"We hope you'll solve these crimes quickly, Detective.For all our sakes."Chairman Namingha's tone made it clear the meeting was over.
Outside, the late afternoon sun was harsh and bright.Kari walked to Polacca's vehicle in silence, her mind racing through the implications of the council's refusal.
"That was bullshit," Polacca said quietly once they were alone in the vehicle."Complete bullshit."
Kari looked at her, surprised by the open frustration in Polacca's voice.
"They're more concerned about politics than justice," Polacca continued."More worried about enrollment disputes and family embarrassment than catching whoever killed Patricia and Robert."She gripped the steering wheel hard enough that her knuckles went white."I know the chairman has personal reasons.I get it.But two people are dead.That should matter more than protecting his grandchildren's enrollment status."
"You agree with me?"Kari asked."About needing the data?"
"Of course, I agree with you.I've agreed with you since the beginning—I just knew there was a good chance the council would refuse."Polacca's voice was bitter."I wanted to believe they'd do the right thing.I was wrong."
It was the most honest, unguarded thing Polacca had said since they'd started working together.Kari felt a surge of gratitude.They were truly partners now, united by a common obstacle—the institutional barriers that were preventing them from doing their jobs.
"So where does that leave us?"Kari asked.
"With encrypted files that might take weeks to crack.With general project information that won't tell us anything specific.With nothing concrete linking anyone to the crimes."Polacca started the engine."We're stuck."
"There has to be another way to get the information we need."
"Like what?Breaking into Emma's office and stealing the files?Hacking Patricia's computer ourselves?Both of those are illegal and would get us fired, and the evidence would be inadmissible anyway."
Kari knew Polacca was right.They needed to work within the system, even when the system was actively impeding the investigation.But that didn't mean there weren't other angles to pursue.
"The crime scenes," Kari said slowly."We've been so focused on the genealogical data that we haven't fully analyzed the physical evidence from the murder sites.What if there's something there we missed?"
"Both scenes have been processed thoroughly already."
"But maybe we're not asking the right questions about what's been found.The specific artifacts used, their arrangement, the locations chosen—Michael said those details suggested someone with deep knowledge.What if we can narrow down who has that exact combination of knowledge and access?"
Kari was thinking out loud now, trying to find a path forward."And we go back to the victims' lives—not just their work on the genealogical project, but everything.Relationships, conflicts, people who might have felt threatened by them personally."
Polacca pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the police station."That's a lot of legwork with no guarantee it'll lead anywhere."
"You have a better idea?"
"No."Polacca sighed."I just...I want to solve this.Patricia and Robert deserved better.The community deserves better.And I'm tired of hitting walls."
"Me too."
They drove in silence for a few minutes, both processing the frustration of the council meeting and trying to recalibrate their approach.Kari's phone buzzed—a text from Ben checking in.She sent a quick reply letting him know she was okay, but that the investigation had hit a significant roadblock.
As they approached the police station, Polacca said quietly, "I'm sorry I made this harder for you at the beginning.The whole testing-you thing, making you prove yourself.It was petty."
"I get it," Kari said."I'm an outsider.I don't have the automatic credibility someone from the community would have."
"But you've earned it.The way you've approached this investigation—you've been respectful, you've listened, you've tried to understand our ways without pretending to be something you're not."Polacca pulled into a parking spot and turned off the engine."The council might not see it, but I do.You're good at what you do."
"Thank you."The words felt inadequate for the significance of what Polacca was offering—genuine partnership, mutual respect, the kind of trust that made good police work possible.
They got out of the vehicle and walked toward the station entrance.As they did, Chief Lomayesva's truck pulled in beside them.He climbed out, his expression weary.
"I'm sorry that didn't go better," he said."I pushed as hard as I could, but the chairman wasn't budging."
"We understand," Kari said."Political realities."
"It's more than politics.It's fear."The Chief looked toward the mesas rising in the distance."Patricia's research threatened to reveal truths that would force people to confront uncomfortable realities about their heritage, their identity, their place in the community.That's terrifying for a lot of people.The council is protecting people from information they're not ready to handle."
