Hi Friends. I hope you all had a good Fourth of July. Our family did.
As I write this fictitious story about the reality happening on the Crow reservation as well as on other native land, I'm hoping the plot will raise awareness about the suffering this scourge brings not only to them, but to other families across our country as well. Maybe the characters in this story will give some of you ideas about how we can help end this suffering, maybe not everywhere, but at least in locations where you live.
Have a blessed summer.
Sheri Schofield
Chapter 14
Ethan walked down the steps to meet his brother, giving me time to pull myself together.
"Hey, Aaron.
Aaron climbed out of his patrol car and stood with his back against it, glancing briefly toward the porch. I was sure he couldn't see me, for the swing was in shadow.
"Hey, Ethan. I saw your kitchen light on and figured you were still up." He leaned with his back against the car and his arms crossed. "Chet Tyler made a dead."
Aaron's voice dropped when Ethan reached him, and I heard no more. But I didn't want Aaron to see me, even in the moonlight. He had interrupted a private moment, and I didn't want him asking any questions. He spoke with Ethan briefly, then climbed back into his patrol car and left.
"Chet said they were holding girls from the Crow plus a Northern Cheyenne girl. He thinks the Crow girls are the ones we've been looking for. He's going to check with the other girl's tribe tomorrow."
"Did Chet tell you where they are keeping the girls?" Ethan asked.
"He said Joe and Mac have moved them. He thought they'd be at the Alder's hunting cabin. But the police checked, and the girls aren't there."
"How did the kidnappers get out of the area? You have patrols blocking all the roads out."
"Aaron doesn't know how they escaped, or where they've hidden out, but it's probably somewhere in our area. I don't think they could have passed the patrol cars without being stopped." He shrugged. "It's possible they have moved to some cabin in the mountains which we just don't know about. At least, that's the most probable answer. We're going to talk about it at the meeting tomorrow night over at your family's house."
I nodded.
Ethan drew me into his arms again. "Skye, you have taken me by surprise. I never thought I'd find love again after Jodie. Yet I find myself drawn to you like a moth to flame. I feel happy when I'm with you." Ethan smiled, "And you are so very kissable."
I felt heat rising in my cheeks. "I never expected to find love here in Chisum. But then, I didn't know you were home again. I think I've always loved you, Ethan. I just didn't think you would ever be more than a friend, so I didn't allow myself to hope."
He rubbed his cheek on my hair. "Let's take this slow. I don't want to make any mistakes this time. Okay?"
I nodded. "I agree."
"Good. I think we both need our love to be solid. Real. It will take some time. But whatever we build together has to last." He sighed. "Which is why I've asked Mom to come home until we've rescued those native girls and captured their kidnappers. You won't be able to go home until it's safe. And we can't share a house indefinitely without casting shadows on our relationship in this town. With Mom here, everything will be okay, and we can take our time learning about each other again."
"It will be good to have Aunt Josie here," I agreed. I'd called his mother Aunt Josie since childhood, just as he'd called my mother Aunt Suzanne, though our families were not related. "When's she coming?"
"Saturday."
"In two days?" I gasped, leaning away and looking up into his face. "This house is a disaster! What will she think!"
"She'll think we are happy and relaxed around each other, Skye. She was never one to put housework ahead of family. Don't worry, honey."
I sighed. "Okay. But tomorrow I'm going to give this house a good scrubbing!"
Ethan laughed and drew me close. "I need to get to bed, Skye. You do too. So give me another kiss and say goodnight."
I lifted my head, and his lips came down on mine in a warm, lingering kiss. "Good night, Ethan," I whispered as his lips lifted from mine.
"Good night, Skye honey."
As I lay in my bed that night, I was sure sleep would evade me as I thought about all that had passed between us that evening. But my head had barely hit the pillow before I fell into a deep, restful sleep.
***
Friday evening came quickly. Once again, our search group met at my parents' home to discuss the progress Aaron was making. He'd invited Sheriff Bold Eagle to join us again, since we now had news of the lost girls.
"Chet Tyler took a plea deal and told us what he and his friends had done. He was part of a ring taking teenage girls from the Crow and Northern Cheyenne tribes, keeping them for themselves for a while, then, when they were tired of them, they trafficked the girls. Any babies born to the girls were also trafficked."
A burst of deep anger swept through the room as we absorbed the information. Those poor children! How could this be happening right under our noses?
"I hope the deal Chet made with you sends him to prison!" Pastor Barrett exclaimed.
Aaron smiled grimly. "Oh yes. He'll see the inside of prison for some time. But it won't be for life I'm afraid. If we catch the other men, they'll be looking at life in prison...or worse...unless a fancy prosecutor gets them off with less. There's murder involved in what they've been doing, not just kidnapping. But I won't say more about the murder right now. Let's keep that under wraps. If you see either Joe Alders or Mac Brown, call the police department at once. Don't try to stop them yourself. They can be deadly."
Shirley Delaney, the storekeeper's wife, spoke. "You said they were also trafficking the babies. I've been asking around about who might be delivering them locally."
"What did you learn?" Deputy John Hawk asked.
"Well, there's an EMT working out of Sheridan who has been known to deliver babies born at home out here in Chisum. Several of our women have used her services. She's become a good midwife. Cecilia Cottrell over at the library has overheard some of the women recommending a woman named Dee Ann Jones. That's the midwife's name."
"I know her," Deputy Sandi McCoy said with surprise. "She lives right next door to me. I've seen her coming and going at odd hours, but I figured it was her EMT schedule. Come to think of it, she just put her house on the market last week. She said she needs to be in a place with better-paying jobs." Sandi shrugged. "That's a common enough remark around here. Pay's never been great for any available jobs."
Aaron wrote the name down on his pad and asked about the house number.
Deputy Wade Martin nodded and spoke. "I've been keeping an eye on Leah McArthur. She's a retired nurse. Used to work in obstetrics up in Billings, Montana.. I've seen her leaving her house late at night sometimes, but I don't know where she's been going. Could be nothing, but she seems well-to-do."
As we talked, Sheriff Bold Eagle nodded. He finally spoke, great emotion filling his voice. "Thank you for all you are doing. This is the first hope we've had in a long time. If you can find and stop this kidnapping ring, our people will be able to live in more safety in the future. Thank you! Thank you for what you've done so far. It's amazing." He tapped his chest. "I've felt in my heart our girls were close. You have proven it. Now we need God to help us rescue them."
"Do you have any trained scouts at Crow Nation who might be able to track for us?" Aaron asked.
Sheriff Bold Eagle nodded. "We do have some. I will see if someone can help you."
Liam Webster spoke up for the first time. "I know a lot about tracking. A friend of mine in Montana taught me. I can help, and I can show your scouts around. We can work together."
"Good." Aaron looked around. "Anything else?"
Pastor Barrett spoke up when it was clear we were finished. "Let's pray."
As we lifted our hearts to God, seeking guidance to the girls, peace settled on us. We knew that God, who sees all, would show us the way to the missing girls.
***
Far away in the mountains, Ramona White Swan wiped sweat from her brow with the edge of her shirt and paused in her work. The day was hotter than usual. She examined the forest around the old log home, looking for more birch branches which might have blown down. Jenny Little Bear, slowly recovering from the beating Chet had inflicted on her, worked with Sammie Grey Coyote preparing the new garden. Mac was working on his truck, which he'd been able to retrieve from a hidden cove along the creek. He was supposed to be keeping watch on the girls, but sometimes he became involved in solving a mechanical issue. It didn't matter, though. They were far up in the mountains, and the girls could never escape on foot.
Ramona found several birch branches laying on the forest floor. She managed to drag them toward the trash pile, which she knew would be burned soon. She was so frustrated Mac and Joe had moved them away just when they were about to burn that trash! The tire in the last trash pile had been a good idea, but there were no tires at the new location. Birch would have to do. It had a lot of pitch in it and would send up a black smoke...if she could manage to put enough of it on the burn pile. She had enough tucked into the trash heap already to make a dark smoke. If she could just find a little more, she could be sure it would draw attention. Maybe people from a local town would see it and think it was a forest fire or a house burning. Maybe the fire trucks would come. Afterall, it was fire season in Wyoming. This might work.
Sammie saw what Ramona was doing. She knew how the birch would burn. Her baby was due soon. She was running out of time. She pulled some crumpled paper and placed it in the burn pile with weeds to cover it. Mac was bent over his truck engine. Reaching into her jeans pocket, she pulled out Mac's cigarette lighter and flicked it on, touching it to the paper.
The paper caught fire. The flame spread rapidly through the brush and trash.
Lord, please let this work! Save us! Save our babies!
The fire reached some greasy rags she had tossed into the trash earlier. With a whoosh, tongues of flame sprang up across the trash pile.
Hearing the sound, Mac jerked his head up. "No!" he yelled. He dashed into the open garage, hunting for the shovel. By the time he found it, the flames were high. He rushed over and began shoveling dirt onto the fire, trying to smother the flames. But it was too late. The fire sent black smoke high into the sky.
***
In the valley below, I was sweeping the front deck while Ramie took his nap. Glancing up at the mountains, I saw a dark column of smoke. I pulled out my phone and called the fire department.
"There's a fire on the mountains. It has black smoke. I can see it from the Russell ranch."
"Thanks! We'll send someone right out to check."
"Okay."
Within a few minutes, the fire truck pulled into the driveway. Dan Gilman, the fire chief, jumped out of the truck and located the smoke. He spoke on his phone, giving the location to their helicopter crew.
I hurried down to the truck and listened to the radio transmissions.
Within minutes, the helicopter was flying toward the fire.
"It's a burn pile by a cabin up here." The pilot's voice reported through the static. "Someone's trying to put the fire out. I'll drop a load of water on it."
I watched the helicopter hover over the fire and drop its load.
"That should do it," the pilot said a few minutes later. "I'm heading back."
"Mark it's location on your map first," Dan said. "The sheriff has been looking for occupied cabins up there in the hills. He should know about this one. Pick me up once you have it."
"Roger that."
Dan called Aaron next. "Our crew just put out a fire--looks like a burn pile in the mountains. We have a lead on a cabin in the mountains. We'd like to check it out. Want to come with us?"
The helicopter hovered a moment more, then turned and flew toward the ranch. Aaron arrived quickly. Together with the pilot and the fire chief, they headed back toward the mountain.
When the roar of the helicopter faded, I could hear Ramie calling for me. I went back into the house and collected him from his room. His face was streaked with tears.
"I called an' called!" he said reproachfully.
"I'm sorry, Ramie. It was just a helicopter.:
"A 'copter?"
"Yes. You want to see it ?"
"Yes!"
I carried him outside and pointed to the helicopter flying toward the mountain. "Your Uncle Aaron is helping them today."
"Unco Aaron?"
"Yes."
We both fell silent, watching the helicopter in the distance.
I wonder if they've found the missing girls. Lord, let it be so!
I saw the helicopter move quickly away from the area of the fire, flying in an erratic pattern. Something was wrong!