Tricked

marks or handprints or something on there, and then what am I going to say? If I get that little gecko on the line and tell him that a skinwalker smooshed my SUV, is he going to cut me a check? I kind of doubt it. «
    Frank Chischilly stood next to me and spoke in low tones. » Makes me wonder why they didn’t do this before. «
    » They’re not under the Famine curse now, « I explained in the same quiet voice. » I think that kept them pretty single-minded. Now they’re healed from their injuries, they want us to leave their territory, and they’re making it expensive for us to stay. « Sophie Betsuie climbed down from her bunk to join us as I continued talking to Frank. » They’re more dangerous like this. Clever. If we don’t leave after this, I bet they’ll start coming down off the mesa and messing with people down in the flats, adding a human cost on top of the one we’ve already lost. «
    » That could be really bad, « Frank said. » Lot of ranches along the base of the mesa. «
    » They’re all protected by the Blessing Way, right? «
    » Yeah, but those people don’t necessarily know to stay inside from sundown to sunup. An’ even if they do, the skinwalkers could go after their sheep an’ shit like that. Ruin their livelihoods. Some of them are barely scrapin’ by as it is. «
    Sophie caught the end of this conversation and added, worry in her voice, » My grandmother lives below the mesa. «
    Gods Below. How could Coyote drive off and say his work was done here?
    Frank hooked his thumbs in his belt loops and sighed. » You got any ideas on how to stop ’em, Mr. Collins? «
    Sophie looked confused. » Why are you asking him? «
    » Well … he’s pretty smart, « Frank said.
    This intelligence flabbergasted her. Sophie cast a bewildered gaze at me, trying to discern how Frank’s assessment could possibly be true—and, even if it was, how I could know more about skinwalkers than did a hataa³ii . Her eyes flicked down to my tattoos, and disapproval floated over her features like storm clouds. Perhaps she thought anyone who spent that long under the needle couldn’t be all that bright. » Well, I’m pretty smart too, « she finally said.
    » What has Mr. Benally said about this skinwalker situation? « I asked, hoping to distract attention from my questionable IQ. Sophie, Ben, and the rest might know all about the skinwalkers, but they didn’t know what I was other than a strange man who could make a rock disappear and a good guy to have around when monsters jumped on the roof. Gods knew what they thought Coyote was. As far as I could tell, none of them apart from Frank knew they were working with one of the First People.
    » He’s kinda hopin’ I’ll take care of it, like I said a few days ago, « Frank said. » But I don’t have any ideas. Except you should call your grandma, « he told Sophie, » and tell her to lock herself in until this is over. «
    Sophie pulled out her cell phone and walked away from us for some privacy. As she did so, the demolition noises from the east increased dramatically, and I figured I’d better investigate. The ear-shredding screams were revving up there too. I opened a peephole in time to see both skinwalkers attempting to lift Granuaile’s SUV above their heads, quivering and shrieking as they did so. The remains of the other trucks lay strewn about like a parts graveyard.
    » The good news is, that wasn’t your SUV you heard earlier, Granuaile, « I said. » The bad news is, it’s going to be dropping on us soon if they’re planning what I think they’re planning. «
    » Please say you’re just teasing me again. «
    The skinwalkers got the SUV over their heads, and they looked at each other and nodded, beginning a countdown. While I marveled that those unholy noises could be coming from human throats, I also admired their strategy: They might not be able to touch the hogan now, but the Blessing Way did nothing to protect against damage from mundane objects.
    » Not kidding! « I yelled. » Everybody move to the other side against the wall, now! « Granuaile rounded up a very confused Sophie while Frank and Ben got the crew moved over quickly enough. I turned around and looked up at the beams above us. With the earth piled on top, there was a chance the roof would absorb most of the force with a few cracks and splinters and allow the vehicle to slide off the roof. Then again, a half-ton vehicle thrown with force would probably exceed the