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“Come on, Granny. How many times did you tell me to stop asking questions about the kidnappings? How many times was I shushed by the elders?”
Evelyn lifted her narrow shoulders. “Most of those elders are dead.”
“You mean you’re ready to talk now?” Scarlett hunched forward, her thigh bumping his.
“I don’t know what you imagine I know, Scarlett, but I want to hear from Jim first. What happened to you? You still carry it with you even after everything else you went through during the war, your captivity.”
“My cap— How did you know about that?”
“I felt it, Jim. Tell me what happened in Timberline.”
He launched into the story about his attempted kidnapping and how his father had threatened him with bodily harm if he dared tell another soul about it.
Evelyn listened with her eyes closed and through occasional sips of tea, nodding calmly as if his story didn’t surprise her one bit.
When he finished, the silence hung heavy over the room, and Evelyn appeared to be sleeping. Jim raised his brows at Scarlett, who put a finger against her lips.
Evelyn drew in a breath and inhaled the steam from her hot tea. “You probably believe there was bad blood between the Quileute and the Lords of Chaos, don’t you do?”
“I know my father for what he was—a bigot. He held ugly stereotypes about the Quileute and wasn’t shy about voicing them.”
“There was that side of him. Do you think our tribe was completely blameless?”
“I know there were fights.”
“There were fights. We had our own troublemakers. Did you know that?”
“Young men with not a lot to do?” Jim swirled the water in his glass. He’d been one of those. “I can believe that.”
“They managed to keep busy with...other activities—illegal activities.”
“Are you telling me that the Lords of Chaos and the Quileute were working together?”
“They had business that crossed paths.”
“Granny, what does this all have to do with the Timberline Trio?”
“Drugs.” Jim placed his glass on the table with a click. “The Lords of Chaos moved drugs through the Washington peninsula and they got them from suppliers.”
“Some of our tribe members were suppliers of drugs?” Scarlett’s gaze darted between him and Evelyn.
He’d let Evelyn give her the bad news.
The old woman dropped her chin to her chest. “They were bad apples, Scarlett. Even as a child you must’ve been aware of your uncle Danny and his feud with your father. Of course, Danny’s influence never spread to the entire tribe, despite his best efforts.”
“But the elders must’ve known about it, known about Danny.” Scarlett jumped up from the sofa and took a turn around the room, her arms folded across her chest. “Why else would they try to protect these bad apples?”
“Nothing was known for sure. There was no proof.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Scarlett pressed two fingers against her temple. “I still don’t understand what this all has to do with the Timberline Trio kidnappings.”
Evelyn laced her fingers together in her lap. “I can’t tell you that. I only know the Lords of Chaos and that gang of Quileute were in business together, and I believe that business involved the kidnapping of those children. Now that I’ve heard Jim’s story, I’m more convinced than ever.”
Jim ran his knuckles across his jaw. “Did the elders tell you to keep quiet, Evelyn?”
“They did.” She held up her hand at Scarlett, who had begun to speak. “I didn’t have any proof I could take to the police, anyway, Scarlett, so don’t give me that look. I was never allowed to get that proof.”
“Was there any evidence?” Scarlett sat on the edge of the coffee table and clasped her grandmother’s hand.
“There was the pink ribbon.”
“Pink ribbon?” Jim and Scarlett said the words in unison.
“You found it. Don’t you remember, Scarlett? You picked it up off the ground. You brought it to me and complained that it felt hot in your hands. You didn’t understand your gift yet, so you didn’t realize what the ribbon’s warmth meant.”
