Love's Dream Song (8 page)

Good question. He’d asked it often himself. “My father prohibited exploration. He respected the wishes of the tribal council.”

“And you don’t?”

No, he hated reminders of his mixed blood. It brought too many memories of the past, when he’d had to fight in boarding school because he was Indian, and on the reservation because he was white.

“I don’t believe all that garbage about them being haunted by
chindi
. I’m tired of all the intellectual fascination, too. One of these days we’ll realize that the ancient ones were just people, like everyone else, and not some romantic cult civilization.”

She tilted her head. “Of course they were ordinary people, in the sense that they had an everyday existence. But the mystery of their departure, coupled with the degree of technology evidenced in their structures, lends a mystique that you have to admit is appealing.”

No, he didn’t have to admit any such thing. “Mystique is nice, but reality often dissolves it. I’m sure they had the same struggle for existence as we have today.”

“Is your life that hard? I don’t see anyone here or on the reservation starving.”

“Some are drinking themselves to death.”

“That’s self-imposed suffering. I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about the appeal of the pastoral life—the oneness with earth and nature.”

Jess sighed. Ignorance was bliss. She didn’t know what it was like to be treated like less than a dog because some superior-acting asshole thought you were a primitive throwback to the Stone Age. She had conjured a utopia that didn’t exist. If she was indeed dealing with the drug ring, she must see the realities and ugliness. This attitude had to be a cover, and it was effective. Few would suspect her of dirtying her hands with murdering scum and low-life dealers.

Boulders littered the wash, and he had to drop behind her as they passed between the monolithic stones. He could rationalize the idealistic-student attitude as a cover, but what he didn’t understand was why she tried so hard to claim a part of all the bitter heritage of her Indian blood. Her interest in Hasteen Nez and the clan was genuine. She couldn’t pretend the caring she showed the medicine man. But why would she want to be part of it? She must realize the pain associated with racial prejudice. She’d claimed to have experienced it, so why was she searching out more?

Drugs? Money? Her supposed quest brought her to the reservation. Her claims of blood justified contact with The People. Were they just excuses to set herself up for the drop-off of cocaine?

They’d passed the last boulder, and she stopped to wait for him. Her smile wiped away his speculations.

“We’re there, and it looks like the prof’s got something up his sleeve.”

She pointed to a cliff where an overhang had been walled in with layers of rocks. A couple of windows faced the canyon floor. Dr. Davidson halted beneath the ruins.

“Come here, Autumn,” he called and motioned her beside him. “You deserve to be first to see this.”

Her curiosity was obviously aroused. Jess hung back as she threaded her way through the group and around the tumbled walls. The breeze caught strands of her hair and tossed it around the sway of her hips. Unwanted images of his dream played with his mind. A warrior stood—waiting, watching—his bronzed skin glistening in the sun as his woman approached.

Jess shut his eyes. Must his dreams haunt him now, of all times? He looked up and focused on the wisps of cloud floating in the blue sky. Around him voices hummed in speculation. Reality settled to calm his unrest.

Autumn reached Dr. Davidson and turned to see if Jess had followed. She tried to ignore the curl of disappointment when she saw he hadn’t. Summoning a smile, she addressed the professor.

“What have you found—another cave?”

“Better,” he declared as he grabbed her arm. In his usual authoritative manner, he led her toward a mound of dirt and then pointed out a dark opening. The ends of a ladder protruded from the hole. She carefully stepped to the edge and peered inside.

There was a dry, dusty smell, and it took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dim light. She heard a noise and suddenly a flashlight lit up the cavern. Autumn gasped.

“It’s a kiva. You’ve found a ceremonial kiva,” she exclaimed in wonder as she observed the cylindrical room used for rites and ceremonies. It had been dug underground in order to be nearer the other world. Around the walls, two levels of shelves were carved so that the men would sit in order of their status in the clan. Now, however, instead of men, the rock ledges were lined with a collection of instruments, figurines and jewelry.

What a find. Never in her wildest dreams had she hoped to see such a sight—a fortune in rare art in a kiva of exceptional condition. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her system. Was this real? Would she open them and find an empty hole? Slowly she lifted her lids and peered once again into the underground room.

Paintings decorated one section of the stone wall. The scene beckoned. She had to go down in to the ancient room. With her heart racing, she climbed down the ladder. As soon as she stood on solid ground, she was in another world.

Autumn edged her way around the room. She barely heard the voices above her. There were too many things to look at. Several strands of turquoise and jet, coiled around pendants of inlaid stones. A finely carved frog caught her eye until she spied a jar filled with thousands of beads made of turquoise, brown argillite, and white shells. On a shelf, she saw a bone flute carved with intricate designs and inlaid with shell and blue stone. She could almost hear its haunting tones.

Autumn stepped back. The present seemed to fade away as her mind conjured up visions of the past. Warriors squatted around a small fire, exchanging stories of the hunt. Others sat along the walls, carving tools for planting and shaping stones for weapons.

She could almost smell the mixture of wood smoke and sweat, hear the murmur of male voices. Her eyes fixed on the small hole in the center of the ground—
the sipapu
, the link to the spirit world. Another wave of images came, until fingers snapped in front of her face.

“Are you all right?”

Autumn tried to focus on the voice. A grip tightened on her shoulders and a man loomed beside her.

“Hey, take it easy,” Jess said as he smoothed his hand across her shoulder.

Autumn tore her glance from the
sipapu
. Soft joy flowed through her. The ancient culture was so alien. She had listened for hours to the stories. And now, she was finally beginning to understand.

“I don’t think your ancestors would want you here. Women weren’t allowed,” Jess said, half serious, half teasing. “You might call down the wrath of the spirits.”

The sound of his voice echoing in the hollow chamber broke the last traces of her trance. She took a final look around, before focusing on Jess. When had he come down? Had he felt the magic of history?

“Did you know this was here?” she asked.

He shook his head as he swiveled around the kiva. “There’s a fortune in here.”

The artifacts were legally his, but he had declared that he was donating all proceeds of the dig to the university. That was before he’d known about this.

“Are you sorry now you made the offer to the university?” she asked.

He pointed to the beads of a delicate necklace. “In a way, I’d like to say these were mine.” He gestured at the flute. “But it’s better to share them. I’m glad Dr. Davidson found them.”

Her estimation of him rose another notch. She would have expected an entrepreneur rancher to figure the fortune in terms of monetary value. Jess evidently could appreciate the historical worth.

Voices from above interrupted the mystic quiet of the kiva. Anxious faces peered down.

“We’d better go on up and let others have a turn.” Jess grabbed her elbow and led her to the ladder.

Autumn halted. “We’re going up, but no one’s coming down here—not yet, anyway.”

“Why?”

“The artifacts aren’t cataloged or secured. You don’t want any problems.”

“What kind of problems? Surely you don’t think…”

She interrupted, her voice ringing with authority. “No one, Jess. Ask Davidson. He’ll concur.”

Determined, Autumn ascended the ladder. Surely the professor, with all of his suspicions, would employ caution. In fact, she wondered why he hadn’t secured this find before showing the crowd. Theatrics! A practical explanation probably existed, but apprehension for the professor grew, especially after they reached the top and she saw his face wreathed in boyish smiles.

“Isn’t that a find, Autumn? Do you remember how many times we tramped around this mound?”

“How did you discover it?” Jess asked as he joined the group gathered around the professor.

“After I found the cave, I decided to check out every crack and hole in the ground,” he explained. “What looked like an animal burrow turned out to be the opening of the kiva.”

“When can we see it?” Connie stepped forward and headed for the ladder.

“Hold it.” Jess grabbed the reporter’s arm and halted her progress. “They don’t want anyone going down there.”

Immediate protest followed. Jess positioned himself in front of the group and raised his hand for silence. “Before you can go in there, the professor needs to inventory the contents.”

“That’s what we are here to do,” Dr. Davidson said.

Several others added their agreement. There were valuable and rare pieces down there.

Dr. Davidson took control. “We’ll divide into groups. We’ll need to post a guard inside that kiva until all the pieces are recorded.”

“How long will that be?”

“I’ll get Wayne and Autumn started right now,” he promised. “They’ll be done by tomorrow.”

More protests filled the canyon. Dr. Davidson refused to budge.

“What about us?” Connie had worked her way into the huddle. “We’ve got to send this out for the news.”

“Tomorrow.” Dr. Davidson began to explain when a shout captured the crowd’s attention.

“Where’s everybody?” Frank rounded the bend from the direction of the campsite. “What’s going on? Where have you been?” Frank approached and directed his last question to the professor, even though he stared at Autumn. “I thought you were all coming back to the cave.”

Dr. Davidson started to explain about the discovery.

Frank swaggered up to Autumn and stood too close, but again addressed Dr. Davidson. “Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?”

She refused to step back and stood her ground. “There was nothing to tell. We didn’t know about…”

“What’s the big deal?” He interrupted as he tipped the rim of his hat back with his finger. “Let’s have a look.”

“Davidson’s closing off the kiva.” Connie’s tone held a hint of accusation.

Riker picked up on it. “Come off it. You worry too much.” He started toward the ladder. “Let me down there.”

“Forget it, Frank,” Jess intervened. “Everyone, get back to Coyote Springs,” he ordered with a sternness that surprised Autumn.

“Don’t go yet,” Connie spoke up. The three of them swung around. She turned on her charming smile. “Can I at least go inside the kiva? I want to get pictures.”

“Yeah,” Wayne chimed in. “Her cameraman can scan the contents. Won’t that work as temporary inventory?”

Autumn recalled the conversation she’d overheard last night. Evidently Jess was reminded of it, too. He didn’t waste any time in denying the request before returning his attention to Frank.

“You’re all coming back with me to camp.”

Connie straightened and was about to protest when suddenly an eagle’s scream pierced the desert air. Autumn glanced up in time to see the rapid flap of wings as the giant bird sped out of the canyon. She gripped her nugget as an unexpected shudder tore through her.

Suddenly the ground shook as a loud roar blasted through the canyon. Rocks tumbled. Choking dust billowed. Everyone scrambled into the open away from falling stones.

Before she could react, Autumn found herself tucked under Jess’s protective shoulders. She clutched at the fabric of his shirt. “What was that?” Had the spirits protested the invasion of the sacred kiva after all?

“Dynamite.”

.

CHAPTER 6

It sounded like it came from the campsite,” Autumn exclaimed as she pulled away from Jess’s arms. Her mind raced in a frantic search for meaning to the explosion. It couldn’t have been dynamite. That had to be laid and purposely ignited. Perhaps one of the propane tanks from the stoves had exploded.

Screams sounded behind her. Worried now that someone had been hurt or crushed by falling rock, she turned toward the group and prayed that there were no injuries.

“Is everyone all right?” she called out.

Amid the dust and loose rock, she and Jess checked the others. No one was hurt. Within seconds they were at the head of the group.

“That explosion was close,” Wayne hollered. “Let’s get over to the ruins, quick.”

Several others agreed and started up the canyon.

“No! Wait!” Jess grabbed Wayne’s arm. “We don’t know what it is. There might be more blasts.”

The scientists froze and all eyes focused on him.

“What do you mean?” Dr. Davidson shouted. Lines of anxiety creased his face. He looked close to panic. “We’ve got to get the tablets. Something’s happened to them—I know it.”

Autumn stared at the professor. What an odd claim. The last thing she’d thought about was the safety of the tablets, but then, the professor had been acting paranoid lately.

“Calm down, everyone.” Jess directed his order to the restless crowd.

“I want to get my crew over there. It could be a story,” Connie demanded.

“Who’s been messing around with dynamite?”

“What if there’s another explosion?”

“Maybe they’re still there. Let’s catch the…”

“Hold it,” Jess shouted above the grumbles. “This is my property and I’m responsible. I don’t want anyone taking any risks. You are to stay here.”

“He’s right.” Dr. Davidson stepped beside him. “If we all tear out of here and leave the artifacts in the kiva unprotected, we may be asking for more trouble. Let’s send a team to check out the explosion. The rest of us should stay here and guard the kiva.”

Autumn stared at Jess and then at Dr. Davidson. What were they talking about? Why would anyone want to destroy the ruins or the artifacts? Surely Dr. Davidson didn’t believe someone would go to such an extreme simply out of jealousy over his discovery? Yet he and Jess were acting like that was exactly what they believed.

If they were right, then it had to be someone in the group. A quick glance told her everyone was here. If it were someone in this group, he or she would have had to set the dynamite with a timing device to go off while everyone was away. She just couldn’t picture it. It had to have been an accident.

“Did anyone have flammable material at camp?” she asked with a flicker of hope. “How about you newsmen? Do you have any chemicals to develop film? Anything that might have exploded in the heat?”

No one admitted to possessing anything that could have caused the blast, nor did anyone have any ideas about its origin.

Jess focused on Riker. “Did you see anyone on your way over here?”

“No. That’s why I came this way. There wasn’t anyone around camp and I couldn’t figure out what had happened to you all.”

Autumn wondered if Riker had created a problem so he could look good solving it. She wouldn’t put it past him. Yet he didn’t appear all gung ho to be a hero, nor had he volunteered to go investigate.

Jess spoke again. “I want everyone to stay put while I go check this out. Riker will be here with you. Don’t go near the canyon walls, and by all means, watch the kiva.” He approached the professor. “I don’t want anyone inside the kiva.”

“What do you think this is all about?” The professor gestured around the group. “Who’s doing this to us?”

“I’m going to find out,” Jess promised. “Are there any more sites that have artifacts in them?”

“No. I already took everything out of the cave except the tablets. The pieces I showed the other day at the press conference were taken out by Ross when he left. The only other artifacts are in this kiva—I left them as I found them.”

“Don’t worry. They’ll be safe.”

Jess had no business making such a promise, she thought, but she supposed he had to tell the distraught professor something.

“We’ll be back as soon as we can,” he told them.

Autumn noticed Wayne’s approach out of the corner of her eye.

“Let me go with you. You might need more help,” Wayne told Jess.

Queasiness churned in her stomach as she was reminded of the conversation she and Jess had overheard. Connie had said something about blowing up the cave. Autumn glanced at Jess and saw the same speculation in his expression. They both turned their attention to Connie. Surely her suggestion had been a flippant remark!

Nevertheless, it didn’t surprise her when Jess agreed to let Wayne join him. Perhaps he wanted him along so he could keep an eye on him.

“I want to go, too,” Autumn decided. Someone needed to be there to protect the professor’s interest.

Jess started to protest, but Dr. Davidson supported Autumn’s request. Evidently, the same thought had occurred to him.

“Let her go, Barron. She knows the trail. She can go with you to check out what’s wrong and come back and tell us.”

Jess considered for a few minutes, obviously reluctant to concede. Finally, he nodded and gestured for her to follow as he headed toward camp. She braced herself for courage. Real Tall Man had shown her some methods to remain calm. She wished she knew more of his secrets. As they hiked down the canyon toward the campsite and ruins, she practiced what he’d taught her. In her mind’s eye, she envisioned herself assertive and strong. She pictured a brave woman walking up the canyon, ready for any problems. She saw a calm expression and forced it to be there in reality.

On the outskirts of the campsite, Jess halted and turned to his two companions. “Let’s stay together—one of you on either side of me. Be ready in case anyone is there.”

Admiration flickered in Jess’s expression. Good—Real Tall Man’s teachings were working. For a fleeting second, she wished she had a weapon, but rejected the idea. She hated guns.

With careful steps they came from around the rocks into the clearing. Nothing moved. On the far side, Jess’s stallion and the six mules Arlo had left for emergencies stood tethered in the trees. Autumn could see where they’d strained against the ropes when the blast had frightened them. At least they appeared unharmed. She said a silent prayer of thanks as they approached the skittish animals.

“Easy now,” Jess murmured as he neared the stallion.

The soothing tones eased some of her tension, as well. The mules didn’t respond. They stepped aside, braying and tugging on their halters as she and Wayne drew near.

“Best to leave them be,” Jess advised. “They look okay. They’re just nervous.”

“I’ll bet,” Autumn commiserated. “As loud as the explosion was at the kiva, I can imagine what it must have been like here.”

Wayne gestured to the edge of the trees and Autumn followed him to a spot where they could stand away from the animals and wait for Jess. She watched as Jess gentled the horse, his soothing voice working its magic.

The stallion finally settled. Jess headed for a nearby rock where he had dumped his saddle and gear. He pulled his rifle out of the scabbard and pocketed several shells. She shrugged aside a chill when he slipped a knife in his boot.

She still couldn’t believe that the explosion wasn’t an accident. However, it was best to be prepared, so she didn’t protest when Jess joined them, armed and ready for trouble.

Jess directed his attention to her. “I want you to stay here and wait until we make sure it’s safe.”

Autumn started to protest, but Jess quickly cut her off.

“We don’t know what’s happened. Another charge could go off. You can watch out for the animals.”

The animals would survive another blast, just as they had the first one, but Autumn didn’t bother pointing that fact out. Jess had obviously hoped the assigned responsibility would keep her there. From the look on his face, she knew it would be useless to argue.

She nodded.

Her easy acquiescence evidently surprised him. He studied her for a few minutes, but she remained silent, not giving a clue to her feelings.

“You sure you’ll be all right here? You can go back to the professor.”

“I’m not afraid,” she said, which wasn’t exactly true either, but she wasn’t going to let him know.

He hesitated for several seconds before gesturing to Wayne to follow. Autumn waited until they were out of sight and then eased her way up the path they had taken. The campsite and the ruins were just around the bend.

All was silent—dead silent. Autumn’s lungs constricted from the growing dread of what they would find. She willed the cliff dwelling to be as they’d left it. But as she stepped into the clearing, her heart stopped with horror.

“
Nooo
,” Wayne wailed.

Autumn remained speechless as she fought for breath. In vain, she struggled to break free from the nightmare. Surely she would waken. But, no—the home of the ancients was no longer there. Only a gaping hole in the cliff showed above a huge pile of red rock rubble.

Jess heard a scream and turned around in time to see Autumn charge past him toward the ruins. He lowered his rifle and reached out for her, but she was too fast. Quickly, she sidestepped.

“Don’t go over there,” he shouted, but he knew it was a futile warning as he watched Autumn dash across the stream to the jumble of rock at the base of the cliff. He fought down nausea as he observed the destruction. Centuries of history was now buried beneath tons of rock and debris, not to mention his wealth of childhood memories.

Daya would have wailed to the spirits if she had seen this. His grandmother had warned his father that if he let the ruins be disturbed, the spirits would be angry. Jess headed after Autumn. Spirits hadn’t done this—men had. But why? It didn’t make sense to destroy the dwellings.

He raced to catch up to Autumn, but she was too fast. He swore. When he got his hands around the ignorant necks of whoever had done this…

Another oath ripped through the still air as he headed toward the cliff. What was he going to tell the professor? All hell was going to break loose. He glanced ahead at Autumn. She was throwing rocks off the pile in frantic haste. Did she think she could undo the damage?

Suddenly her scream carried across the distance. “The tablets—I’ve got to get the tablets.” Hysteria sounded in her voice. Jess broke into a run.

“Autumn! Stop!” He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her upright.

“Why, Jess? Why would somebody do this?” Tears of rage streamed down her cheeks. “It’s gone. Everything’s lost.”

“We don’t know if the tablets are buried there,” he told her, but he knew they had to be.

“There were too many to move in that short a time. They’re buried, Jess. It’ll take years to dig them out.”

He looked at the tears glistening on her tanned cheeks and wished he could will away the damage. Instead, he pulled her close against his chest and tried to sooth her shock. Her body shook as he smoothed his hands across the damp material of her shirt. The action helped to stem the sickness threatening to rise from his stomach.

It was the way Daya had said it would be—the pile of red rock, the buried treasure. It had to be coincidence. His grandmother couldn’t have known this would happen. Spirits didn’t use explosives.

Suddenly, Wayne’s shout penetrated his nightmare. “Look. I found the detonator.”

“Don’t touch it,” Jess shoved Autumn behind him. “There might be more explosives.” For that matter, whoever had set it could still be around.

Autumn pushed beside him and peered across the devastation. Neither one of them could see Wayne. “Come on. We should get over there before he gets hurt.” She sounded more in control now.

“Be careful,” Jess cautioned as he led the way.

They climbed over the rubble to the other side and passed between a number of rocks. Speculation raced across Jess’s mind. If the presence of such a large party of archaeologists was hampering the drug activities, the smugglers had effectively eliminated their problem. With the tablets buried, the scientists would be forced to abandon the project.

Autumn stumbled and he paused to be sure she was all right. He could see the track of tears in the layers of dust covering her face. If the drug ring had caused the explosion, she hadn’t known about it, or, as he was beginning to suspect, she wasn’t involved. Her reaction had been too real. The devastation had shocked her.

Still, it could just be that the people she was involved with had not consulted her. Anyone working with her would know of her interest in the historical significance of the find. That commitment was genuine. If they figured to destroy the ruins, they would have done it without her approval. If that was the case, she was going to react. He still needed to keep a close eye on her. She was angry enough now to defy caution and seek out her accomplices.

As they picked their way across the rocks to Wayne, Jess listened carefully to her muttered accusations. “How did Wayne find that so fast? Did he know where it was because he set it? Is this Connie’s way of arranging for bigger news? Maybe Frank saw his chance with everyone gone and set up the explosion to play hero.”