tzi-daltai is carved of wood that has been struck by lightning, and therefore considered powerful and with much energy to ward off evil and illness. My grandfather gave me this wood when I was your age. Now I give it to you." He laid the talisman on Val's chest over his heart.
Turning again to Leah, he did his best to smile as he touched her face. "Sons-ee-ah-ray. My morning star. I told you once that I would not lose you again. I meant it."
Pressing a kiss to her brow, Johnny held Leah briefly before turning for the door.
Richard Starr stood with Shamika in the waiting area outside Val's room. Shamika hurried over to Johnny and threw her arms around him. He hugged her close as she wept against his shoulder.
"Where is her father?" Johnny asked.
"With his attorneys," she replied, wiping her face with a tissue. "Would you believe he hasn't even been up here yet? Sent word last night that as soon as his meetings were over he'd come up."
"Call me if anything changes. I'll be at the ranch."
She nodded as Johnny walked over to Richard, who ground out his cigarette in an ashtray.
"You and I will meet again," Johnny told him, the tone of his voice enough threat that Richard looked nervously toward the nearest exit.
Searching his pocket for coins, Johnny moved to a pay phone on the wall. He punched in the ranch number and waited as the phone rang. Ed answered.
"Is the meeting arranged?" Johnny asked.
"One hour from now."
"Did you reach Inspector Parker?"
"Everything's arranged. How's Val?"
"He's going to be fine," Johnny replied in as strong and positive a voice as he could manage, then he added, "But I'm not so sure about his mother."
Savanah paced as Roy Moon, Ed, Jack, and Johnny drank their hot coffee in silence. Inspector Parker, District Attorney Singer, and Ted Weir chatted quietly in the corner of the office, laughing occasionally, as if arresting someone on suspicion of murder and attempted murder was nothing out of the ordinary.
The door opened suddenly and Robert walked in. "Sorry I'm late. I was on an overseas call when I got your message." He stopped short upon seeing Parker, Singer, and Weir. "This looks serious."
"Very," Johnny said. "Sit down, Bobby."
Robert cleared his throat and sat down, placed his briefcase beside his feet, and took a deep breath. "Should I get my recorder for this?"
Johnny shrugged. "Why not?"
Robert dug into the briefcase for the recorder, his gaze moving over the law officials in the back of the room. "I hope you haven't discussed anything with them that might prejudice your rights."
"Wouldn't think of it, Bobby. You've taught me better than that." Johnny grinned as Robert hit the On button, then sat back in the chair.
"So what's up?" Robert asked.
Savanah moved up behind Johnny. "I work for the Crystal Casino in Toronto. I'm Dolores's sister."
"Really. My condolences to your family." He crossed his legs and looked from Savanah back to Johnny, then to Ed and Jack.
"Where were you the night of my accident?" Johnny asked.
"That's a very odd question."
"Did you have a conversation with Dolores two days before her death?"
He shrugged. "Maybe. You know Dolores. She was always calling me or Ed, asking our advice on one thing or another."
"What was her reason for calling you that day?"
"I … don't recall."
"I'll tell you why she called you." Savanah moved around the desk. "To ask legal advice regarding evidence I supplied her of Senator Foster's association with Formation Media. She thought way too much of her career to jeopardize it in any way. Although she didn't mention you by name, she told me when we spoke on the phone that she intended to contact an attorney just to be on the safe side."
Savanah sat on the desk before Robert, her knee touching his. "Aside from me, Johnny, and Dolores, you're the only other person who knew about those photographs, Mr. Anderson."
Johnny opened the desk drawer and retrieved several papers. He handed them to Robert, remaining silent as Robert shifted through them, his brow beginning to sweat.
"Would you like to explain what you were doing in Albuquerque before my accident? Why you rented a car at the airport that afternoon and returned it early the next morning, apologizing for the fact that you were in a slight accident but the insurance you took out on the car would take care of it."
"After the accident, I phoned your home," Roy stated. "It was around one o'clock here. I got your answering