Death Walker by Aimée & David Thurlo

shouldn’t get some of these details, especially the tribal newspapers. I want to release a prepared statement for them, and keep the details under wraps. I’m afraid peoplewill panic, and that’s the last thing we need.”
    “Word has already started to spread. My cousin called earlier and wanted to know if the rumors that skinwalkers were behind the murder were true. Everyone’s scared. They think that evil is gaining strength now with one of our teachers dead. To many, that also explains the bus accident. The way I figure it, it’s just a matter of time before the pressshows up demanding answers we don’t have.”
    “Okay, thanks for the warning. I better get to work on that release right away.”
    “I have some books on dry paintings in my cubicle. You want me to bring them to you? I didn’t really have time to study them all, but you might be able to find some matches and decipher out what those figures mean.”
    “I’d appreciate that a lot, if you don’t mind.”
    “I’llbe back in a minute.”
    Ella sat down in front of her computer and began to draft a statement. Before long Tache returned holding two large volumes.
    “These are out-of-print books that some anthropologists compiled many years back,” he said. “For generations our people relied solely on the spoken word and much has been lost. These are practically invaluable now.”
    “I’ll take care of them, don’tworry.” Ella took them from him carefully and returned to her desk.
    Ella ceased work on the press release and began to look through the books. She was scarcely aware of the passage of time as she pored over the drawings. She searched methodically for similarities, taking into account the lesser skill of whoever had done the figures in ashes at the crime scene.
    It was completely dark outsideby the time she finally stood up and stretched. There was no way around it. She’d given it her best shot, but none of the drawings in the book appeared to be even remotely like the figures in the ash dry painting. With reluctance, she picked out the close-up photos and stuck them inside a large manila envelope. Getting nonauthorized personnel involved in a case went against her training, but she neededher brother’s help now.
    When Ella walked across the building to the side entrance, only the dispatcher and a couple of evening-shift officers were still around.
    As she stepped out the door, a flicker of movement caught her attention. A figure was walking between the few cars that were still parked outside. Halting in the shadows, Ella watched for several moments. The person was holding somethingunder his arm as he went from car to car, peeking inside. Ella slipped back inside and called out to the dispatcher sitting at the other end of the hall.
    “Find another officer and have him join me in the parking lot. Someone’s sneaking around out there and I’m going to take a look.”
    Leaving the envelope with the photos propped against the wall, Ella went back out noiselessly, intending to stalkthe stalker. It was a man; she was virtually certain of that from the way he walked. He was wearing a cowboy hat and that, coupled with the darkness, made it impossible for her to discern any details of his features. She inched closer, trying to get a better look at what he was holding. It wasn’t a gun. It was shaped like a small shoe box, or a loaf of bread.
    As the figure came out into the openbriefly, the parking lot floodlight illuminated what it was that he carried. It appeared to be several sticks of dynamite bound together. Suddenly the figure ducked down, disappearing from her view.
    Certain she’d been spotted, Ella moved in quickly, gun in hand. She checked underneath the cars as she moved. Her quarry’s feet would be visible from that angle, and she could use them to get a fixon where he was heading.
    Suddenly a flash of light from the building caught her attention. She saw two armed officers step out quickly and duck behind cover.
    As