A Powerless World | Book 3 | Defend The Homestead Hunt, Jack (read my book TXT) 📖

“What do you expect me to do with this information? Take it to the elders? Can you imagine what they would say?” Dakota paused. “And the other tribes? What am I supposed to say to them? Oh, hey guys, I thought we just scalped people on Thursdays over brunch.” He paused. “I can’t speak for them but they would be as offended as I am to hear such an accusation.”

“I’m not the accuser, Dakota. I’m merely passing on what I’ve heard. I would hate to think that…”

“History would repeat itself?” he asked. “Let me guess… they want to come and round us up and place us in a corral as they did back in the 1860s?” He paused again. “If they try that, things will go in a whole different direction this time.”

Colby remained silent. He allowed his friend to vent. He would have done the same. He had every right. The accusations were uncalled for, but he understood them. The history of America was marred by scalpings. “You should tell the other tribes. It could mean trouble. I don’t want that any more than you do.”

“If it happens we are prepared.”

“The militia is around fifty, give or take. And they’re Armed.”

He smiled. “As are we.”

Colby felt the atmosphere change. He knew it would. There was no way to skirt around such an accusation. They were at heart peaceful people but even they had their limits. “You know I have your back.”

Dakota nodded.

Needing to change the topic, Colby said, “My father is dead. So is Lincoln.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Was it the Stricklands?”

“It’s believed they were responsible for my father’s death but not Lincoln. That occurred in a different county.”

“Are you here to get caught up in the drama again or will you move on?”

“I haven’t decided. I returned to show my respect for my father, and for Skye, but…” He took a deep breath. “So much has changed. So have I. Humboldt no longer feels like home. I feel like a stranger in my own land.”

“Your land?” Dakota smiled and he was back again.

“You know what I mean.” Colby ran a hand over his face. The door opened and in walked Dakota’s sister Selena.

“Colby! They told me you were back. Hey…” He got up and they hugged.

“Still looking as beautiful as ever.”

“Hey…” Dakota said in a joking way before tutting.

Selena waved him off, chuckling, her cheeks going red.

She hadn’t aged a day. She was wearing a colorful boho necklace with matching earrings, a black sweater, and dark blue jeans with white flats. He’d dated her for a short while back when he was a teenager until she said that he was more like a brother than a boyfriend. Dakota was pleased about that. Him, not so much.

Alicia smiled when Selena turned her attention to her and shook her hand. Once the greetings were out of the way, Selena’s gaze bounced between them. “So… what’s new?”

Dakota gave her the Cliffs Notes version and her jaw dropped. She took a seat beside them and placed her hands on her knees. “And you think militia might head this way?”

Colby shrugged. “I don’t know. For now, they are telling anyone who wishes to get supplies from the county to move into Eureka. I imagine as you are part of the county that they will visit here. I don’t want any harm to come to the Wiyot people. I don’t expect you to leave but you should be prepared. Once I know more about who is behind this I will keep you updated.”

“So you’re staying?” Dakota asked.

“For now. Maybe I can find out who’s behind this before things get out of hand. At least here I know people who can help. Out there it’s hellish.”

Over the following hour, he shared what they’d seen in different counties from Humboldt to Los Angeles — and what was happening in FEMA camps, and the dangers. When he was done, Dakota and Selena gave them a tour of the new building and introduced them to new faces, as well as some of the elders. Most remembered Colby. He had been almost a permanent fixture on the reservation back in his teens. He missed those carefree days.

“It’s been good to see you again, old friend,” Dakota said.

Colby took his hand and pulled him in. “You need anything, let me know.”

“Likewise.”

Before they left, Dakota told him that he would speak to some of the other tribes to find out if anyone had approached them and to keep them abreast of the changes coming in the county. He didn’t expect him to ask if the Karu, Hupa, Tolowa, or Yurok were responsible. Such news was bound to rile up the youth, and those who already had a strained relationship with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.

They were given an escort away from the community center back to the main road where they said their final farewells and embarked on the short journey back home. Alicia peppered him with questions, everything from what Dakota would do through to where they would go if they left Humboldt. As the hooves of the horse clopped against the road and they came around onto Alderpoint and approached the bridge, Colby saw something ahead. A mound. He squinted and nudged the horse on. Kane ran ahead and stopped and sniffed, then began barking. “What is that?” Alicia asked.

As he got closer, Colby could tell it was a body.

It had just been dumped in the middle of the bridge, in the center of the road.

The face was bloodied and beaten to the point of being almost unrecognizable.

He squinted again, and that’s when his stomach turned.

“Jessie!”

Chapter Fifteen

It seemed almost too perfect. Whether the informant had been lying or not was immaterial. He’d been looking for an angle, a way to dig the knife into both families, and it had presented itself on the back of their own feud.

At first, he didn’t understand fully why Derek Strickland hadn’t asked for something in return. He would have under