Merciless

“Didn’t we decide to turn all that meat into jerky?”

“Nope. I kept the backstraps.”

“Of my antelope meat? Or yours?”

“Does it matter?”

“It does only if you’re bragging to Lex about how studly you are in putting meat on the table.”

“Smart-ass. You want me to confess to my son you’re a better hunter than me?”

“It’d be the truth, because I am a much better hunter than you.”

He groaned. “Don’t remind me.”

“But you can process a kill faster.”

“Such a sweet talker, Sergeant Major. I’ll see you at home.”

I returned everything to its proper place. I deleted the history on the computer in case chatty Sheldon got snoopy. I ripped out the two pages of notes I’d jotted down and set the notebook on Sheldon’s desk. “I’ve gotta run. Thanks for your help today.”

“Happy to assist. And you’re welcome back here any time, Agent Gunderson.”

I didn’t remember to ask Sheldon about the weird doors I’d seen on the backside of the building until I was inside the tribal PD.

All hell had broken loose, and I forgot about it entirely.

11

Yells of outrage and flailing arms greeted me when I entered tribal police headquarters.

Verline’s family members were attacking Rollie with their fists and their voices.

Several tribal cops stepped in to stop it, but there were five Dupris women and three cops. Bad odds.

So I jumped into the fray. I kept my back to Rollie, figuring he wouldn’t take a swing at me. But someone did land two blows to my head in rapid succession, directly on my ear. The immediate burst of pain caused me to lose my balance.

That pissed me off.

And it didn’t seem like the officers intended to restrain anyone, so I did.

Grabbing a zip tie from my pocket, I snatched somebody’s arm midblow. I jerked the wrist; the body attached lurched forward. I saw a surprised look on Maureen Dupris’s face a split second before I spun her around, immobilized her hands, and shoved her to her knees.

Another zip tie, another flailing arm, and I put Carline in the same position as her sister.

Nita glared at me as Officer Orson restrained her. I faced the other women I didn’t know; I assumed they were more of Nita’s daughters. “You will back off right now, or I will throw all of you in jail for attempted assault on a federal officer, understand?”

The women aimed defiant looks at me.

Nita sneered, “Try it.”

Without breaking eye contact with Nita, I said, “Officer Orson, cuff her.”

Protests rang out around me, but I ignored them.

Once Nita was cuffed, I stepped back. “Put her in interview room one.”

“What about him?” Officer Ferguson asked of Rollie.

“Put him in interview room two.”

“You can’t just leave us out here like this,” Maureen complained.

“I can put you in a holding cell, if you’d rather,” I offered.

“We need to be with our mother. She’s grieving. She’s… not thinking straight.”

I suspected Nita was the one who had sucker punched me. “Her grief hasn’t seemed to affect her aim, so she stays in cuffs until she calms down.” I looked at each one of them in turn. “We’ll interview you separately, so make yourselves comfy on that bench.”

I’d left my purse in my pickup. So much for popping a couple of Excedrin to stave off a headache. I was rubbing the spot between my eyes when Turnbull blocked my path.

His gaze roamed over my face and stopped at my reddened ear. “You always seem to end up in the line of fire.”

“Story of my life. I don’t suppose you’ve got any aspirin?”

“I’ll track some down.” Turnbull threw a look over his shoulder. “The tribal police chief is insisting on sitting in during the interviews.”

I groaned. “More jurisdictional bullshit?”

“Yeah. And without you thinking I’m sexist, I believe the best division of labor is for you to question the Dupris family and I’ll question Rondeaux.”

There was more to it than that. “And we don’t want anyone questioning whether I was impartial with Rollie, since I have a personal relationship with him.”

“Exactly. But I want to observe your sessions and I want you present when I talk to Rollie. Okay?”

“Fine.”

Turnbull opened the door to interview room one.

Nita Dupris stood beside the window. She turned and bestowed another lovely look of hatred upon me.

Tribal Police Chief Looks Twice entered after us, followed by Officer Ferguson and Carsten.

She raised a blond brow at me. “Is it necessary to keep her cuffed?”

I looked at Nita. “Do you plan on taking another swing at me?”

She shook her head.

I signaled to Officer Orson to remove the cuffs. On his way out the door I said, “Would you keep an eye on the daughters?”

We sat around the conference table. I inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly and silently. “Miz Dupris, this is not a formal interview. You are not being charged with anything. Do you understand?”

A fuck-you look, but no response.

“I will need a verbal confirmation from you that you understand why you’re here.”

“Fine. I know why I’m here. Get on with the questions.”

“Did your daughter Verline live with you permanently?”

“No. She’s been livin’ with Rollie Rondeaux for the last three years. But she and her babies had been staying with me.”