Winter Hawk's Legend

“That’s Daniel Hawk,” Holly’s contact said, following her gaze. “Hawk conducts our training exercises, not only here, but also at every critical tribal facility. Naturally he’s got the highest clearance level.”

Holly nodded, finally being able to put a face to the name. She’d heard Daniel Hawk described as a one-time bad boy who could attract women faster than free chocolate. Daniel had presence. That confidence and take-charge attitude, coupled with those wide shoulders and long legs, sure made him easy on the eyes.

She watched Daniel Hawk as he moved, his back straight, his steps measured and filled with purpose. He came to a stop and glanced around the room, his gaze missing nothing. Then, for a brief moment, his eyes met hers. His steady, penetrating look was a blend of curiosity and casual sensuality that made her body tingle all over.

Yet it wasn’t admiration that was mirrored in the dark eyes that held hers—it was a subtle challenge.

Winter Hawk’s Legend

Aimée Thurlo

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Sydney Abernathy, the best assistant—ever. May your future be

bright, and may you always walk with beauty before you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aimée Thurlo is a nationally known bestselling author. She’s the winner of a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews, a New Mexico Book Award in contemporary fiction and a Willa Cather Award in the same category. Her novels have been published in twenty countries worldwide.

She also cowrites the bestselling Ella Clah mainstream mystery series praised in the New York Times Book Review.

Aimée was born in Havana, Cuba, and lives with her husband of thirty-nine years in Corrales, New Mexico. Her husband, David, was raised on the Navajo Indian Reservation.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Daniel Hawk —His job was to keep Holly Gates alive, but he’d never factored falling in love into the equation. Christmas was fast approaching and a killer was on their trail. With everything on the line, win or lose, Daniel knew his life would never be the same again.

Holly Gates —She had an enemy, a man determined to see her dead. The only person standing between her and the grave was temptation itself—a sexy but dangerous security expert with a clear future—but a clouded past.

Martin Roanhorse —He was their boss, at least on paper, and knew everything about them. He was definitely part of the problem, but he was also hiding secrets of his own that could cost them all.

Arthur Larrabee —An ex-cop running for city council, Art was also a security consultant who operated on the principle that the best defense against intruders was overwhelming violence. That made him a potential liability to his clients, including the tribe.

Johnny Wauneka —The young hacker had his own agenda, and Holly, the tribal publicist, was near the top of his enemies list. Was he out to kill the beautiful Anglo woman, or just her message?

Gene Redhouse —He was Daniel’s foster brother. Even if it meant leaving his beloved ranch in a neighbor’s hands, he had Daniel’s back.

Clyde Keesewood —The Navajo activist was an angry man with a mission. The last time they’d met he’d threatened Holly in front of a hundred witnesses. Did he do that just for show, or did he walk his talk?

Ross Williams —The sleazy salesman had decided that Holly was the woman for him. He never passed up an opportunity to corner her, publicly or privately, and Ross didn’t handle rejection well.

Joe Yazzie —Martin’s tribal assistant appeared to be the perfect patsy after his security lapses put everyone in danger. He was either careless, or taking part in a larger plan only he could know.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Epilogue

Prologue

“I still can’t believe he’s really gone,” Daniel Hawk said. At thirty-four, he’d served two tours overseas and considered himself a hard-core realist in every conceivable way. Yet their foster father, Hosteen Silver, a medicine man, had lived by a different set of rules. The gray-haired hataalii—as Navajos named their healers—had accomplished things that all too often defied reason.

“He valued what mattered and taught all of us to do the same. Now you and I are going to honor his last wishes by climbing up this rock face to that shelf on the cliff.”

As he struggled with his handholds, Daniel glanced over at Gene Redhouse. They weren’t related, but were as close as any brothers could be. Gene had turned thirty-three last summer, and though the two of them had grown up together, they were nothing alike. He was an in-your-face type of man, while Gene usually chose a more peaceful approach—at least at first.

“I learned the other day that Hosteen Silver left four other letters, one for each of our foster brothers. We were the only two asked to fulfill the same task,” Daniel said.

“It’s a two-man job and we’re best suited for this. The fetish he wants us to return to Winter Hawk’s nest was his most powerful spiritual possession. He always carried it with him, except the day he died,” Gene said, following Daniel, handhold by handhold, up the nearly vertical rock face. “He believed that the spirit of Winter Hawk was one with the fetish, and I think that’s why he wanted it returned to the nest after he was gone.”

“I’m the better climber, but you’re the one who has a bond with Winter Hawk,” Daniel said, choosing his route and footholds carefully. “I’d get my face torn off if I got too close to that ledge.”

“What can I say? Hawk likes me better than you, obviously a sign of good taste,” Gene said, laughing quietly.

“I still have questions about the way Hosteen Silver died. Don’t you?” Daniel said, stepping up and gauging the path ahead carefully. After finding a solid hand-and foothold, he moved up, then waited as his brother followed. “Why would he just walk off into the desert in the middle of winter?”

“It’s the way of the Diné, the Navajo People,” Gene reminded. “When it’s time to die, it’s an honorable way to go—not burdening the family.”

“But he wasn’t sick,” Daniel said.

“Not that we knew about, but he must have known that it was his time,” Gene said, accepting his brother’s hand up onto the next ledge.

“Then why didn’t he take the hawk fetish with him on that last walk?” Daniel pressed, moving up, picking his way with sure hands and feet.

“Because he wanted to honor his spiritual link to Hawk. That was also his way,” Gene said, grunting as one of the handholds crumbled.

“Watch it there, bro,” Daniel said. “Move a little to your right.”

“Got it,” Gene said, leaning forward and recapturing his balance.

“Hosteen Silver could know things before they happened,” Daniel said. The word hosteen meant mister, yet it was a title of respect they all used. He and Gene had been welcomed into the old man’s home first, and after they’d left, Hosteen Silver had brought in Preston Bowman and Paul Grayhorse to share his home. Later, Kyle Goodluck and Rick Cloud had come. Though they’d been there at different times, the bond between all six was strong, forged by the man who’d refused to believe that any Navajo boy could be truly bad.

Hosteen Silver had turned their lives around, two at a time, teaching them what was important in life and how to assume responsibility. Preston was a cop in Hartley, a small city just off the reservation. Paul, a U.S. Deputy Marshal, had recently distinguished himself by saving the life of a federal judge. Kyle was serving with NCIS overseas, and Rick…. No one except Daniel knew what he really did for the FBI, and he’d only found out by accident when Rick had needed help.

Hosteen Silver had been proud of them all, though he’d shown that by example, not words. Yet what bound them as a family went beyond blood ties. It was love for the man who’d given them a chance—a handhold on life.

“Are you thinking that there’s a reason he wanted us to work together here, something that goes beyond returning the fetish?”

“Yeah. He had a way of seeing trouble coming,” Daniel said, struggling up to the next narrow outcropping. “I think he wanted us to renew a bond he thought might have weakened since we’ve gone our own ways.”

“He was always concerned that we’d lose touch, and our family connection. He knew that over time, the ties that bind can loosen—come undone.”

“I tried to tell him that would never happen, even if one of us moved to the moon,” Daniel said. “We share too much history.”

“Back at the foster home, you and I were the only Navajo kids and that made us targets. I was sick a lot back then, but you always had my back.”

“I enjoyed taking those guys on. Then Hosteen Silver came into our lives. We went from the frying pan into the fire. We were out of that environment, but remember how he worked our butts off?” Daniel said, chuckling.

“I think that’s what made me healthy again. I finally had clean air, and plenty of exercise, physical and mental.”

“Once you could fight your own battles, your confidence shot way up.”

“And we started competing big-time,” Gene said, laughing. “Last time I saw Hosteen Silver, he asked if we still enjoyed pushing each other’s buttons. I told him we’d grown way past that, but I don’t think he believed me.”

“Maybe that’s part of the reason he sent us here to deliver his final gift to Winter Hawk. The only way we’d make it all the way up was if we worked together,” Daniel said.

Daniel reached for Gene, steadying him as another foothold crumbled, the chunks of sandstone tumbling into the air, then cascading to the rocks far below. “We’re almost there. If I’m right, the shelf we want is back to the left and up. You better take the lead now.”

After several minutes inching forward, Gene stopped and looked up. The hawk gazed down at him. “Don’t make any sudden moves or loud noises,” he whispered to Daniel.

They were less than ten feet away from the nest now. “Do you remember the legend?” Gene asked, waiting where he was and giving the bird a chance to settle before drawing closer.

“Word for word. It was one of the first stories Hosteen Silver ever told us,” Daniel said, his soft voice resonating with echoes from the past. “Hawk and his mate always honored their true natures. When they came home every night, they’d take human form and be clothed in garments of bright light. Hosteen Silver would then tell us that, like Hawk, we had the power to change at a moment’s notice and become the men we wanted to be. The choice was ours to make.”

The story seemed to energize Gene. He reached for a new handhold on a sturdy-looking scrub oak, but the plant suddenly came out by the roots. Gene slipped, and for a brief instant, swayed back and forth as he gripped the rock with his left hand only.

“Hang on!” Daniel reached for Gene, steadied his swing, then pulled him upward to a firm foothold.

“Okay, I’ve got it now,” Gene said, his breathing labored.

Daniel waited, giving Gene a chance to catch his breath. “We were so bad back then. Everyone said we were no good—just plain trouble—so we had to live up to the reputation. Then came Hosteen Silver.” He chuckled, the sound deep and rumbling.

“Careful, bro. Don’t let Winter Hawk misinterpret your tone.”

The bird lifted her wings, as if to fly, then, as Gene began a Hozonji, a soft, deep Song of Blessing, settled down again and started preening.

“Go past me. I’m too close, and I don’t like the way that bird’s eyeing me,” Daniel said.

“She’s just trying to figure out what we’re up to, that’s all,” Gene said softly, reaching into his jacket pocket and moving along the shelf as Daniel hugged the rock wall.

Daniel watched his brother as he held out the medicine bag with the fetish, and moving ever so slowly, placed it inside the nest.

The hawk hopped back a step, but didn’t fly away.

Daniel smiled. “Had it been me, I’d have pulled back a bloodied stump.”

“It’s your approach. First you have to show respect.”

“I respect what Hawk is—a raptor, a bird of prey,” Daniel said.

“No, not just a bird. Hawk is connected spiritually to our family. By honoring that, we walk in beauty.”

Daniel watched the bird peck and probe the bag for a few seconds, then settle back down, reassured.

“Winter Hawk accepts the tribute,” Gene said.

“We’re done, then,” Daniel said, turning to search for the foothold below his current position.

“No, it’s not over,” Gene said, resting his face against the cold sandstone, then looking down at Daniel. “Trouble is coming. Hosteen Silver was never wrong about things like that.”

Daniel knew Gene was right. He could feel it in his bones. “We’ll face it when it comes, bro, and when the dust settles, we’ll still be standing. Count on it.”

Chapter One

Holly Gates was running ahead of schedule this morning so, on impulse, she decided to turn off the highway and take the old dirt road that ran through the backcountry. This route circled an area of rolling hills filled with fragrant piñon trees, then connected with the natural gas plant’s access road—her destination.

The brilliant blue sky and the unseasonably warm December weather here in northwestern New Mexico made it a perfect morning. Mountains dotted with gray-green forests rose to the north and west. The long, table mesa to the east was lined with cliffs colored in deep reds, orange and even layers of violet, like a sandstone sunrise.

Smiling, Holly looked around the brush and low trees for cottontails, quail and whatever else might be out and about. A solitary red-tailed hawk circled above, watchful for an inattentive rodent or bird.

There were few perfect moments in life, but out here in nature she felt completely at ease. Some people chased happiness as if it were a destination. Yet over the years, she’d learned that happiness could also be found in a well-planned journey. Everyday decisions could become building blocks for an even better tomorrow for those with the foresight to work with an eye on the future.

The courage to nurture her hopes and dreams, along with a lot of hard work, had brought her to where she was today. Just as she knew precisely where she was heading this morning, she also knew where her goals would eventually take her.

At twenty-seven, she owned her own business here in New Mexico. TechTalk Incorporated offered consulting and public relations services to its clients. Currently, she was working almost exclusively on a project with the largest tribe in the U.S., the Navajo Nation. What made her services invaluable was her ability to explain highly technical scientific data in everyday English.

Movement off to the left of the graveled road caught her eye. At a glance she could see several grayish-tan coyotes moving at a fast trot, perpendicular to her route. It was a family group probably—three of the five were clearly smaller than the two mature adults at the front and rear of the pack.

Holly slowed to a crawl for a closer look. She rarely got a chance to study coyotes up close. Navajos, she knew, avoided these creatures, considering them bad luck. Coyote, in the Navajo creation stories, was known as The Trickster and, at best, was an undependable ally.

Holly stopped just before the top of a small rise. If she ventured too close, the human-wise coyotes would alter course and disappear into the brush. As she turned off the engine and set the brake, a flash of color and movement to her left caught her eye.

In a small patch of open ground, a bearded man wearing a baseball cap was unloading a pick from the back of a black, newer-model hardtop Jeep. On the ground beside him was a large, green, military-style canvas duffel bag. Not far beyond, she could see a big hole with a mound of freshly dug earth beside it.

Perhaps responding to the sudden lack of engine noise and crunch of tires on gravel, he turned around and gave her the once-over. Holly waved, greeting him with a smile.

Frowning, the man set the pick down on the ground, propped the handle against the tailgate, then walked away.

Either he wasn’t the friendly type, or he was just plain tired from digging and in no mood to socialize. Of course if he’d needed a pick to break the crust of the hard-packed ground, he probably had his hands full. Judging from the college parking sticker with its big red F on its rear window and his neatly groomed beard, she figured that he was either an archeology or geology professor from the local college.

Though he hadn’t been friendly, Holly scarcely gave it a thought. She always waved at people and greeted them like old friends. She’d learned a long time ago that a smile and a wave could open doors, or at the very least, disarm a potential enemy.

As a new business owner, her friendliness and upbeat nature were an even greater asset to her now. Even a casual wave that called attention to her became added publicity, a method of networking. Her company’s name, TechTalk Incorporated, along with the telephone number and website address, were painted on the driver’s-side door of her pickup. Since she had no extra funds to pay for advertising, this was an inexpensive way of getting attention and potential clients.

When Holly looked back down the road, searching for the coyotes, she found that they’d already disappeared—a survival skill that served them well. Switching on the ignition, she glanced back at the man. The professor or student was by his Jeep again, struggling to load the heavy green duffel bag into the back. For a second she wondered if she should offer to help, but as she reached for the ignition key to turn off the engine again, the man completed the task.

He was probably a geologist with a bag of rock samples. An archeologist would have wrapped up and handled his unearthed find more carefully.

Holly glanced at her watch. It was time for her to get going.

Ten minutes later, she arrived at the gate of the Navajo tribe’s New Horizon Energy’s secure facility. The natural gas processing plant piped in raw natural gas, cleaned it of contaminants, then sent it downline to be used as fuel by consumers. Three strands of barbed wire stood at the top of the mesh, which surrounded the several-acre facility. Security at energy facilities was always high, but she was getting used to it.

Holly handed her photo ID to the armed, uniformed, middle-aged Navajo man at the guardhouse and gave him a smile. Bruce was barrel-chested and about fifty pounds overweight, but she doubted anyone could knock him down without a lot of help.

“Good morning, young lady,” he said with a broad smile. “You all ready for Christmas?”

“If that’s a hint, I’ll be making those chocolate cake cookies you love in a day or two. You’ll be my first stop.”

“My wife would love that recipe—if you ever change your mind.”

“Sorry,” Holly said with a smile. “The pastry chef who came up with it made me swear to never tell a soul. She owns a catering business in Texas now.”

“I’m sure those cookies paved the way for her, too.”

Holly waited until Bruce scanned her ID’s bar code into his handheld device, and wrote her arrival time on his clipboard. Once he gave her a nod, she drove through and nosed her pickup into her designated employee parking space.

Holly walked to the next, unmanned checkpoint, used her access card and went inside the administration building. She could see people gathering in the conference room already, but it was mostly around the coffee and doughnut table, so she would have time to review her notes. She took an aisle seat in the front row and opened her briefcase.

Today she was scheduled to present an overview of the proposed new natural gas recovery process to area guests, industry people, and state and local government representatives. Afterward, she’d give the community leaders who had sufficient clearance a tour of the facility.

Holly saw Martin Roanhorse, the tribal department head, at the front of the room speaking with the facility manager. She was glad that Martin approved of her work, but she hated the way he’d often give her assignments at the last minute. He’d never understood how much preparation her presentations actually took, especially when the audience included both PhD-level engineers and local media who preferred information in sound bites.

Spotting her, Martin hurried over, arriving just as she opened her folder. As usual, he was well dressed. Today, his bolo tie complemented his brown wool Western suit and his snakeskin boots were shined to perfection.

“Here’s an update on our guest list, Holly,” he said. “We’ve made some last-minute additions. We’ve expanded this event to include several people from the public sector. I’ve listed the occupation of each participant, as well as their stated reason for attending,” Martin said, ignoring her scowl. “The tour of the facility, of course, will remain restricted to those who’ve already been cleared.”

“I’ve asked you before not to spring these things on me at the last minute, Martin. Half of what I’ve already prepared will probably go right over their heads. I’m supposed to communicate, not confuse.”

“I know, and I’m sorry about that, but this request came from the tribal president. He’s been getting flak from some activists and wanted you to make sure everyone understood that there’s no danger to the aquifer.”

She took a deep breath and let it out again. “The new guests… Is that why I’m seeing extra security this morning?” Holly cocked her head toward the back of the room where two plant security guards were stationed just inside the exit.

“Yeah,” he said. “Don’t worry. Everyone was checked with the wands when they came through the security gates.”

“Who’s the tall Navajo man in the brown leather jacket with a pistol on his hip? A tribal cop? He looks ex-military.”

“You may have heard his name mentioned during tribal agency meetings. That’s Daniel Hawk,” he said, following her gaze. “Like you, he’s a private consultant. Hawk owns Level One Security and conducts our training exercises, not only here, but also at every critical tribal facility. Naturally he’s got the highest clearance level.”

Holly nodded, finally being able to place a face to the name. She’d heard Daniel Hawk described as a one-time bad boy who could attract women faster than free chocolate. Daniel had presence. That confidence and take-charge attitude, coupled with those wide shoulders and long legs, sure made him easy on the eyes.

She watched Daniel Hawk as he moved, his back straight, his steps measured and filled with purpose. He came to a stop and glanced around the room, his gaze missing nothing. Then, for a brief moment, his eyes met hers. That steady, penetrating look was a blend of curiosity and casual sensuality that made her body tingle all over.

Holly was used to being checked out by men wherever she was. Though she wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous, at five foot three she had generous curves in all the right places and men had a tendency to turn their heads to look when she stepped into a room. Yet it wasn’t admiration that was mirrored in the dark eyes that held hers—it was a subtle challenge.