Sky Queen Read online

  Emma Jean lifted her eyes and shrugged. “Oh, my. Something might happen to you.”

  Katherine fanned herself. Pirates intrigued her. They had a code similar to the Chippewa warriors who’d ruled the Great Lakes to conqueror the wilderness. These warriors were real men. Katherine secretly imagined having a pirate as her lover. He’d sail the seven seas to find diamonds, rubies, and sapphires to bring home to her. Hey, girl, what are you thinking? Pirates were murdering thieves. Is Dominick like a pirate? Is there something in me that is attracted him? No, I’m just a good girl from Wisconsin, and good girls from Wisconsin aren’t attracted to Chicago mobsters. It’s just my romantic imagination running wild.

  Emma Jean’s vision of roses, poetry, and sweet tea couldn’t compare to her dream: a conqueror, brave and genuine. Katherine looked up and grinned. “I suppose something could happen.” She watched as Emma Jean primped and groomed for her dinner date. “What’s this guy’s name, by the way?”

  “Yuki. Happiness, he told me, in Japanese.” Emma Jean dabbed Jungle Gardenia under her ear lobes. “Isn’t that lovely?”

  “I don’t mean to be a nudge,” Katherine said, “but remember you’re looking for a southern gentleman.”

  Emma Jean turned and rolled her eyes, “Oh Darlin’, this is just a nice dinner with a tall, dark stranger.” She put her finger to her cheek. “Don’t you have a friendship with a foreign man? That Angelos?”

  “I’d call him an acquaintance. I enjoy meeting new people from other cultures and learning their ways. It’s the same as traveling; the more you see of other places and individuals, the more you learn about yourself.” She paused. “I’m trying to find myself right now, anyway.”

  “Yourself? All we women need to know is how to look ravishing, stay poised, and be gracious at all times, and never let the man know what you’re thinking.” Emma Jean grabbed her Gucci handbag. “That’s it, Darlin’. Be careful tonight.” She threw Katherine a kiss on the way out.

  Katherine walked over to the window. The sun setting on majestic Mt. Hood—a mixture of lavender, pink, and gold surrounding its snowcap—took Katherine to another place. She was a warrior just like Hanging Cloud, and she wanted to travel to places where she could bring home treasures. No gold, jewels, or rare art that others would covet; rather, a gem of hope for others, the tribe that ran through her blood even though her skin and hair belied the Chippewa blood that roared beneath it. The world saw her as a wholesome all-American girl who loved life and laughter, but she was much more: a warrior woman fighting for the rights of those who needed her help. Hey, didn’t I just chase off that federal agent?

  Katherine slipped into her hip huggers, flung the fringe vest over her T-shirt, painted her face with a fresh coat of Bonnie Bell powder and rouge, and went down to the Benson Hotel lobby with her head held high. She felt heads turning, eyes taking in her majestic presence. Something special swarmed inside her, ready to emerge and meet the world.

  27

  KATHERINE TUSSLED WITH her twisted blanket to reach for the ringing phone. The pink Bulova clock radio’s alarm numbers blazed bigger and brighter than she wanted. 7:30. Geez, I need more sleep. Getting home at 1:30 a.m. from her Portland flight had depleted her sleep bank.

  “Hello, Katherine Roebling?” a voice said on the other end. “I’m Danny O’Brien, the bouncer at the Playboy Mansion. Our paths crossed at the press party last month. Then I saw you at the public library a few days ago. Sorry for calling so early, but your friend Charlotte Delaney asked me for help. Do you remember me?”

  Katherine bolted up from her reclining position, shoulders tightening, and moisture forming around her lips. “Charlotte? Did something happen to her?”

  “No. Charlotte asked me to help you. It concerns a strange man stalking you. Could we meet this morning?”

  Katherine pursed her lips. Hm, how did Charlotte get involved with this non-issue? Why is this Danny guy involved? I want to tell Charlotte first that the problem is solved. “Thanks, but I’d like to talk to Charlotte beforehand.”

  “Sure, I understand. You’re smart to check me out.” Danny paused. “I’ll have Charlotte call you.”

  Katherine nearly gasped. “Okay. I’ll wait here for Charlotte’s call.”

  “Thank you. Please call me right back. And don’t worry, you’ll be safe.”

  Katherine held the pink princess phone receiver next to her chest and dropped it into the cradle. The ticking of the bedroom clock broke the silence. Katherine thumped her fingers on the nightstand. Her mind shuffled back to her unpleasant meetings with Danny O’Brien. He must think that I’m a real mess. Well, that’s old news.

  Katherine stretched her back and spread her arms wide.

  The phone rang again. “Charlotte?”

  “Yeah, it’s me. Danny is the nicest of guys. Do you know how much effort he and his brother put into helping you? They called in a favor from the top detective in the Bureau of Investigative Services to take your case. Lots of resources and time went into helping you.”

  Hm, did he find out something that I don’t know? I’ll play along for now. I don’t have time to give Charlotte the whole story. I’ll tell her later. I’m curious to see what this Danny person found.

  Katherine smiled. “Well, I wanted to check with you first since you asked Danny to help. I’ll tell you the whole story when I see you.”

  Charlotte’s voice softened. “Oh, you’re right. I don’t blame you. You are the smarter one. Good news. Danny found the sleaze bag. How did you get into this predicament in the first place?” Charlotte sighed. “Don’t tell me now. Call Danny right back!”

  Katherine sipped on her cappuccino as she tapped her fingers on the table. After scanning the empty Third Coast Coffee Shop, she looked at her watch. After this last sip, I’m leaving. Fifteen minutes is long enough! Katherine savored the last drop of warm espresso and pushed away from the table, stood up, and started to walk out.

  “Katherine?” a man with a deep voice said behind her.

  Katherine turned to the square-jawed, blue-eyed strong man standing next to her. Wow, my vibes are speaking. He might be the right man for Charlotte. “Danny?”

  “I apologize for being late. I had to hunt for a parking place and found one in my usual spot at the mansion. Hef stopped me for a second. He’s the boss after all.”

  He slipped Katherine’s chair back and stood. “Thanks for meeting me.”

  “Danny, thanks for looking into this for me. I hope it didn’t become a wild goose chase. I mentioned him in passing to Charlotte. She’s super, but she overreacts sometimes.”

  Danny put his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “Well, when Charlotte first asked me to help you, I was skeptical. You seemed like a nice girl, but a little flaky. The kind that’s good but falls into sticky situations.”

  Katherine’s face burned crimson. She pushed away from the table. “Hey, Mr. O’Brien, you’ve said enough.” She pulled money from her purse to pay for her coffee.

  Danny raised his hand. “Please sit. I understand, but you didn’t let me finish. I jumped to a conclusion, but when I dug deeper, I found something different. You’re a fantastic woman who’s smart and knows how to handle herself in difficult situations. So please accept my apology for my first impression.”

  Katherine shrugged and slipped back into her seat. Let’s see what he knows. “Okay. I accept your apology, but you better have a good story to tell me. I’ll give you ten minutes.”

  Danny smiled. “That’s what I mean. You’re a lady who knows when and where to throw her punches.” Danny cleared his throat. “Anyway, I talked with Debbie, the one you traded uniforms with to escape that Dominick guy.” Danny paused and shrugged his shoulders. “I was off base on that one. I thought you had a relationship with him. And I hate to say it, but I grew up thinking that women involved with mafia guys were scum. But then I realized you weren’t actually with him. You ladies have a more dangerous job than all the Bunnies in Hef’s harem.”
>
  Katherine winked and kidded Danny. “Yep, our blue uniforms are magnets to men. And don’t you agree that men dislike those curvy, busty Bunnies?”

  Danny shrugged and joked. “Well, most men like their curves, but I can’t stand my job with those Bunnies swarming around the club. They’re so needy and helpless. But it’s a job.” Danny raised his hands. “Enough of this. I don’t want to waste your ten minutes. Let’s get to the real and most important reason for our meeting.” He paused, looked around the coffee shop, and moved his chair around the table to sit next to Katherine.

  Katherine’s brow furrowed.

  “Don’t worry. I want no one to hear what I’ve got to say. It concerns the eagle feather O’Leary found you with the day I saw you at the library. He told me the whole story. He thinks you must be a witch, but I know you’re not. Charlotte gave me details on your Native American ancestry, and how unusual stuff happens to you sometimes, that crow feathers appear around you. She doesn’t recall any eagle feathers, though. She told me about the trip you two took in the sixth grade to a Native American museum and your interest in the sacred eagle feather. Do you remember this field trip?”

  Katherine reclined against the wooden chair and nodded. “Yes. It popped into my mind the day I was at the library. Promise me you won’t tell anyone what happened to me with the eagle father in the library.”

  Danny smiled. “I won’t. It’s an extraordinary story, but please listen to my story first. My friend found the guy. He’s an undercover agent for the Feds. He could have done you serious harm, life-threatening damage if we hadn’t found him in time.”

  Katherine feigned a gasp. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, my brother’s P.I. checked with the doorman in your building. He told him that the guy followed you to your apartment and gave the doorman your apartment keys. They verified his ID. He confirmed that the culprit had stood outside O’Leary’s office. The Fish and Wildlife folks tipped him off about you and the feather. He’s a shifty guy with a small crime background, which makes him the right man for the dirty job he does for the Feds. He tracks down criminals like himself who steal Native American artifacts.” Danny pointed to his head. “He can think like they do, and he has a super record for returning stolen Native American goods.” Danny cleared his throat. “Since he’s a former con man, he used the same modus operandi on you.”

  He must not have the latest news. But he’s a swell guy; I’ll see what else he knows.

  Katherine commented. “How ridiculous, since I received the eagle feather. Like magic, it appeared before me. The librarian thought I was a thief. Like magic, again, it disappeared when I left the library. And then the sacred feather returned when I was on the bus. Now, once again, the mystical feather is gone. You can search my apartment.”

  Danny interrupted. “I know you’re innocent, and you don’t have the eagle feather. I won’t pretend to understand this Native American stuff. I know criminals; you’re not one of those.” He pulled a photo from his coat pocket and handed it to Katherine. “Is this the man that’s stalking you?”

  Katherine dropped the photo on the table. “Yes, that’s the guy that I almost shot with my bow and arrow.”

  Danny put both hands on the table and leaned toward Katherine. “What? Did he try to molest you? Did he try to harm you?”

  Katherine sat up and lifted her chest. “No. I think I scared him. He knew I could handle the bow like a warrior, so he backed down and quivered until he said ‘uncle.’”

  Danny leaned back. His eyes widened like round circles. He shook his head. “You’re an extraordinary woman. So what happened after he peed in his pants?”

  “Well, since my encounter happened before my Portland trip, yesterday, his report may not be in the official records yet. I convinced him that I had Native American blood and received the eagle feather as a sacred gift. He accepted my evidence and agreed that I was innocent. He said that he’d file a report to remove me from the ‘most wanted’ list.” Katherine chuckled. “In a week or so, do you have a way to check the records to make sure that I’m not on the dangerous criminal list?”

  “Certainly. My brother is the lawyer who helped me. He can check the records. I bet he filed the report like a speed demon after his experience with you.”

  Katherine clapped her hands and cheered. “Thank you. I appreciate your efforts. And thank your brother. If I can do something for you, let me know.”

  Danny’s eyes twinkled. “Well, you can put in a good word for me with Charlotte.”

  “Charlotte needs a guy like you. I’ll be thrilled to help you two. Have you asked her out?”

  “I want to ask her to go with me to watch a youth Silver Gloves boxing event. I mentor an outstanding young man from the projects. I thought it would be a low-key first date.”

  Katherine envisioned the time that she and Charlotte spent the summer tutoring the Chippewa tribe’s kindergarteners. Charlotte had gotten bummed out when the summer was over. Charlotte and Danny would be a good match. “Yep, she’ll love it. You’ll hit a home run.”

  Hmm, Danny and Charlotte? My intuition tells me there may be a wedding in their future.

  28

  KATHERINE STROKED THE MAJESTIC brown and white feather. Reverence filled her. Gazing around her bedroom, she breathed in slowly, feeling a sacred peace with the magical return of the eagle feather. Katherine savored the aura of security and safety with no roommate to discover her with this secret treasure, the miraculous artistry that only the grandest of creators can design. The crisp white plumage surrounding chocolate brown feathers was an invitation to cherish it.

  Katherine placed the feather on the bedroom dresser near the photo of her parents and rubbed her hands together as she asked the photo, “Mom, Dad, what should I do? How do I explain the feather’s mysterious appearances? Why is it here?”

  She looked up, hoping to get a response. Before an answer came, the phone rang and prompted Katherine back to everyday life.

  “Hi, Katherine. Are you okay?” Neal asked.

  “Yeah, sure.” She cleared her throat. “How are you?”

  “I was wondering if you want to talk.”

  “Is something wrong?”

  “I thought you might want to share your experience with Charlotte’s bouncer friend.”

  How does he know about Danny? Of course, Charlotte and Neal, my friends, helped me. “Well, I could use a Lincoln Park Zoo fix.”

  “Hey, that’s cool. We didn’t make it there the other day. Can you be ready by two?”

  “Sure. See you. Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  Katherine stretched her arms to the ceiling and moved them from side to side. Her meeting with Danny had turned out super. Neal must have been involved with Charlotte’s contacting Danny, which means Neal wants to take care of me, to protect me. Maybe, I’ll just tell him the happy ending that I’m innocent. Not the details. Does he need to know that I can take care of myself?

  She slipped into her fitted jeans. They reminded her of her horseback riding days on the Hay Meadow Trail at home in Chippewa Falls. A black Jefferson Airplane T-shirt and paisley headband topped off her look. A tab of light red rouge and a swipe a lipstick to refresh her lips and she was ready to go.

  Katherine dashed down to the lobby to open her soul to her special friend. Her heart felt heavy carrying all the changes in life, but her spirit told her to go for it. You don’t understand where you may land. It might be a new paradise created with a deep conversation underneath the surface. The sunlight became a spotlight on Katherine’s exit from the apartment lobby. Her calm attitude made Neal’s face brighten.

  “Wow,” Neal said when he saw her. “Wait until those zoo tigers see you.”

  After visiting every zoo site from the sea lion pool to the lion house, the happy couple paused for a Coke at the zoo refreshment stand across from the lions’ caves.

  “Would you like to visit my favorite place in the zoo?” Katherine asked.

  Neal
took her hand in his hand and smiled. “Let’s go.”

  “Can you lead the way to waterfowl lagoon?”

  “Nope. Today is my first time to see every place in the zoo.”

  “I guarantee you’ll find the lagoon a calming place like Walden Pond. It’s peaceful. Look around at all the skyscrapers, and here we are nestled in this sanctuary of nature. Something special happens when I jaunt past the swans floating on the lagoon and the brood of Mallard ducks drifting on the pond. A magic biosphere surrounds me and fills me with bubbles of joy. It’s a perfect place to ponder the questions of the universe.”

  Neal’s eyes sparkled. “Let’s go. I’m ready for a new adventure.”

  As they walked toward the lagoon, Katherine’s mind darted from one point to the next. She looked up and a bright, warm spark sent her a message. It was time to share this part of her. Yes, Neal was her true Niwiijiwaagan. Katherine jerked back. She closed her eyes and smiled. I’ve never used that Chippewa word for a friend, but he is my best pal.

  Katherine squeezed Neal’s hand and pointed to a bench at the edge of the lagoon. “Let’s sit over there. I hope you don’t mind if I spill my secrets.”

  Neal put his arm around her and looked into her eyes. “That’s why we’re here. Charlotte and I thought you needed to talk. She called and told me you’d met with a guy she knows with police contacts.” He paused and motioned for her to sit on the bench.

  Katherine searched Neal’s eyes and smiled “Thank you. Thank you. I was in real danger. I got warnings, but I didn’t take the time to figure out what they meant.”

  Neal narrowed his eyes. “Warnings?”

  Katherine glanced around and leaned toward Neal. “Yes. They’re very extraordinary. I never tell people when I get these warnings, except for my closest friends and family who understand the nature of Native American mystical ways.”