"There was going to be a community presentation next month.Patricia wanted to share the broader patterns she'd found—nothing about specific individuals, just general observations about the complexity of Hopi ancestry, how interconnected families were, how the boundaries between tribes were more fluid historically than they are in modern enrollment records."Emma's voice was strained."She thought it would help people understand that identity is about more than just genetics."
"But not everyone would have agreed with that perspective," Kari said.
"No.Some people were very concerned about what the data might reveal.About how it might be used."Emma stood and moved to a filing cabinet, opening a drawer and pulling out a folder."Patricia gave me copies of some of her work for safekeeping.Backup files of her research, preliminary data.But I've been instructed by the tribal council not to share this information without their explicit authorization."
"The tribal council knows about the research?"
"They're aware that the genealogical project exists, yes.And they're concerned about the privacy implications, about potential challenges to enrollment if the data becomes public."
Emma set the folder on her desk but didn't open it."I can't just give you this.There are legal and ethical issues involved."
Kari felt frustration building."Ms.Talayesva, this is a murder investigation.That information might contain evidence that could help us identify the killer."
"I understand that.But I also have responsibilities to the families who participated in this project, who trusted that their genetic information would be handled confidentially."Emma's jaw was set now."If you want access to this data, you'll need to go through proper channels.Get authorization from the tribal council, present a compelling legal argument for why privacy should be breached.I can't just hand it over."
Polacca spoke up."Emma, this is serious.The chief specifically asked Detective Blackhorse to investigate.Doesn't that constitute authorization?"
The backup surprised Kari—not just that Polacca was arguing on her behalf, but the conviction in her voice.They were becoming a team, she realized.Actually working together rather than just working in parallel.
"Investigating a murder—sorry,murders—doesn't automatically grant access to private genealogical data.These are different things."Emma's voice softened."Sarah, I know you're just doing your job.And I want to help.Patricia and Robert were good people, they deserve justice.But I can't violate my ethical obligations.You understand that."
Kari understood, too, even as it frustrated her.Emma was protecting her participants, doing exactly what a responsible researcher should do.But that protection was also shielding whoever had killed Patricia and Robert.
Kari tried a different angle."Can you think of anyone who might have been particularly upset by the research findings?Anyone who expressed anger or made threats?"
"No specific threats that I'm aware of.But there was general anxiety in the community.Some elders felt that DNA testing was inappropriate, that it reduced cultural identity to genetics.Some younger people were excited about it, seeing it as a way to reclaim knowledge that had been lost.The response was mixed."
"And Robert's academic paper?"Kari gestured to the manuscript she'd brought from his office."Did you know he was writing about the project?"
Emma's expression tightened."He mentioned it.I told him I thought it was premature to publish before the community presentation, but he felt the academic perspective was important.We disagreed about the timing."
By the time they left Emma's office, the sun was low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the parking lot.Kari felt the weight of the investigation pressing down on her—two murders, connections that seemed obvious but led to dead ends, information locked behind privacy protections and password screens.
In the vehicle, Polacca started the engine but didn't immediately drive away."What now?"
"Now we figure out how to crack Patricia's password," Kari said."Her computer is our best shot at understanding what she discovered.The council isn't going to authorize releasing the genealogical data, not without more evidence that it's directly relevant to the murders.So we work with what we can access."
"You think you can crack it?"
"I don't know.But I have to try."Kari stared out the windshield at the tribal social services building."Everything comes back to that research.Whatever Patricia and Robert discovered in those family histories, it was important enough to kill for.The answer is in that data.We just have to find a way to access it."
CHAPTER NINE
The tribal police headquarters had a small evidence processing room in the back—little more than a converted storage closet with a workbench, decent lighting, and a few specialized tools.It was there that Kari found herself at eight-thirty that evening, watching a Hopi police technician named Lucas Saufkie examine Patricia Lomahongva's desktop computer.
Lucas was perhaps twenty-eight, with long hair tied back in a neat ponytail and reading glasses that kept sliding down his nose.He wore a faded NASA t-shirt under his work coveralls and had the kind of focused intensity that suggested he'd rather be dealing with computers than people any day of the week.
"The sister approved this?"Polacca asked.
"Chief Lomayesva got the authorization about an hour ago," Lucas said without looking up from the computer's login screen.His fingers moved quickly across a keyboard, trying various password recovery tools."She understands we need access for the investigation."
"How long do you think it'll take?"Kari asked, leaning against the doorframe.
"Depends.Could be ten minutes if she used something simple.Could be ten hours if she was smart about security."Lucas pushed his glasses up, squinting at the screen."Patricia Lomahongva was a researcher, right?Academic type?They usually have decent password hygiene."
"That's what I was afraid of."
"I'll get in eventually.I always do."There was no arrogance in the statement, just unchecked confidence."But it's going to take time.You might want to go get dinner or something.I'll call when I have something."
