Native Born

“Kino?” Luke rubbed his neck reflexively in the place his youngest nephew had taken a bullet. “Healing. And back to work on the tribal force.”

As a tribal police officer, she knew. He’d also been a Shadow Wolf working on the border, tracking smugglers with his brother Clay. The Shadow Wolves were an elite team of Native American trackers working under Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hunt and apprehend drug traffickers on the Arizona border.

“Anyway, Gabe mentioned to Tully about the petition to overturn.”

Cassidy’s gaze flashed to Forrest and held.

“You should have told him, Cassidy. He’s talking about pulling you off the Raggar case.”

Which was exactly why she had not told Tully about the custody battle.

“That has nothing to do with me doing my job. Damn it, Luke. I’ve been on this since the beginning. I’ve put in the time and I deserve to see it through.” Plus she knew bringing down Raggar and Manny Escalanti would give her the commendation she needed to earn a promotion to a major field office. Escalanti was the leader of the Black Mountain’s only gang, the Wolf Posse. He’d managed to insulate himself on the reservation and by using others to run his errands. Cassidy wanted him bad.

Forrest shrugged. “It’s a problem.”

Clyne burst back into the room with her boss and his brother Gabe Cosen on his heels. Gabe scanned the room, met her gaze and did a quick clinical sweep before moving on. He kept his gun hand clear and immediately stepped out of the doorway to a position where he could see anyone approach the entrance. She smiled in admiration. The man would make a good agent, she decided, thinking that being the chief of police on the rez seemed a waste of his talents.

“Councilman Cosen, please,” said Tully. “We can’t guarantee your safety.”

“Your guarantee. We all know what a guarantee from the federal government is worth.”

Man, she could see the chip on his shoulder from clear across the room. If she had it right, his tribe was one of the few that had remained on their land because they had succeeded in making a deal with the federal government that had been kept.

“It would be easier with your consent,” said Gabe. “We are only talking about the times when you come down off Black Mountain.”

“I’d rather have you,” said Clyne, his dark eyes flicking to his younger brother.

“Well, I already have a job on the rez. These folks are much better prepared to watch your back, as evidenced by Agent Walker here.”

Clyne came up short when he spotted her.

Gabe’s comment forced Clyne to look at her. Cassidy sucked in a breath and felt the twinge at her ribs. Why did the simple connection of his gaze and hers make her skin buzz with an electricity? Oh, this was really bad.

He looked away and Cassidy exhaled. Unfortunately her skin still tingled. It was his charisma. Had to be. Because she refused to consider that she was attracted to Clyne Cosen.

“It’s bad enough that you’ve got DOJ and these agents swarming all over Black Mountain,” said Clyne. She knew that he didn’t like Department of Justice or FBI, really any federal agency, on Indian land. But his words lacked the authority of a moment before and his gaze slipped to meet hers again before bouncing away. He wiped his mouth. If she didn’t know better she would say he was rattled.

“Yes, and one of them died taking that load of chemicals. And you didn’t mind them using their helicopter to transport Kino to the hospital down here.”

Cassidy had arrived on scene just after the shooting Gabe mentioned. Kino had been hit in the neck. He would have bled to death if not for the transport.

Clyne scowled and damn if she didn’t find him even more appealing. Now Cassidy was scowling, too.

“I won’t object to protection for gatherings off the rez,” he said at last. “Are we done?”

It seemed Clyne was as anxious to be away from them as she was to see his back.

“Almost,” said Gabe. “I want to request a new DOJ agent be appointed to the joint task force to replace the fallen agent, Matt Dryer.”

“Easily done,” said Tully.

“And,” said Gabe glancing first to his brother and then to Cassidy. He held her gaze as he spoke. “I request that Luke Forrest and Cassidy Walker be assigned to Black Mountain to assist in our investigation and report back to the joint task force.”

“No,” said Clyne.

Gabe turned to his elder brother as the two faced off. Clyne was slightly taller. Gabe slightly broader.

“I am required to notify tribal council of the presence of federal authorities on the reservation. I am not required to obtain their permission. This is your notice.”

Clyne’s teeth locked and his jaw bulged. Cassidy had to force herself not to step back. If the man could summon thunder it would surely have been rumbling over his head.

“Perhaps an agent other than Walker?” suggested Tully.

Gabe shook his head, his gaze still locked on Clyne. “Her.”

Cassidy swallowed. She didn’t understand why Police Chief Cosen would make such a play when his brother was against it. Her boss looked leery as well, likely because he now knew of the custody battle boiling between them. But she wanted the assignment because she wanted to continue her investigation and there was only so much she could do from Phoenix when the main player, Manny Escalanti, never left his nest on Black Mountain.

But why would Gabe Cosen want her? It didn’t make sense and she suspected a trap. Was he trying to gain some advantage in the adoption battle? If so, she couldn’t see it.

Clyne now leaned toward Gabe with a hand on his hip, which was thankfully clear of any weapon. Gabe settled for folding his arms over his chest and smiling like a man who knew he had won this round. Cassidy didn’t think it was over, because Clyne looked like a bull buffalo just before a charge.

Their uncle Luke Forrest stepped between them, placing a hand on the shoulder of each brother.

“It won’t be so bad,” he said to his nephew. “Just like I’m visiting. And I sure won’t mind sitting at your grandmother’s table a time or two.”

Tully glanced at her with an open look of assessment. She thought he was trying to puzzle this out as well and had also come up empty.

“All right, then,” said Tully and pointed at Cassidy. “Agents Walker and Forrest, you are reassigned to Black Mountain until further notice.”

Clyne glared at her and her wide eyes narrowed to meet the challenge in his gaze.

“Yes, sir,” she said.

Chapter Three

“But why would he choose me?” Cassidy asked.

“Damned if I know,” said Tully. “Because you saved his brother’s life?”

Her partner, Luke Forrest, spoke up. “Don’t you see a conflict of interest here?”

“It’s Chief Cosen’s call,” said Tully. “One thing I know about Agent Walker is that she does her job. She proved it again today.”

She couldn’t tell if he was proud of her or still annoyed. But it was true. If she wanted Clyne Cosen dead, that had been her chance.

“Yes, sir.” It was automatic, her response. Inside her head she was shouting, No! But that was the voice of emotion. The one that she ignored whenever possible.

“Walker. Forrest. You are assigned to the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.”

“Yes, sir.”

Cassidy groaned. She didn’t need to be on another committee. Especially one made up of state, local and federal authorities. What she needed was to be in the field. They’d been getting close to Ronnie Hare and that bust might be all she needed to gain her transfer.

“Since you are Apache, I expect you to be able to do some recon and find out if there is anything going on up there that would lead someone to take a shot at Tribal Councillor Cosen.”

“Yes, sir,” said Agent Forrest.

Her daughter. The basketball game that she’d promised she would attend.

“I need to make arrangements for my daughter.”

“Go on, then.”

Clyne’s scowl deepened.

Cassidy moved to the far side of the room to make a call to her mother-in-law. After Cassidy’s husband, Gerard, had been killed in action, Diane Walker had moved west to help her pick up the slack. Cassidy had no family of her own, and Gerard had been Diane’s only child. She made the call, apologized and disconnected. It was not the first time she had been unexpectedly sent on an assignment. It was the first time that that assignment was challenging her custody in federal court.

Cassidy glanced back to the waiting three men. She had one more important call to make to Amanda, the only thing more important than her job.

“Hi, pumpkin. You at school?”

“Mom, school ended hours ago. I’m at the rec center. The game. Remember? Where are you? Warm-up is almost over.”

She glanced at her watch and saw it was nearly four in the afternoon.

“Right. You all warmed up?” she asked, turning her back on the men.

“Where are you?” asked Amanda.

“I’m still in Tucson.” Her daughter groaned. “Grandma is on the way.”

“Oh, Mom!”

“Listen. There was some trouble. You’ll see it on the news.”

“Mom?” Her daughter’s voice was now calm. Unlike some of her fellows, she had never hidden what she did from her daughter. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, fine. But I’m still in Tucson.”

“Did you see my brothers?”

She glanced to Gabe and then to Clyne. “Yes.” She gripped her neck with her opposite hand so hard that her back began to ache.

“I want to meet them!” Her daughter’s voice filled with longing.

“Maybe soon.”

And maybe forever. Cassidy’s heart ached low down and deep, reminding her of a pain she had not felt since she’d discovered her husband had been killed in action.

She needed to get them out of Arizona. If only that would work. But she knew that moving wouldn’t protect Amanda from one particular threat. The ICWA, Indian Child Welfare Act. Sovereign rights. Tribal rights.

“Are you listening to me?” asked Amanda.

“What was that, pumpkin?”

“I asked if you will be back in time for Saturday’s game?”

She glanced to Clyne, the newest of the tribal council and enemy number one in her book. Oh, if she could just find something to bury them but all she’d come up with was something ancient on the third brother, Clay. She stiffened. A brow arched as she looked at Clyne, who narrowed his eyes at her.

“I’ll try, pumpkin.”

“Oh, Mom!”

From the phone, Cassidy heard the sound of a scoreboard buzzer.

“I’ve got to go.”

Cassidy pictured her in her red-and-white basketball uniform, her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, her lips tinted pink from the colored lip gloss her daughter had begun wearing. It was her last year of elementary school. Her last year of eligibility in the youth basketball league. Next year Cassidy would have a teenager on her hands. She hoped.

“I love you,” said Cassidy.

“You, too.” The line went dead.

She held the phone to her chest for just a moment, eyes closed against the darkness that crept into her heart. What would she do if they took her daughter away?

“Was that her?”

The gruff male voice brought her about and she faced Clyne, who had snuck up on her without a sound.

Cassidy straightened for a fight with Clyne—her daughter’s eldest brother and the first name on the complaint petitioning to have her daughter’s closed adoption opened and overturned. She knew he’d win. He knew it, too. She saw not an ounce of pity for her in those deep brown eyes. Just the alert stare of a confident man facing a foe.

His face was all angles where her daughter’s was all soft curves and the promise of the woman she would soon become.

An Apache woman. Not if she could help it. Amanda would be whatever she wanted and not be limited to one place and one clannish tribe who clung to that mountain as if it were more than just another outcropping of stone. Cold as his heart, she suspected. What did he know about Amanda, anyway? Nothing. According to his records he’d been deployed with the US Marines when his sister had been born and hadn’t been discharged until after the accident that took his mother.

“Was that who?” she asked. But she knew. Still she made him say it.

“Jovanna?” he said, breathing the word, just a whisper.

Her skin prickled at the hushed intimate tone.

“Her name is Amanda Gail Walker.”

“Amanda?” Clyne spat the word as he threw up his hands. “I’ve never met an Apache woman named Amanda.”

“And you won’t meet this one if I have any say in it.”

“We are her family,” said Clyne. “Her real family.”

“Hey, I’m just as real as the family that didn’t even know she was alive for twelve years.”

“Nine,” he corrected. Nine years on July 4 since his mother had died in that auto accident.

“If it were up to you all, she would have been raised in a series of group homes in South Dakota.”

“You are not a mother. You’re a field agent.”

“And?”

“You have no husband, no other children.”

“What’s your point?”

“You are alone raising my sister and you have a very dangerous job. You were shot today! You could get killed at any moment. A good mother doesn’t put her child at that kind of risk.”

“It’s an important job.”

“So is motherhood,” said Clyne. “So is teaching her who she is, who her people are, where she comes from. She belongs where her tribe has lived for centuries. You move her around like she’s a canary.”

“You finished? Because it isn’t up to you. It’s up to the judge. Until then I do my job and you keep away from my daughter.”

“Walker!” She turned to see her boss closing in. “Outside. Now.”

She followed him out into the hallway.

“What was that?” asked Tully.

“Custody battle,” she said.

“I know all about that. What I’m asking about is why are you fighting with a tribal councilman?”

“Perhaps I’m not the right one for this assignment,” she said, hating herself for saying it. She’d never turned down an assignment before.

“I agree. But I need an agent up there on Black Mountain. One who is not Apache and Chief Cosen just gave me an in. So you’re it. Find out what’s going on up there. You got it? We’ve got permission for two agents on that rez. That’s never happened before. So shut your mouth and do your job.”

“Yes, sir.” Cassidy had a thought. “Do you think the Cosens might be involved with the distribution ring?”

“How do I know? That’s for you to find out.”

Cassidy’s mood brightened.

If she were up there, in his home, in his community, perhaps she could find some chink in the Cosen armor, something to make them unfit to raise a twelve-year-old child.

But if that were so, then why in the wide world would Chief Gabe Cosen allow her up in his territory?

She had a terrible thought. What if the Cosen brothers wanted her up there, away from the protection of other agents, so that something bad could happen to her? That would remove her from the equation when it came to the custody of her daughter.

Cassidy drew in a breath and faced her boss. It was a gamble. But it was the only way she could see to keep Amanda without putting her daughter in the position to choose.

A twelve-year-old should not have to choose between her mother and her brothers. It wasn’t fair to ask a child to make such a choice. But Amanda would have to, if it came down to that.

Cassidy squared her shoulders as if she were still at attention in lineup. Then she met the analytical gaze of Donald Tully.

“If I do this, will you put in that recommendation for my transfer to DC?” she asked.

Tully’s mouth went tight, but the glimmer in his eyes showed he knew she had won. “You know we do some good work here, too.”

“Answer the question.”

“Yes, damn it. I will.”

“All right. I’ll do it.”

* * *

HIS BROTHER ANSWERED on the first ring.

“I got her!” he said, his voice full of jubilation.

“You sure?” asked his brother, Johnny.

“Gray Volvo station wagon, right?”

“That’s what I said.”

Johnny had tailed her the day she’d shown up in court to testify on a big case. She’d lost the tail easily but now they knew the make and model of her personal vehicle.

“She heading to the hospital?” Johnny asked.

“Don’t know,” he said.

“Damned, I hit her dead center. Should have knocked her down, at least. Then I would have had another shot,” said Johnny.

“We need to get that tungsten ammo.”

“We don’t. Common caliber will get the job done.”

“If it’s a head shot.”

“It was a head shot,” said Johnny. “She moved. Jumped on him.”

“What about a bigger caliber or a hollow point?”

“We buy that and we might as well wave a red flag in front of the Feds’ eyes. No reason to buy that ammo but one.”

“No guts, no glory,” he said, using Johnny’s favorite expression.

“Hey, I’m all about hitting the target. Just don’t want a spot next to Brett’s.”

“What do you mean?”

“In the cemetery, stupid,” said Johnny.

“Right,” he said. Johnny was always the smart one. “She’s heading for the interstate.”

“Heading home, maybe. That’d be a break. Get her address if you can,” said Johnny.

“Sure. Sure.”

“Hey, kid? Finding her car? Ya done good.”

He basked in the praise. Truth was, he didn’t mind a cell next to Johnny’s. Just so long as he took care of business first.

Chapter Four

Seemed you only needed to get shot to get the rest of the day off. Cassidy’s boss sent her to the hospital. But she didn’t go. Instead, she went home to her daughter. The drive from Tucson to Phoenix took three hours, but it didn’t matter. She made it in time for supper.

She arrived with pizza and found Diane waiting with the table set. Amanda bounded off the couch and accepted a kiss and then the boxes, which she carried to the kitchen dinette.

Gerard’s mother retrieved the milk from the refrigerator for Amanda and then took her seat. Diane had many good qualities. Cooking was not one of them. But she was the only other family Amanda had. Cassidy gritted her teeth at the lie. The only family that Cassidy wanted her to have. Was that selfish?

“Finally,” said Diane. “I’m starving.”

Diane was sixty-three, black and didn’t look a day over fifty. She had taken an early retirement from UPS five years ago when her only son had been killed in action. Her skin was a lighter brown than her son’s had been and she chose to straighten her hair, instead of leaving it natural, as Gerard had.

When Cassidy had transferred from California to Arizona, Diane had joined them. Her decision to help raise Amanda had allowed Cassidy to take Amanda out of the school keeper’s programs and allowed Cassidy to move into fieldwork, which she truly loved.

Cassidy excused herself to change. Using a mirror, she checked the sight of the impact and noted the purplish bruise that spread across her back. She took four ibuprofens and slipped into a button-up blouse because it hurt too much to lift her arms over her head. Then she rejoined her mother-in-law and daughter.

After dinner it was past nine on a school night. Amanda headed off to bed. Cassidy joined her, sitting on the foot of the twin bed, trying not to look at the photo of her husband on his second deployment that rested on Amanda’s nightstand.

“You’re leaving again, aren’t you?” said Amanda.

Cassidy stroked her daughter’s glossy black hair away from her face. Clyne’s hair had been just this color. Gabe and Kino kept their hair so short it was hard to compare and she had yet to meet Clay, the middle brother.

“Yes, doodlebug. I have to pack tonight. I’ll be gone before you get up.”

“We have another game on Wednesday.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Where?” Her daughter knew that her mother couldn’t say much about her assignments. But this time, somehow, it seemed important that she know.

“Black Mountain.”

“On the reservation?” Her daughter’s voice now rose with excitement. “Oh, Mom. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Because she tried to keep her daughter away from the people who were attempting to take Amanda away from her.

“Can I come?”

“Of course you can’t come.”

Her daughter continued on and Cassidy wished she had not mentioned the location of her assignment.

“Are you going to Pinyon Fort? Will you see the museum? There are two hotels on Black Mountain, the ski resort and the casino. Where will you stay?”

It was like watching a train pick up speed and having no way to slow it down.

Ever since Cassidy had told her daughter that she was not really Sioux, as they had been told, but Apache, Amanda had been Googling the Black Mountain tribe’s website and studying Apache history.

“I’m not sure yet.” Cassidy pressed a hand to her forehead.

“You have to tell me everything, what it’s like. They had snow there today. I checked. I haven’t seen snow since we left South Dakota. I wish I could come, too.”

Cassidy stroked her daughter’s head and forced a smile.

“Maybe next time.”

“Will you see them?”

“Yes.”

Amanda’s eyes widened. “Oh, I want to go!”

“I know.”

“What if the judge says I have to go with them? Wouldn’t it be better if I had at least met them?”

Cassidy’s heart ached at the possibility of losing her daughter.

“They can’t take you for long. Even if the judge overturns my custody, you remember what I told you?”

“I’m twelve.”

Cassidy nodded.

Amanda recited by memory. “Twelve-year-olds can request to be adopted away from their tribe.”

“That’s right.”

Amanda frowned. Ever since they’d discovered who she really was and that she had another family out there, Amanda had been increasingly unhappy. Of course the opening of her adoption and the challenge for custody upset her. Why wouldn’t it?

“They can’t win,” said Cassidy. “Because you are old enough to choose.”

Amanda moved her legs restlessly under the covers and seemed to want to say something.

Cassidy waited.

“Can you at least take a picture of them?”

“What? Why?”

“So I can see if they look like me?”

How she wished she could go back to the time when they both thought she had no one but her mom and dad and Grandma Diane. When there was no one else.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” said Cassidy.

“Please?” asked Amanda.

Cassidy tucked the covers back in place. “I have to go pack and you have to go to sleep. Good night, sweetheart.”

Amanda kissed her mother and then flopped to her side. She said nothing more as Cassidy walked to the bedroom door and waited.

She was about to give up when Amanda flopped back to face her.

“Be careful up there, Mom.”

“I will. I love you.”

“You, too.”

Cassidy closed the door and headed to her bedroom to pack. She was good at packing. A tour of duty with the US Army had taught her that. And also how to fly helicopters. She’d put in for a transfer from her first assignment with the FBI after Gerard died because she couldn’t stand to live in the home they had chosen together. They’d ended up in Southern California.

After she had finished in her room, she carried her suitcase, briefcase and duffel down to the hallway. She told Diane all she could about where she was going. But she didn’t tell her that after this assignment she would finally get her transfer. Would Diane come with them or would it be just the two of them again?

She didn’t know. What she did know was she needed the custody decision so that Amanda could tell the judge she wanted to be adopted again by her mother. Then she needed to get away from this part of the country. As far as possible from the Apache tribe. Until then, she was keeping her daughter away from the Cosen brothers.