Page 36 of Lake's Legacy

“Maybe we can ask during the meeting tomorrow,” I muse.

“What meeting?” Hex asks.

I tell him about my taking on the role of chief with Coyote out of commission and about the town meeting we’re holding in the morning to announce the appointment.

“You sure that’s what you want to do?” Hex asks, watching me.

“What I want to do? No, but it's what I need to do. For now.” I flick a glance at Toff.

Hex nods, understanding what I’m not saying. The real reason I’m stepping up is that Toff doesn’t. I don’t know who attacked Coyote. But if they attacked him because he’s the tribal chief, I sure as hell am not going to let Toff put himself in harm’s way.

“Any thoughts on why someone attacked Coyote?” Zip asks.

I shrug but then remember the USB drive. Digging it out of my pocket, I hold it up. “Coyote was holding this when I found him. He pressed it into my hand before passing out.”

“Dad,” Annette says, standing and going to hug the man walking with Olivia.

“Dr. Solon. How is my girl?” I ask, drawing Olivia to my side.

“After everything she’s been through? Phenomenal,” Dr. Solon says, shaking my hand. “Good to see you, Lake. It’s been too long.”

I introduce him to Hex and the others before he sits next to Annette.

“Do you have an update on Coyote?” Toff asks him.

“The last I heard, he was still in surgery. They’ll let me know once he gets out. What happened?”

I go through everything again for Dr. Solon. Not only giving him the details about finding Coyote but also about what we’ve learned about the assholes who kidnapped Annette and Olivia and who have been threatening the tribe.

“Are you certain they didn’t attack Coyote?”

“Toff and I saw the men who kidnapped the women leaving Running Bear’s land. They headed for the main road leading out of town. They wouldn’t have had time to come back and attack Coyote. Why?”

“I spoke to Dr. Sinclair when he was in the hospital. He told me all that he remembered about the attack. He confirmed the men who attacked him spouted off racist insults so that meshes. However, I think there is more to it than simple racism,” Dr. Solon says.

“You spoke to him about the attack?” I ask.

“I treated him when they brought him in. He stayed here for a few days before they released him.”

“I thought they caught him by surprise?” Annette asks.

“They did, but he regained consciousness while they ransacked the place. He pretended to be unconscious so they wouldn’t do more damage. They roughed him up. He had a broken rib, a broken wrist, and a dislocated arm. They kicked the shit out of him. Bruised his kidney.”

“Shit,” Zip mutters while Hex takes out his phone. When he finishes texting, he gives me a nod. I smirked, knowing he just gave Abra and Dixie a laundry list of the damages they should inflict on our guests.

“So, what did he overhear?” I ask.

“They joked about getting paid for taking out a few injuns. How pleased the general was going to be when they achieved their mission along with a nice payday. And that getting ridof the injuns would make everything easier for them. No witnesses.”

I catch Hex’s eye. Even though we don’t speak, the communication is there. Our list of questions for the racist pricks grows longer. I’m debating returning to New Orleans and postponing the meeting with the elders until I know more about our enemies. However, I know part of why I want to delay the meeting is because I’m not looking forward to taking on the mantle worn by my father. I swore I’d never accept the responsibility of being the chief of our tribe. The role laid out by my father and my ancestors. A role that would fit as uneasily as life inside a cubicle wearing a suit and tie. I study Toff, whose attention shifts from Annette to her father and the door leading into the hospital. The leadership of our tribe belongs on his shoulders, but not yet. I hope my decision to take over temporarily doesn’t obliterate any chance of Coyote seeing Toff’s worth.

“Why did you ask if the men who kidnapped us were the ones who attacked Coyote?” Annette asks her father.

“Because the men who hurt Dr. Sinclair commented about scalping the chief. I know someone stabbed Coyote, but I wondered if they’d gone after him.”

I clench my fists. Scalping. Not something our tribe practiced, but something I will gladly use to torture those motherfuckers.

Pirate, oblivious to the conversation as he read through what was on the USB drive, leans back in his chair.

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