Chapter 5 Summary

Joe Leaphorn listens to a telephone message from Louisa Berbonette, an anthropologist with whom he has had a long-term romantic relationship. Louisa studies the Navajo, Hopi, Ute, Piute, and Zuni cultures. So far, she has declined Joe's periodic entreaties to wed. Joe is a widower. She says that she is going to the canyon floor to capture the oral traditions the older Havasupai living there.

Joe also gets a call from Cowboy Dashee, another member of the Tribal Police, announcing the marriage between Jim Chee and Bernie. Cowboy also asks Joe to help him on another matter. Tuve, the boy held in the robbery-homicide, is Cowboy's cousin, and he wants Joe to help him prove his innocence. Bored with retirement, Joe agrees to help. He leaves a message that he'll meet Cowboy at the Navajo Cultural Center or, if he misses him there...