I responded to Meixing's message immediately. Texting her with a request for a call. My phone rang almost instantly.

Once we got past hello, I told her I was putting her on speaker so Chayton could participate as well. I started with the obvious question.

"Who are they and how do you know them?"

"My foster grandmother, and my foster sister. It was a complicated situation. We had seven kids there. Four of them were our mother and father's natural children and then three of us were adopted out of the foster system."

"When did they disappear?"

"My grandmother, Amelia Maria Grey Feather went missing almost twenty years ago, before I was part of the family. She was a Canadian from the Cree nation. My sister vanished from Brigham Young University during final's week, on Easter long weekend, two years ago. Easter was pretty late that year."

"I'm so sorry, Meixing," Chayton said. "It's incredibly horrifying to find out they are murder victims. Is there anything we can do to help you?"

"Find the people who did this. My sister's name is Olathe McPheters. Our father was Irish, Mom was Navajo. I know it's a weird combination, but it worked. And let me continue to work on the data base of people reported missing through social media."

"Not a problem," I said. "Well maybe finding the perpetrators in this case will be a challenge as the murders are cold cases, except the last one this year."

I heard her blow her nose, and assumed she was crying. To recognize her relatives from a forensic sculptor's work was something so unusual it was beyond comprehension.

"Meixing, are you able to talk to BAU? And I need to know which police departments ignored you for the missing person reports. I think your idea of compiling a missing list from Facebook, X and other social media is brilliant. Please continue and put as many details as you can into the spreadsheets you make."

"Marcel already alerted BAU. They are sending their team to talk to me, and I'll make sure my family talks to them as well. I will do the research and make sure I pull all the relevant details of every missing person reference I find. It's all I can do to help others who have suffered the same thing we did. No one seems to care when it's an indigenous woman who goes missing. It's just as bad with men at times too."

I could hear her pacing as she spoke. "Do you want to take a few days to be with your family?"

"It's too soon. I don't have the sick time yet or vacation allotment." Her voice was flat and final.

"I'm not holding you to anything like that, Meixing. You'll go home with full pay. There are bereavement benefits in your contract. And if it was missed, all employees will receive them in spite of it."

"God, I'm falling apart. Thank you."

"Make arrangements. Let me know how long you will be away. Your position is safe. You've already been a huge help."

She blew her nose again and sniffed twice before she spoke. "By the way, your application for exhuming Haloke has been approved, Chayton. The coroner will redo her autopsy sometime next week."

"I thought I was going to have to appeal it up a level. Awesome news." He pumped his fist. "I can't wait to hear what they find."

"My phone is going nuts," Meixing muttered, "A text message from the head of the BAU just came in. I guess they'll meet me at my parent's place day after tomorrow. I'll book a flight as soon as I get off this call. My mother is trying to call me. I need to go."

I said reminded her to let me know how things were going and said goodbye. I typed another message to add to her chaos, hoping she would take it to heart. You are an emergency right now. Don't hesitate to leave a message or call. I might be out of range for service, but I will get back to you.

"There. What a mess, Chayton." I sat down on the edge of the king size bed. The quilt spread on it was a log cabin pattern and reminded me of the ones I saw as a couple of state fairs.

"Yes, I know, but we're much closer to figuring out who is behind the Meadow Murders. And maybe I'll get answers for Chidi's mother. She never believed he hurt Haloke either."

"I would like to meet her." I wondered if she needed a friend. Loneliness was often the companion to uneased grief and anger.

"We'll be going by her hooghan tomorrow. She lives simply with a couple of goats, some chickens, and a garden, above the new dam. Her husband agrees with her, and still works with the leaders in the village. I can't wait to see what Mato has done. He's wanted it since he and Ama first started dating."

I patted the spot beside me on the bed. "Let's get some sleep."

His arms came around me as he pulled me into his lap. I snuggled into him relishing the comfort. We undressed each other in silent agreement and slipped into the bed. "Leave the office and work on there." He pointed at our phones where we left them on charge.

"Agreed. Let's not bring this into our ride tomorrow." His kiss chased all thoughts from my head.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Dawn was gorgeous. It never failed to renew my spirit and give me peace. Chayton was there beside me and my future mother-in-law was as well. Everyone else went home the night before.

Aponi stood at the stove stirring oatmeal, and her son opened cupboards in systematic order as he brought out the dishes we needed. I noticed a coffeemaker and a cannister of fresh ground beans.

"How strong do you make your coffee?" I asked.

"Hmmm, good question. I usually make enough for two mugs, which is the four cup marking on the carafe. Two level scoops of the measure in with the ground beans makes a pretty decent mug." She turned to Chayton and continued. "Get the berries and nuts out of the fridge, would you?"

I filled the coffee pot with water and poured it into the machine. The filters were right beside it, and I added six scoops of grounds. Turning it on, I watched Chayton opening drawers in the fridge and removing baskets of raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. My mouth watered.

A small dish of mixed nuts followed, and I went to grab the fridge door before it closed. I took container of milk and orange juice out, to place on the table as Chayton finished setting the table.

Aponi poured the oatmeal into three bowls slightly larger than a normal soup dish and brought them over to place them in front of us. The hot cereal was thick enough to need milk, but I helped my self to berries and nuts to mix in as well.

"Make sure you visit my sister," she said. "I worry about her. She insists she's happy, but I just don't know. It can't be healthy to be a hermit like she is."

"I don't blame her," Chayton. "I admire her. She isn't lonely. Aunt Sakari has a lot of visitors."

"So, you kept in touch with her?" Aponi asked.

Chayton reached over to pat her hand. "She is my second mother, and I have never forgiven Uncle Simi for leaving her after Chidi died."

"Neither have I." His mother's bitter tone spoke of more heartbreak.

I dug into my oatmeal, and Aponi continued to speak.

"But I have to remind myself, people deal with grief in different ways. Simi did what was right for him, and Sakari never blamed him. I'm not so generous."

"We'll visit. I'm sure the boys will be happy to see her too."

"Sorry I'm late," Kaya apologized as she came in the front door. "You didn't tell me Star was pregnant." It came out with a bit of a dirty look.

"She's carrying twins, and Bingo is the sire," Chayton informed his niece.

"Sorry, Uncle Chay. I didn't mean for it to come out that way. I thought she was bred out of the normal season."

The girl knew her horses.

"She's staying with my sister. You're welcome to come down for the foaling, she likely due sometime in February. She came into heat earlier than I expected. So, you aren't wrong," I explained.

"I'm loving Mom's old Jeep, Grandma. Thank you for talking her into letting me have it." Kaya opened the bread box on the counter beside the fridge and helped herself to a couple of slices from a dark loaf.

"When did you get your license?" Chayton asked.

"The day I turned sixteen."

"Figures. Sorry I missed it. We were overseas." Her uncle finished doctoring his oatmeal as Kaya put together a peanut butter and jam sandwich.

"When was it?" I asked. "I'll want all the birthdays and anniversaries, otherwise both of us will forget. Work can put us in a bind."

"I'll send you the spreadsheet," Aponi said with a snicker. "I have to admit it's a lot to take in."

"Did you drive or ride over?" I asked.

"Drove, I'll ride Grandma's gelding, that way you can have some you time," she nodded toward her as she took her first bite.

"I'll call Sakari and let her know you're coming." Aponi pulled her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans. I could see the outline of it on them.

A quick conversation confirmed lunch would be taken care of, and we finished our breakfasts in companionable silence.

Chayton was lucky to have a family like this, and we went out to the barn to saddle our horses after heeding Aponi's warning to make sure we put our sunblock on. I rarely did, but at this altitude and with the strengthening sun as we moved toward summer, it wasn't a bad idea.