Ravens on the Red Road

Prologue

HIS FINGERS TIGHTENED against the flesh of her throat, stifling her screams and forcing her eyes to bulge in terror. 

His free hand played along the neckline of her cotton blouse, his groin pulsed and his breath came in short juddering gasps as he savored his power. 

He gathered her blouse into a tight ball, twisting and rending the flimsy threads that barely covered her nakedness.  The fabric tore and gave way, and his eyes feasted on heavy brown breasts.  Trembling, he pressed his palm against her nipples, parted his lips and rolled his tongue over his teeth.

She struggled beneath his grasp, and he tightened his grip squeezing until her movements stopped. Excitement stirred him.  He moved his hand along her plump legs and slid between her thighs.  A low cry rose in his throat.  Blood roared through his veins and he sank his teeth into her breast.  The sweet red liquid spurted against his lips and crazed him.  Crying out his release, he tightened his fingers into her throat and wrenched her neck back and forth until a vertebrae snapped.

Her grotesque death mask mocked him.  He reached for a pillow and covered her face, but the pristine white case made a nothing of what he’d done, and the salt of her blood stung his lips. 

He started to shake and fear struck like a cobra.

I’ve got to get her out of here, he whimpered, then froze at the sound of footsteps. He’d thought all the students had left. Who could that be out there. On silent feet, he crept to the door. His fingers groped for the deadbolt and found it fastened. He waited. The footsteps faded and he heard the sound of the outside door closing.

Someone must have forgotten something. They’re gone now, but I’ve got to get her out of here. Fear like bile rose in his throat and he choked it back down.  He stayed crouched, waiting until his legs ached and his arms twitched. Silence reigned. There were no more footsteps. Opening the door and slipping outside he reached the garage, started the big Mercedes and pulled it around back of the building. There he opened the trunk, checked again to make sure no one was around, then he raced inside, grabbed the blanket wrapped body and dumped it into the trunk. Making sure he had his bag, he locked the doors behind him, got into the driver’s seat of the German sedan, and drove off into the night.

It was pitch dark when he entered the Park. Past closing time, but he had a buzzer that allowed him to open the gates. Driving to his pre-selected spot, he steered the car into what was little more than a brush covered trail and inched along until he was sure he wouldn’t be seen in the unlikely event someone else was loitering in the park after closing.

Opening the trunk, he lifted his burden and carried it to the clearing. There he laid her out inside the circle of stones he’d made earlier.

Now, my dear, you’ll be famous. He giggled and then switched to a kind of high pitched keening, as he removed her clothes and spread her so he had her arms stretched out one on either side and her legs spread apart to leave her genitals exposed.

They’ll love this, he cackled, as he held up a pale blue card then turned it around to show a picture of a rattlesnake curled around a nest of eggs. Taking an ordinary kitchen knife out of his bag, he pushed it through the top of the card, and then gripping the knife by the handle he stabbed it into the fleshy part of her breast.

Now you're a beautiful maiden that some Indian’s sacrificed to one of his Gods. Oh yes, the police are going to have a lovely time rousting all those Indians while they try and find which one did you this way.

Stepping back from his grisly stage, he picked up his bag and blanket and slipped back out of the woods, recovered the big black car, and drove out of the Park.

Chapter One

YOU READY TO GO? DEZ Pallaton poked his head around the door of Martine LaChance’s office and gave her a friendly smile. He had his long black hair pulled into a ponytail and a colorful scarf tied around his forehead.

Wow, don’t you look dashing! Martine looked up from her desk to let her eyes drink in the more than six feet of man grinning at her like a boy with a secret. What’s the occasion?

Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten the circle Wisdomkeeper and Phil are holding over at the Remand Centre?

Damn. Martine clapped her hands to her face, then peeked out through her fingers at Dez’s dismayed expression and laughed.

Of course I haven’t forgotten. She grinned at him and reached into her desk drawer for her shoulder bag. I’m meeting Marcia and Diane at Pacific Centre. We’re planning an extended tour of Robson Street followed by a long leisurely lunch at Joeys. She picked up her cell phone, tossed it in the bag and walked over to Dez.  Tall and leggy with jet black hair that hung to her waist, Martine turned heads everywhere she went, but she and Dez had something really good going and neither one of them paid any attention to the yearning looks they attracted when they appeared together as a couple.

Both of them worked out of the Vancouver Friendship Centre, Dez as a police liaison for Indigenous street youth and Martine as a family response worker. They loved their jobs, so when they made the decision to come out as a couple, they’d also made it clear that their personal life would never interfere with their work. For the past two years they’d stuck to that and everyone they worked with knew them as a hard working couple and had no issues with their personal relationship.

Even though they considered themselves a couple, they each had their own condo, side by side in the same building. It worked for them, and Martine especially valued having her own space. Lately Dez had been thinking a lot about making things a lot more consolidated. He even had an ostentatiously large and criminally expensive diamond ring stashed in a velvet lined case with his private collection, and if all went well, he was planning on asking the big question the end of August when the Blue Moon was due to make an appearance. He still wasn’t sure what Martine’s reaction was going to be, but he planned on giving it a try, and if she said no, he’d just keep the ring on standby for when she eventually would come to her senses.

* * *

DEZ AND MARTINE LET Annie, the Friendship Centre’s receptionist, know they’d be gone for the day, and both of them climbed into Dez’s Jeep Cherokee.

Before we get started, Martine turned towards Dez, leaned in and molded her lips to his. Mmm! He returned the kiss with matching ardor, letting his tongue part her lips and entwine in a passionate dance.

Okay. Martine pulled back. We either quit that or we head home and you miss your Circle.

Dez sighed. Don’t tempt me.

It’s taken you six months to get this set up, so I know darn well you’re not serious.  Let’s go, so you have time to drop me off before you’re due to meet up with Phil and Wisdomkeeper.

After dropping Martine, Dez headed for the Remand Centre. Parking at Hastings and Main was no picnic, and it took the better part of 20 minutes to finally snag a spot on the street left by a departing pickup.

Great. Phil said to meet out front so we could all go in together. Let’s hope everyone’s on time.

Dez needn’t have worried. As he rounded the corner of the grey cement building, he spotted Phil and Wisdomkeeper leaning against the wall beside the front entrance.

Welcome, brother. Phil gripped Dez’s outstretched hand. You remember John Wisdomkeeper.

I do. Good to see you, Dez shook hands with the tall dark-haired man who welcomed him with a smile.

We’d best get inside then, Phil picked up his pipe case and the two men followed him through the door to where a female guard beckoned for them to stop.

You can’t bring that case inside, she told Phil.

We’re actually here to conduct a pipe ceremony for the inmates. Phil explained. This bag contains my sacred pipe and it’s necessary for the ceremony.

No sooner had Phil said his piece about the pipe than the electric doors leading into the main lobby as well as those leading out to the courtyard where the ceremony would be held slid open.

The power of the pipe. Wisdomkeeper said and Phil nodded agreement.

Dez smiled and followed the other two out into the courtyard.

* * *

THE REMAND CENTER WAS four city blocks square and four stories high. A razor wire topped box, 4x4x4 with armed guards carrying M4 rifles and patrolling the gun walk.

We entered the courtyard and both of us thanked the Creator for the open sky. It was more than we’d hoped for and was a good sign.

There were about 100 men in the courtyard. Most didn’t know much about our Indigenous old ways, but a handful knew some of the songs and a smaller handful spoke their native tongue.

There were only a few inmates from BC, but in the general population half the inmates were Indigenous, with many from the Prairies and Ontario. They were mostly Cree and Ojibway. Four of them in particular stood out. They hung together in their small group, separated from the rest of the inmates, and both Wisdomkeeper and Phil felt something off about them. The older one, who seemed to be their leader, was white while two of the others were Metis and one of them appeared to be a full blood indigenous, probably Cree.

The white guy smirked through most of the ceremonies and the other three followed his lead. All of them acted like their time was being wasted. That wasn’t the issue though; both Phil and Wisdomkeeper were used to non-believers and even hecklers, but the reactions from these guys spooked both of them. Every time they looked at any of the four, but especially the leader, there was a tangible and negative change in the latent charge in the air between the men. It was spooky the way the hair on both men’s arms stood up and their skin burned whenever they looked at any of the men in that group.

Phil figured they’d need some help with this gathering, so he asked the Creator to give them a show of support. Boy, did he get an answer to that one. They started the ceremony, and Phil advised, Keep an eye on the sky when we take out our pipes.

He and Wisdomkeeper lifted their pipes together pointing the stems toward Father Sky, and hardly were the words out of Phil’s mouth when a huge bolt of lightning flashed across the sky accompanied by a boom so loud it shook the prison.  Awed looks, and even some confused were visible on the faces of everyone on the yard.

Everyone’s attention had been captured, and afterwards, everyone, including the three Native guys in the hostile-acting gang, listened to every word Phil and Wisdomkeeper shared for the rest of the Ceremony.

If we could get one or two of those guys away from the white dude I think we might get through to them, Wisdomkeeper said, and Phil nodded agreement.

I’ll go get whitey’s attention and maybe you can focus on the youngest one of that group. He’s Metis, and from the way he hung onto our words in the ceremonies, I’d say he’s already having second thoughts about their self-appointed leader.

Phil and Wisdomkeeper moved into the crowd, stopping here and there to answer questions and talk with the men. Phil reached his destination first, and as if acknowledging the other’s position, he spoke directly to the leader.

I didn’t get your name, Phil said, I hope you got something personally out of today’s ceremonies.

Calvin. That was some trick you pulled with the thunder and lightnin. Guess you’ve got a contact with the weather guys?

Phil smiled, knowing it was never worth arguing a point with guys like that. So how long will you figure to be inside? he asked.

As short as I can make it. Calvin’s smug smile got those hairs standing up and his arms stinging again. Good to hear, Phil said. Nothing like good behavior to shorten up a sentence. Good talking to you, Phil noted that Wisdomkeeper had finished with the young guy and he made his excuses, leaving the creepy Calvin to mix with the thinning crowd.

* * *

THAT GUY’S BAD MEDICINE. If I was the warden of this place, I’d be watching those four, Phil said as he met up with Wisdomkeeper. After stowing their pipes back in Phil’s case, the two of them headed towards where Dez was waiting at the exit.

What did you think? Phil asked Dez.

It was great. More than I expected. How in heck did you arrange that lightning strike? Dez gave Phil a quizzical look.

Just good timing, I guess. Phil said with a wink, and Wisdomkeeper nodded agreement.

Okay. Guess I can’t argue. Just glad to be on your good sides. The three men walked through the opening doors and past the checkout.

Thanks again, Dez said. You really made today special for a lot of guys.

All My Relations Phil said, acknowledging the thanks.

I touched base with one of the young guys, Wisdomkeeper said. He’s part of that tough looking group hanging around in there, but I’ve a gut feeling if we can get him away from that white dude he’s hanging with he could be salvageable. Anyway, I’d like to give it a try if he reaches out. I gave him my card and he said he’d be in touch when he got released. We’ll see what happens.

Phil nodded agreement and they took leave of Dez, walking to their truck along a doorless side of the remand on an industrial side street devoid of other pedestrians.

Chapter Two

BACK AT THE OFFICE Dez went to work on a funding proposal that he had to have submitted by end of day. In the middle of a calculation, his phone buzzed, and he touched the speaker button. Yeah, he grumbled.

We’ve got one of yours. The voice of Detective Mark Hanson growled through the receiver. She’s been strangled.

What makes you think she’s mine?

She’s about fifteen, looks streetwise—she’s Native. How soon can you get down here?

Give me twenty minutes. Dez set the receiver in its cradle and stared,