his hand, he’d swing and her head would roll onto the plush hotel carpeting, blood clashing with the tasteful reds.
When Nora paused, Etta spoke. “What I’m hearing is that o pen s pace and air - quality works are on budget, forest restoration and trail maintenance are slightly over, but climate modeling has already surpassed its entire budget for the year.”
Nora nodded.
“If this is accurate,” Professor Santa said, “We won’t have the funds to fight oil exploration in the Amazon B asin.”
Daniel Cubrero frowned. “We can’t allow that situation to continue in Ecuador. We must do something to protect the delicate ecosystem.”
While Nora stood with her face burning — her palms a puddle of sweat and her heart banging in her chest — the board erupted in concern over the careless oil companies denuding the rainforest. It was a topic that concerned Nora as well, but it was hardly relevant to this meeting.
Etta raised her arms to quiet the table. “First things first. We obviously need to deal with these disturbing financials.” She waved a come-in motion to the person behind Nora. “Can you explain this, Mark?”
He walked past her, the smell of nervous sweat wafting from him. Of course he began with a laugh. “Obviously Nora hasn’t had time to get to know our system.” Mark lasered such murderous intent at Nora she almost dove for the carpet.
Etta drew in a deep breath. “Mark, Nora, would you mind stepping out for a few minutes while we discuss this among ourselves?”
“Of course.” Nora walked past Mark on her way to the door. She was pretty sure she could outrun him once the conference room doors closed.
“Lunch is on its way. They’ll bring it any second.” Mark’s shrill voice rose.
Etta sounded strained. “Thank you.”
As the door clicked closed behind Nora, Mark said something else. It probably irritated them that Mark didn’t leave as instructed , but it suited Nora fine to have a few minutes to escape.
She strode down the hall, heading for sanctuary in the rest room.
A light touch on her arm set her off like a rocket “Agggh!”
Benny stood beside her. He’d made no sound when he approached, just like his mysterious ancestor who haunted Nora’s imagination.
“Maybe you should cut back on the coffee,” he said, his face expressionless.
It was too much to hope that he’d returned to Arizona. Tenacious little guy. If she didn’t listen to what he had to say , he’d never leave. She glanced down the hall and saw no sign of Mark. She slipped into an empty conference room and pulled Benny after her. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you.”
He had all the time in the world. After all, the Hopi had been promised a thousand years ago that they’d be the longest surviving tribe of all. Nora didn’t have time to spare. In a matter of minutes she’d have to face Mark. “What is going on, Benny?”
He paused. “I was sent to warn you.”
fourteen
If she thought it would stop her from hearing, Nora would ram her fingers in her ears. Warnings, threats, messages from long-dead Native Americans. She’d left Flagstaff to get away from this.
She stood in the darkened conference room. The red patterned carpet, tall windows , and striped wallpaper decorated this room but with the lights off and no tables or refreshments set up, it felt cold and dead. “Go away, Benny. I don’t want to hear it.”
“You need to stay watchful and do what you can to protect the Mother.” His unfathomable eyes watched her in endless serenity.
“You know this message is going to make me crazy, right? I want to ask you what is going to happen and what to watch for and what I’m supposed to do. But you’d only say the balance depends on me and you can’t tell me what to do because that’s not the Hopi way.”
Her words brought the ghost of a smile. “You can learn. That’s good.”
She thought back to the time she’d spent with him at his shack on the mesa
When Nora paused, Etta spoke. “What I’m hearing is that o pen s pace and air - quality works are on budget, forest restoration and trail maintenance are slightly over, but climate modeling has already surpassed its entire budget for the year.”
Nora nodded.
“If this is accurate,” Professor Santa said, “We won’t have the funds to fight oil exploration in the Amazon B asin.”
Daniel Cubrero frowned. “We can’t allow that situation to continue in Ecuador. We must do something to protect the delicate ecosystem.”
While Nora stood with her face burning — her palms a puddle of sweat and her heart banging in her chest — the board erupted in concern over the careless oil companies denuding the rainforest. It was a topic that concerned Nora as well, but it was hardly relevant to this meeting.
Etta raised her arms to quiet the table. “First things first. We obviously need to deal with these disturbing financials.” She waved a come-in motion to the person behind Nora. “Can you explain this, Mark?”
He walked past her, the smell of nervous sweat wafting from him. Of course he began with a laugh. “Obviously Nora hasn’t had time to get to know our system.” Mark lasered such murderous intent at Nora she almost dove for the carpet.
Etta drew in a deep breath. “Mark, Nora, would you mind stepping out for a few minutes while we discuss this among ourselves?”
“Of course.” Nora walked past Mark on her way to the door. She was pretty sure she could outrun him once the conference room doors closed.
“Lunch is on its way. They’ll bring it any second.” Mark’s shrill voice rose.
Etta sounded strained. “Thank you.”
As the door clicked closed behind Nora, Mark said something else. It probably irritated them that Mark didn’t leave as instructed , but it suited Nora fine to have a few minutes to escape.
She strode down the hall, heading for sanctuary in the rest room.
A light touch on her arm set her off like a rocket “Agggh!”
Benny stood beside her. He’d made no sound when he approached, just like his mysterious ancestor who haunted Nora’s imagination.
“Maybe you should cut back on the coffee,” he said, his face expressionless.
It was too much to hope that he’d returned to Arizona. Tenacious little guy. If she didn’t listen to what he had to say , he’d never leave. She glanced down the hall and saw no sign of Mark. She slipped into an empty conference room and pulled Benny after her. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you.”
He had all the time in the world. After all, the Hopi had been promised a thousand years ago that they’d be the longest surviving tribe of all. Nora didn’t have time to spare. In a matter of minutes she’d have to face Mark. “What is going on, Benny?”
He paused. “I was sent to warn you.”
fourteen
If she thought it would stop her from hearing, Nora would ram her fingers in her ears. Warnings, threats, messages from long-dead Native Americans. She’d left Flagstaff to get away from this.
She stood in the darkened conference room. The red patterned carpet, tall windows , and striped wallpaper decorated this room but with the lights off and no tables or refreshments set up, it felt cold and dead. “Go away, Benny. I don’t want to hear it.”
“You need to stay watchful and do what you can to protect the Mother.” His unfathomable eyes watched her in endless serenity.
“You know this message is going to make me crazy, right? I want to ask you what is going to happen and what to watch for and what I’m supposed to do. But you’d only say the balance depends on me and you can’t tell me what to do because that’s not the Hopi way.”
Her words brought the ghost of a smile. “You can learn. That’s good.”
She thought back to the time she’d spent with him at his shack on the mesa
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