Star People Legacy Smith, T.L. (e book free reading .TXT) 📖

was a wide new expanse, still patrolled by DPS. An interagency agreement made sure criminals couldn’t just jump the territorial line to avoid pursuit. Suspects caught on tribal lands they were handed over immediately. Their tough policy was an effective dissuasion and cut down the costs of supporting non-tribal prisoners.

We passed the ‘Last Chance’ sign and were on the Cocopah Reservation.

Even though I had a lot of Cocopah friends, and I liked it on the Res, I didn’t come this way often. Other than concerts or events, my visits were usually representing the USMC. Typically, as their token ‘Indian’, I got tapped as liaison if one of our boys got into trouble. It didn’t happen often. Newbies were briefed that the last person they ever wanted coming after them, was me. I could make a Marine cry, and would.

Leaning my face against the window, I watched the buildings go by. Right now I wasn’t coming onto the Res as a friend, rock fan or Marine, but as a refugee. I suddenly felt… different… displaced. Unsure if I’d ever fit into any of these worlds again.

In the distance I saw a long swath of green. The Colorado River. It wasn’t far now. The new casino was close to San Luis. I’d be there soon and could sleep, maybe get rid of this feeling of… dread. No, not dread. I felt something else. Something overwhelming the weariness of a sleepless night. Jittery, as if… pursued.

I looked behind us and saw Joey about three cars behind us. He was looking around him, looking as jittery as I felt. My skin got warmer. “Daniel! Something’s wrong.”

Right then Frankie’s phone chirped. He flipped it to the dash speaker. “What’s up?”

“Someone’s behind me. A big tan SUV.” I could see Joey talking as he tailed us. “I’ve changed lanes but they’re not passing. I’m getting off at the next exit.” Joey was the youngest of my brothers, but still older than me. He’d been put through the same brotherly torture I had, so I was closer to him. My heart thudded as he took the off ramp. The SUV followed him. “Still on my bumper.”

“I know this exit!” I threw myself against the seatbelt, shouting over Frankie’s shoulder. “Take a left at the light and about a half mile on the right is the police maintenance yard. Billy… the guy who owns that truck, he’s tribal police. Officer William Ortiz.”

“Do as she says. Stay there until Charles comes to pick you up.”

“Got it… turning left… still behind me. Two guys. I can see a rental tag in the window.”

“You should be able to see the sign, and a lot of outside light posts. There’s a guard at the gate. He’ll run the plate when you pull in and probably open the gate without stopping you.”

“Pulling in and… there goes the gate.” There was a laugh. “Ha! They don’t look too pleased to see where I led them. They just tore out of here. They’re gone.”

“Don’t count on it.” Daniel changed to the exit lane to get us off the highway too. “They’ll turn around and watch the place. Get out so they can see you’re not Din’ah or Casey. That’ll confuse them.”

“And alert the guards. Tell them to call Billy… William Ortiz. Tell him you’re my brother and…” And what? I was supposed to return the truck and bikes yesterday.

Daniel looked at me in the mirror, that stern ‘I’m in charge here’ look. “Let them get a glimpse of you, nothing more. Then get inside to do any explaining.” His eyes flipped to his own rearview mirrors, looking to see if anyone followed us off the highway.

Joey kept his phone active, picking up the conversation with the duty officers on the gate. Giving us a blow-by-blow as they called Billy. Joey found a front window. “The SUV swung into the McDonalds across the street, facing the maintenance yard. They’re still inside, fighting from appearances.”

Daniel switched to city streets, making several more turns, slowing down to see who turned next, speeding up to put lights between us and other vehicles.

I called Chucky. “They followed Joey. I sent him to the Santa Fe District Police Yard. Casey knows where it is. Pick him up and have Casey call Billy. Make something up and tell him we’ll… that we needed to hang onto the bikes, something believable.” He’d be sorry to lose them, but he didn’t need to know until this was over.

Daniel added a few more instructions, sounding a bit peeved and tossing me a glare. I shut down my phone.

The jitters let go as we zigzagged through town, the dread diminished to match. I eased back into the corner. “So, I know I’m supposed to wait, but what just happened? Was my Star Spirit trying to warn me something was wrong?”

“You’re getting stronger. You felt it nearly as fast as Joey did.” Daniel didn’t snip at me, instead sounding a bit impressed. “Your run in with these guys must have been pretty intense, to have triggered such a rapid Rising.”

“It was.” I hunkered down a bit more in the back seat. “If I can feel them, can they feel me? Is that why they were following us? Do you think they know I’m not dead?”

“They didn’t touch you, did they?” Daniel’s eyes were on me again.

“NO! I never took my gun off the pack leader until I drove away. He got close, maybe four feet from me. It took everything not to shoot him.” I shivered, remembering that moment. “He was… creepy. Beady-eyed, but not a hint of emotions. Just an ugly smirk.”

I got head nods. “He couldn’t know what you are unless he actually touched you.” He did a mirror check as we took another corner. “They must have latched onto the truck when we sent Joey to your apartment. As good as he is getting in and out of places, they’re just as good at hiding in the cracks.”

Frankie shrugged. “Hopefully we’ve confused them.”

“Hope so.”

“He’ll