Shifting Targets (6 page)

Viper is definitely playing is safe. He
knows that my buddies on the force will bury anything he turns over
against me if I’m still on the loose.
Meeting Shye complicated
his dilemma. Life had been easier with only one thought on his
mind—staying two steps ahead of Viper.

This ghost woman intrigued him more than he
wanted to admit. She didn’t know it but he’d seen her ride in on
the back of Trip’s bike before the bank blew to bits. He knew she
had something to do with it. He recalled the look of fierce
determination on her face as she crept behind the building then
vanished when Carter drove away in his SUV.

Deep in thought, he drew heavily on his smoke
while racking his brain on where she’d gone and how Carter had
sauntered back into town with a rocket launcher on his shoulder.
His black Cadillac had raced out of town as if he’d been in a big
hurry. Then suddenly he was back, running across the street
carrying two sacks of money. Whatever happened inside nobody would
ever know without a shred of evidence left behind. No surveillance
camera could’ve survived the bombs fired into that building.

Where the hell did Carter get a weapon
like that? And where did Shye go when it all went down?
The
questions plagued his mind and refused to let go. His mounting
desire for her didn’t help. She’d become an increasing part of his
everyday thoughts. He needed to know more about the rare beauty and
explore this supernatural aura surrounding her. In all the chaos
he’d lost track of her and hadn’t caught sight of how she’d made it
back out of town.

He flicked his spent smoke to the ground and
stomped it out with his boot.
There’s only one way to learn more
about this captivating Indian woman,
he concluded.
I have to
find her and get her away from Viper long enough to make one of
them talk.

* * * *

After taking a much needed break lounging
around Remle’s cabin for a couple days, Shye decided the time had
come to venture back into town and investigate the status of her
farm. The three of them had gathered at Trip’s bike to say
goodbye.

“I haven’t seen my parent’s since my first
day home,” she told Remle. “It will be wonderful visiting with them
again and introducing them to Trip.”

“I can’t wait to meet them,” Trip said then
turned toward Remle. “Thanks for helping us out.”

Remle nodded and smiled. “Anytime you need
reinforcement you know where to come. Keep an eye out for that
snake Draven. With Carter out of the game, he is a loose
cannon.”

“Yeah,” Trip agreed. “I want to help Shye get
her farm back before going after him again. She deserves this.” He
glanced down with a smile and ran one hand over the back of her
hair as they stood outside the cabin. “The bike is packed. I think
we’ll pick a different campsite to hang out while sorting
matters.”

“What’s your first move after setting up a
new camp?”

“I have a friend in town who may be able to
help,” Shye replied. “I bet he’s relieved to be rid of that
albatross. Carter had him locked in tight. Gage is an attorney and
has been a friend of the family for many years. We didn’t exactly
get off to a great start when I returned home from the service. But
he was under a lot of pressure.” Her thoughts drifted.

“Is something bothering you?” Trip touched
her face, bringing her focus back to their conversation.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Gage claimed
he knew nothing of a sale and mentioned something about Carter
switching documents on him. Yet he was so damn evasive. The
conversation was all over the place and strangely enough swung
around to me settling down as his wife.”

“His wife? This man is in love with you?”

“I guess…he’s been trying to make me his wife
for years. His proposal didn’t exactly give me warm fuzzies. He
laced his profession of love with a couple very hurtful remarks. I
stormed out on him.”

“Do you love him?”

“No…no way. I only saw him as a friend,
nothing more. I can’t help that he assumed we’d marry.”

Trip’s mildly jealous nature surfaced. “I
don’t want you meeting with him alone.”

“He’s not going to help me if I come
traipsing in with a gorgeous guy on my arm.”

“I was under the impression you suspected he
and Carter worked together on this.” He raised questioning brows
above those penetrating eyes. “Now you’re calling him a friend of
the family?”

“I
did
think he was involved. But you
have to admit Gage has not been seen or heard from during this
entire ordeal. Maybe he
is
innocent. I also considered that
Gage may have been forced into going along with Carter’s deception.
After all, the pig did own the town.”

“I can’t let you go into town alone. Draven
is just waiting for an open door. He’d not hesitate to take you
again and use you to get to me.”

She stared up into his eyes and saw the open
love he had for her. His concern was clearly for her wellbeing and
not self-serving. Though she’d never seen his possessive side, she
tried to view the situation from his perspective. If he deemed Gage
a threat, then she’d respect his feelings.

“All right, you can come with me but will you
at least wait outside? He’ll never talk to me if you’re standing
beside me like a bodyguard.”

He shook his head with an easy smile. “I’ll
do my best to be inconspicuous.”

They bid farewell to Remle and rumbled out of
his driveway for their long ride south. Shye had requested they
stop at the reservation first. She was anxious to visit her
parents.

* * * *

Trip made a visual scan of their surroundings
as they rumbled through the village on his Harley. He hadn’t been
on the reservation in a long time. Most of his encounters over the
years with Native Americans had been outside of government land,
usually at festivals and Pow Wows held in and around town. He had a
few private Indian friends that welcomed him to their humble homes
from time-to-time where he’d enjoyed their cooking and campfire
tales.

He noticed residents watching with cautious
eyes as he carefully guided his bike along small roads and around
narrow bends.
So much poverty,
he thought, but wouldn’t
disrespect Shye by voicing his silent observations. His heart sank
just knowing these people had been forced to live like this. He
wondered if their spirits had been broken or if they’d resigned
themselves to a life without hope.

She pointed to a small house with a wooden
front porch. Two figures came into view as they drew closer. He
pulled into the drive, parked the bike and cut the engine. “Is this
your home?”

“I guess. You saw our farm…quite a different
lifestyle on the reservation than on our own land.”

He held her hand as she slid off the seat. “I
understand now why you’ve been fighting so hard to repossess your
farm. From what I saw it’s a magnificent spread.”

“It is. And there is gold in the streams. The
soil is rich for planting and the water is still pure for drinking.
I want my parents to spend their final years on earth where all our
ancestors have. There is an ancient burial ground in the very back
corner of the property. If I cannot give them a proper burial I
fear their spirits will not be free when the time comes.” She
looked up with misty eyes that stole his breath.

“Shye? Is that you?” a woman’s voice called
from the porch. She walked to the edge and peered into the yard,
shielding her eyes from the sun with one hand.

“Yes,
Ina
, I’ve come to visit.” Shye
took his hand and led him up the dirt walkway. “I’ve brought a
guest.”

He recognized the Lakota word for
mother
from when Shye had spoken it before. Trip offered his
hand in greeting but the woman didn’t accept.

“You bring this
wasicu
here…to our
home?”

“
Ina
! He is my friend. It does not
matter that he is white. Not all white people are bad.”

A tall slender man descended the small flight
of steps to the yard. He stared Trip straight in the eyes. Though
his skin had aged, the spark in his eyes shone brightly. Trip felt
humbled by this man’s approach yet stood tall. If he rejected him
because of his skin color then so be it, Shye would have to
choose.

“
Ate
…please,” Shye pleaded softly. “I
love him.”

“You are Wildflower’s
tehila
?” Her
father spoke low and firm. “Do you seek to dishonor my only
daughter without becoming her
hignaku
?”

“I would never bring shame to your daughter.”
He looked to Shye for a little translation. “What does he think I
am doing to you?”

An adorable shade of pink flushed her tan
cheeks. “He is throwing some Lakota words at you to confuse you.”
She shot her father a scolding look, then turned back to Trip. “He
asks if you’re my lover without the promise of marriage.
Hignaku
is husband. My parents are very protective.” She
frowned in open disapproval. “Aren’t you?”

“Shye…he is
wasicu
!”

Trip took a step toward them and squared his
shoulders. “I would marry your daughter today if you gave me your
blessing. I love her.”

Shye gasped and stared at him with wide eyes.
He had hoped for a more romantic proposal but he could tell that
his first impression on her aging parents would be the most
important for everyone standing here right now. He refused to look
weak by not giving a solid reply. He felt her rising anxiety as her
grip on his hand tightened. Her father eyed him carefully for what
seemed like forever.

“I am sorry that the white men tricked you
into selling your farm. I have been helping Shye with her plan to
get it back.”

“It is our tradition that a young warrior
offers a gift to the family of the woman he seeks to take as his
wife. Do you have something to show good faith in exchange for my
daughter’s hand?”

“Please,
Ate
, don’t be so hard on
him.” Shye reached out and touched her father’s arm.

He caught the twinkle in the man’s eyes and
observed the closeness between them.

“It’s okay, babe. I have something that will
most certainly please your father.” He released her hand and walked
to his bike. Reaching into a saddlebag, he pulled out a large knife
encased in a leather sheath, then returned to her side. “This knife
was made for me by a Native American friend of mine. It means a
great deal to me, but your daughter is worth everything I own.”

“Even that?” He pointed to Trip’s Harley.

“You want my bike?” His heart skipped a beat.
For an elderly man, he had a good eye.

“Is my wildflower not worth it? In the old
days, a warrior offered his best horse to the family. I have heard
those motorcycles are sometimes called
steel
horses
.
Is this true?”

“Yes, some people use that term.” He glanced
at his bike then back at her father. “Are you serious? Do you
really want my Harley?”

“Are you serious about my daughter like you
say?”

“
Ate
!” Shye chided. “Enough. You are
only being cruel.”

“
Hiya
! After what has been done to us,
I have the right to make sure my only daughter is not deceived as
we were.”

Shye backed down immediately and stood
quietly at Trip’s side.

“If you want the bike, it’s yours. I have
plenty of money saved and can buy another. I would not dishonor
your family by saying
no
.” If he had to surrender his baby
to win Shye then so be it.

“
Hiya
,” her father said again.

“I don’t understand. I’m sorry.”

“No is
hiya
.” He smiled a crooked
smile.

Trip repeated the word much to the man’s
delight.

“Now you have spoken your first word in
Lakota.” He wandered over to the bike and inspected it for at least
fifteen minutes then strolled back to them. “Your steel horse,” he
began with a mischievous grin. “Is a very impressive machine,
however, I like the knife better. It will help me with my carvings
and these old bones might rattle to pieces on a machine such as
that.”

Trip couldn’t withhold a laugh. Not only was
Shye’s father strong and protective but he had a sense of humor
too. He held out the sheathed knife.

Her father slid the blade from the leather
and gave a soft whistle. “You give this to me?”

“Yes. I am more than happy to present you
with a gift as a token of friendship.”

“There is much good to be said over a
generous man. Generosity is one of the most valued traits among our
people. You have pleased me, and I give my blessing to you and my
daughter.”

Trip gave a slight bow of his head. “Thank
you. I will be good to her. May I ask your names?”

“My wife is Dancing Water and I am called
Night Walker.”

“I’m Trip Viper.” He extended his hand again
and this time her father accepted.

A bright smile lit Shye’s face as she hugged
each of her parents. “Lila pilamayaye,” she said in a joyful voice,
then gazed at Trip. “It means
thank you very much
.”

Her mother approached to place a soft kiss on
his cheek. “Welcome to our home. Come inside. I will prepare the
evening meal.”

* * * *

“I really like your parents,” Trip said, as
they lay naked in the cool grass gazing up at the stars after a
moonlight swim. The lull of running water from the nearby creek
blended with the sounds of night created a beautiful song.

“Even though my father gave you such a hard
time and Mother cursed you?” She let out a little laugh.

He rolled onto his side, propped on one
elbow. “They love you. And I meant what I said to them.” Staring
down at her through half-closed eyes and sensually parted lips, he
murmured, “I love you, Shye. I didn’t prepare for this moment but
something tells me you’re the kind of woman who’d want a say in
picking out her engagement ring. Will you marry me, angel?”