Whispering Spirits (9 page)

“Terry and I have never been all that close.
Lewis and I on the other hand are. He listens and tries to stay out
of trouble. He’ll be going to college in the fall…his drive is to
help our people for generations to come.”

“What’s his major?” Summer smiled, happy
whenever she heard someone from the res was going to college.

“He’s going into corporate law.”

“Really? That’s surprising. How…I’m confused
as to why. How can that help the people?”

“Maybe you should be asking yourself that
question. You had great aspirations when we were kids. I remember
you boasting how you were going to become a professor and teach
Native American History. You were inspired by some movie…what was
it? Yes, it was
Last of the Dogmen
with Barbara Hershey and
Tom Berenger. You wanted to be a professor that would share what
life was truly like for the Blackfeet and how their world was
stolen from them.”

“How on earth did you ever remember that? I
haven’t thought about that in so long. I…also had a love for
writing. I could teach about my people, or I could write
interesting, exciting stories that showed how life was for the
Blackfeet in the eighteen hundreds. I decided I didn’t want to
force the knowledge of how life was destroyed by the coming of the
napi’kwan
…but show it in my stories.”

“You now have your masters in writing and
your bachelors in Native History. Your dream of being a professor
will soon come true. Have you decided where you’re going to
teach?”

Summer drew in a breath, then slowly released
it. “If you’d asked me that question a month ago, I would have had
a confident answer. Now…I’m not certain of anything. I have two
offers to consider, but until this murder investigation is behind
me, I’m not certain what the future will be.”

“Maybe you should consider teaching writing
and Native history to our young people. Your father is teaching
them to speak the language of our people. Would he not be proud if
you were to teach them how to write stories about their ancestors,
the struggles of being Blackfeet, and the challenges of their hopes
and dreams?”

There seemed no way to deny what Running
Crane suggested had merit. “I…told myself I’d never return to the
Res. I don’t want to raise my children there…and I…want to move on
with my life. I don’t want to be held back by old traditions and
old ways. We can’t live in the past, Running Crane. We can’t raise
another generation of dependent Blackfeet.”

“Is that what you think our people are doing?
High-tech society lures our young people away from learning their
own traditions and language. The lack of jobs and income sends our
people away from the reservation and the ties of family are left
behind. We struggle to find a way to combine the values of the
napi’kwan
and our people, to build a society of respect and
pride. The
Ni-tsi-ta-pi-ksi
must be a combination of ancient
traditions and modern challenges. If our people are going to
survive, we must learn to understand, respect, and accept each
other’s ways…and live in harmony.”

Summer stared at the shimmering water,
hearing his words and remembering a time when she felt as strong
and determined as Running Crane. She had lost her way…and only
wanted to be left alone without the constant reminders of the
problems her people faced on the res. “I’ve…wanted to be free of
the demands such thinking creates. I’ve come to believe that we
have to let go of the past…and move on as other races have done.
Look how the ancestors of the Blacks have merged into society.
They’re equals now…after years of conflict and determination. If we
continue fighting against the
napi’kwan’s
society, we’ll
never become equal.”

“Giving up isn’t the answer, don’t you see?
If we create a curriculum that supports our cultural ways, we’ll
have the people’s support. There’s no reason we can’t teach our
youth pride in their past, create a present with strength, and a
future with fortitude of spirit.”

“You would be a great asset to the Tribal
Council. Have you considered running for office?”

“Actually I’ve decided to do just that. There
are a few things that need finishing before I can devote my
energies to that end. Believe me, I’ve given this a lot of thought.
Although the Tribe owns a pencil-and-pen factory and the Blackfeet
National Bank, non-Indians own most businesses and services. The
Tribe and the federal government do provide some employment on the
Reservation. But most people don’t realize that only one out of two
working-age Blackfeet have a job and Tribe members must survive on
around four thousand seven hundred dollars a year.”

“And that’s my point. Why would anyone want
to stay? Non-Indians care about those starving in foreign
countries, sending aid and help…but they don’t see what’s in their
own back yard. You see the problems…yet you don’t live on the res.
Why?”

“Because I’m doing more good from the
outside. I’m creating awareness and I protect our people from
injustices because I care about the red man. I can’t do it all by
myself, that’s why I advocate among the people to get educated and
pay that education forward.”

Summer saw a side of Running Crane she never
knew existed. He was a man of principle and advocacy. She liked the
man sitting across from her. “So, tell me, how is your brother
Terry doing?” She smiled at Running Crane. He reached over and slid
her dark, shoulder-length hair behind her ear. The gesture made her
breathless.

“He and Peggy are doing okay. He drinks too
much and too often, but they seem to make it work. He’s been
getting construction jobs and drying trucks during the summers and
that keeps the bills paid. Just so you know, I’m really not angry
at you for using me.”

Summer laughed. “I’m glad. It really wasn’t a
very nice thing for me to do. You were such a womanizer. I didn’t
think anyone would question your motives.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I had a lot of
women friends, but few girlfriends. I like people thinking I was a
womanizer, as you put it. I wasn’t about to argue. It’s a stroke to
a guy’s ego to be thought of in such a way. Truth is…you girls
scared the crap out of me. You were one of the few girls I actually
kissed in the day.”

“Shut up! Running Crane you’re full of it.
There are a lot of things I’ll believe, but that isn’t one of
them.” She laughed, realizing it’d been a very long time since she
felt this carefree and relaxed. She hadn’t realized it until this
very moment.

“It’s late, we’d better get some sleep.”
Running Crane said the words but made no motion to get up.

“Did…did you find any sign of someone
watching us?” She wanted to know, but hoped they’d all been edgy
and imagined it.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t ask. Truth is I
found the tracks from two guys who’ve been watching your tipi from
the east. I tracked them to where a pickup had been parked. They’d
left by the time I got there.”

“You think they’re gone for good?” She didn’t
believe it for a moment.

“Doubt that. They had a reason for leaving.
My guess is to touch-bases with whoever sent them to find you.”

“You think they’re the guys who killed
Jordan? They still believe I know something, don’t they? I was
thinking about him…and I…do believe he was having a thing with Ali.
I really didn’t see it before. There’s more to it than just that,
but I truly don’t know what. I feel like a complete idiot, that
much I’ll say.”

“But you’re a beautiful idiot. Does that help
any?” Running Crane laughed, then leaned toward her.

She held still…hoping and fearing he’d kiss
her. He moved his lips across hers, barely touching them. She
leaned slightly toward him and he slid her palm along her jawline,
lightly cupping the back of her neck and pulling her into his
deepening kiss. She responded with gentle tasting, then returned
his urgency.

He released her lips and leaned back a few
inches. “I’ve been yearning to do that ever since I looked at you
in the chopper. I’ve longed to taste your lips all these years. I
wanted to know if I imagined it.”

“Imagined what?” she asked, puzzled by his
comment.

“That you taste better than any woman I’ve
ever kissed. That you make my heart race just by looking at you.
That your blue eyes sparkle like sun on a smooth lake.”

“I would never have guessed you to be the
romantic type. Why didn’t you ever let me know?” She could barely
speak…his closeness increased her breathing.

“You were my brother’s girlfriend. I
respected that…except that one time. I couldn’t help myself. I
don’t think Terry was all that upset either. I think he knew you
weren’t going to be happy living on the res, and that’s all he ever
wanted to do. It’s home to him. It’s where all his friends are.
It’s the only place he feels comfortable. Lewis has been getting
Terry involved in Tribal government. He seems to take to it…and
he’s earning respect from the elders.”

“Are you going to talk all night…or would you
mind kissing me at least one more time?” Summer’s boldness shocked
her.

He pulled her into his arms and lowered his
mouth over hers. The depth from which he kissed nearly drew her
breath away. She kissed him back like never before. She didn’t
understand what had come over her…but she had no will to fight
it.

He slid his palm around her back and pulled
into him. She wanted him…every part of him. She returned his
kisses, then pressed gently against his chest. “If we don’t stop
now…well, let’s just say I need—”

“I didn’t mean to take advantage of you,
Summer. I don’t know what it’s about you that melts my reserve. I
felt it years ago…and I feel it now.”

“You weren’t taking advantage of me, Running
Crane. I liked every one of your kisses. It actually surprises me,
because I…haven’t felt this way in a very long time. I’d better go
back to my tipi…before I can’t say no.”

He laughed softly and quickly got to his
feet. He reached down and pulled her up, against him. “I didn’t
expect this. Please tell me you feel it, too.”

“I feel it,
Nato’sin
. I feel it.” She
looked up into his eyes and smiled. “Would you walk me to my tipi?”
She laughed at how it sounded.

“No girl has ever asked me that before,” he
laughed.

Summer stretched up and kissed him quickly on
the lips. A meadowlark released her warning thrill…again and again.
“The meadowlark doesn’t sing at night. Something’s wrong!”

Summer’s heart beat fast as she ran toward
the tipi. She swiftly entered and listened for
Nah’ah’s
soft
breathing. Silence answered. The center fire had burned down to
glowing coals, barely shedding light.

“
Nah’ah! Nah’ah
?” Summer dropped
several sticks to the embers and as they added light she searched
the shadowy space…over and over. “
Nah’ah
?” Summer called out
again.

“Maybe she stepped outside to take care of
nature,” Running Crane said.

Summer glanced back at him and fear gripped
her. She ran out of the tipi and searched the shoreline, then edges
of the dense woods along the river.
“Nah’ah!”
she called
out.

“Nah’ah?” Running Crane shouted.

Summer ran back to him. “Where could she
be?”

Chapter Five

Running Crane pulled Summer against him and
held her tight. “I don’t know. When was the last time you saw her?”
She trembled against him. This was his fault. He had a job to do
and instead of protecting
Nah’ah,
all his attentions went to
kissing Summer. They had depended on him…and he’d let them
down.

“You left to check the area and I offered to
do the dishes.
Nah’ah
went straight to the tipi for the
night. I never thought to go in and check on her. After I finished
cleaning up I went to the river bank. I wasn’t that far away. I
heard nothing.”

“We can’t do anything more tonight. It’s just
too dark. I promise we’ll find
Nah’ah
.” He walked around the
campfire, looking for signs in the dirt.

“Where would she go? Would anyone hurt an
eighty year-old grandmother?” Summer stood in front of the
campfire.

It broke his heart to see a tear slide down
her cheek. “I’m going to get my flashlight and see if I can
track—”

“Don’t leave me here alone, Running Crane.
I…I’ll go with you.”

“I can’t place you in danger like that—”

“Danger? I’ll be in danger if you leave me
here by myself. I’ll keep quiet. I won’t say a word. Please, don’t
leave me here alone.”

He walked the short distance between them and
pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry, Summer. I shouldn’t have let
this happen. Come, let’s get that flashlight.” He took her hand in
his and led the way down the path toward his tipi.

A twig snapped just ahead…Running Crane
grabbed Summer and pulled her on top of him as he hit the ground,
behind tall sagebrush. He held her tight and said nothing. Her
heart beat fast against him.

It’s seemed an hour, but in reality after ten
minutes or so, Running Crane scrambled to his feet, pulling Summer
up with him. He whispered, “We’ll go slow and easy. Stay behind me
and don’t say a word. It was most likely a deer.”

“Right.”

He couldn’t help smirking. Like in the old
days, there was no fooling her. He led the way, step after step,
neither making a sound. He stopped just short the tipi and stood,
listening. Satisfied, he entered and froze. “What the hell?”

“Oh my God, everything’s destroyed.” Summer
leaned against him. “It looks like someone took a knife and
slashed…you don’t think he took
Nah’ah
, do you? Is this a
warning of what he’ll do to her?”

“He isn’t going to hurt
Nah’ah
. If he
took her as his hostage…it’s a means to an end. We’ll do or give
him what he wants and he’ll give her back to us. Stay here and
I’ll—”