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Black Raven's Pride
Aimee Thurlo


He Had Given Her the One Thing She Treasured Most…and He Didn't Even Know ItEden Maes came back to the Native American pueblo to clear her family's name for the sake of her baby boy. What she found was danger…land only one strong helping hand.She knew that as a tribal cop, it was Nick Black Raven's duty to protect her. And as a man who'd once loved her, it was his debt of honor. But as the father of their child…. Would he remain a slave to his badge or could the call of family claim his heart forever?







“We belong together, you, me and the baby. If you let it happen, Chris could be the son I never had.”

Eden reached for his hand. “You don’t understand. Chris is the son you did have. He’s yours, Nick.”

Nick stared at her, a stunned look on his face. “But you said I wasn’t…” He looked down at Christopher.

A lump formed at the back of Eden’s throat as Nick touched the baby’s soft skin almost in awe. Surprise had turned to wonder, and now to gentle love that all but tore her breath away.

“Why didn’t you tell me the truth before?” he asked. “I want the whole story, Eden.”




Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

Your summer reading list just wouldn’t be complete without the special brand of romantic suspense you can only get from Harlequin Intrigue.

This month, Joanna Wayne launches her first-ever miniseries! You loved the Randolph family when you met them in her book Family Ties (#444). So now they’re back in RANDOLPH FAMILY TIES, beginning with Branson’s story in The Second Son (#569). Flesh and blood bind these brothers to each other—and to a mystery baby girl. All are her protectors…one is her father.

Familiar, the crime-solving black cat, is back in his thirteenth FEAR FAMILIAR title by Caroline Burnes. This time he explores New Orleans in Familiar Obsession (#570).

It had been Hope Fancy’s dream to marry Quinn McClure, but not under a blaze of bullets! Are Urgent Vows (#571) enough to save two small children…and a lifelong love? Find out with Harlequin Intrigue author Joyce Sullivan.

With her signature style and Native American characters and culture, Aimée Thurlo revisits the Black Raven brothers from Christmas Witness (#544). In Black Raven’s Pride (#572), Nick Black Raven would die to protect Eden Maes, the one-time and always love of his life. And he’d be damned before anyone would touch a hair on the head of their child.

So if you can handle the heat, pull the trigger on all four Harlequin Intrigue titles!

Sincerely,

Denise O’Sullivan

Associate Senior Editor

Harlequin Intrigue




Black Raven’s Pride

Aimée Thurlo







www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)




ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Aimée Thurlo is a nationally bestselling author. She’s written forty novels and is published in at least twenty countries worldwide. She has been nominated for the Reviewers’ Choice Award and the Career Achievement Award by Romantic Times Magazine.

Aimée was born in Havana, Cuba, and lives with her husband of twenty-eight years in Corrales, New Mexico. Her husband, David, was raised on the Navajo Indian reservation.










CAST OF CHARACTERS


Nick Black Raven—The past had caught up to him. But the secrets buried there could destroy everyone and everything he loved.

Eden Maes—Loving Nick had always carried a price. This time, with even more to risk, she was determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Jake Black Raven—Nick’s twin brother stood to lose it all. But honor and family loyalty were everything.

Rita Korman—She wanted to be a free spirit, but life had clipped her wings.

Wayne Sanders—He was Rita’s brother and best friend. But he had his own agenda.

Patrick Korman—He was his own man, and no one would ever tell him what to do, including the tribe.

Deputy Torres—He was up for promotion and nothing was going to stand in his way—including Nick Black Raven.


To Evelyn who will always walk beside Christopher. And to Camilla and Natalie, two very helpful babies.




AUTHOR’S NOTE


San Esteban Pueblo is a fictional composite of the Tewa Pueblos in New Mexico. The religious rites depicted herein have been abbreviated in order to avoid offending those whose religious beliefs depend on the secrecy of the rites.




Contents


Chapter One (#ud366db59-0c95-5558-a394-4b22fb20bcff)

Chapter Two (#u7f8e961c-3c5e-56b2-a741-dd509893d40b)

Chapter Three (#u0b218bbf-d0ae-5956-a466-adbe0c396d3f)

Chapter Four (#u54ffa15b-9f5f-5470-8c62-9ff1c4a2e47b)

Chapter Five (#u391f8d64-4f02-54fe-abf2-042d36e7b738)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)




Chapter One


Nick Black Raven held on tightly to the reins of his mount as lightning flashed across the night sky and thunder shook the earth. Restless, the black stallion stomped at the ground, eager to get going.

“You’re getting soft, Bravo. Since when do you care about storms?”

Bravo pinned back his ears and tossed his head as if annoyed by Nick’s comment. Then, suddenly, he focused on something ahead he alone could sense, and dipped his head hard twice, hoping to loosen Nick’s hold on the reins.

“Stop that. The last time I gave you your head, it took me twenty minutes to bring you to a halt, and I had to run you into a circle to do that. This time we’re going to play by my rules.”

As soon as he’d spoken, the harsh gusts of the leading edge of the storm struck, bringing with them a torrent of swirling dust and grit. Cold rain was likely to follow.

“Okay, maybe you’re right. Let’s head back. It’s really a miserable evening.” Nick lifted the bandanna he wore around his neck and covered his mouth and nose, hoping to avoid another lungful of dirt. “Let’s race the storm back to the ranch before we get drenched.”

Nick loosened his hold on the reins and touched the animal’s flanks with the heels of his boots. In an instant, Bravo leaped forward, galloping across the desert canyon at a speed worthy of the lightning flashing overhead.

The cool September wind and the rumbling chaos of the brewing storm incited both horse and rider. Here, just a few miles outside the pueblo, the only rules that mattered were nature’s own.

Dark laughter escaped his lips as he raced like the wind just ahead of the stormy maelstrom.

EDEN MAES opted for a shortcut back to her house at the pueblo in hopes of beating the rain. She’d been visiting a friend of the family but had soon lost track of time. Now, the massive cumulonimbus clouds overhead obliterated all traces of the moon, and thunder raged from the steady barrage of lightning.

Moving carefully, Eden climbed over the stepladder stile in the cattle fence and headed out cross-country, avoiding the pueblo’s main road, and hoping to cut at least fifteen minutes off her walk.

The wind howled, lifting clouds of sand and sending waves of it against her until her skin stung from the onslaught. As lightning illuminated the landscape like a Fourth of July fireworks display, Eden checked her watch and quickened her pace. Mrs. Chino, the baby-sitter, had told her that she’d have to leave at seven to attend a meeting of her religious society, and it was nearly that time now.

This was turning out to be a lousy shortcut after all. Earlier in the monsoon season, heavy afternoon storms had cut new arroyos into the sparsely covered ground, and now she was spending too much of her time finding alternate routes across the dry channels between her and the pueblo.

She made progress slowly. Then, two or three miles from her home, through the howls of the wind and the angry storm, she saw the headlights of an approaching vehicle. She turned around, hoping it would be someone who could give her a ride back. Surely no one but a local pueblo resident was likely to be driving around out here in this weather.

Unfortunately, not all the people at the pueblo were her friends. Her parents had been labeled as thieves and although neither was still living, that dishonor and stigma now followed her. It was one more factor that worked against her, adding to the determination of those opposed to having a half blood like her claim a place on pueblo land.

Suddenly, the truck driver turned off his headlights, though she could hear him still accelerating toward her.

Instinct and logic warned her that the driver wasn’t behaving like a friend or neighbor. As the vehicle bore down on her, Eden took off running. She chose her path carefully, going uphill across a rocky slope. The boulder-laden terrain would slow the vehicle down.

Yet the truck continued to move relentlessly forward. Instead of accelerating to full speed and catching up quickly, however, the driver was toying with her, closing the gap and forcing her to sprint, then slowing down again, but remaining close.

Climbing farther up the slope was her only chance, but her lungs felt as if they were about to burst, and her legs were giving out. Ahead, she could see the lights of several buildings near the pueblo. If she could only make it a little farther, she’d be within shouting distance of Black Raven Ranch. Although she’d sworn a long time ago never to ask any Black Raven for help no matter what happened, she had no choice now.

Fear prodded her forward. As she glanced back, she realized that the hill was flattening out now, and the vehicle could outmaneuver her easily when they reached level ground. With no other choice, she kept running, though she knew it was a race she couldn’t win. The outcome would be entirely in the hands of the driver pursuing her. She thought of her son, still just an infant. He’d never even seen his father, nor did his father know about him. She wouldn’t leave him alone. Somehow, she’d make it through this, no matter what lay in store for her.

BRAVO PRANCED excitedly as Nick held the stallion in check for a moment, trying to determine the best path downhill. He had to get off the high ground. Lightning made the mesa he was on now one of the most dangerous places around, especially for a rider. The large black horse tossed his head impatiently.

“The rain’s dealt us a bad hand, Bravo,” Nick said. “We can’t go down the usual way. With all those new arroyos, you’ll break a leg for sure. Let’s try circling around to the north,” he said, turning Bravo’s head.

It was then he saw movement below. He squinted, trying to see through the haze of dust and sand raised by the angry wind. A long-haired woman was being chased by someone in a tan or yellow pickup. In another minute the truck would overtake her, and the woman would pay dearly if the driver meant to do more than intimidate her.

“I thought it was cowboys who were supposed to ride to the rescue, not Indians,” he muttered. “Let’s go, Bravo,” he said, applying pressure to the stallion’s flanks with his legs.

The horse, obeying the cue, bolted forward, hurtling across the slope, heading down at an angle to intercept her. As they drew closer, Nick tried to get a good look at the driver inside the truck. He appeared to be alone, but the dark hampered efforts to make out a face.

Nick focused on the woman. She was his priority now. Asking his horse for even greater speed, he leaned back, trying to make it easier on Bravo by keeping his weight centered. They’d get to her first, he knew that, and although Bravo wouldn’t be able to outrun a pickup, he could go places that the truck would never be able to handle.

Hearing hoofbeats behind her, the woman turned her head, glancing back. He couldn’t see her face clearly through the gathering shadows of night, but he could sense her fear. He slowed Bravo to match her stride, then reached down. “Let me help you.”

He grasped her by the waist and pulled her up before him onto the saddle. Smart enough to realize cooperation was her only hope, she shifted quickly, straddling the horse. Only then did she turn to look back at him. At that moment, he remembered the bandanna that still covered his face.

“It’s okay. Stay still,” he said, trying to keep his voice sure and steady. “Bravo’s not used to taking double, but he’ll adjust fast.”

The storm and the danger from their pursuers were nothing in comparison to the savage emotions that suddenly ripped through him as she eased against him, settling against his parted thighs. Familiar memories flooded his brain. He’d held this woman before—intimately. Although he hadn’t seen her face clearly, in his heart, the feeling was nothing less than utter conviction.

“Get me away from that pickup, please,” she managed, breathlessly.

Her gentle voice, so filled with fear, touched him deeply. The need to protect her pounded through him with every beat of his heart.

Glancing back and seeing the pickup now gaining ground, he forced himself to concentrate. “We’re going to have to jump that arroyo ahead. It’s our only chance. The landing will be rough, but don’t worry. Just hang on and let the horse do all the work. I won’t let you fall.”

“I’ll be okay,” she said, tightening her legs around the horse.

Together they galloped as one, the thump of pounding hooves and heartbeats and the creak of leather competing with the howl of the wind.

She did know how to ride. Nick was certain of that now. She moved with Bravo instead of against him and was shifting to a jumping position now, leaning slightly forward as she held on to his mane.

As her long, chestnut brown hair caressed his arms, dark whispers echoed in his mind. In a heartbeat, they were flying through the air and, in those precious moments, fantasy and reality merged. Their bodies, weightless, flowed into each other’s. As a union of purpose held them, a longing for something elusive and unnameable wrapped itself around his soul.

Tightening his grip around her waist, he pulled her back toward him just as Bravo landed on the other side of the wide chasm. They continued on for another fifty feet before Nick could safely rein in his mount.

As he spun Bravo around and faced the pickup, his breathing was as ragged as that of the animal’s. The challenge of danger, and the fire this woman had created in him, made him feel powerfully male and alive. Memories of another time and the only woman he’d ever loved whispered warnings from the edges of his mind.

The pickup slid to a stop just before reaching the rain-carved ditch, engine running, but unable to cross. Quickly, the truck was thrown into reverse, and the vehicle spun around, roaring away in a cloud of dust.

Nick smiled with satisfaction. They’d won the battle. Unwilling to linger out in the open, so far away from cover, Nick made a clicking sound and Bravo began a slow lope toward the gates of Black Raven Ranch.

Once they reached the main entrance, Nick stopped the tired animal. “Good job, Bravo.”

“I’ll get off here,” the woman said, then surprised him by swinging her leg over Bravo’s neck and dismounting with ease.

He slipped off next, and stood right by her. Seeing her face clearly for the first time, he sucked in his breath. After years of wondering if this moment would ever come, he was finally face to face with the girl who’d claimed his heart so many years ago—and, later, the only woman who’d ever walked out on him.

She looked up at him, and seeing the bandanna that covered his face, reached up tentatively. “I’d like to see who I’m thanking,” she said, her trembling voice betraying her uncertainty.

“You know who I am, Eden. Just as I knew, deep down, who you were from the moment you were back in my arms.” He covered her hand with his as she pulled the bandanna down.

Her eyes shimmered with excitement and desire as she saw his face. Following an instinct he couldn’t deny, Nick pulled her against him and, in a heartbeat, covered her mouth with his own.

His kiss was harsh, demanding everything she’d ever denied him. He’d expected her to resist and maybe slap his face, but her surrender was sweet and filled with passion. Her body softened against his, and her gentle sighs ripped him apart. Shock waves spiraled down his body.

Nick knew he was playing with fire. He should have let Eden go right then, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. She’d been a part of his dreams, of his heart, from the very first day he’d laid eyes on her.

His arms tightened around her. She was as beautiful and as sensual as he remembered. Passion rocked him to the core. The love they’d shared had always been like this—fierce and wild.

She moaned and the soft sound, so familiar to him, took him back to the last night they’d spent together. He’d loved her then in every way a man could love a woman, and she’d given herself completely to him in return. But the next morning she was gone, without even a goodbye.

Nick eased his hold on her, then stepped back. The memory of Eden’s betrayal still felt like a knife to his gut. As he gazed down at her, and saw the passion that still burned in her eyes, he felt himself drowning in the amber depths, despite his efforts to resist her.

“Of all the people I could have run into, I never expected…” Her shaky words trailed off.

“You’re welcome, Eden,” he said gruffly.

“I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful. I really appreciate what you did, Nick. I’m just…surprised.”

Nick led Bravo through the gate and waited as Eden shut it behind them. “What was that all about out there?” he asked, leading Bravo toward the stalls.

Eden didn’t meet his gaze, or answer right away. At long last, as if finally making up her mind, she spoke. “I really appreciated your help tonight, but I’ll handle things on my own from here on. Don’t worry about it.”

He searched her face for answers, but drew a blank. The only thing he could see there were echoes of the fear that had gripped her.

“Don’t shut me out,” he said quietly. “You’re in trouble, and it looks to me like you’re in over your head.”

“It’s my problem, Nick, not yours,” she said firmly.

Her polite brush-off stung and he grew stone-cold. Eden had betrayed him once, tearing his heart out in the process. That was not something any Black Raven forgot or forgave easily. But he wouldn’t back off. “I’m not asking you as an old friend. I’m a deputy now,” he added.

Surprise, then a coldness he couldn’t miss flashed in her eyes, and her expression became suddenly guarded. “Somebody has been letting me know since I returned two weeks ago that I’m not welcome here. But what happened tonight won’t happen again. I’ll be more careful from now on. I’d been visiting Lena Ortiz, a friend of my family’s, and stayed too late. I won’t let time slip away from me that way again. The driver of the truck played a lot rougher than I expected. My guess is that the guy who chased me tonight is probably the same one who has been sending me unsigned notes telling me to get off pueblo land. I don’t think he would have run me over. I just got scared and panicked, so he chased me.”

He studied her expression pensively. “Give me the notes. Let me see if I can track down the sender.”

“I didn’t keep them. But having you get involved isn’t going to change anything, Nick. As I’m sure you know, there are many people who oppose anyone of mixed blood claiming a place on pueblo land. My father was Tewa, but my mother was Anglo, and that makes my return home something that many haven’t exactly welcomed. I realize it’s not really a racial thing. They’re just trying to insure that the whites don’t take away the land our tribe has left, one concession at a time. And they’re willing to fight to preserve the little they’ve got. I understand it because in my heart, I am Tewa.” Eden checked her watch. “Oh, I’m really late now! I’ve got to get home. We’ll talk another time, okay?”

“Let me give you a ride.”

She hesitated, emotions flashing across her face at lightning speed. More intrigued than ever, he continued to press her.

“What’s the problem? You’re in a hurry and I’m offering you a ride. And, this time, we can take my four-wheel drive instead of Bravo. That’s my old Jeep parked by the stables.”

She gave him a thin smile. “Sorry. I’m still jumpy. The truth is I really would appreciate a lift,” Eden said, at last.

“What’s your hurry tonight? What are you so late for?”

She hesitated for several moments, then reluctantly answered him. “I left my son with a sitter, and she warned me that she had to leave at seven. It’s almost eight now.”

“Your…son?” His jaw clenched as he struggled to control his emotions. Surely it couldn’t be… “How old is he?”

“Six months,” she said, after a beat.

Nick stared at her. “Is it…am I…” he said, his voice a blur of sound.

“The father?” She shook her head. “There was another man in my life after I met you in Arizona. But let’s not talk about this now. That’s all ancient history.”

Dawning came then, a slow realization that left him numb. “So that’s why you ran out on me?” His voice sounded hard and bitter, even to his own ears. “No, never mind. You don’t have to answer that. It’s clear enough.”

A coldness unlike anything he’d ever felt filled him, numbing him from any more pain. Her betrayal had been absolute—more so than he’d ever dreamed—and it became the last nail in the coffin of their ill-fated love affair.

“Let me put Bravo away,” he said tonelessly, gesturing to the stables. “Then we’ll get going.”

They removed the horse’s tack and placed him in his stall. While she brushed the stallion down, Nick filled the feeder with hay and made sure he had fresh water.

“Are you home to stay?” he asked. No matter what had happened between them, he was a cop and it was his job to maintain law and order on the pueblo. The fact was it was his duty to find out what was going on, and he would honor that.

“I accepted a temporary teaching position so I’ll be around for a while at least. But I’ve got to tell you, you’re the last person I expected to see here at the pueblo,” she said. Then slowly added, “And now, to find out you’ve become a tribal cop… You’re certainly one for surprises.”

“Why do you say that? It’s not that much of a leap, really. I’ve always known that I was meant to work with people. I couldn’t run a job placement center here like I did in Arizona since the tribe now has an agency that takes care of that. But that left me at loose ends. My father’s will stipulated that in order for any of us to inherit, we’d all have to live at the ranch for one year, so I had to stay. But ranching full-time just wasn’t for me. Then I found out that one of Captain Mora’s two deputies was about to quit and that the department was searching for a replacement.”

“The police department here is very small. The loss of one man can be a crisis.”

He nodded. “Our entire police force consists of Captain Mora, two deputies and a civilian dispatcher. I figured I could be of use to the tribe, so I applied for the second deputy’s job and was lucky enough to get it.” He glanced over at her. Somehow, he had to make Eden see him as a cop who could help her, not just as a former lover. It was the only way she’d ever confide in him and finding out what trouble was hovering on the pueblo was his first priority. “This job really gets under your skin. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. But you know a little about what it means to be a cop. Your father was an officer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.”

“A cop’s family views his job in a very different light, Nick,” Eden answered, her voice taut. “What I remember most is my dad’s long absences and the way he was totally dedicated to his job. He almost never made it home for my birthdays or most holidays. It was hardest on my mom, though. She spent most of her life worrying about him. Being a cop may be a great job, but not for a man’s family.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “Well, I’ve got no plans to marry. The bachelor life suits me.”

She didn’t comment. “How are you and Jake getting along trying to run a ranch together? You two never used to agree on anything.”

“Jake and I will never see eye to eye on a lot of things,” he answered, “but we’re working it out.” He paused, studying her expression. “But let’s get back to what’s going on in your life, Eden. People have the right to their opinions, and they’re not required to like the fact that you’re now living here. But no one has the right to threaten you physically, or harass you. It looks like you’re caught up in something that might be too big for you to handle alone. You’re a mother now and have other responsibilities to take into account. Let me do my job as a cop and help you out.”

She hesitated, then forced a smile. “What happened out there won’t happen again. I’m sure of it.”

“I don’t believe that any more than you do.”

“Don’t put yourself in the middle of this, Nick. It’ll only make things tougher for me,” she said. “I’ve always taken care of myself and I know what I have to do. I’ll handle it.”

“I’m sorry, Eden, but I can’t let this go. This trouble is taking place on pueblo land, and that’s my turf.”

As he pulled up in front of her adobe home, she mumbled a quick goodbye, let herself out, and began walking up to the door.

Nick knew he hadn’t been invited, but he parked the Jeep and decided to go inside with her. He had a job to do, and, as long as she was at the pueblo, it was his duty to help her fight whoever was trying to drive her off.

Like star-crossed lovers destined to keep meeting, Eden was back in his life again. But, this time, it was different. Eden, the woman he’d loved, was gone for good. In her place was this stranger who was bringing trouble to the land he was sworn to protect.




Chapter Two


Eden knew Nick Black Raven was right behind her as she stepped up to the front door. She could sense him as clearly as she could the wind that swept her long chestnut hair across her face. She’d never wanted to bring Nick here. It was too hard to be with him. There were too many memories. Every time she looked at him, her heart remembered the only man who had ever made her blood sing. But he was not for her.

She could still remember every detail of their last night together. She’d loved him with all her heart, but afterward, as he’d held her, he’d bared his soul to her. What she’d seen there had made it clear that they couldn’t have a future together. A fierce agony had gripped her as he’d shattered her dreams one by one with each word he spoke.

He’d asked her to stay with him, but he’d never spoken of marriage. He’d told her that they’d make a life together, away from the pueblo, and never set foot on Tewa land again. They’d make a home in Arizona, just the two of them. Kids would never be a part of the picture. As far as he was concerned, the world didn’t need more children.

His vision of their future had been so different from hers! The knowledge had broken her heart and she’d realized then that she’d allowed things to go too far. The inescapable truth had been that she’d sworn to return to the pueblo to clear her parents’ name. She had hoped he’d go with her, but knew suddenly that it would never be. And then to learn that he never wanted children to become a part of his life… The prospect had chilled her soul.

Although she’d loved Nick, she’d realized that what they each needed to be happy went beyond their ability to make compromises. Although it was clear that circumstances had now brought him home to stay, it was just as evident from his earlier reference about his bachelor lifestyle that he hadn’t changed his mind about that part.

As it had been in the past, fate brought them together but continued to put obstacles in their way. To make matters even worse, Nick was now a cop. As the daughter of a man in law enforcement, she knew the high emotional cost that would carry for anyone close to him. Childhood memories made her hand tremble as she grasped the door and stepped inside.

Suddenly her son, Christopher, let out a delighted cry. The dark-haired baby crawled toward her from across the room, leaving his activity blanket behind in a heap. Her heart melted. “Come here, little guy. Did you miss me?” She scooped Chris up and held him against her, shutting out Mrs. Chino’s scowl for a few moments longer.

“You’re very late, Eden. I told you I was expected at my daughter’s, so you had to be back by seven, not eight forty-five. I almost left and took Christopher with me.”

“It was entirely my fault, Mrs. Chino.” Nick stepped around Eden and gave Mrs. Chino a mischievous grin that could have melted a dozen women’s hearts. “The weather was lousy and we were only trying to get out of the rain. Isn’t that what you were always telling us to do when Jake and I were kids?”

She smiled back at him, her anger vanishing in an instant. “I did do that, didn’t I? I’m surprised you remember!”

“How could I forget? Remember that big storm in October of 1985 that broke all those branches off the cottonwoods around the Plaza?”

In a matter of seconds, Nick had her talking about old times. By the time the elderly lady left, Eden was amazed to see Mrs. Chino was in a better mood than she’d been in days.

Eden sighed softly as she stood at the window, watching Nick walk the sitter down the street toward her house. Nick had a way about him. As far back as she could remember, he’d always had at least half of the women in the pueblo madly in love with him. But the time she remembered most was when he’d only had eyes for her.

A delicious warmth spiraled through her as her thoughts drifted back to those days. Suddenly aware of what she was doing, she squelched that sentimental memory. Their time had come and gone, though destiny still toyed with them.

She remembered what she’d told Nick earlier tonight about her baby when he’d pressed her. She hadn’t lied. There had been another man in her life after she’d left Nick—the child he’d fathered, their son Christopher.

Nick came back inside after having shown Mrs. Chino to her own door. Moving with purpose, he strode across the room toward her, all masculine power and confidence.

Eden’s heart was racing as she cradled Christopher closer in her arms, bracing herself for what she had to do. Nick was only a part of her past. All he represented to her now was another complication she’d have to deal with. Christopher and Nick would eventually have to know each other as father and son but, first, she wanted to make sure Nick would welcome that news. Everything she knew about him told him he would not.

For now, the best thing she could do was concentrate on what she’d come home to do. She had returned to clear her family’s name and that had to remain her first priority.

“Thank you for bringing me home, Nick, but I don’t want to keep you,” she said. Placing the squirming baby down on his special blanket, she started toward the door.

“So this is Christopher,” Nick said, ignoring her hint. Picking the baby up off the floor, he went to the couch. To Eden’s surprise, Christopher didn’t let out the usual ear-piercing shriek he was famous for when a stranger held him.

Nick raised the baby up, holding him in a standing position on his lap. “What a great kid! And, hey, I think he likes me.”

“Don’t be too flattered. He’s not picky. He also loves eating lipstick and crawling backwards down the hall.”

Nick looked up at her and smiled warmly, shaking his head. “Well, you certainly won’t win Miss Congeniality tonight.”

Forcing herself not to even crack a smile, she stared at him coldly. “I hate to be a poor hostess, but I’ve got to put my son to bed.”

“Let me help you. Then we can talk,” Nick said, refusing to be put off.

Her chest constricted. This had been a favorite fantasy of hers—one she’d harbored in the deepest recesses of her heart.

“I’ll take care of it,” she said.

Eden tried not to look Nick in the eye as she silently took Christopher from him and started down the hall. Thankfully, Mrs. Chino had already bathed Christopher and he was in his pajamas. Giving her son a kiss on the forehead, she laid him gently in his crib and watched him for a moment. Christopher was her miracle, the only thing life had brought her that held nothing but good.

As she turned away, she noticed that Nick had followed her and was now standing just an arm’s length behind, watching the baby.

“You’re a lucky woman,” he said, following her out of the room. “That’s one special little boy.”

His words of praise only made her more nervous. Nick and Christopher had responded to each other in a way that had taken her by surprise. And that served to remind her of the need to be cautious.

“You’ve made a good life for yourself, Eden.” He brushed her face with his hand. His work-hardened palm made a shiver course through her. His body was all steel and muscle but, as it always had been, what made her melt inside was his gentleness.

Forcing her feelings aside, she walked to the door. “You have to go now, Nick. You don’t belong here. You’re not part of my life anymore.” Eden could see the impact her words had on him.

His eyes became hooded, his expression cold. “I know you want me to keep my nose out of your business, but any trouble that touches this pueblo is my business. If someone is trying to drive you out of town, I need to know. So, whether you like it or not, that makes you my business.”

Eden watched him from the living room window as he strode away. The attraction she felt for him was as strong as ever and that spelled big trouble. She’d have to protect herself or heartbreak would be sure to follow.

NICK DROVE AWAY, heading across country, pushing the Jeep through the worst terrain around. The rocky ground, full of risk and uncertainty, suited his mood.

Finding Eden after all this time had thrown him one heck of a curve ball. Not that his life had ever been simple. After his father had kicked Jake and him out of their home the day after high school graduation, nothing had ever come easy. His father’s brutal attempt to force their transition from boys into men had taught him many hard lessons. Never Count On Anything and Never Trust Anyone had become his motto. He’d learned all about hopelessness and fear back then, and what it could do to the human soul.

In time, he’d made a life for himself away from the pueblo, and had achieved a measure of success. He’d proven to himself and everyone else that he didn’t need his father’s support to make it in the world.

Yet, even though he’d thought he’d left his old life behind him forever, it eventually had called him back. After his father’s murder, he’d been forced to return to the pueblo. At first, it had been the last place he’d wanted to be, but things had changed over the last few months. He served a purpose here now, and he was exactly where he belonged. Nick knew he was home for good.

Moments later, he pulled up to the tribal police station, parked and went inside. The small, former residence was equipped only with the bare necessities. Crime had never really been much of a problem on the pueblo. For the most part, a San Esteban cop needed to know how to lead a wayward horse out of the road, or write a speeding ticket far more than he needed to know how to shoot. Of course, he’d had the required courses in self-defense and weapons, but it had only been a formality as far as he was concerned.

As he came in, Nick waved at Angelina, the civilian dispatcher. The desk against the wall that he shared with Deputy Torres was unoccupied at the moment. Torres was out on patrol somewhere. Walking to the back of the room, he knocked on Captain Mora’s open door. The man looked up, leaned back in his creaky old office chair, and waved him in.

Captain Daniel Mora was built like a safe—short, stocky, and nearly impossible to break. People often compared him to a pit bull because he had a reputation for never backing off once he was on the trail of a criminal. “What brings you here, Nick? You’re off duty tonight.”

“There’s a problem,” he said, then sitting across from Mora’s desk, related what had just occurred with Eden and the man in the pickup.

“You say she won’t file a complaint?”

“That’s right. She chalked it up to one of our tribe trying to scare her. She’s also been getting some unsigned notes demanding she move off the pueblo, but apparently she tossed them out. I told her that nobody had a right to make any threats, but in spite of what happened tonight, she doesn’t think she’s in any danger.”

“Was she in danger this evening?”

“I sure saw it that way. The person chasing her in that pickup wasn’t kidding around. He could have easily run her over, or caused her to injure herself.”

“Did you get a plate or an ID?”

“No, it was too dark.”

“Then, until she wants to file a complaint, our hands are tied.”

“My gut tells me to get to the bottom of this before whatever trouble she’s in poses a danger to the rest of the pueblo.”

Mora regarded Nick silently, his eagle-sharp gaze cutting through to the heart of the matter. “Are you worried about the woman, or about the tribe?”

“Both,” he admitted, grudgingly. The direct approach was the only way to work with a man like Mora.

“There’s something I want you to see. I think it’ll give you some insight into what’s going on with Eden Maes. It all goes back to when her parents were alive.”

Captain Mora reached inside the file cabinet, extracted a letter from one of the folders and handed it to Nick.

“Keep what this says to yourself,” he said. “Eden brought the original letter to me the day she moved back into her parents’ old house. She’d wanted me to know why she’d returned and what she hoped to learn by being here. Take a minute to read it then give it back to me.”

Nick saw the letter was to Eden from her grandmother. The text was handwritten and difficult to read, but he persisted.

Dear Eden,

If you’re reading this, I have gone on to the Lake of our Ancestors and you are now alone. You always said that someday you’d clear your parents’ name, and if that’s what you choose to do now, there are things you have to know.

Your father told me everything. Your mother was carrying trash out of the Cultural Center at the end of the day, as was her custom, when she accidentally discovered that one of the boxes contained ritual items. She realized then that one of the employees had used her to take the artifacts outside where the real thief could take them easily without leaving a trail. But she couldn’t figure out who hated her enough to implicate her in something like that. She decided to go to your father because he was a BIA cop. But the thief photographed your mother putting the sacred objects into her car, and used that to blackmail her. Shortly after your mother got home and before your father could go to the police, the thief called them. He ordered your father to get the objects off the pueblo and leave them at a specific place.

My son put his own plan in motion and led the thief on a wild-goose chase while your mother hid the artifacts elsewhere. Realizing that he’d been tricked, the thief turned on Isabel and gave the police the photos that incriminated her. Isabel went into hiding but the thieves found her and kidnapped her. Then they called your father, and offered to exchange Isabel for the artifacts.

I know that James tried to free your mother. He went alone because they told him Isabel would die if the cops got involved. Later, when they were both found dead by the side of the road, I knew right away what had happened. There was no evidence that could explain the crime, but I knew where my son had gone and why, and that was enough for me. I told the police, but they never found anything that would solve their murders.

Afterward, I was told by people I trust that the man behind the scheme was Tall Shadow. He was well-known for wanting to keep non-Tewas off our land, and he particularly opposed your mother who was a white woman.

That’s all I know. Isabel’s mother disowned her when she married your father, so she never confided in Beth. I spoke to her before her death years ago, but she didn’t know anything more than what I’ve told you. If you choose to pursue this, you’ll be on your own. Be careful who you trust.

Grandmother

Nick read the letter over again, fighting the urge not to look up at Mora and see his reaction to the mention of Tall Shadow. Nick knew the nickname. It had been an old, rarely used one for his father, Paul Black Raven.

Nick finished the letter and handed it back to Captain Mora, searching Mora’s face to see if he also knew who Tall Shadow was, but finding no answers.

“James must have been up against the ropes if the thief had photos of Isabel putting the artifacts in her car,” Nick commented. “Incriminating evidence like that is very effective blackmail.”

“According to the statement James Maes made, the thief stayed one step ahead of them. And that eventually cost James and Isabel their lives,” Mora said. “Of course, Eden’s seeing far more in her grandmother’s letter than she should. She’s always wanted to clear her parents, and thinks that the information in this letter is a solid starting point.” Mora leaned back in his chair.

“What did you tell her?” Nick pressed.

“Without more to go on than an old woman’s memories—a woman who is now dead and can’t be questioned—we really don’t have anything solid. I also can’t remember anyone by the nickname ‘Tall Shadow’ but, of course, all this happened when we were both kids.” Mora put the letter back into the file folder.

“Eden won’t back off,” Nick said slowly.

“Of course not. I know for a fact that she’s actually been busy asking people all kinds of questions about the past and her parents’ lives here. I think she’s determined to gain acceptance here by finding the stolen religious objects. Unofficially, of course, I wish her luck on her search. The two missing items are a crucial part of our rites.”

“I’m not up on all that. Can you fill me in on what was stolen?”

“One of the two Tsave Yoh masks used for the Turtle Dance, along with its accompanying bear fetish, have been missing for almost twenty years now. The Tsave Yoh, as you probably remember, are supernatural beings entrusted with keeping the people’s ties to our gods strong. They’re said to be brought to life when specially appointed men wear the masks representing them. When one of those masks and the fetish were stolen, the power of the remaining Tsave Yoh was weakened. Our people believe that all the bad times that have befallen the pueblo since then—years of drought followed by persistent flooding and crop failures—prove that our people have slowly been losing the protection of our gods.”

“If she’s trying to find the artifacts, how come our people don’t support her?” Nick asked.

“I don’t think anyone believes she’ll get anywhere. She was only nine when her mother took the artifacts, so what can she possibly do now for the tribe except create division and more problems? To most, she’s just the daughter of someone who brought ruin down on us. Everyone already knows how hard our department searched for those objects. If the police couldn’t find them, it’s highly unlikely she will either. She doesn’t have access to any more information than we do. Remember the letter?”

Nick nodded. “Do you have any idea who’s trying to run her off, Captain?”

“No, and I can’t even begin to guess. She has many enemies here. Official opposition began the moment she applied for a teaching job. Samuel Runningwater, who’s been the director of the Cultural Center since it first opened, was dead set against allowing Eden to come back and live among us, let alone get a job as a teacher. But Mrs. Peña had transferred out and we needed a teacher badly. Eden got the matter put to a vote, and the elders decided to hire her and let her move into her old home for the school year. After her grandmother died, that house had been sitting vacant.”

Nick knew that Runningwater was Mrs. Chino’s father, and that raised some interesting questions in his mind. “Mrs. Chino is taking care of Eden’s son. She’s Apienu, the head of the women’s religious society. No one is more respected than she is. How come that hasn’t helped Eden? If Mrs. Chino says that Eden’s okay, I would have expected others to fall in line, including her own father.”

“Laura Chino works for Eden and supplements her retirement income that way. That’s all there is to that.”

Weighing everything he’d learned this evening, Nick suddenly realized how little he knew about Eden’s life. “Thanks, Captain.” He stood. “I’m going to head back to the ranch. If you need me, I’ll be there.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Nick drove home slowly. As his thoughts returned to Eden, he felt his gut tighten. Her betrayal had ripped a piece of his heart away. He’d loved her once—more than he’d ever thought possible. He was not a man given to fantasies and daydreams, yet he’d felt closer to her than he had to any other person who had ever played a part in his life. Being with her had been like finding the other half of himself.

He still vividly remembered their fateful meeting fifteen months ago. He’d been giving a guest lecture at the university in Phoenix on the teenage runaway problem. As the head of one of the leading job training centers in the state at the time, his experience had been sought after.

He recalled walking up to the podium and finding Eden sitting in the first row of the auditorium. Their eyes had met, and suddenly their years apart had seemed like nothing more than heartbeats in time.

In high school, his love for her had been all encompassing and absolute—a boy experiencing his first real love. Then suddenly, almost twelve years later, there they’d been as adults. They’d spent every available moment of those glorious days catching up on the years spent apart, and trying not to rush into anything. But his love for her had deepened naturally and the raw power of their emotions had compelled them to follow their hearts.

Now, looking back on it all, he regretted everything that had happened between them that week. But it was over, and looking back wouldn’t fix anything.

As he reached home, the old bunkhouse, he felt a bone weariness that only came with mental exhaustion. He didn’t want to mull things over anymore trying to figure out what ifs. He didn’t want to dissect the situation. He just wanted peace.

He undressed then crawled into bed, wondering if he’d have to stare at the ceiling for a long time before sleep came. Yet, almost as soon as he closed his eyes, gray shadows closed in and images of the day when she’d stepped out of his arms and his life formed in his mind’s eye.

In his dream, the scene that had changed him forever unfolded once again…

“This is where you belong,” Nick said, holding her close to his side. They’d just made love and they were both feeling sated and at peace.

“I never thought this day would come,” she whispered, her warm breath tickling his throat.

“It nearly killed me to leave you at the pueblo when my father kicked me out,” he said, his voice soft. “All you had left was your grandmother, and you barely knew her. You needed me, but I had no way to provide for myself or you.”

“It was hard to say goodbye,” Eden said, settling against him, her cheek and the palm of her hand resting on his chest.

“The pain our families caused is finally behind us. Let’s not look back. We have each other, and that’s all that’s important.”

Only through passion had he ever been able to say everything he felt, and once again he began to show her what he couldn’t put into words. As long as they had each other, they’d never need anyone else. He molded her body with his hands, fitting her against him. He fed her soul with his kisses, speaking wordlessly to her of needs that would be shared for a lifetime.

“When you look at me that way, all I see in your eyes is love, steady and sure,” she whispered.

Always and forever. The words were in his heart when he entered her again, loving her fierce cries as he plunged deep inside her. Their release was sweet and he lay over her, their bodies still locked together.

Then suddenly Nick’s dreams shifted. Another scene unfolded, and Nick’s heart began to drum against his chest, anger and pain gripping him. He was standing in the center of his old room, trying to accept the fact that Eden was really gone. The note she’d left for him was balled up in his fist, the words branded in his mind. I made a mistake. I’m sorry. There’s life and there’s love, and we’ll never be able to make the two come together.

Black sorrow filled him and, with a sharp, angry cry, Nick jackknifed to a sitting position, coming abruptly awake. He got his bearings slowly as he looked around the bunkhouse and tried to focus on the present.

Back then he hadn’t understood what had happened. Afterward he’d wondered if it had been his stand on children, but if Eden had loved him enough, she would have understood. They’d both lived through so much pain as kids on the pueblo that it had seemed inconceivable to him that she might have felt differently from him on that issue.

They’d known each other well as children, but he wondered now how well they’d really known each other as adults. One moment they’d had an entirely new life waiting for them. The pueblo and the sadness in their pasts would have eventually been nothing more than a memory for them. Yet she’d vanished without explanation, taking a piece of his heart.

The love he’d felt for her had been real but the closeness he’d wanted and had thought they’d shared had only been an illusion. It hadn’t been anything said or left unsaid that had split them apart. What had really come between them was that there’d been another man in Eden’s life.

He took a deep breath. The gut-wrenching pain he’d felt fifteen months ago had not diminished with time. He’d simply filed it away mentally, banishing it to a spot where he could handle it. Now, understanding the depth of her betrayal, a coldness settled over his steel-encased heart.

Naked, he walked to the window and stared out at the stars. He would never again allow anyone to come as close to him as Eden once had. Gone forever was the boy who’d thought love could conquer all, and the faith that had allowed him to give his heart.

The only thing he would do now was protect her. As a cop it was his duty—and as a man who’d once lover her it was his debt of honor to the past they’d shared.




Chapter Three


It was shortly after eight the following morning and Nick was on his second cup of coffee. All night long he’d lain awake, unable to stop thinking about Eden. At one time in his life, she’d been the world to him. But now everything was different except for the way she could make desire twist through him. And, as always, she’d turned his life upside down.

The letter Eden’s grandmother had written to her mentioning Tall Shadow had disturbed him deeply. He’d only been a young boy, but he remembered how his father had hated the nickname, thinking that it made him sound like some kind of big boss the pueblo was required to look up to. His father had chewed out Martin, the ranch foreman, for using it, and he’d given orders that he was “Paul” on the ranch. Any ranch hands referring to him as Tall Shadow would be stuck with cleaning out the horse stalls permanently.

Lost in thought, Nick almost didn’t hear the phone. On the third ring, he picked up the receiver, half expecting to hear Captain Mora’s voice telling him he was needed to go on duty earlier than his originally scheduled shift.

Instead, it was his brother, Jake. “Nick, I need to talk to you. Can you come over this morning?”

“Sure.” Nick had moved into the empty bunkhouse several months ago. He’d told his brother and his wife Annie that he wanted to give them more privacy, but the truth was that he’d felt out of place there. “Is something wrong?” he asked Jake.

“You could say that,” Jake answered, his voice hard. “But I’d rather discuss this in person.”

“I’ll be there in five minutes.”

Nick put his coffee cup in the sink, then walked over to the main house, which was less than a hundred yards away. Jake’s tone had put him on his guard. Whenever Jake sounded this cool and reserved something major was brewing. And on top of whatever was going on, Nick knew he’d also have to tell Jake about the letter, and what Tall Shadow had been accused of doing years ago.

From the second Nick stepped into the main house, the large two-story adobe structure they’d both grown up in, he felt the tension in the air. Annie gave him a quick “good morning” as she met him by the door carrying nine-month-old Noelle in her arms.

Nick gave his niece a kiss. “Hey sweetpea.”

The baby smiled and so did Annie. “You’re so good with kids, Nick. Why don’t you hurry up and get married?”

“It doesn’t work that way. Not in my book anyway.”

“I thought Black Raven men never went by the book—unless they wrote it themselves.”

Nick laughed. “We only play by the rules when it suits us,” he said, following her to the library.

As they entered the room, he saw Martin, who’d been the ranch foreman for as long as he could remember, as well as a family friend. He was helping Jake remove books from a shelf, then searching each one.

“What’s going on? Lose something important?”

Jake came down the ladder that allowed him to reach the top of the highest shelf in the wood-paneled library. The ceilings in most of the ground floor rooms were ten feet high. “Our mother’s diary is gone,” he said flatly.

“Gone? You mean stolen?” Nick asked, his tone now as taut as his brother’s had been.

Jake nodded. “Precisely.”

That diary had already cost them their father’s life. Its loss now made Nick’s blood turn to ice. There was no telling what price getting it back would exact this time. The journal was a treasure trove of community secrets, since just about everyone had confided in Saya, their mother, and she’d written down all her private thoughts in that leather-bound book. Last time, as they’d worked to get it back, greed and jealousy over the contents of the diary had nearly claimed Annie’s life and that of her baby.

“Did you just leave it in plain sight?” Nick demanded, trying to suppress the anger in his voice. It was just like Jake to think it impossible that anyone would break in now that he was the head of the house.

“I wasn’t careless,” Jake snapped, sensing the direction Nick’s thoughts had taken. “Far from it. I’d intended to start reading it a little at a time each night, so I took it out of our bedroom nightstand and put it down here. I honestly thought mom’s diary would be safer in these bookshelves than in any drawer.”

Nick paced around the room, his thoughts racing. “Okay, so now we concentrate on getting it back. Any idea who’d want the diary? Before, it was used against our father, but now that he’s gone…”

“I don’t think this has anything to do with our family’s past this time. Those matters are settled,” Jake looked at Annie and his daughter, love and relief etched clearly on his face.

“But there are other families—and other secrets,” Martin said. “There’s a skeleton in almost everyone’s closet, if you look hard enough.”

“We have to figure out who in this community knew about that diary,” Nick said. “This house obviously wasn’t broken into by some stranger or you would have seen evidence of it before now. We have to backtrack, and check who’s been here recently.”

“Everyone knows about the existence of that diary these days,” Martin answered with a shrug. “It came out in the trial that convicted your father’s killer.”

“Then let’s narrow down the times when it could have been taken, and figure out who was around then. When was the last time any of you remember seeing the diary?”

Annie spoke first. “I was dusting in here last Wednesday, or Thursday. I would have noticed it missing then…I think.”

“You don’t take the books out every time you dust, do you?” Nick asked.

“No,” she admitted. “I stand on the ladder, and move the books back and forth. But I really think I would have noticed the diary missing. Jake showed me where he’d put it so he wouldn’t be the only one to know.”

“I’m no help on this,” Martin said. “I come in here at least once or twice every day, but I don’t pay much attention to what’s on the shelves. All I look at are the ranch’s business ledgers, the breeding records, and things like that.”

Jake took a long, deep breath. “Then I guess I was the last one to see it. I read the first few pages about a month ago, the day before Noelle’s naming ritual, to be exact. Then, I put it back on the top shelf, with the book jacket in place.”

“Tell me, who came to Noelle’s naming ritual?” Nick asked.

“Almost everyone we know stopped by that day—either before, during, or after. And any of the guests could have come in here,” Annie said.

“I came at dawn in time to see her presented to the sun,” Nick said. “If I remember right, my boss, Captain Mora, arrived right after that. After we all returned to the house, Elsie Mueller, the pueblo’s nurse practitioner arrived.”

Annie nodded. “Elsie helped us bathe Noelle, and was there when Blue Corn Woman and White Corn Maiden were thanked for bestowing a soul on the baby. After that, everyone else dropped by.”

“Think in specifics,” Nick persisted.

“Your uncle Thomas was here briefly with his girlfriend, Theresa Redwing. All the ranch hands came, too, even recent part-time help like Daniel Hawk.”

“I thought Daniel worked at the Cultural Center,” Nick said.

Jake nodded. “Here in the mornings, there in the afternoons.” He paused. “Our list of guests that day is almost endless. Martin, of course, was here, and so was Mrs. Chino. Our family lawyer came, the Kormans, Samuel Runningwater, some of our best clients from Santa Fe, the Winter Chief and the Summer Chief. I really think that everyone from the pueblo or connected to it visited that day at one time or another.”

Nick weighed the information then, at last, spoke. “As far as I’m concerned, no matter how many came, our uncle should be at the top of our suspect list. Thomas admitted to us months ago that he’d been sneaking into the house for years when our father wasn’t around and searched every room, hoping to find that diary. He’d intended to use it to get leverage over people. In my opinion, it’s very possible he’s gone back to his old tricks.”

“Let’s go over there and pay him a visit. Knowing you’re a cop should rattle him, even if nothing else does,” Jake said.

“Slow down, Jake. We don’t want to go in there like gangbusters, tip our hand, and let him know the diary’s missing. Although we have to know if he’s got the diary, we also have to be careful not to give him any more information. If he discovers the diary’s gone, even if he didn’t take it, he could play on people’s fears who have secrets they want to keep hidden. Let’s think this through before we take any action.”

“We’ll think on the way,” Jake said, grabbing his keys from the desk. “You always move too slow, brother.” He gave Annie a quick kiss, and Noelle a tiny peck on her forehead.

“And you always rush out, leading with your chin. That’s why it ends up on the ground so often.” Nick glanced at Martin, who just shook his head, knowing that neither brother would win this perpetual competition.

They took Jake’s truck, Nick having decided to keep his presence as unofficial as possible, despite Jake’s protests.

As Jake drove past a familiar tree-lined path that led seemingly nowhere, Nick’s thoughts drifted to Eden. There was an old house down that lane that had been gutted by a fire decades ago. These days he saw it as nothing more than a burned-out shell, but back then, meeting with Eden there had made it seem like high adventure.

Relationships hadn’t seemed so complicated in those days and he’d moved faster then, too often tripping over his heart. But nothing had been more important to him than stealing time to be with his girl. It had been a time of discovery, a time of first love. But those days were gone.

“What’s got you so distracted?” Jake asked.

Nick shook his head. “The past haunts me,” he said cryptically, then continued. “But let’s stay on track here,” he added, suddenly all business. “Do you, by any chance, know if Thomas has a job these days? If he’s pressed for cash, then that would give him a motive for stealing the diary. He’s always seen it as an easy way to make money.”

“He’s always pressed for cash,” Jake answered. “What I’d like to do is search his house from top to bottom. If we do, I’d be willing to bet we’d find that diary.”

“Forget it, Jake. Legally we can’t do that. We have nothing to stand on since we have no actual evidence against him.”

“Sure we do,” Jake insisted. “His lousy track record counts for something. He admitted right in front of Captain Mora once that he’d broken into our home many times while our father was still alive. I should have pressed charges then, but I didn’t. His past tells us exactly what he’s capable of doing.”

“Logical, but not legal. We need facts, not a history lesson.”

“How about an unofficial search, then, like he did at our house? You keep him busy outside and I’ll go in and look around. Even if he catches us, he won’t do anything about it. He owes us and he knows it.”

“Think, Jake. Don’t tip your hand so easily. If we’re careful, we can find out if Thomas has been sneaking into the ranch house again without ever letting him know anything’s missing.”

“All right,” Jake said. “But I really like an in-your-face type of confrontation a lot better. It’s more satisfying.”

Nick grinned. Jake may have become a family man with responsibilities, but certain things never changed. Trying to divert some of Jake’s compressed energy, he brought up the subject of the letter Eden’s grandmother had written her.

“According to that, ‘Tall Shadow’ was connected to the crime which resulted in her parents’ death,” Nick said. “As you know, Tall Shadow was Dad’s nickname, and, if that’s true, our father ruined an entire family. Eden’s mom and dad are dead, but Eden is still paying for what happened, so our family could owe her big time.”

“If it’s true,” Jake repeated. “And I really doubt that. Our father was many things, but no way I’m going to believe he was party to the theft of sacred items or the framing of an innocent woman. That just wasn’t his style. He was like me, an in-your-face fighter.”

“So you think I should let this drop?” Nick asked.

“Yeah, for now. Let’s see how things develop. Unlike this matter of the diary, it doesn’t require immediate action.”

“Agreed.”

A short time later they pulled up in front of their uncle’s home. Thomas Ray had lived in the stucco and wood frame house for the past thirty years. There was a wire fence around the property and a sagging wooden gate that led to the backyard.

As the twin brothers stepped up onto the porch, a strong breeze blew the front door open a few inches. Nick stopped and glanced around, holding out his hand to signal Jake to remain still. “His truck’s not here, so why’s that door open? Our people generally don’t use locks, but they do close doors.” He peeked through the foot-wide opening into the house.

“Maybe he’s still around. The fact that his truck’s not here doesn’t mean anything. His pickup’s long past a stop at the junkyard. It could be over at Ralph’s gas station getting its engine rebuilt, or broken down between here and Santa Fe.”

“Point taken. Now hang back,” Nick said, pushing the door open completely. “If he’s around, and this door’s open, something’s wrong.”

Jake went inside first, despite Nick’s warning. Cursing, Nick rushed in after him, hoping his brother wasn’t about to confront a burglar.

“Jake, what the hell are you doing? You can’t burst inside someone’s home like this.”

“Chill out. It isn’t like we’re breaking and entering.” Jake bumped into a low table and a small clay pot fell to the floor, shattering into several pieces. “Well, okay, now it’s entering and breaking. But we’re here, so let’s look around.”

“This wouldn’t be a legal search,” Nick snapped. “It’s a waste of time.”

“Are you one hundred percent certain that our uncle isn’t in trouble? The door swinging wide open by itself is enough to indicate suspicious circumstances. We’re here, worried about a family member. You’re not on duty now, are you?”

“Who do you expect to sell that load of garbage to? Captain Mora wouldn’t swallow it.”

“Fine, but let’s look around anyway. We owe it to ourselves.”

“You don’t get it, do you? It’s illegal, and I’m a cop. I don’t want to arrest my own idiot brother.”

“I’ll tell you what. Go out back and see if our uncle is around the yard, maybe chopping wood or pulling weeds.”

Nick’s expression hardened. “I’m going to give you just the time it’ll take me to go through the house and make sure there’s no signs of trouble here,” he snapped. “Then we both leave.”

“That’s the spirit. I’ll work fast, and you work slowly. And if we happen to see the diary, we’ll take it back.”

“I didn’t hear that,” Nick said. Seeing the pot shards on the floor, he stopped and picked them up. “No sense in advertising the fact that we were here,” he said, then added, “At least this is something that was stolen from us originally. I remember seeing it at our house after Dad was killed, and I know neither of us gave it to Thomas.”

Jake was already in the single bedroom searching by the time Nick threw all the ceramic fragments into the trash.

Several minutes later, Jake met his brother by the door. “He’s only got a few pieces of furniture. I opened every drawer. The closets were full of clothes and cardboard boxes of stuff, but there was no diary. If it’s here, it’s too well hidden for us to find easily.”

Nick looked around with a scowl. “Come on. We’re wasting time.” He led the way back to the truck.

Hearing his cell phone ring, Nick grabbed it from his pocket and flipped it open. He listened, then answered. “I’m on my way.”

Nick glanced over at his brother. “There’s trouble at the school. The principal reported someone watching the kids from inside a hedge behind the basketball court. There’s a big cornfield just beyond the school grounds, so that’s probably how he got in close. No one else is available so I’m responding to the call. Give me a ride over there, will you?”

“Sure thing.” Jake pressed down on the accelerator. “Any ideas what that could be about?”

Nick nodded. “About two dozen pueblo kids will be initiated into the tribe soon. Anthropologists from area universities have been dying to find out what goes on during that ritual, so when they hear one’s about to take place, they start nosing around.”

Jake smiled. “Remember when it was our turn to be initiated? All the girls got off easy, but it was different for us.”

“My knees were shaking by the time they turned to us and asked us if we really wanted to be finished,” Nick answered.

“Then we had to promise never to reveal what went on because if all our ceremonies were made public, they’d lose their power, and our people wouldn’t have the protection of our gods,” Jake said.

“Most of the anthropologists have never respected that. They want to record and analyze everything. So they keep coming. Initiation rites aren’t held every year, but the grad students working on a thesis or trying to make a name for themselves somehow always manage to find out when one’s about due. That’s quite a feat in itself, considering that even the kids don’t know when it’s supposed to happen.”

“You know, I never thought I’d say this, but I can’t wait until Noelle goes through the initiation rite. I like the feeling it gives me when I think that my daughter will continue the traditions that were important to me when I was growing up. It’s a legacy that goes beyond a simple inheritance.”

Nick said nothing. His brother had his family and, because of them, he’d always have a reason to look to the future.

But Nick had taken another road. He’d never wanted a family or kids. Yet now that he only had himself to worry about, he was starting to see that a man needed more in his life to feel complete.

Nick pushed those thoughts away. This wasn’t the time to think about such things. He was a cop and there was work to do.




Chapter Four


Eden stopped by the wooden cubbyholes on the office wall that served as teachers’ mailboxes, and pulled out all the envelopes, memos and student worksheets that had been crammed inside the small enclosure labeled with her name. She sorted everything on the way back to her classroom, then sat down at her oak teacher’s desk and began to read through the paperwork.

A legal-size envelope with her name and the school address handwritten in pencil caught her eye. There was no return address on the letter, which had been postmarked yesterday.

Eden opened it, her hands shaking. As she read the short note contained inside, her stomach sank. It was getting all too familiar.

THIS PUEBLO IS ALL WE HAVE LEFT. YOU ARE HALF-WHITE AND SHOULDN’T BE LIVING HERE. THE POLICE CAN’T HELP YOU. LEAVE NOW BEFORE THINGS GET WORSE.

The unsigned note, in block letters, stunned her because a new dimension had been added to the note—a threat. She sat immobile, heart beating overtime, then stuffed the envelope into her pocket and rushed to the teachers’ phone in the book room. Although the note hadn’t mentioned her son, she had to make sure Christopher was safe. When Mrs. Chino, who ran a day-care center out of her home during the week, assured her that Christopher was fine, Eden finally relaxed.

Lost in thought, she returned to her classroom, wondering how to deal with the person who was trying to drive her off pueblo land. When she’d renewed her search for the truth, her main goal had been to clear her family’s name so that her son would grow up feeling pride, not shame in their family. She’d never expected to have to fight another battle as well.

As her sixth-grade students came into the room, she focused on the class. She’d just started taking attendance when an office secretary appeared with a cryptic note from Mr. Puye, their principal.

Students are to be kept in the classrooms. A stranger has been seen on campus. Lock your doors as a precaution and stay alert. The police have been called.

Eden, who always kept her classroom doors locked anyway, walked to the window and tried to get a better look. A shadowy figure was partially visible behind the large hedge, but Mr. Puye was already walking in that direction.

Then a pickup pulled up, and two men jumped out of the cab. She recognized Nick and Jake. With Nick leading the way, they raced around the hedge and into the tall cornfield beyond the school grounds. The men disappeared quickly from sight and, as she looked back at the hedge, she noticed the shadow was gone.

Eden held her breath, waiting for another glimpse of Nick. He hadn’t even thought to hesitate before entering the cornfield to track down the intruder. His dedication to duty was absolute. A man who possessed loyalty like his was just the kind of ally she and Christopher needed, but she wouldn’t risk letting Nick have a hold on her life again.

An eternity later, or so it seemed, Nick and Jake emerged from the end of the cornfield. They were alone. The person hiding in the hedge had either escaped or been allowed to leave.

The principal gave them the “all clear” as the period ended. Eden dismissed her class for lunch and went to the office. After reading that last note, she knew the game had changed, and the possibility that the intruder may have actually been watching her was frightening. Of course it was also quite possible that this was an unrelated incident. What she needed now was enough information to settle the question, if only in her own mind.

As she entered the office, everyone was talking about what had happened. The consensus seemed to be that the upcoming initiation rite was attracting off-pueblo intruders. It seemed a reasonable assumption, but an unproven theory didn’t quiet her fears as completely as she would have liked.

Hearing that Deputy Black Raven was still on campus, she lingered in the office, hoping to see him. She tried to tell herself that it was just because the intruder had rattled her and he was a cop, but deep down she knew it was more than that.

Moments later Nick strode into the office. His loose-legged stride was all masculine boldness and confidence. Women watched him out of the corners of their eyes, and exchanged wistful smiles when he wasn’t looking.

Eden was pleased when Nick found her immediately among all the staff and gave her a heart-stopping smile. Fires suddenly danced over her skin and an excitement as primitive as the desert itself lit up the air.

Nick walked over and placed a strong hand on her shoulder. “I was hoping to catch you.” As he searched her face, Eden felt the full force of the black eyes that had always been able to see deep into her soul. “What’s wrong?” he asked quietly.

She wanted to deny that anything was, but the words were all lodged in the back of her throat.

“Talk to me.”

His voice caressed her, running down her jagged nerves like molten wax that both soothed and burned. Though several staff members remained in the room, as she looked into his eyes it was as if all the others had faded back into the dim recesses of another reality, and they were the only two people there.

“I’m okay,” she said, her voice too shaky to pass as natural. “Really.”

“No, you’re not,” he said firmly. “You can’t fool a man who knows you in all the ways I have,” he whispered discreetly.

Her breath caught. Images of another time and place filled her mind and she remembered the many layers of desire she’d discovered in his arms.

Hearing the school telephone ring, Eden quickly focused on the present. Many years ago she’d sworn she’d never lean on anyone like her mother had on her father. And yet, after hearing Nick’s soft words she’d nearly turned her back on everything life had taught her. She’d have to be much more careful.

“I’m sorry, Nick. I have to go get my gradebook and some student papers before lunch is over,” she said, taking a step away.

He was about to say something when Mr. Puye came out and caught his eye. As he excused himself and accompanied the principal into his office, Nick turned his head for one last look at her.

She knew then that he’d be coming around to her home later to finish the conversation. Nick never left any challenge unanswered.

EDEN REACHED into her pocket and clasped the note she’d received earlier today, wondering what she should do. If news that she’d been receiving warning notes got out, it was possible she’d be asked to resign until after the matter was settled.

Not that she would. She couldn’t afford it, not with Christopher to support. But the last thing she needed was another complication.

Thoughts swirled like hungry buzzards in her head, colliding with each other, and undermining her courage. Back in her room a moment later, Eden collected her belongings and walked out of the building. She only taught half days, though if things went the way she hoped, next semester she’d be teaching full-time.

As she reached the fence at the end of the school grounds, Eden saw Nick parked farther down the road under the shade of an old cottonwood. Seeing her, he got out of his department vehicle and walked to meet her.

“We have to talk, Eden.”

He stood proud and tall in his tan uniform, his eyes alert and focused, like a warrior of old. Nick was a living, breathing temptation on every imaginable level.

“I’m sorry, Nick, but I’ve got to stop by the post office to buy some postcards for a class project, then go pick up Christopher.”

“No problem. I’ll give you a ride and we’ll talk on the way.”

It hadn’t been an invitation, but rather an order, and she bristled at his tone. “No thanks, officer. I’m walking.”

Unexpectedly, Nick grinned. “Some things never change. You still hate having anyone tell you what to do.”

His smile was infectious, but Eden didn’t want to encourage him, so she forced her expression to remain stern. “That’s right. Now please go away.”

“You know I won’t do that,” he answered calmly. “You need my help and I need to maintain the peace here on the pueblo. That gives us common ground. Instead of fighting each other, we should work together.”

Eden considered his offer then nodded. “I’m stuck in a difficult situation, Nick. I came here searching for answers about my family’s past, but someone seems dead set on running me off this pueblo. If the school finds out that I’m being threatened, they can really make things difficult for me. Can you find the person harassing me and quietly get them off my back so I can finish what I came here to do?” She handed him the note she’d received earlier. “I found this in my mailbox this morning when I came in.”

He scanned it quickly. “You mentioned getting notes before. When did you get the first one?”

“I began to feel uneasy, like I was being watched, just a few days after I moved in. The notes started right after that. I think it may be the work of someone my grandmother called ‘Tall Shadow,’ but I haven’t been able to find out who he is yet.” Eden told him about her grandmother’s letter, but suspected from the look in his eyes that he’d already seen it. “This man may have been behind everything that happened to my family. It’s possible that he’s the one sending the notes now.”

Nick remained silent for several long moments as they got underway. “Eden, I understand all about family loyalties, believe me. And we’ll get to the truth. But I have to tell you, no one by the nickname Tall Shadow lives here now. I’d know.”

“I’m looking into a twenty-year-old case, and people come and go. I know that. But I can’t back off and move away, Nick. My son deserves a mom who has the courage to do what’s right.”

“This is my fight, too, whether you believe it or not,” he said, then as if unwilling to leave it up to interpretation, added, “We have the same goal and that makes us allies.”

A swift, secret fire burned through Eden, but she fought to keep her thinking clear. They would be allies because she had no other recourse, but her only future, her only goal, was to give Christopher the kind of secure, loving home she’d always wanted but never had. Nick was her past, but Christopher’s future was in her hands.

NICK DROVE AWAY from the Plaza, lost in thought and trying to ignore the sweet scent of the woman beside him. He had a real bad feeling about this business. The note Eden had received worried him far more than he’d let on. The implied threat was there, and could mean almost anything. To make things even worse, despite the fact that Eden had told him about the contents of her grandmother’s letter, he was dead certain she was still holding back about something.

That wasn’t surprising, of course. He was holding out on her, too. Neither of them had any reason to trust the other. The entire history of their relationship was one of crushed hopes and dreams. The past had left too many scars.

Nick tried to focus on his job. He needed to keep a sharp lookout for trespassers who might be trying to sneak onto the pueblo to document Tewa rites.

A few hundred yards from the rural post office, he caught a glimpse of several people gathered below in a small, brush-lined arroyo. It was deep enough to hide all but the tops of their heads.

“Eden, there’s something going on down there I have to check out. Stay in the unit until I get back.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know, maybe a fight. Lock the doors when I get out and stay inside, okay?”

Nick left the gravel road and parked the vehicle behind a line of junipers. After reporting his position to the dispatcher, he slipped out of the Jeep and crept forward noiselessly toward the scene of activity.

It wasn’t long before he had a clear view. Two men were holding his uncle Thomas by the arms as the third punched him repeatedly. The broad-shouldered pueblo men had slicked-down hair, wore bolo ties, snake-skin boots, and had on fancy western-cut shirts. That was practically a uniform for the casino muscle he’d seen a few times. Ever since legal gambling establishments had opened on several nearby pueblos, crime had been on the rise.

Nick stepped out into the open, resting his hand on the butt of his pistol. “That’s enough,” he yelled out. “Let the man go.”

The goon who’d been hitting Thomas spun around. Seeing Nick was a cop, he sucker-punched Thomas one more time in the gut, and then took off running with his pals.

The sound of a door slamming caused Nick to glance back. Eden was walking in his direction, pretending to talk to another officer just out of view. Nick realized she was trying to back him up by making it appear that he wasn’t alone. He had to smile. That was the Eden he knew. She could always be counted on to help someone in trouble.

Nick went to his uncle’s side and slowly helped him up. Thomas seemed dazed, but he recognized Nick. Glancing across the arroyo, Nick saw that the men who’d assaulted Thomas had already reached an SUV parked on the other side. He’d never catch up to them now.

“Hey, nephew,” Thomas managed, trying to crack a smile as he struggled to catch his breath. “And Eden. When did you join the force?”

Nick saw Eden approach, carrying his nightstick like a baseball bat. “I thought you were going to stay in the unit where you’d be safer,” Nick said harshly.

Knowing she’d put herself at risk to help him made him realize that she still cared about him. But the undeniable fact that the knowledge pleased him, was disturbing in itself. If there were two people in the world who were better off without each other, it was Eden and him. “What if they’d been carrying guns? Did you think of that?” he added.

“Admit it, Nick. I helped out a lot,” she said with a tiny smile and handed him the night stick. “Those thugs punching your uncle took off right away when they thought another officer or two were coming to help you.”

“It could have backfired,” Nick grumbled, then turned to his uncle. “Who sent the muscle? I want some names,” he clipped. “What casino are they from?”

“I’m not pressing charges, so you’re wasting your time.”

“If I’m right, those aren’t the kind of men who just fade away. They’ll be back, and next time I may not be around to rescue your butt.”

Thomas nodded slowly, shaking off Nick’s helping hands. “I didn’t think they’d come looking for me, that’s all.”

“You owe them money?”

Thomas shrugged. “When didn’t I owe somebody money? Don’t worry about it. I’ll find my own way out of this.”

“I don’t think it’ll be that easy. Once they’ve got their hooks into you, they don’t like to let go.”

“True, true,” Thomas said. “But I’ll come up with the cash somehow. I always have an ace up my sleeve, nephew. You must know that by now.”

He had a gut feeling his uncle was referring to the diary, but if that were the case, Thomas had a few surprises coming. Neither he nor Jake would ever pay a ransom for that diary, or allow themselves to be blackmailed like their father had been. And the pueblo residents whose secrets were in that journal were probably less able to pay blackmail than either him or Jake.

“A funny thing can happen when you have a card up your sleeve,” Nick warned slowly. “It can fall out onto the table anytime and, once people know you for what you are, you’ll suddenly find that there’s no place to hide. Trouble will find you no matter where you go.”




Chapter Five


Eden took a tissue from a small packet and began to dab a cut above Thomas’s eyebrow.

Thomas seemed content to accept Eden’s care, but Nick knew what was going through his mind. His uncle was weighing his options and looking for a way to avoid answering questions.

“Have you been by the ranch lately?” Nick asked. He took his uncle’s arm as Eden finished, and led him toward the tribal vehicle.

Thomas slowed down imperceptibly, then matched Nick’s pace again. “Why that particular question?” Thomas gave Nick a speculative glance and, as Nick opened the rear door of the tribal unit, got inside.

Thomas hadn’t denied it. More than ever, Nick suspected that Thomas had the diary. Thomas wouldn’t have been so cagey if he hadn’t had something to hide.

“I owe you one, nephew, and Eden, too,” he said as they got underway. “Things could have gone very badly for me in that arroyo if you hadn’t come along. So tell me straight out what I can do to repay you.”

As they reached the developed area of the pueblo, Nick glanced back at Thomas. His face had been bruised in several places and his left eye was starting to swell shut, but he’d be okay. “What I can always use from you, uncle, is information.”

Thomas wiped his face clean with a handkerchief and straightened his shirt. When they entered the Plaza, he gestured toward the soda machine in front of the Cultural Center. “Let’s stop there. You can buy your old uncle something cold to drink, and we’ll talk.”

Nick pulled into an empty parking space, parked, then led the way to the covered porch by the Center. Placing several quarters in the machine, he pulled out three cans of soda, tossed one to his uncle and handed another to Eden. “Tell me, Uncle, did you come to my niece’s naming ritual last month? It was a big day for our family, but I don’t remember running into you then.”

Thomas smiled. “Yes, I was there with Theresa.” He glanced over at Eden, then lapsed into a lengthy silence.

Eden stood. “I’m going to go to the trading post across the street and see if I can pick up the postcards for my class’s project there.”

Nick nodded, grateful that she’d sensed he and his uncle needed a few minutes alone.

As Eden walked away, Nick continued. “Tell me, did you get a chance to…look around the place now that Jake’s family has taken it over? Curiosity and old habits can be a powerful incentive.”

Thomas shook his head. “The past is over and done with. I’m not much interested in Black Raven Ranch these days.”

“It still holds the things that defined your sister—our mother.”

“If you’re talking about her art, I agree. But if you mean the diary…” He shook his head. “That should have been destroyed a long time ago—burned to a crisp and the ashes strewn into the wind—if you ask me. But I guess you and Jake couldn’t bring yourselves to do that.” He suddenly stopped speaking, studied Nick’s face, then exhaled softly. “It’s missing again, isn’t it?” The question was rhetorical. “You boys should have expected that to happen, you know. But don’t come looking to me. I haven’t got it. You two should keep better track of that thing.”

His response had seemed candid and not at all what Nick had expected. Now he wasn’t so sure that his uncle had it. Then again, his uncle had survived for decades conning others. “That diary is our property. It’s a record of our mother’s past, and belongs with me and my brother.”

“Tell me something, nephew. Did you ever really read it?”

Nick hesitated, unwilling to lie but not wanting to give his uncle any more information. Instead, he glanced over at Eden who was crossing the street on her way back.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” he said, accurately interpreting Nick’s silence. “Take my advice. Don’t. Sometimes it’s better not to disturb the past.”

Seeing the way Nick was watching Eden, Thomas smiled. “She’s a real sharp lady, but she’s another one who needs to learn that same lesson. Eden just came back, and already that old issue about half whites living on the pueblo is creating a stir. Then, there’s the matter of those ceremonial objects that her parents are accused of taking. If she’s come here looking for the truth about that crime, she’s in for a few surprises. I doubt those things will ever turn up. And, to make things worse, she may not be able to live with what she uncovers, or the price it’ll exact.”

“Just what do you know about Eden and her past?” Nick asked.

Thomas slowly grinned. “So you’re in love with her again after all these years. Or did you ever stop loving her in the first place?”

Nick’s face became as neutral as he could manage. His uncle was an old poker player and could read every nuance in his expression. He’d have to be more careful. “There’s nothing between Eden and me. We’ve just been trying to catch whoever has been harassing her.”

Thomas shook his head. “Don’t kid a kidder, nephew.” He smiled at Eden as she came back and joined them.

Eden gave Thomas a worried look. “Are you going to be okay? You look like they punched you pretty hard.”

“I’ve taken worse.” Thomas looked at Nick, then back at Eden. “It’s great to see you two together again. I remember when you’d both sneak off so you could be alone down by the river. Wasn’t your favorite meeting place by that big old cottonwood?”

Eden’s face turned crimson. “How did you know that? We were always so careful.”

“I saw you two there a few times after school, but I never said anything because I thought you were good for each other.” He looked directly at Eden and held her gaze. “I still do. You have a history together, and that binds you in its own way.”

Eden froze, barely breathing.

Nick glanced at her, sensing her fear, but not understanding why she was afraid. There was so much he didn’t know about her. And, right now, he just couldn’t figure out why she felt so threatened by Thomas.

“Your mother, Isabel, and Nick’s mother, Saya, were very good friends,” Thomas said. “You two were just kids then, but I remember overhearing them making plans to fix you up someday.”

“Did my father know about that?” Nick asked, surprised.

“No way. Saya’s friendship with Isabel irritated him to no end because he seriously believed that no pueblo man or woman should ever marry outside the tribe. He really disapproved of Eden on principle, and that’s why he tried to so hard to discourage you from dating her when you were both in high school. He changed a lot in his last few years, but back then he drew a hard line.”

“I knew that Nick’s dad didn’t approve of my friendship with his son, but I never could blame him for wanting what he thought was the best for Nick,” Eden said.

“But now you want to prove that you’re as good as anyone else here,” Thomas observed. “I can understand that, but consider everything carefully before you act. If you insist on digging up the past, you may uncover more than the secrets you were after.”

“My parents were innocent. They didn’t deserve what they got. I realize I can’t change what happened to them, but I can affect the legacy I’ll be leaving for my son. Because of him, I’m going to do whatever it takes to clear my family’s name.”

“If you’re wrong about your parents’ innocence, you’ll lose far more than a reputation,” Thomas said, shaking his head.

“What do you mean?” For the first time, Eden’s voice held a trace of uncertainty.

“If you uncover proof that your parents did commit a crime against the tribe instead of proving them innocent, the house you’re living in will be taken away from you immediately, and both you and your son will be banned from the pueblo forever. Remember that this has nothing to do with white man’s laws. It’s all about our way of doing things. You will be held accountable for what your parents did. The reason your father fought so hard to clear his wife was because he knew they would have lost their land and the right to live here if he didn’t. He was fighting for more than justice. He was fighting for everything he held dear.”

Eden paled. “My parents were framed and the truth needs to come out.”

“Are you prepared to gamble that the ones who framed them won’t also frame you?” Thomas took a final swallow of his soda, and set the empty can down on the table with a flourish.

Eden stared at the man’s battered face, this time unable to reply.




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