Chief found Moss staring at some papers when he entered the office. “What’s going on?”

“I have a report for you and I didn’t want to discuss it in front of your guests.”

“You found her?”

“Nurse Scholeman? No. Not yet. We do have some indication–” Moss broke off as the door to the office opened and Mike entered. Moss eyed the young deputy before continuing. “The evidence we dug out of her house indicated that she’s headed west. There were some names we’re running a check on at the moment.”

“What makes you think she's gone west?” Chief asked.

“We found a rail car receipt among her belongings. It was dated last week– she must have hung low in town for a while, staying with other cult members. We flashed her picture at the train station. No one remembered seeing a myopic old woman, unpleasantly plump or otherwise. It turns out we were looking for the wrong woman. She slipped right by us.”

“What do you mean, the wrong woman?” Mike asked.

“The woman had a duo identity set up. She lived two lives. One was the middle aged Nurse Scholeman. The other was a thirty-two year old, red-head named Theresa Bowman.”

 Mike scowled. “That woman was thirty-two?”

“She died her hair gray. Padded her attire. Basically altered her identity.”

“Why?” Chief asked. “Was she wanted before now?”

“No. She was planted at the hospital.”

“For what purpose?”

“How should I know?” Moss answered angrily. “I believe they’re planted all over the country, Bob. Some in high places, living seemingly normal lives.”

“All over the country,” Chief mused. He looked sharply at Moss. “I’ll ask again. For what purpose? This looks like it goes deeper than religious freedom, Mort.”

“Yes it does. It’s not religious freedom they’re concerned with, Bob. It’s power.”

“Power? Political Power?”

“Political, Economic, Religious...you name it. They want it all.”

“All of what?”

“The world.”

Chief stared at him. “Just how in the hell does my daughter fit into all of this? Surely they don’t think she stands in their way of that pipe dream?”

“I read a fair amount of that log of theirs. Not all, and not enough to start making arrests, but I did read their theory. They’re positioning themselves for a second coming. A clash between good and evil. They, by the way are on the side of evil. The other side is even more secretive than this cult. There is no evidence they exist, because they don’t practice ritualistic mutilation or sacrifices– which, by the way, is how we stumbled onto the cult in the first place.”

“Then how do you know they do exist?”

“You can’t have one without the other, my friend. That would be like having a one-sided coin.”

“And my daughter’s part in all of this?”

“I’m not sure. She’s not mentioned in the log, at least not by name.”

“What about this second coming bullshit?”

“They believe in a birth of divine proportions. They were breeding this savior–”

“Fred.”

Moss looked at him. “Yes.”

“Bennet mentioned something about a Second Coming... What did he say exactly,” Chief mused, his hand on his chin. He looked up. “We were talking about Jonas and Stonewall–Fred’s biological father. Stonewall was one of the High Priests–second in command under someone named…” Chief paused, fighting his memory for the name. “Arch- something or other. Archedenian. He suggested that we killed Archedenian’s first incarnate when we killed Barry Bartlett. Then he mentioned something about ‘cutting them like growing cancer and destroy the Beast.”

Moss looked at him intently. “The Beast of the Second Coming.”

Chief looked up.

“Thanks to Nurse Trever stumbling onto Nurse Scholeman and her dirty work. Theresa Bowman left in haste. We did find a few objects: Artwork depicting horrific images. Some fetishes. And some scraps of paper with poems and scriptures scrawled on them. One was encoded. It’s at the lab now being heavily scrutinized by a cryptanalyst. We’re hoping it will lead to her whereabouts in Twin Buttes.”

“Twin Buttes?” both Chief and Mike said at once.

“That’s the destination on the rail car receipt we found on her premises.”

Mike stared, there was a look in his eye Chief recognized.

“What is it Mike?”

Mike shook his head, the color momentarily leaving his face. “Red and Blue smoke,” He whispered, barely audible. He swallowed involuntarily, near choking. Then the thoughts cleared and Mike noticed both the agent and Chief staring shrewdly at him. Mike cleared his throat. “It’s the key. It’s where Kelly sees the white people-”

“White people?”

Mike looked at him. “The news of Elly and Perretti broke out so fast ... I never had a chance to talk to you about what Kelly said...”

“You mean when you questioned her about the cult?”

“Yes, sir.”

“We’re listening now,” Chief said.

“I told her about the cult. About Jonas ... and the murders, boss. I figured she had a right to know, considering these images are being fed to her,” Mike added glancing at Moss. “I questioned her about her dreams, to see if there were clues we were missing. She had a few insights.”

“Like?”

“She said the bird started Fred killing men at the depot. It wasn’t that he was killing his father– the drunk over and over. It was because the bird possessed the tiger and needed the sacrifices. It pushed him into killing.”

“Bennet mentioned that,” Chief said quietly.

“I know,” Mike said, “but I thought it was interesting that she knew. She also said that the tiger wanted to kill the bird. That he needs to do that to get past the Dead Place–”

“Past it?” Moss said. “What’s past it?”

“According to Kelly the blood is. She also said that the bird wanted to get past it. To follow the tiger through.”

“That’s their purpose– why they bred their savior. This savior would have the ability to bridge that gap, through whatever the Dead Place represents and past it–” Moss started.

“–To the Beast,” Mike stated flatly. All of the color was gone from his face. He gripped the edge of Chief’s desk until his knuckles bared. “Jesus,” Mike whispered. He looked at Chief who was staring at him sharply.

“It was years ago,” Mike explained quietly. “Thirteen years ago. After I made that call to you about Jonas. I headed west. The bus stopped in Tucson. There was work south of there. A foreman came to the bus station every morning in a pickup truck. If you wanted the job you jumped on board. I mean…. people were pushing each other off. The man would only take however many would fit on the truck. Halfway down the road a hitchhiker jumped on board. He was a mean guy, pretty ragged. 'Course there was no more room when he came aboard. So I got tossed out.”

He looked at the other two officers and again his expression turned serious. “Anyway,” Mike continued. “A Native American came by in a beat-up truck and gave me a ride an hour later. That wasn’t a well-traveled road. I was lucky he came along. I was already well on my way to heatstroke. He was on his way to a special tribal ceremony. He took me along for two reasons: he didn’t have time to drop me off anywhere else, and he couldn’t very well leave me out in that hundred degree desert sun. 

“The ceremony took place on sacred ground deep in the caverns. They used red and blue powders in their ceremony,  boss. When lit, the powders produce dense smoke. Red and blue smoke. They read the smoke to determine the future. They believe the smoke connects them to all time and all things. That smoke is powerful stuff. It takes on shapes of things–” Mike broke off. He looked at the others. 

“What was in the smoke, son?” Moss asked.

Mike looked at him and shrugged. “I don’t remember. I wish I could.”

“You mentioned the Beast?”

Mike looked at him. “They mentioned a Beast that stalked in the darkness of mankind.”

“Darkness of Mankind,” Mort said softly. “Ignorance, hate, cruelty, ugliness of the soul, Bob.”

Chief looked at the deputy. “You think they’re the ones who–”

“No,” Mike cut him off. “Not at all. They worship life and nature too much to be cult members. If anything, I think they would want the cult stopped.”

“If this cult has the validity we’re suddenly giving it,” Chief added harshly.

Moss looked at him. “You don’t believe they do?”

“Power over the darkness of Mankind, Mort? Power to take over the world. No.”

“There was an Indian connection thirteen years ago as well, Bob. The other cycle of heifer mutilations.”

Chief’s manner relaxed. He added quietly, “If Fred and Bennet were trying to stop the cult with their sacrifice, it stands to reason these Indians were after the same thing.” 

Mort nodded. “At any rate, the cult is still a threat to society and should be dealt with accordingly. They’re murderers and need to be rounded up before they kill again.” Moss paused. He looked intently at Chief. “Thirteen year cycle, Bob.”

Chief sighed. “Christ.” He shook his head and looked at Moss. “You think they’ll go through with those murders again? Without Bartlett?”

“I don’t know. But now Blackney isn’t here to supply the blood, Bob. They’ll need to get it from somewhere–” Moss broke off and looked intently at Chief in order to make his point. “Whether you give this cult credence or not. Their beliefs are all they need to kill. That much we know from experience.” 

Mike turned to Moss. “The Indian that took me in was named Storm Runner." Mike smiled. "He also goes by Ben. Maybe he can help you while you’re out there. Another you might try is Dark Feather.”

"He have another name?"

"Of course. Danny."

“Thanks Mike, I’ll do that.”

“Tell them Running Cloud sent you.”

“Running Cloud?” Chief repeated.

Mike shrugged. “My tribal name. Don’t ask.”

“I didn’t realize joining a tribe was that easy,” Moss said.

Again Mike’s expression grew serious. “I got in because I could read the smoke.”

“But you don’t remember what you saw?” Moss tried again.

Mike shook his head. “No. But I’ll try.”

Moss nodded. “It may be important, son.”

“How could you remember everything else so clearly,” Chief asked, “and not remember something as pinnacle as that?”

Mike looked at him. “I don’t know.”

“It’s not time,” Moss said. He looked at Chief. 

“How long were you with them?” Chief asked the deputy.

“Not very long. They sent me away. Something to do with my destiny–”

“Which brought you here,” Chief mused.

“I went out to California after that. I didn’t come here until several years later.”

Chief nodded. He turned to Moss. “So you’ll be leaving tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

Chief glanced briefly at Mike, and returned to Moss. “While you’re asking them questions, find out if they know anything about why these ... others, want my daughter dead.”

“I will.”

Chief nodded. “I want a full report, Mort. I’ll cover things here. I’m sure there are a few of those animals watching Kelly. Waiting for the opportunity to repeat the episode that took place in the hospital.”

“There may be.”

“I’ll have another chat with Mr. Bennet, too. See if he knows anything more about the cult that operated around here thirteen years ago.”

Mort nodded. “That’s a good idea.”

“I guess we’re finished in here, then?” Chief said glancing at Mike.

The men left the room together and made their way back to the rest of the guests. Chief was halfway down the hall when there was a brisk knock at the door. Breaking away from the others, he returned to the front of the house.

Coach Dobbs and Billy stood behind the door and Chief allowed them inside.

“Frank, glad you could make it. I’m sure Kelly will be happy to see you and Billy.”

“We tried to get away earlier, Bob, but Billy and I had a disagreement before leaving the house. We decided to leave it up to you.”

Chief’s expression sharpened. “What’s that Frank?”

“Billy wants to give Kelly another pup. We had a special litter about four months ago.”

“Special litter?”

“Barney had four pups, one is a throw back. Can’t say for sure where this gene combination came from and I haven’t had any luck at selling it and no good reason to cull. It's perfectly healthy.”

“What do you mean by special?”

“It’s completely black, save for its tail, one paw and a breast patch.”

“I see,” Chief whispered.

“I was afraid it may be too soon, she may need more time to get over her loss. Billy, however, feels that this pup may be just what she needs to help her over the loss. That’s when we decided to let you settle it.”

Chief smiled. “Thanks a heap, Frank.”

“I knew you’d be thrilled.”

“Where’s the dog now?”

Coach nodded to the door behind him. “In the truck.”

“I guess the thing to do is ask Kelly about it,” Chief decided. “Come on in, Frank, Billy.”

Chief led the way from the front door and down the hall. At the kitchen door Elly pulled him aside. “Look out the window.”

“What the hell–!” Chief said and broke off. He looked at Elly. “Trouble,” he said before leaving for the back yard.

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