Tribal Law (4 page)

“Who?”

“My contact who works with the distributor.”

“Name,” said Gabe.

He provided it, but it meant nothing to Gabe.

Dryer explained the basics. DOJ had the location of the meth lab on Black Mountain and Dryer would tell them where it was, but only if Gabe let him go. Gabe needed to know where the drugs were being received to figure out their distribution operation. Specifically where they were keeping the ingredients for production.

Gabe thought he could find the tractor trailer bed now functioning as a meth lab unassisted and from there he might locate the blue barrels. But it would be faster with the help of DOJ.

“Listen,” Dryer continued. “I have the lab and I have the American supplier, Cesaro Raggar. But we want to shut down distribution
and
production. So far all Raggar's orders come through Nota. But we don't know who is delivering messages from the Mexicans to Escalanti. Nota is Escalanti's man. But I need time to connect Escalanti to the operation and find the Mexican's go-between.”

“Manny Escalanti?” asked Juris, naming the head of the Wolf Posse.

Dryer nodded.

Selena had mentioned Escalanti a few minutes ago. She was terrified of him and with good reason. Manny Escalanti had become the leader of the Wolf Posse after the murder of his predecessor, Rubin Fox. Nota was a known gang member. Gabe knew the posse sold the weed they got from Mexico. He did
not
know that the gang took orders from a Mexican cartel or that they were producing methamphetamine.

Gabe returned Dryer's phone and listened while Dryer placed a call.

“Listen, we're going to be late.” A pause. “Icy roads is all. Have to put chains on the tires.” Another pause. “Chains. That's what they use.” Dryer listened. “No, there's snow. Fourteen thousand feet, remember? It's a frozen wasteland up here.” A pause and then. “Sure. I'll be careful.” Dryer disconnected and tucked away his phone.

Juris gave his captain a look. “You going to let the Doselas do this? They leave the rez and we can't protect them.”

Gabe didn't like that one little bit.

“Clearly someone knows your route,” Gabe jerked his thumb to the back of the truck where the two bodies had been placed.

“You ID them?” asked Dryer.

Gabe provided the name of the known gunman.

Dryer nodded. “Oh, yeah. That figures. That's the junkie brother of the guy who runs the yard. Sammy must have tipped him off somehow.”

“That where the lab is, on Leekela's place?” asked Juris.

“Yes. In a tractor trailer. Leekela is paid to look the other way. His brother must have found the lab and decided to make a few bucks.”

“What exactly is your operation and how does it involve the Doselas?”

“It's the first delivery. If we make it, then they plan to put Frasco's family in charge of transportation, bringing the chemicals to the lab and the product from the lab. We'll have the precursor's location. But we pull a no-show in Phoenix, then these rats will scurry back into their holes. One of those holes is likely on your reservation, Chief. And it's full of fifty-gallon barrels of precursor. Enough to supply Raggar's customers with meth for years. This is big, Chief. I'm ordering you to release the box truck and the Doselas to me immediately.”

Dryer's order seemed the last straw for Detective Juris. He wheeled on Dryer, aiming a finger at him like a gun as he spoke to his chief.

“He doesn't call the shots here.”

Gabe lifted a hand in conciliation. “Let's take it easy.”

But Juris was past that. “He can't set up a sting operation on our reservation without letting us know.”

“See, now that's the trouble,” said Dryer. “Every time we let you know anything, they move the operation.”

“That was before we got Tessay,” said Gabe.

“You got that first lab up on Nosie's land thanks to your brother Clay. But not the second mobile meth lab on the Leekela place,” said Dryer.

That was true.

“The precursor? Any leads?” asked Dryer.

“I found you,” said Gabe.

Dryer huffed. “An undercover federal agent. Not stellar. You can detain me, but I have immunity.”

“Don't you always,” said Juris, regaining his control and his stoic expression.

Dryer shrugged. “Bottom line, you haven't found that second mobile meth lab or the precursor.”

“It's twelve thousand acres,” said Juris.

Dryer ignored Juris and directed his attention to Gabe. Gabe knew what Dryer implied—someone was informing the cartel of their movements. Someone on the inside.

Chapter Six

The cold spot in Gabe's stomach was gone, replaced by a solid pain that shot across his middle. It felt like that bucking strap they used in the rodeo to make the horses kick.

“You think my department has a leak.”

“Leak? You have a damned river. Tessay isn't the only one here on Raggar's payroll.”

“Who?”

Dryer rubbed his neck. “Escalanti is the only one we're sure of.” He waved a hand at the highway. “Roadblock?”

Gabe turned to Kino. “Put the cuffs back on him.”

Kino moved to comply, looking much more content.

Dryer held up his hands, talking fast, trying to get it out before someone drove past and saw Selena's truck. “All right. I'll tell you. But only you. If you're the ones, we're screwed anyway.”

“What
ones
?”

“There's a reason we haven't sought permission this time.” Dryer rubbed his neck. “We don't know who it is. What we do know is that when there is a joint operation, they know. Nota bragged about it.”

Gabe felt sick. When he had arrested Arnold Tessay, he thought he had found the one traitor here. Had that been naive?

“It's back to business, here on Black Mountain,” said Dryer. “But with only one meth lab they aren't meeting supply demands. They need to expand. But since Tessay's arrest, they have moved the precursor stores twice. Just in case Tessay rolls, they're moving it again. I don't know when or where. But not here. You're too much of a pain in their asses, Chief. I hear that you've even been close a few times. They've been debating if they should move operations or just kill you.”

Gabe glanced at Kino and saw him go white.

“Lucky you,” said Dryer. “They're moving. Nota says it will be to Salt River Reservation.”

“I have to notify my tribal council of your presence here and alert the authorities on Salt River,” said Gabe.

“And he has to go. I'll be glad to show him off our sovereign lands personally,” said Juris pointing at Dryer.

Dryer threw up his hands. “You need help. Admit it.”

“Not your kind of help,” said Juris.

“You telling me the federal authorities don't have rights to investigate federal crimes on federal land?”

“They do,” said Gabe. “With our knowledge. The FBI uses the channels we established. DOJ needs to do the same.”

Dryer made a face. “You think I'm alone up here? I'm not. This is a joint operation.”

In spite of the doubts he felt, Gabe kept his poker face.

“You get a call about those barrels?” asked Dryer.

He had. From his uncle Luke. Gabe felt sick. Had Luke been playing him? Was it true that an Indian who worked for the Feds wasn't Indian anymore?

Gabe had aspirations to become a field agent. But not if it meant betraying his people.

“The FBI is aware of our investigation.”

And yet his uncle had not notified him. Was that because Gabe was also a suspect? Frasco was back trafficking and Gabe had once been engaged to Frasco's daughter. Guilt by association. Gabe wondered.

“Before you get all pissy, your uncle doesn't know about me. It's above his pay grade.”

Because his uncle was Black Mountain Apache and so could not totally be trusted? Gabe narrowed his eyes. The fury sparked, burning his carefully cultivated control.

“He should have been informed,” said Gabe.

Kino's brows lifted, recognizing the potential for danger in Gabe's quiet tone.

“He's Apache. You are thick as thieves up here. Everyone is somebody's cousin. His department thought it best to keep him out of the loop. Not my call. We've been coordinating with his supervisor and his partner.”

“Cassidy Walker?”

“Right.”

Cassidy Walker, the one his uncle said had ambitions to transfer to DC. Gabe smelled a rat all right, but not in the Apache hierarchy.

“She's running this. Senior man, even though she's a woman.”

“So you suspected my uncle?” he said.

“Seemed logical.”

“Because he's Indian.”

“Black Mountain Apache. Brother to a known drug trafficker.”

Dryer was referring now to Gabe's father. He had been a convicted felon when he had been murdered by a trafficker who went by the name The Viper.

“My uncle went through FBI screening. He's clean.”

“He's related to people involved with this case, just like your big brother, the tribal councilor.”

“Clyne? You suspect Clyne? He's incorruptible.”

“Everyone's corruptible, Chief. Your dad. Your tribal council...your big brother...
you
. Hey,” he said his voice full of forced enthusiasm. “You back to seeing Frasco's daughter?”

Gabe was stunned speechless. How would Dryer know that he'd once seen Selena?

“I hear you two spent some quality time together. But be careful. You know the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.”

Gabe spun him with one hand and hit Dryer squarely across the jaw. The DOJ field agent dropped like a stone. It took both Kino and Detective Juris to drag Gabe back. It was only after the red haze had cleared that he realized he had just struck a federal officer.

Gabe watched Dryer shake off the blow as Gabe tried to decide if he should arrest him, cooperate with his investigation or hit him again.

Dryer struggled to his feet. Neither Juris nor Kino lifted a hand to help him.

“I wish I'd done that,” said Juris.

Dryer rubbed his jaw. “That was worse than getting shot,” he said.

Gabe glanced at Selena, feeling embarrassed now for his outburst. How much could she hear back there through the raised windows?

She met his gaze and tried to exit the unit but found the doors locked from the outside. She was trapped. Gabe lifted a hand and she flopped back in the seat, clearly impatient with her captivity. But if what Dryer said was true, arresting her was at least a way to keep her safe.

Gabe turned to Dryer. “Do you want to press charges?”

Dryer cocked his head. “Against you?” He snorted. “No.”

It was hard, but Gabe thanked him and Dryer offered his hand. The handshake was brief and halfhearted.

“Okay,” said Dryer, as if getting back to business. “No comments about Selena. Got it. But that box truck. It can't be mentioned in your reports or on the radio. I know Escalanti listens to the police scanner. So, no mention of the truck, the Doselas or me.”

Gabe's gaze flicked to the DOJ agent, wishing he could put him in a gag as well as handcuffs. “If there's no box truck, why did I shoot Jason Leekela and an unknown gunman again?”

“I don't know...brandishing a weapon. Shooting at you.”

“So you want me to lie.”

“I want you to keep a lid on the undercover operation.”

“In exchange for full disclosure,” said Gabe.

Dryer considered his offer. Then qualified. “To you, only. Not to the council.”

“I could get fired for doing that.”

“And you could catch these guys if you do what I'm telling you.”

Gabe didn't like being told what to do by outsiders.

“My brother and first officer here already know.”

“That's all they know from here forward, and you keep them quiet.”

Both his men put their hands on their hips, clearly not liking that plan.

“Deal?” Dryer offered his hand.

Gabe thought of all the deals offered by white men to Indians and grimaced. This one didn't seem any better.

Chapter Seven

“No deal,” said Gabe, and turned toward his unit and Selena.

“Oh, you're going to blow this whole operation.”

Gabe kept walking.

“And you're going to get Selena killed.”

Gabe stopped walking.

He turned back to Dryer, feeling trapped and angry and afraid for the first time in many years.

“You brought this here,” said Gabe.

“I brought an investigation. The rest was already here.”

He was right and that pissed Gabe off.

“Updates daily,” said Gabe. “And you tell Selena who you are.”

Dryer grinned, knowing he had won. “Sure. Sure. Mind if I release Frasco? I got to clean up his face, if I can.”

“He needs a stitch or two,” said Juris.

“Use snow,” said Kino. “Helps with the swelling.”

Dryer walked between Kino and Juris to the unit where Frasco waited.

Juris helped Frasco up out of the rear seat. Frasco still held the towel to his face.

“How you going to explain that?” asked Gabe.

Dryer glanced at Frasco. “Fell on the ice. I just told them we had to use chains.”

Gabe left the men and returned to his SUV where Selena waited. He opened the rear door. Selena stepped through the gap.

“Are they safe?” she asked.

Her family, of course. They were always her first concern.

“I have units on-site.”

She blew out a breath and her features momentarily relaxed.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Selena had every quality he admired in a woman. She worked hard, cared for her family, was funny, gracious and kind. But he better than most understood that a family's reputation was just as important as an individual's. Maybe more important here than elsewhere. There was a reason Apache gave their first name only after they had given the names of their tribe, parents and clan. Apache people understood that who and where you came from was more important than who you were.

But now he didn't know what to think.

Selena stood bracing her feet, with her arms folded across her chest. Her gloved hands gripped each sleeve. His gaze swept her form, taking in her work boots, tight faded jeans and that shapeless, unlined brown coat that he knew for certain was more than five years old because he had planned to buy her a new one. Why didn't she buy a proper winter coat?

But he knew why. Selena spent her money on her brother's therapy, her twin sister's driving school and her mother's medical bills. Ruth Dosela was in the midst of chemotherapy treatment again after the cancer had returned. She'd opted for double mastectomy, according to his grandmother, and doctors were hopeful.

Gabe regarded Selena and her shabby attire. This woman had no time or money for frills.

Gabe lifted his attention to her face. Her wide forehead was the perfect foil for her dark, arched brows. Snowflakes caught on the long lashes that hooded her cocoa-brown eyes. She neither smiled nor frowned, leaving her full mouth to form a perfect bow. Gabe's heart hammered, sending blood pulsing at his neck and down below his belt as he regarded that mouth. Memories stirred with the rest of him.

Even dressed as a workman, she still was the most desirable woman he'd ever known and the most exasperating. Her head was uncovered, and snowflakes sparkled like diamonds in the thick black hair that wrapped her shoulders like a curtain and framed her heart-shaped face. That angry, stubborn face that he couldn't stop dreaming about.

Gabe wiped his hand over his mouth, surprised to find sweat on his upper lip. His stomach ached. Why were they always at odds?

He met her stare, remembering when the sight of him made her eyes twinkle with joy. Now he saw only the glitter of sorrow. It still hurt to look at her, but he couldn't seem to look away. Staring at Selena was like gazing at the sun. He knew it was bad for him, but he couldn't stop.

She was clearly waiting for him to speak. Up until today, she had done her best to avoid him, which was tough because he made opportunities to see her. Had to, couldn't stop even though it hurt.

Damn her father for all he had done to break them up, and her for getting tangled up in this mess instead of coming to him.

He stepped forward, closing the physical distance that separated them. If only he could as easily leap the emotional gulf that yawned between them. What kind of woman could not forgive a man for doing what was right?

“You should have told me about this,” he said.

Her mouth quirked and just that tiny gesture made his insides tighten.

“I knew what would happen if I did.”

Gabe grimaced. She was right, too. He would have made arrests.

“Dryer isn't who you think. He's with the Department of Justice. He worked a deal with your dad—early release for his cooperation.”

Selena's eyes widened and she looked back to where Dryer stood with Juris.

“He's not with them?”

“The suppliers? No. He's a federal agent.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“I'm not arresting you. But I think I should. This is dangerous.”

She drew back her shoulders and her chin came up a notch. “I know.”

He was so close now that she had to crane her neck to look into his eyes. So close that he only had to lift his arms to bring her against him. Once he'd have had the right to do just that. He angled his head and imagined kissing her. What would she do if he tried?

He leaned closer, inhaling the scent of lavender mingling with the crisp, cold air. God, he missed her.

“Selena. You don't have to do this,” he said.

“Yes. I do.”

“Then let me help you.”

She made no reply and he knew she wouldn't let him help. Instead, she tried to move past him.

“Don't go.”

He reached, taking hold of her at the shoulders. She sagged and her eyes fluttered closed for just an instant. Then her eyes flashed open and her jaw set. He knew that stubborn look, and he was afraid it would get her killed.

“He could have shot you,” he said.

“Or you. It doesn't stop you from doing
your job
.” She said the last two words with contempt.

“This isn't a job. It's madness.”

“Is it?”

“You didn't make the deal. You don't have to go along. Selena, please...”

He let his hands slip to hers. She stilled. And finally met his gaze. She seemed about to say something but instead bit that full bottom lip.

Gabe's breath caught. He tried again. “You're not a police officer. You're not trained for this.”

She drew back, putting space between them. His arms dropped to his sides, one falling naturally on the grip of his pistol. Two rounds missing, he realized.

Selena tugged her hand from beneath his. “I'm not your responsibility anymore.”

“That was your choice.” He couldn't keep the resentment from his voice.

He saw the hurt in her expression, but he was still so angry.

“
You
returned the ring,” he reminded her.

Her eyes glittered dangerously. He knew the look. Selena was done talking. She marched away, rejoining her father and DOJ field agent Dryer.

Gabe pulled his gray Stetson down tight on his head and ignored the cold wind as he watched her walk away.