Page 13 of Close

Hale frowned.“Only that there was some disagreement.Mark mentioned it during our department meeting last week.He was frustrated because the guide had refused to take him to the specific formation he wanted to photograph.”

“Did he say why the guide refused?”

“Something about it being a sacred site, I believe.Or dangerous after dark.”Hale shook her head.“Mark dismissed it as superstition.He could be… single-minded when it came to his research.”

“Did he mention the guide’s name?”Kari asked, trying to keep her tone casual.

Hale thought for a moment.“I don’t recall if he did.But it would be in his research authorization paperwork.We keep copies of all field research documentation.”She turned to her computer.“Let me check our files.”

While Hale searched, Kari scanned the office, noting the geology journals on the bookshelves, the framed photographs of rock formations that must have held significance beyond their aesthetic appeal to the trained eye.One photo on Hale’s desk showed a group of faculty members at what appeared to be a department picnic.Harrington stood at the edge, smiling but somehow separate from the others.

“Here it is,” Hale said, turning the monitor so Kari could see.“Mark filed his research plan three months ago.The guide he arranged was someone named Natoni Begay, affiliated with the Canyon de Chelly Visitor Center.”

Kari made note of the name.“And Dr.Harrington went to the site without the guide after their disagreement?”

“Apparently so.”Hale looked troubled.“Mark was determined to get those photographs during the full moon.Something about the light revealing the oxidation patterns more clearly.”She hesitated.“Do you think this guide could have had something to do with what happened?”

“We’re exploring all possibilities,” Kari said.“Was there anyone else who might have known about Dr.Harrington’s plans?Colleagues?Students?Family?”

“His graduate assistant would know the details of his research.Emma Peshlakai—she’s Navajo, actually.She’s been working with Mark for the past two years on his Southwest geology projects.”Hale checked her watch.“She should be in the lab now, cataloging specimens.Down the hall, room 156.”

Kari noted the name.“Was Dr.Harrington married?Any family in the area?”

“Divorced about a year ago.He and his ex have a teenage daughter, Ellie.”Hale sighed.“He took the divorce hard, threw himself even more into his work.The photography exhibition was partly his way of reconnecting with that passion.”

“One last question,” Kari said.“Was Dr.Harrington involved in any disputes?Professional disagreements, departmental politics, anything that might have created tension?”

Hale considered this.“Not that I can think of.Mark could be abrasive when challenged, and his confidence sometimes came across as arrogance.But he was brilliant, and his students adored him.”

Kari stood.“Thank you for your time, Dr.Hale.The medical examiner will be in touch regarding arrangements once the examination is complete.”

Hale nodded, her eyes sad, grave.“Please find who did this, Detective.Mark deserved better.”

***

The geology lab was a large, well-lit room filled with worktables covered in rock and mineral specimens.A young woman with long black hair pulled back in a neat braid was examining a reddish rock sample under a microscope.She looked up as Kari entered, her expression expectant.

“Emma Peshlakai?”Kari asked.

“Yes?”The woman’s eyes flickered to Kari’s badge, and her face fell.“This is about Dr.Harrington, isn’t it?They found him?”

Kari nodded, introducing herself and explaining the situation as gently as possible.Unlike Hale’s controlled reaction, Emma’s response was immediate and raw—tears filling her eyes even as she tried to maintain composure.

“I told him not to go alone,” she said, her voice breaking.“Those places… they’re not just geology.They matter.They have meaning.”

Kari pulled up a stool across from Emma.“You knew he was planning to visit Canyon de Chelly at night?”

Emma nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.“He was obsessed with photographing the oxidation patterns in the moonlight.Said it revealed something about the mineral composition that wasn’t visible in daylight.”She gestured to a series of photographs pinned to a corkboard nearby.“He’d been documenting similar formations across the Colorado Plateau for months.”

“Dr.Hale mentioned he had a disagreement with a guide named Natoni Begay,” Kari said.“Do you know anything about that?”

Emma tensed.“Natoni is my cousin.He works as a guide at Canyon de Chelly sometimes, but he’s also training to be a healer.”She met Kari’s gaze directly.“Dr.Harrington wanted to photograph a specific formation at night—one that Natoni knew was sacred.A place where ceremonies are still performed.He refused to take him there.”

“How did Dr.Harrington react to the refusal?”

“He was angry.Said science shouldn’t be impeded by superstition.”Emma looked down at her hands.“I tried to explain the significance, but he didn’t really understand.He saw the land as geology, not as a living thing with its own… presence.”

The wording caught Kari’s attention.“What kind of presence?”

---