Insertion by A. J. Quinnell

Author:A. J. Quinnell [Quinnell, A. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-10-09T23:00:00+00:00

There was another woman in the outer office with Moya. Garret recognized her as a clerk from the accounts department: Small, dark-haired and plump. He was embarrassed because he could not remember her name. She noticed and said immediately:

“Hi. I’m Janet.”

“Hi, Redbird.”

She laughed. It made her face suddenly attractive. She said:

“I know. It’s easier to remember than plain old Janet.”

He turned to Moya and asked:

“Is it usual for a junior Special Agent to report directly to a DAD on a case?”

She shook her red hair.

“Very unusual. But it does happen once in a long while.”

Both women could see him absorb that information. Then he said:

“I’m off on leave for a couple of weeks. See you when I get back.”

“Where are you going?” Moya asked.

He looked at the two women for a long silent time and then appeared to make up his mind. He said:

“I plan to travel the ‘Trail of Tears’.”

Both women looked blank. He explained:

“I am of the Cherokee Nation which had always inhabited the South West. In spite of solemn treaties, Congress passed the ‘Great Removal Act’ in 1830, confiscating all our lands and forcing us to migrate to what is now Oklahoma. It was a terrible winter. Thousands died. Once in a lifetime, every Cherokee should follow the ‘Trail of Tears’ to understand their forebears.”

The words were spoken simply, without rancor, but there was a little tension in the air. To lighten it Moya asked with a smile:

“Will you be taking any scalps along the way?”

He returned the smile and shook his head; but at the door he stopped, turned and asked:

“Do you know who taught the Indians to take scalps?”

They looked blank. He said:

“The first European settlers. They put a bounty price on every Indian man, woman or child. To get the bounty, the hunters had to provide the scalp . . . We learned fast.”

“I didn’t know that.” Janet said quietly.

“No,” he answered. “Not many people do . . . and not many know that in this age, scalps come in many forms.”

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