I wish I’d stayed in your class.”

“Oh?”

“You’re a better teacher than Miss McKane is.”

“Don’t tell her that.”

“I won’t. But, others might.”

“I hope not. Just rate her fairly when you fill out the questioner at the end of the quarter.”

“Questioner?”, I asked. “What questioner?”

“The one that the students get to fill out to rate their instructors.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Didn’t you read the faculty handbook.”

“Ah, no. I skimmed it.”

“You’d better read it.”

Amy ran upstairs to change, and I went into the small room to retrieve the jewelry that we were taking with us from the safe and put it into the camera case. When I walked back out, Charlie said, “Kai, I didn’t know that you were into photography.”

“I’m not. But, Amy is.”, I replied. “But, we use this case to take the jewelry that we want to wear. That way we can take it when we go into someplace, and not leave it in the car.”

“Is the jewelry worth that much?”, Jackie asked.

“Yes. It’s not only the silver and turquoise that was used to make it, but how old it is and who made it. ”

“If it’s worth that much, why do you wear it?”

“Because it needs to be seen.”

Amy came downstairs, and said, “Jackie, I brought along a spare fancy long skirt and a fancy blouse for you to wear to the gathering if you want to.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”, Jackie said.

“I know. But, you said that you might like to try them, and I figured that this would be a good time.”

“Thank you.”

Then Amy looked at me, and said, “Okay, Kai. Where are we going for lunch?”

“I figured that you could make us something.”

“Wrong. I just finished teaching four hours, in a row, of classes. And, you’ve been sitting here for an hour doing nothing.”

“We loaded the car, and before that, I started skimming through the eight books for that class in the spring.”

“As I said, doing nothing.”

“Okay. Where would you like to go.”

“Knowing your aunt. We’d better keep it light because she’ll make a big dinner.”

We stopped at our favorite place, and the only thing I didn’t get was french fries. I was thinking about what Aunt Ruth might be cooking up for dinner. After we finished eating, we headed north towards the resort. And, it wasn’t long until Amy was curled up and asleep.

Two hours later as we pulled into the resort, Amy stirred, and said, “Sorry that I fell asleep, guys.”

“Don’t worry about it, Amy.”, Jackie said. “You had a long morning.”

We drove into the resort and to my aunt and uncle’s house. And, there was a familiar pickup truck there. Naainish.

As we got out of the car, I grabbed that camera bag and took it with me. Charlie looked at me, and asked, “Even here?”

“Even here.”, I replied. “We don’t leave it behind anywhere.”

“I know you have the safe in the apartment, but what about here?”

“I’ll show you later.”

We walked into the house, and to the kitchen, my aunt, uncle, and Naainish where sitting at the table. My aunt said, “Welcome back you four. How are you feeling Charlie?”

“A lot better than I did last week, Mrs. Biakeddy.”, Charlie said.

When Charlie said that, I caught Naainish looking at me with a twinkle in his eyes and a little smile.

My aunt then said, “Charlie, remember it’s Aunt Ruth.”

“Sorry, Aunt Ruth.”, Charlie said.

“You kids have a few hours before dinner if there’s anything that you’d like to do.”

“I guess we could get settled in.”, Amy said.

I looked at Naainish, and asked, “Are you staying for dinner, Naainish?”

My aunt answered for him when she said, “Of course he is.”

We went back out to the car and carried everything into the house. Charlie wasn’t supposed to lift yet, so we shanghaied Uncle Paul to help us. After we had everything in the two-bedrooms, I took Charlie over to the side of their bed, and said, “Move the rug.”

“Huh?”, Charlie said.

“Move the rug.”

He moved the rug, and then I said, “Lift up on that little latch.”

Charlie pulled on the little latch, opened the trapdoor, and as he looked into the opening, he said, “A safe.”

“Yep.”, I said. “Big enough to hold the camera case. And there’s one in each bedroom.”

“Someone was thinking when they build this house.”

“Back when they built it, you had to protect your valuables. The police were a long way away.”

After we’d gotten everything into our rooms and the camera case in the safe in our room, we went back out to the kitchen. And, I said, “Want to go for a walk?”

Before anyone could answer my uncle said, “Could I borrow Charlie for a minute or two.”

“As long as you return him.”, Jackie said.

“Oh, I will. Come on Charlie.”

As Charlie followed my uncle to a small room, which my uncle uses as an office, the rest of us looked at each other and smiled. Then we talked while we waited for Uncle Paul and Charlie to come back. I think everyone but Naainish knew what was going on. But, knowing Naainish, he probably knew too.

After a little while, Uncle Paul stuck his head out of the small room, looked at Jackie, and said, “Young lady, would you please join us.”

Jackie looked at me, and I shrugged my shoulders. Then she looked at Amy, and she raised her eyebrows. Then she said, “I … I guess.”

Jackie got up and walked into the small room. Uncle Paul closed the door. I looked at Aunt Ruth, and she was smiling. So, I said, “All right. What’s going on?”

“Don’t worry, Kai.”, Aunt Ruth. “We figured that if Charlie took the job that Jackie wouldn’t want to sit around doing nothing all day. And, since she’s a nursing student that she probably has some first aid skills. So, we could use her around the pools, bathhouses, and maybe even reception.”

“Do you have any more surprises for us?”, Ajie asked.

“I don’t think so.”

I then looked at Naainish, and asked, “Naainish, the sand painting that was in the hogan when Ajie and I were there, what did it represent?”

Naainish replied, “The four sacred mountains, Dibe Nitsaa or Hesperus Peak and Sisnaajini or Blanca Peak in Colorado, Tsoodzil or Mount Taylor here in New Mexico, and Dook’o’oosliid or the San Francisco Peaks in Arizona.

“You and Ajie should visit all four at some time. Mount Taylor is only two hours from Albuquerque.”

“Why?”

“The spirits.

“And Kai, the answer is yes. You are helping Charlie heal. And being here at the thermal pools will help him more.”

“Ajie and I wondered about that.”

“He is a close and good friend.”

“He is that.”, I said.

A short time later Jackie, Charlie, and my Uncle Paul walked out of the small room. Charlie looked at me, and said, “You knew didn’t you?”

I grinned and said, “Yes. So, did you take it?”

“How could I turn it down. The pay is good, plus we get an apartment for the summer. And, your uncle said that he’d also store our furniture for the summer.

“And, your uncle offered Jackie a job too.”

“So, we just found out.”, I said. “Did you take it, Jackie?”

“Yes. Just like Charlie, the pay is good, and we get the apartment. But, we won’t see you and Ajie very much.”

“Uncle Paul will keep you busy, and we’ll be coming up every Friday for the barbecues. And, we usually stay the weekend.”

“So, you and Ajie didn’t know that they were going to offer me a job?”, Jackie asked.

“Not until you walked into the office.”, Ajie said.

“And, Kai.”, my uncle said. “We can store your furniture for the summer too if you like.”

“And just where would we stay?”, I asked.

“The apartment at the hotel that your grandmother used is still vacant.”

“And, we’d have to drive to Albuquerque almost every day. I have a better idea?”

“What’s that?”

“This spring Ajie and I are going to start looking for our own place.”

“So, you’re planning on staying out here for a while?”, my aunt asked.

“Yes.”, I said. “At least until Ajie earns her doctoral.”

“And, Kai earns hers.”, Ajie added.

“Where are you going to be looking?”, my uncle asked.

“I’d love to be up near the resort. But, it would be a long drive every day. So, someplace closer to Albuquerque, but away from the city lights if possible.”

“Miss seeing all the stars. Don’t you?”, my aunt asked.

“You know we do.”, I replied

“It’s supposed to be clear tonight.”

“Maybe a hike up the cliff trail after dark is in order.”

“The four of you want to take a drive before dinner, and I’ll show you the apartments.”, Uncle Paul said.

The five of us, Ajie, Jackie, Uncle Paul, Charlie, and me, climbed into the resorts Chevrolet Suburban and headed towards the campground. As we drove, I said, “Uncle Paul, I don’t think I’ve ever been out this way.”

“You have.”, Uncle Paul said. “That time we were doing the photo shoot for the resort we drove out this way. It’s the way up to the cliff top.”

“I just don’t remember it.”

“I think that you were too concerned about the photo shoot.”

It didn’t take long for us to get to the apartments. There were four apartments in a one-story adobe building. And, a car was parked by the first apartment, and Uncle Paul said, “We have a guy working for us this winter, and he’s in the first apartment. He says, he enjoys the solitude. And, I guess he’s working on a book.”

Uncle Paul took us to the fourth apartment, and as he unlocked the door, he said, “All four apartments are the same, except the end ones have a couple more windows.”

We walked into a nice sized furnished living room, and there was a couch, two overstuffed chairs, a television, and a Kiva corner fireplace. There was an eat-in kitchen, a full bath, and a furnished bedroom. The furniture was nice, and I’ll bet it came from a room that was remolded at the resort. There was a door out of the kitchen to a private patio that had a fire pit.

“This is a nice apartment, Uncle Paul.”, Jackie said.

“We used them for guests a few years ago. Then stopped using them when more suites were built closer to the pools. And now we use them for our summer employees who don’t live close.”

“And, you don’t charge for them?”

“No, we use it as a perk to get good people.”

As we walked out of the apartment, the man that was staying in the first apartment came out the front door, looked at us, and said, “Oh. Hi, Mr. Biakeddy. I heard voices and was just checking.”

I froze. I knew that voice. I looked in the direction the voice came from. And thought, 'No, it can’t be.'

“Hello, Mr. Black.”, Uncle Paul said. “I’m just showing an apartment to a prospective summer employee.”

“Okay, Mr. Biakeddy. I’ll let you get back to it.”

And, the man turned, walked back into the apartment, and closed the door.

Ajie whispered, “Kai, what’s wrong?”

“Later.”, I whispered back.

We walked around the apartment building with Uncle Paul pointing out various things. I kept glancing at the apartment where the man, Mr. Black, was. And, thinking about what I saw. Was I paranoid? I don’t think so. I’m not that way.

We drove back to my aunt and uncle’s house and walked into the house to wonderful smells of food cooking. In the kitchen, we found both my aunt and Naainish working on dinner. I said, “Naainish, I didn’t know that you could cook.”

“Kai, when you live alone you learn to do a lot of things.”, Naainish replied as he stirred the contents of a pot. “Besides, I can’t ruin the lime rice.”

Ajie got me aside, and asked, “Okay. What did you see at the apartment that caused you to react that way?”

“What reaction?”

“Kai! You froze and stared at that man.”

“He’s not Mr. Black.”

“He’s not?”

“No. That’s Dr. Kilmer with a beard and longer hair.”

“Are you sure!?”

“Very sure. When I saw him, I felt trouble. And it was the same bad feeling I had when I met Dr. Kilmer that one time.”

“It didn’t appear that he recognized you?”

“He met Tom, not Kai.”

“What should we do?”

Just then Naainish walked up, and said, “Something is bothering you, Kai.”

“Yes, Naainish it is.”

“Care to share?”

“A little while ago, when we were at the apartments with Uncle Paul there was a man. I’ve seen this man before, at the university. He was a member of the faculty, he attacked me, and I defended myself. Then they found out other things about him, and he was forced to leave the university.”

“And, he’s here?”

“Yes, at the apartments. He’s working at the resort and supposedly writing a book. And, I know the university is looking for him, and I think that a group of students has filed a lawsuit of some kind against him.”

“I would talk with your uncle.”

“Good thought, Naainish.”

Ajie and I walked over to Uncle Paul, and said, “Uncle Paul, can we see you alone for a minute?”

“Of course, Kai.”, my uncle said.

We walked over to the office, went in, and closed the door. Then my uncle said, “What’s wrong, Kai.”

“The man, Mr. Black.”, I said. “Isn’t Mr. Black. He’s Dr. Kilmer.”

“And, who is this Dr. Kilmer?”

I went on to tell my uncle about my only meeting with Dr. Kilmer, where he attacked me verbally and then physically, and how I reacted to each attack. And the aftermath at the university. Then my uncle asked, “Is the university doing anything legal against him?”

“Yes.”, I replied. “But, I guess that the legal people can’t locate him.”

“He didn’t recognize you today. Did he?”

“I doubt it. He only knew me as Tom.”

“Good. Let me make some phone calls.”

Amy then asked, “Why would Dr. Kilmer hide here? He hates the native people, and there’s a lot of them here.”

“Why not hide among them.”, Uncle Paul said. “Who would look for him among the people he hates.”

“Good point.”

While my uncle made his phone calls, Ajie and I went back out to the kitchen, and Aunt Ruth and everyone else was working on dinner. Dinner was going to be what Aunt Ruth called Southwestern Fiesta Chicken. It’s made with lime rice, bite-sized pieces of chicken seasoned with taco seasoning, diced onions and bell peppers, corn, black beans, and diced tomatoes. All mixed together.

Uncle Paul joined us, and we had another one of Aunt Ruth’s fabulous Southwestern dinners. Let me tell you, it was good. No, it just wasn’t good, it was great. Both Charlie and I went back for seconds, followed by Uncle Paul.

As we were sitting at the table recovering from dinner, the phone in Uncle Paul’s office rang. Uncle Paul excused himself and went to answer the phone. Charlie looked at me, and said, “All right. What’s all the secrecy about?”

I proceed to tell everyone the story of Tom meeting Dr. Kilmer, the argument, the fight, how he lost his position at the university, what he’d done or not done with the research project, and what he’d done to his students.

When I finished my story, no one said a word for a minute, then Charlie said. “That’s unbelievable that something like that could happen.”

“I don’t think the university had any checks and balances in place.”, I said. “And, that’s been corrected.”

“And, that’s how you got the teaching and research positions.”

“I guess. The university was looking for someone, on short notice, to teach Dr. Kilmer's classes, and I filled the bill.”

We heard the phone in Uncle Paul’s office ring again. Then a few minutes later Uncle Paul came out of his office and sat at the table with us. He looked at me, and said, “There is a warrant for him out of Bernalillo County. And, they’ll pick up anywhere in New Mexico or Arizona.”

“Bernalillo County?”, I asked.

“That’s the county that Albuquerque is in.”

“Oh.”

“The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s office is going to contact the Taos County Sheriff about picking him up.”

“When?”

“Maybe later tonight. They’ll be stopping here to talk to you.”

“Me?”

“You know him. Don’t you?”

“Oh well, there goes the walk up the cliff trail.”, I said.

“They won’t be here until around nine, so there’s time for you to hike up there.”, Uncle Paul replied.

“Okay. Anyone else want to go?”

“It’s cold out there, Kai.”, Jackie said.

Charlie looked at me, and said, “I’ll brave the cold.”

“Are you sure you feel well enough?”, Jackie asked him.

“Yes. Besides I need to walk off this excellent dinner that Aunt Ruth made.”

A little while later, Ajie, Jackie, Charlie, and I were heading up the cliff trail. About half the way up the trail, Jackie asked, “Remind me why we’re doing this?”

When we were at the top, Jackie asked, “I never knew that there were so many stars!”

“Was it worth the walk in the cold?”, I asked.

“The stars are so pretty up here.”, Jackie replied.

“And, we can see so many more now that we’re away from the city lights.”

“I can see why you like it out here.”, Charlie said.

“If I could build a house up here I’d do it.”, I said.

We didn’t stay long. After all, it was cold. So we headed back down the trail, and I asked, “Well, Jackie, was it worth the hike and the cold?”

“Kai, thanks for taking us up there. It was worth it.”, Jackie admitted.

When we were back at the house, there were two cars parked out front. One was a sheriff’s car, and the other was a nondescript car. I wasn’t looking forward to this. I had hoped that I’d never see Dr. Kilmer again.

We walked into the kitchen, and my uncle said, “Good, you’re back.”

“I guess it’s good.”, I said.

Along with my aunt, uncle, and Naainish, there were two guys in what I’d describe as tourist clothes, and another guy in a deputy sheriff’s uniform. As I took off my coat, the uniformed deputy said, “I remember you two. You were here when the guy got hit by lightning.”

“We were there.”, I said.

And Ajie said, “And, your Deputy Rich.”

My uncle then said, “Kai, Amy, Jackie, and Charlie, these are deputies from the Taos County Sheriff’s office. The two trying to look like tourists are Detectives Hartman and Adakai. And it appears that you know Deputy Rich Atwood.

“Detectives Hartman and Adakai, and Deputy Atwood, these two are my nieces Kai Nez and Ajie Nez. And the other two are Jackie and Charlie Hamilton friends of my nieces.”

Detective Adakai looked at me, and said, “Kai … Kai Nez.”

“Yes, detective, I’m that Kai Nez.”, I said.

“So, you know this Dr. Kilmer?”

“Yes, I had a nasty run-in with him at the university.” And, I went on to tell them the story.

When I finished, Detective Hartman asked, “Who’s this Tom that you mentioned?”

“Well, detective.”, I said. “It’s a long story, and you would need to understand the Navajo’s belief in the Nádleeh.”

“I’ve been around the Navajo people all of my life, and I know about the Nádleeh. I’ve never met one. How does that fit into this?”

“Well then, detective, tonight you’ve met two Nádleeh. I’m a Nádleeh, as is Naainish. And, the Tom that I mentioned is my male side, and Kai is my girl side, and she’s a Navajo. And when I met Dr. Kilmer this past summer at the University of New Mexico, it was as Tom. But, I looked more like a Navajo boy than an Anglo boy.”

“So, you’re telling me … ”

“Like I tell the people out here. In body, I’m a boy. In spirit, I’m a girl. I am Kai.”

“I see. So, are you sure that this guy is Dr. Kilmer?”

“Sir, I’ll never forget his eyes. And, when I first met Dr. Kilmer, I had a bad feeling about him, and I had that same bad feeling about this Mr. Black.”

“Sam.”, Detective Adakai said to Detective Hartman. “It’s been said that some Nádleeh can feel things about people. So, I’d say that Miss Nez knows what she’s talking about.”

“Gentlemen.”, Naainish said. “Kai is a special Nádleeh. She can sense things about people that others can’t. If she didn’t feel good about you, she wouldn’t have spoken as openly with you as she has. And, if she weren’t sure about the man at the apartment, she wouldn’t have said anything.”

“Sam.”, Detective Adakai said. “I have heard about Miss Nez. And, everything that I’ve heard has been positive.”

“Well, Miss Nez.”, Detective Hartman said. “It seems that we may need to go and serve this guy with his arrest warrant.”

“We?”, I asked.

“Could we use your feminine wiles to help us?”

“My feminine wiles! What do you want me to do, seduce him or something?”

“Miss Nez! No! Nothing like that.”, Detective Hartman said.

“Good. Because that’s not going to happen!”, I said.

“What we’d like to do is see if he reacts when he hears the name Dr. Kilmer out of nowhere. Your uncle says that he’s covering the registration desk from four to midnight, and it’s usually quiet. And, your uncle says that Mr. Black regularly reads when it’s quiet. So we hope that he’ll be concentrating on his reading and not expecting anything.

“What we’d like you to do is to have you quietly walk up and say his name. He should react, and if he says yes or something like that, then we have him.”

“Why don’t one of you do it?”, I asked.

“A man’s voice may startle him, where a feminine voice won’t put him on guard.”

“Then what?”

“We’ll be close by.”, Detective Hartman said. “That’s why we’re dressed this way, so that we blend in.”

“Won’t he see Deputy Rich?”, I asked.

“No, he’ll stay out of sight until we need him. And, we want you to get out of the way too. We don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Don’t worry about her.”, Ajie said. “She can handle herself.”

“Oh.”, Detective Hartman said.

“We’ve both just received our green belts in Karate and are working on our blue belts.”

“That’s right. Miss Nez did say that she put Dr. Kilmer on his knees that time she met him.”

“And, she will stand up for herself.”

Detective Hartman said, “Miss Nez, please don’t get hurt.”

I smiled at him, and said, “I won’t.” I hope these aren’t famous last words.