Eagle's Last Stand Read Online Free Page B

you want.”
    Rick looked at Angelina and suddenly remembered meeting her before. Smiling, he went up to her. “Angelina Tso! I’m not sure if you remember me,” he said. “You got stuck in Copper Canyon after a hard rain several years ago after working with my father, and I towed you out to the highway.”
    “I’m Angelina Curley now,” she said curtly.
    “Weren’t you studying with Hosteen Silver to become a medicine woman?” Rick asked, using the Navajo equivalent of Mister that most of their tribe preferred. “Did you find another mentor after my foster father’s death?”
    Her expression darkened, and Kim, who’d been watching the exchange, recognized the signs instantly.
    “Kim, I’m paying you to work, so find something to do!” Angelina snapped. “And you,” she added, looking at Rick. “I’m warning you right now to stay out of my store. Neither you nor your family is welcome here. Hosteen Silver cheated me. He took my money and then wouldn’t let me come back for more instruction. He robbed me of my chance to become a Navajo healer, then tried to ruin my reputation.”
    “There’s got to be more to the story.
Integrity
was more than a word to Hosteen Silver,” he said, biting back his anger. “Why don’t we talk about this in private?”
    “I’m not saying another word to you. Fred, show Mr. Cloud out,” Angelina said, looking at the security guard.
    “I know my foster father, and what you’re telling me isn’t something he’d do. Let’s talk and figure things out,” Rick insisted, taking a step closer to her and gesturing to the empty office behind them. “We can talk in private in there.”
    “Keep your hands off me,” Angelina shouted at him.
    “He didn’t—” Kim started, but in an instant everything went crazy.
    As Fred rushed forward, squaring off in front of Rick, fists clenched, Kim squeezed in between them, facing the security guard.
    “Fred, he didn’t touch her. Just calm down,” Kim urged, anxious to avoid a stupid confrontation.
    “Do something, you fool,” Angelina yelled at Fred.
    “Out of my way, Kim,” the security guard ordered.
    “No. Just chill out, Fred, okay?”
    “Throw him out, damn you!” Angelina screamed.
    The guard grabbed Kim by the shoulders and pushed her aside. Kim stumbled and slammed her ribs against the edge of the counter. Groaning, she reached out with both hands and, getting a grip on the display case, managed not to fall.
    Rick instantly grabbed the man by the belt and collar and hurled him facedown across the tiled floor.
    Fred careened into a freestanding metal display filled with souvenirs and cheap Mexican pottery. The display rocked, sending a cascade of key chains, postcards and clay pots tumbling to the floor.
    Angelina reached for the low shelf behind the front counter, brought out a revolver and pointed it directly at Rick. She was breathing hard, shaking and clearly out of control.
    “No!” Kim lunged toward her boss, but Rick beat her to it.
    In a blur he yanked the weapon from Angelina’s hand and looked over at the guard, who’d grabbed the display and managed to keep it from tipping over.
    “Everyone,
calm down!
” he ordered, opening the cylinder and dumping the bullets onto the floor before placing the revolver on the counter.
    Kim froze in place. Even without a weapon, he still commanded the room. “I’m leaving now,” he said, holding out his hand, palm up, as a signal for Fred to stay put. “See you at lunch, Miss Nelson?” he asked softly. Assessing the situation with a steely gaze, he never turned his back until he was out of the shop.
    As the door swung shut, Angelina, still shaking, turned to Fred, who was down on one knee picking up the scattered merchandise. “You’re my brother’s son so I gave you a chance, but you stink as a security guard. Turn in your gear and get out. You’re fired.” Then she turned to Kim. “And you—”
    “Angelina, I didn’t do anything wrong this morning,