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“That’s it?A fight from two years ago?”Kari couldn’t keep the disbelief from her voice.

“There’s more.Thomas publicly confronted Harrington at a community meeting six months ago when the professor presented his research plan to the Tribal Council.Called him a grave robber in modern clothing.”

Kari spotted Daniels near the command vehicle, radio in hand, speaking intently to Captain Yazzie.“And Rachel Delgado?What’s his connection to her?”

“Thomas filed a formal complaint against Bright Sky Mining three weeks ago, claiming their operations were contaminating a sacred spring near his family’s traditional grazing lands.”Tsosie kept his voice low.“Delgado was building a case against the same company.”

“That’s a connection to the victim’s work, not to her murder,” Kari said, her frustration mounting.“And they’re both on the same side in that fight, so where’s the motive?”

“I know, and I agree.”Tsosie’s voice held the same frustrated tension.“I tried to explain it to Daniels, but he sees a traditional Navajo male with documented confrontations against both a white academic studying sacred sites and a mining company encroaching on tribal land.To him, it’s a textbook profile match.”

“How did we even get to this point?”Kari asked, watching as another officer took the bullhorn from the negotiator.

“When you were at Canyon State, Daniels found the complaint Thomas filed.He sent agents to ‘interview’ him, but they showed up with tactical gear visible in their vehicle.Thomas saw them approaching, recognized one of the agents from a previous federal case involving ceremonial eagle feathers, and locked himself inside.”

“Did he actually threaten them?”

Tsosie’s expression darkened.“The agents claim he shouted something about having a rifle and knowing how to use it.Thomas has a legal hunting rifle, registered.But once that statement hit the radio, everything escalated.”

Kari took in the scene again—the positioning of vehicles, the officers with hands nervously hovering near their weapons, the news helicopter now circling overhead.Standard containment protocol for an armed suspect, but excessive for what should have been a simple interview.

“Where’s Natoni?”she asked.

“Trying to get through the perimeter to talk to his cousin.Daniels won’t allow it—says family members complicate negotiations.”

The bullhorn crackled again: “Thomas, we have the house surrounded.Please come out peacefully so we can resolve this situation.”

No response came from the small house with its tightly drawn curtains.

“This is going to end badly if we don’t de-escalate,” Kari said, moving toward the command center with Tsosie at her side.

Daniels spotted their approach, his expression hardening into professional distance.There was no sign of the friendly “Uncle Paul” persona Kari had known for so many years.

“Blackhorse,” he said with a curt nod.“We have a volatile situation here.”

“Created by your agents approaching a suspect with overwhelming force for what should have been a routine interview,” Kari replied, keeping her voice even despite her anger.

“My agents approached appropriately for someone with Thomas Begay’s history of violence against whites,” Daniels countered.“His reaction confirms he has something to hide.”

“His reaction confirms he doesn’t trust federal agents,” Kari said.“Given the historical context, that’s hardly surprising.”

Captain Yazzie joined them, his weathered face grave.“Detective Blackhorse, you said you have information from this Dr.Redford?”

“Yes, sir.Information that strongly suggests our killer is not someone with a traditional Navajo background.”Kari held Yazzie’s gaze, ignoring Daniels.“The ceremonial elements were arranged incorrectly—there’s an absence of core concepts that no traditional practitioner would display.”

“Speculation,” Daniels said with a dismissive wave of his hand.“Killers often personalize rituals, adding their own elements that might appear as ‘mistakes’ to outside observers.”

“Not these particular mistakes,” Kari insisted.“The directional alignments, the herb placements—they’re academically informed errors, not personal variations.”

“We can debate forensic anthropology after we have Begay in custody,” Daniels said, his tone final.“Right now, we have an armed suspect who matches our profile and has connections to both victims.”

“Tenuous connections at best,” Tsosie interjected.“And circumstantial evidence filtered through a profile that may not apply to this case.”

Daniels’s expression hardened further.“Are you questioning Bureau methodology, Detective?”

“I’m suggesting we consider alternative suspects before escalating a situation that could damage community relations for years,” Tsosie replied evenly.

The tension between them was interrupted by movement at the perimeter—Natoni Begay arguing with an officer who blocked his approach.His voice carried across the space between vehicles: “That is my cousin!Let me talk to him!”

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