Ancient Blood by Chappell R. Allen

Author:Chappell, R. Allen [Chappell, R. Allen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery
Amazon: B00MY3TCW8
Goodreads: 23126977
Published: 2014-08-21T07:00:00+00:00

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The next day, when Charlie made his report to George Custer, it was clear he thought they were safe, for the present at least. “It will take that Ute a while to get over the shattered hand, if he ever does get over it.”

“Maybe,” the professor replied, “but we still can’t rule out those other two coming back. I think we better post a night guard up at the site.” He hesitated, and then said, “Charlie, I think there’s another thing you should know. Ira Buck was one of the hired hands on the survey at Aida Winters’ ranch. Tanya Griggs’s mother, Myra, and he were pretty friendly.” The professor hesitated. “More than friends, some thought, though it’s hard to imagine.”

Charlie took a moment to digest this and then nodded. “That’s starting to make a little more sense. That would explain the connection between these people, and why they are working together. Myra and her husband Steven are not anxious to see your research go forward, or for your new paper to be published.”

“No, they aren’t. One reason being the Hopi’s strong claims to Anasazi heritage. Some think it’s why they fought so hard for the Native American Graves Protection and Reparations Act. They needed to show cause for an expansion of their reservation borders toward their sacred homeland. That proposed expansion included water and grazing rights worth millions.”

Here, Charlie held up a finger. “George, that theory has been worked to death. And while it may justify their never-ending dispute with the Navajo Nation, it’s been a stretch trying to validate that line of reasoning in a court of law—at least it has been so far.”

Privately, Charlie couldn’t help but commiserate with his former professor. The Reparations Act had been a crushing blow for archaeology and its related institutions, including museums and university research facilities. It interrupted vital research-in-progress and gutted important museums of their most enthralling displays; their traffic was affected to the point some of them still struggled financially.

The professor waved away Charlie’s argument and, as though reading his thoughts, concluded, “The removal of the burial remains, and funerary material from museums was a colossal loss. More importantly, Americans, including the very tribes involved, lost a vital link to those people—destroying a near palpable bond with an entire culture—one that cannot be replaced with dioramas and pottery displays. The public has forever lost the essence of those ancient people.” George Custer paused, breathless, and threw up his hands. “It was all gone with one legislative swipe of a pen.” He lowered his eyes and shook his head. “All gone.”

A good portion of George Custer’s life had been spent in the research and study of those very collections, many of which he himself contributed to. Charlie could understand what must be going through his mind, remembering those years of hard work. While everything in those collections had been documented, cataloged, and photographed, it did not mitigate the fact that latter technology might contribute new and exciting knowledge, some never before dreamed possible.

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