"No," Elaine said."Just the standard protocol review with the fleet manager and then the presentation to council members scheduled for this morning."Her voice caught."He was preparing his slides the night before he left.So proud of the improvements they'd already implemented."
Ben made a note."Would you be comfortable sharing his phone records with us?It might help us determine who he was in contact with before..."He let the sentence trail off.
"Of course," Elaine said."Whatever helps find who did this.But I don't understand—why Jason?He wasn't important in the way that attracts enemies.He fixed things, made systems work better.That's all he ever did."
The question hung in the air, its simplicity masking the complex horror beneath it.Why Jason indeed?What had placed him in the path of a killer recreating murders from five decades earlier?
"That's what we're determined to find out," Kari said, meaning every word."Mrs.Haskie, could you tell us more about your husband's meeting with the tribal council?Who specifically requested his services?"
"It was initiated by Councilman Begay," Elaine said."He heads the infrastructure committee.Jason had done similar work for the Hopi Tribe last year, and Councilman Begay had heard good things about his recommendations."
"And this would have been Jason's final presentation?"Ben asked.
"Yes," Elaine said."He'd completed his assessment and was presenting his final recommendations for ongoing maintenance protocols."She shook her head again."I still don't understand why he would have been at Cottonwood Wash."
"We found his rental car at the trailhead," Kari said."Did he typically rent cars for his reservation visits?"
"Always," Elaine said."Our personal vehicles are older.He preferred having reliable transportation when traveling for work, especially in remote areas."
Kari made another note, then asked, "Has Jason mentioned anything unusual recently?Any concerns, strange phone calls, unexpected visitors?"
Elaine thought for a moment."Nothing out of the ordinary.He was focused on this presentation.Spent hours finalizing his recommendations."Her eyes suddenly welled with tears, the first crack in her composed exterior."He was supposed to call me last night from the hotel, but when I didn't hear from him, I assumed he was working late or had fallen asleep."
Margaret put her arm around her sister's shoulders as Elaine struggled to maintain her composure."Perhaps that's enough questions for now," she suggested quietly.
Kari nodded in understanding."Just one more, if you don't mind.Did your husband know anyone named Martin Reynolds or Jennifer Holbrook?They were both recently on the reservation."
Elaine wiped her eyes with a tissue Margaret had pressed into her hand."The names don't sound familiar.Jason didn't mention them to me."
"Thank you for your time, Mrs.Haskie," Kari said, standing."We'll keep you informed of any developments in our investigation."
"When can I bring him home?"Elaine asked, her voice breaking slightly."For burial."
"The medical examiner needs to complete their examination," Ben said gently."We'll work with Phoenix PD to expedite the process as much as possible."
As they moved toward the door, Elaine suddenly called after them."Detective Blackhorse?"
Kari turned back."Yes, Mrs.Haskie?"
"Find who did this," she said, her grief momentarily hardening into something fiercer."My husband deserved better than to die alone in the dark."
"We will," Kari promised, the weight of that commitment settling alongside all the others she carried.
Outside, the Phoenix heat hit them like a physical force after the air-conditioned interior.They walked silently to their vehicle, both processing what they'd learned—and the many questions that remained unanswered.
"Tribal council," Ben said as they reached the SUV."That's our connection to Haskie.But it doesn't explain Reynolds or Holbrook."
"Unless there's something about the fleet vehicles that intersects with their research somehow," Kari suggested, though even to her ears the connection seemed tenuous at best.
They settled into the vehicle, the air conditioning struggling against the midday heat."We need to speak with Councilman Begay," Kari said, starting the engine."Find out exactly what Haskie was consulting on, and why he might have been at Cottonwood Wash instead of his hotel."
Ben shifted uncomfortably in his seat."Investigating the tribal council..."he said, his voice trailing off.
"I know," Kari said, understanding his hesitation.The tribal council represented both governmental authority and cultural leadership.Treating council members as potential suspects—or even as sources of suspicious activity—veered dangerously close to disrespect in traditional terms.
"It feels wrong," Ben admitted."These are elected officials, respected community leaders."
"And one of them may have been the last person to communicate with our victim," Kari said."I don't like it either, Ben, but we can't ignore a direct connection to Haskie's presence on the reservation."
