[Desert Roses 03] - Beneath A Harvest Sky (4 page)

Duncan returned the man’s gaze and said, “I assure you, this theft of Indian artifacts is the first problem I’ve heard of. We’ve had no trouble here at the museum.”

“All of the thefts have occurred on Indian property. Reservation land,” the agent told him. “We’re hoping you might help us put a stop to it.”

“Why me?” Duncan asked. He leaned back in his leather chair and faced the man with what he hoped was his own equally serious expression.

“You are very knowledgeable about Indian artifacts and archaeology. You also know the area. Your background has proven you to be trustworthy.”

Duncan questioned, “You had me checked out?” The idea irritated him to no end. “Why would you do that?”

Richland seemed quite exasperated with Duncan’s inquiries. “Because we had to know to whom we could entrust this job. We didn’t want to introduce someone from our bureau because their arrival would draw undue attention to them. You, however, are already known in the area, and if you were to suddenly step into the scene, no one would be the wiser.”

Duncan further braved the man’s ire. “Step into what scene?”

Richland exchanged a glance with his companions. “We’re afraid someone is coming onto the reservations, perhaps under the guise of the Detours, and using the tourists to cover up their jobs.”

“What do I have to do with that?” Duncan questioned. “I’m not an employee of the company.”

“Maybe not yet,” Richland replied, “but we’ve made arrangements for you to become just that. We have our eye on two different teams. One is the team of,” the man paused to look at his notes, “a Jeremiah Sotherby and Tamela Yates, and the other is a Rainy and Sonny Gordon. They’re sister and brother.”

“I know the Gordons,” Duncan said thoughtfully.

“Not well, but certainly better than the other couple. Tell me though, why have you singled it down to these two teams?”

At this, another man, an agent of some other federal bureau, leaned forward. “The artifacts have only gone missing after one or both of these groups have passed through the area involved. We want to put a man in with each group. Since you know these Gordon folks, we’ll arrange for you to be brought in as a driver-in-training. They should be quite comfortable with your presence and would not change their plans, if they are the ones who are stealing the pieces.”

Duncan considered the man’s comments while the third man, a representative of the Harvey Company and good friend of Duncan’s parents, who lived north in Taos, leaned forward. “Duncan, it would mean a lot to me personally if you would help in this matter. I know I can trust you not to get caught up in whatever theft ring is being run. I don’t want to have this turn into an even bigger affair than it’s already become.

This could be bad news for the Harvey Company and the Hunter Clarkson Company. I needn’t tell you that times are hard enough without additional scandal.

With Major Clarkson having just agreed to purchase the Detours, it wouldn’t look good to have this kind of thing go public. Perhaps Clarkson would even attempt to back out of the arrangement.”

“I can understand your concern, Mr. Welch,” Duncan said, toying with the cuff of his suit coat. “I suppose I could give it a try. It’s not like I’m trained as a detective, however.”

“But of course you are,” Welch said, grinning.

“You’re an archaeologist. You’re trained to go into a situation and ferret out the truth.”

Duncan laughed. “I dig in the dirt for bits and pieces of past civilizations. That hardly makes me capable of uncovering something like this.”

Welch sobered. “Duncan, it’s all we have. I don’t want the newspapers getting wind of this, and right now we’re barely keeping it out of their hands. This could ruin us. If tourists think there is a threat of danger, they’ll stop coming. Robbery is a strong personal threat. If they see the Indians being robbed, they’ll figure themselves to be next. I remember many years ago when there was concern about the possibility of a jewelry thief in the midst of the staff at the Alvarado Hotel in Albuquerque. It caused all kinds of panic, and dudes requested we place them in other hotels.

Nothing ever came of that rumor, but we still lost money. Now with this being an actual problem . . . can you imagine what might happen? Why, it could very well prompt the tourists to stay home altogether for fear of a widespread ring of thievery.”

“So, what will I be required to do?”

“Watch the Gordons and record any suspicious activity,” Richland said. “Keep an eye on everything they do. The stolen pieces have been small enough to hide in large suitcases or trunks. If you have passengers with exceptionally large baggage, you might find a way to check the contents.”

“How am I supposed to do that? No one is going to want me going through their things.”

Richland stared at him with a cold indifference. “I don’t care how you do your job; just do it. We need to put an end to this for the sake of everyone involved.”

Duncan could see the truth of it and turned to his family’s friend. “I’ll do it as a favor to
you,
Mr. Welch. When do you need me to start?”

“Tomorrow. We’ve already arranged it with your boss here at the museum. The Gordons have been hired for a five-day tour that ends at the Grand Canyon. Unless another group wishes to take the same trip in reverse, you’ll board the train at the canyon and return here. The Gordons are then scheduled for a two-week vacation after that. If additional artifacts and pieces turn up missing during this trip, but then suddenly nothing goes missing in the two weeks that follow, we’ll know we probably have our people.”

“You shouldn’t jump to any conclusions,” Duncan said quietly. He couldn’t imagine the beautiful redheaded Rainy stealing anything from anyone. “We’ll need to check the rosters and see if the tourists who are on the Detours are the same people who’ve taken trips before or if they’re somehow connected to those who have.”

“We’ve given some consideration to those lists,” Welch admitted.

“Yes, this is a thorough federal investigation,” the Indian Affairs agent added as if Duncan had somehow questioned their professionalism.

Not wishing to make an enemy of any official, Duncan nodded. “I’m sure it is. I’m just thinking out loud.”

This seemed to calm the smaller man, while the other bureau official frowned. “Please keep quiet about this matter. We don’t want to scare off our people. We want to catch them red-handed, in the act.”

Duncan could see the man was almost pleased with the intensity of the moment. “I’ll be careful,” Duncan assured them with a casual shrug. “Just remember, you came to me. I didn’t ask for this. I’m glad to do what I can to help preserve the Indian relics and ruins, but I’d much rather be doing it through archaeology instead of this cloak-and-dagger intrigue.”

“I assure you, Mr. Hartford, this is hardly the stuff of dime novels. We have a serious matter on our hands,” Mr. Richland said, his voice rising in pitch.

Mr. Welch calmed the situation immediately. “I’ve known the Hartfords for some time. The family is extremely responsible and law-abiding. Duncan will not let us down.”

Welch looked to Duncan with an expression that seemed to plead for assurance on this matter. With little else to do, Duncan extended his hand and shook hands with each man. “I’ll give this my very best effort.”

After the men had left his office, Duncan allowed himself to daydream a bit. Rainy Gordon hadn’t been far from his thoughts since she’d invited him to share her supper table the previous week. Vivacious and carefree, she seemed almost too free-spirited to be someone whom Duncan could give any serious consideration for a future relationship.

She had caught his attention on the very first day he’d met her, almost three years earlier. She’d just taken a job with the Harvey Company and was leading one of her tour groups. They’d come to the museum for a tour and an explanation of the artifacts and art pieces displayed there. When he encountered the group, he had been amused to hear Rainy denouncing the labeling of one of the ancient pieces.

Duncan had immediately made a close examination of the piece and found her to be absolutely right.

The piece had clearly been mislabeled. His admiration for her had grown from that first moment. Unfortunately, he’d been too shy to approach her about spending time together. Rainy Gordon was so full of life—she moved from person to person with an infectious smile and charm that seemed to suggest the interests of each person were her foremost concern.

“She would probably never be interested in me,” Duncan muttered. “She’d never want to settle down to a life of digging in the dirt or traipsing after someone who did such a thing for a living.”

He thought of her physical beauty. Her face seemed so delicately crafted—high smooth cheeks dotted here and there with a few freckles. Her fair skin seemed sunburned when he’d last seen her, but the freckles were endearing. Her eyes, such an icy pale blue, brought back memories of cold highland lakes in Scotland.

Duncan tried to remember every detail, filling in any missing piece with his imagination. He sighed. She was athletic and obviously in great condition or she would not be able to act as a tour guide. She was used to long spells of walking and climbing as she led tourists through various ruins and wilderness lands. Yet at the same time, she cleaned up to be a most fashionable and attractive young woman.

But now there was concern over whether Rainy was a part of this ugly matter regarding the stolen artifacts.

Surely she and her brother were innocent of such things. After all, she appeared to be a good Christian woman. She had asked him to pray over their meal.

He pushed back his wavy black hair and sighed. “I suppose there is nothing for me to do but pray. Father always said, ‘When in doubt—pray. When not in doubt—pray.’ ”

He looked to the open door where the officials had exited only moments ago. Tomorrow he’d find himself in the company of Miss Rainy Gordon. They’d remain together for at least five days. Surely that would give him a very good idea as to the real quality of her character.

“It might also prove detrimental to my heart,” he said, shaking his head.

CHAPTER THREE

R
ainy rolled over in bed and yawned. Pulling the crisp white sheet over her head, she wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. Disappointment crept in when she thought of how she might already have been at home sleeping in her own bed. It took great resolve to lower the sheet and open her eyes. She glanced at the clock and noted the lateness of the hour and moaned.

“Why do we have to do this tour now?” She had so longed to spend time with her mother and talk about the future. Her mother was the only one who would really understand her feelings—well, besides Sonny.

Sonny always seemed to understand, but at twenty-seven years old he thought himself perfectly lucky to have escaped matrimony, while at the same age, Rainy felt that life was passing her by. Her mother assured her that God had someone special for her—a man of quality and spiritual conviction.

“Sometimes,”
she could hear her mother say,
“he’s
right under your nose and you don’t even realize it.”

“Well, if he’s here,” Rainy said, sitting up, “I sure wish God would make him more clear to me—and me to him.”

After a long hot bath, Rainy sat drying her hair with a soft cotton towel. Still the thoughts of her future refused to be pushed aside. For so long she had planned to be married—to perhaps have children.

She had buried herself in college studies for the early years of her adult life, but even there she thought that surely she would find a proper mate—a man who shared her passion and enthusiasm for history and archaeology. But the men who joined her in those classes only seemed intimidated by her grades and intelligence. The other women, few though they were, avoided Rainy as well. It soon became clear that Rainy made the others uncomfortable with her knowledge, and no matter how she tried to downplay her abilities and intellect, no one wanted to be her long-term friend.

“I can’t help it if I’m smart,” she said. Sighing, she tossed the towel aside and went to where her suitcase sat half packed.

Rainy picked up her stockings and stuffed them into a corner of the case. “I just want a husband, Lord—one who will respect me and love the things I love. Is that too much to ask for? Are compatibility and shared interests such unthinkable requirements?”

She often prayed like this. Chatting with God as though He reclined nearby in one of her chairs. Her mother had taught her early on that, while God was more than willing to listen to their petitions, people often avoided bringing the details of their lives to Him.

Rainy stuffed the rest of her things into the case and closed the lid. “I’m twenty-seven years old. I’ll be twenty-eight in June, Lord. What good are my education and a good job when all I really want is a husband and family?”

But it wasn’t all that she wanted. She’d had her chance at a couple of men who worked at the university. Of course, that had been before she’d been forced to resign from helping her father. The memory still left a bitter taste in her mouth.