Document of Expectations

Monday, 10:30 a.m.

51 “i sure would like to look at clipper’s and fhardt’s home garbage,” monique said. “and i want to search their homes.” “it’ll be tough getting a warrant right now, and it’s a sure thing that fhardt and clipper won’t let us in even if we ask nicely.” “then let’s get moving on the evidence.” “Will do. and we need to talk to roxanne Badger.” “Yes, we certainly do,” answered monique. “But first let’s talk to the secretary.” monDaY, 10:30 a.m. tony smoke rise’s parents received the news of their son’s death a few hours after moose city police received the call from cHu police. the moose city police had in turn contacted the Hopi tribe and flagstaff police, 800 miles to the south. flagstaff pD dispatched an officer to the smoke rise residence to give them the devastating news. Justin creamer hated the part of his job that required him to inform families about the deaths of their loved ones. He tried to wash off the residue of their sorrow, but their anguish and despair coated him. creamer’s face adopted a melancholy expression like that of mortuary workers, ambulance drivers, and attendants at animal shelters who perform euthanizations. creamer drove from the station in downtown flagstaff up Highway 180, the well-traveled route that led to the south rim of the Grand canyon. He passed coconino center for the arts and the museum of northern arizona, and from there it was only a few hundred feet to the entrance of the neighborhood of cheshire. creamer parked his car in front of the small, neat-as-a-pin home. fortunately for the tony’s parents, they had bought a home that was not south of a once-vacant field. residents on the south were not so lucky, and now two-story homes blocked their view of the san francisco peaks. flowers decorated the beds and fruit trees surrounded the smoke rise home. the wood-sided house had recently been reshingled, and the two silver maples in front looked newly planted. “shoot,” creamer said out loud. a decent family was about to find out their son is dead. He got out of his patrol car and walked up the sidewalk that was lined 52 on either side with pea gravel. an evaporative cooler covered by a blue tarp sat on the smoke rises’ roof. not many people had air conditioning in flagstaff. the summer temperature rarely exceeded 90 degrees in flag, but it was hotter than it used to be. the monsoons came later, and the threat of wildfire was exacerbated by the pine bark beetle that killed pine trees. on the porch, moss roses grew in whiskey barrels, and an engraved “no smoking no evangelists” sign had been glued under the doorbell. creamer pressed the lighted button and heard pleasant chimes on the inside. the door opened and out wafted the aroma of pot roast, perhaps in a crock pot with onions and carrots, he thought. a dishwasher was sloshing and he smelled detergent along with the cooking roast. His next image was of a huge, silver-haired man of about sixty-five with thick hair neatly combed to his shoulders, dressed in blue jean cut-offs and a short-sleeved blue t-shirt that showed his defined arms. He looked like the winner of a tough man contest, or maybe an italian movie star, creamer thought, but his dark skin and hawk nose were definitely indian. the tallest Hopi creamer had ever seen was about five-ten, and he wondered if this man was a mixed-blood. “smoke rise” didn’t sound like a Hopi name. “Who is it, Glenn?” a female called from a back room. Glenn locked eyes with creamer. “police,” the woman’s husband answered in a booming, masculine voice. “mr. smoke rise?” He introduced himself and showed the man his identification. Justin dreaded this. Glenn nodded. “sir, i’m afraid i have bad news.” Glenn smoke rise cocked his head as if hard of hearing and listened to what the uniformed officer told him. “sir, it’s my sad duty to inform you that your son tony smoke rise has died. apparently , his wife is too aggrieved to call you and requested the police do so. He was found dead by a co-worker in his office at central Highlands university this morning. investigators are on the case right now.” Glenn stood motionless...