Hillerman, Tony - [Leaphorn & Chee 11] by Sacred Clowns (v1)

Author:Sacred Clowns (v1) [html] [Clowns, Sacred]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-03-20T03:07:36+00:00

* * *

15

« ^ »

SAMMIE YAZZIE seemed to be in charge of radio station KNDN when Chee pulled up off of Farmington's Main Street into the parking lot. He was about Chee's age, with a neat mustache, a short haircut, and a harassed look. If he had enjoyed the excitement of broadcasting a confession earlier in the day it had worn off long ago.

"I don't know what else I can tell you. Like I told the deputy, and the Farmington police, and the state cops, and the tribal policeman who got here this morning, the guy just walked in and went to the open mike there and did his thing."

"I've got the police report," Chee said, displaying the copy he picked up at the Farmington police station. "It gives the facts: medium-sized, middle-aged male, probably Navajo, dressed in jeans and jean jacket and billed cap with CAT symbol on crown, wearing dark-rimmed glasses, driving a dirty green pickup, possibly Ford 150 or Dodge Ram. Parked in front, walked in, went to the open mike, said he wanted to broadcast an announcement. Was told to wait until end of record. Waited. Was given signal. Then he made his statement, walked out. Drove away. Right?"

"Right," Yazzie said. "That's what happened. Except I think Ellie told the officers that she couldn't read the license plate when she went to the window to look. And the bumper sticker."

"Yeah. That's in here." He read again: "'License obscured by dirt. Witness noticed sticker on tailgate: ERNIE is THE GREATEST.' That's a funny thing to put on a sticker. You have any idea where it's from?"

Yazzie shrugged. "That's a new one to me. Maybe it's one of those you get made up. Like, 'My kid's an honor student at Farmington High.' Or 'My kid can whip your honor student at Farmington High.'"

"Maybe," Chee said. "How about shoes? Boots?"

"You better talk to Ellie," Yazzie said. "She got the best look at him."

Ellie looked like she was about a year out of high school and was still enjoying talking to cops—especially a good-looking young cop.

"Boots?" she said, and closed her eyes to show that she was thinking hard and had long, pretty eyelashes. "No. He had on high-top work shoes. I remember because I noticed he had tracked in dirt and I looked."

"Anything else? That might be useful?"

"How would the boots be useful?"

"Well," Chee said. "What if he was wearing tall lace-up boots? That might tell us he worked for the telephone company. Or the power company. A lineman. Pole climber."

"Oh," Ellie said. "Or if he wore those big heavy shoes with the steel cap in the toe, maybe for the pipeline company."

"Right," Chee said, returning her grin. "Now if we're lucky you'll remember he had a patch on his jacket that said MEMBER SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S POSSE, or LIONS CLUB. Something easy like that."

Ellie displayed her eyelashes again, deep in thought. "No," she said. "I just remember he looked sort of nervous and scared, but that's not unusual.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.