Page 105 of Chaos has a Name (An FBI Romance/Thriller #66)

Elkie led her to a counter where she had a book waiting for Elizabeth. It was full of things that the Natives needed, and she always insisted on being told so she could help out.

“Yes, the brothers live together above the bar. It’s a smaller apartment, but it works for them. They are close.”

Elizabeth kept talking, trying to keep the conversation going. She knew Gene was recording it since he couldn’t appear to be making notes as to not draw suspicion.

“I actually met them today,” Elizabeth admitted. “I’m working on finding who killed Thomas Adsila. Unfortunately, we now know he’s the victim.”

She sighed.

“That’s horrible. I can’t believe this shit is going on here,” she said. “Still.”

Gene lifted a brow.

Elizabeth saw it.

Yeah, that was something.

“What do you mean?” she asked. “Can you tell me a little more? Has something like this happened before?” she inquired, pretending not to know about The Hollow.

Just.

In.

Case.

Elkie explained, actually surprising Elizabeth that she so willingly brought it up.

“I fear that it’s The Hollow,” she admitted. “Were his things found neatly folded on a rock?”

Elizabeth nodded.

“Yes.”

She shook her head.

“He was a nice man,” she offered. “Unfortunately, Thomas didn’t always make the best choices, and here, on the reservation, that’s dangerous.”

Apparently.

“When he was on the drink, he was a nightmare. He’d run his mouth, skip out on his tab, and then just be incredibly belligerent.”

So they’d heard, but his two drinking buddies said he was a harmless drunk. Why were their stories not matching up?

Only, she needed more, so she went there.

“Did your sons ever tell you anything about Thomas, more than you just said? I mean, since he drank in their bar? I’m having a difficult time finding out anything. I’m trying to stop The Hollow.”

The second she said it, Elkie grabbed her hand.

“No! You must let it be. That’s not something people should interfere in, and specifically a white woman from outside our reservation. Your family connections won’t matter to The Hollow. It will come for you.”

Yeah, too little too late.

Been there.

Done that.

“I have to, Elkie. It’s my job.”

She pulled a necklace off of her neck, and put it over Elizabeth’s head.

“This will protect you. My father taught me the old ways. He was going to be Shaman until the Blackhawks, specifically Timothy’s father, took the role. This will keep you safe while you’re here.”

She took it.

For one reason.

DNA.

“Thank you, Elkie. I appreciate the protection,” she said, not really buying into it, but who was she to mock it? Wyler gave her trinkets all of the time, and so did Timothy. It was just how those older Natives rolled.

Now, though, she needed to switch it up so she didn’t give anything away.

“It was mentioned that a few friends of his went missing. Do you think you can remember them?”

She waited.

When Elizabeth saw she was willing, she went there, trying to get information.

“John Ankiti and Jolon Tuttle.”

She sighed.

“John’s mother died four years ago. She was the final Ankiti on the reservation. She was a good woman. John, on the other hand, liked the drink. Like your own father-in-law once did.”

Well, that interview was off of the list. There was no way she was going to be using a Ouija board on this reservation.

That was probably a bad idea.

That she was even willing should tell her how desperate she was to get out of there.

“How about the Tuttles?” she asked. “Are there any still on the reservation?”

Rayna was right beside her, and she could answer that.

“The mother is still here. No one else is, though,” she offered.

Well, that was another strike.

Unfortunately.

She could interview her, but she was likely in her eighties, and might not recall well enough.

This was difficult.

“When they went missing, did anyone ever hear from them again?” she asked, pushing on.

Elkie shook her head.

“Not to my knowledge. Honestly, Wyler ran wild. The two men, and Lance Running Wolf, your father, Rayna, were best friends. They tended to always be together. When the two men went missing, Lance and Wyler had a falling out over something.”

Oh, she knew.

A woman.

There were a few things that could start a war, and at the top of the list was one main thing.

LOVE.

“Really, Elizabeth, don’t poke The Hollow. It’s a very bad idea.”

Again, it was her job.

“So, did your husband and sons like to hunt?” she asked, changing the subject.

Elkie laughed.

“All of the time. They kept our freezers full. They still do, but they don’t get to go out as much. The bar keeps them busy.”

Elizabeth was curious.

“Callen’s been trying to take me hunting but with a bow and arrow. Sadly, I suck at it.”

Elkie was amused.

“It’s not easy. My Joshua wasn’t good at it with a bow, but I taught the boys to be sufficient. That was my duty to make sure they could grow up and take care of their families—not that they’ve settled down,” she said, sighing.

Rayna understood.

“It’s not easy to find a spouse here,” she offered.

Elkie sighed.

“No, it isn’t. My hope for grandbabies died out a long time ago.”

To keep her off guard, and to show Takoda how she did it, she changed the subject.

“Do you know who The Hollow is?” she asked.

Elkie shrugged.

“No one knows. We only know the legend. You don’t mess with it, and you don’t try to stop it. If you leave it alone, the Wendigo gets fed, and we have a decent year.”

Uh-huh.

Except there were no Wendigos.

“What is known is it is to be respected. Nowadays the younger generations don’t heed the lessons or customs of the elders. That is a problem.”

Well, yeah.

Because this custom was taking a human life. That was all kinds of wrong.

Why was that so difficult to see?

It was like taking a trip to some alternate universe where people didn’t believe in things that were real, but they clung to things that were fake.

What was next?

Big Foot?

Chupacabra?

Moth man?

This was all insane to her.

“What is it you need for the people here?” Elizabeth asked, aborting this mission of cuckoo.

She had other things to handle. Hopefully, Callen had handled everything he needed to do so she could get this done.

Elkie pushed a tablet toward Elizabeth. It was one that Callen had given them to order things that people needed on the reservation.

“When I saw Callen and Ethan yesterday morning, they told me to order what was needed for a little girl. I saw this tea set, and I think she would like it. Plus, her guardian, her grandmother, could use some air conditioning in her cabin. I just didn’t want to order anything without asking. It seems wrong.”

Elizabeth took the tablet and checked out the things that were on the screen.

“They gave me money for it, but I didn’t get a chance to run out. Would you like it back?”

She waved her hand.

“No, use it for anyone who needs it. As for the things you picked out, can I sit for a minute to check them out?” she asked.

Elkie nodded.

Taking the tablet over to a set of chairs, Gene joined her and so did Rayna and Takoda.

As they did, Elizabeth was curious.

“How old is the little girl?” she asked, glancing over at her.

Elkie thought about it.

“She’s four,” she said.

Gene was thinking about his own daughter with Ethan because she was around that age.

“She needs more than a tea set,” he said, watching Elizabeth check out the things on the screen. It was a toy store, and she was putting things in the cart, much like she would with her own kids.

“Does she like pink?” Elizabeth asked.

The woman nodded.

“Who is it?” Rayna asked because whoever it was had some things coming.

The Blackhawks were making a little girl’s dreams come true.

“Little Maya Deeneen. Her mother left her with her grandmother because she didn’t want to take care of her anymore.”

Oh, boy.

That…that broke Elizabeth’s heart.

She picked out so many things, and the whole time, Gene was helping her. She also picked out some things for the grandmother.

An electric blanket.

Some pretty pots to cook in.

Then, she knew she needed to do more.

“Do you know the grandmother?” she asked Rayna.

The woman nodded.

“Yes, I do. She’s actually Maya’s great-grandmother and almost ninety. Her mom’s mom bailed too. The family isn’t big into obligations. She came back here pregnant and worked at the bar until she gave birth. Then, she upped and never came back.”

Already, she was curious, but didn’t say anything out loud. As a mother, she couldn’t imagine leaving her children. What if the woman didn’t leave of her own freewill?

Was The Hollow behind that too?

“Can I have some things delivered to you?” Elizabeth asked. “And can you bring them to Maya when you get them?”

Rayna nodded.

“I can do that. You don’t want to deliver them yourself?” she asked.

Elizabeth knew the truth.

One, it would look like she was pitying the Natives since she and Gene were white. If they were staying, she’d have Callen do it.

Or Ethan.

Or Wyler.

“We won’t be here much longer,” she admitted. “We’re going home.”

Oh, she was aware, and it sucked.

“Are you ever coming back?” she asked, trying to dig for information.

Elizabeth knew why she was asking.

For Caspian.

Only, if he didn’t tell her that he was staying, yet, he had a reason. That wasn’t her business.

“Yes. At some point, we’ll be here. We just need to be safe. Just when you do the delivery, don’t give our names, please?”

She didn’t understand that.

Not.

At.

All.

She was seeing that the Blackhawks liked to work in the shadows, and that was admirable. Her opinion of Elizabeth had changed vastly in the last day.

When Gene handed her his credit card, since she infamously didn’t carry cash or cards with her, since she was always with someone, she checked out.

When Rayna saw the total, she whistled.

“Christmas is coming early for little Maya. A few Christmases.”

Gene was to the point.

“Can I have some things delivered for her for Christmas too? Will you handle it?”

She smiled.