| The FBI are suspecting that a pipeline system in New Mexico is being used to bypass paying royalty money into the Interior Department's trust fund for the Indians. In fact, the embezzling has been going on for a long time - to the tune of billions of dollars. They send a 'spy' to investigate. When this well-dressed man, stripped of identification, is found dead, the FBI tells Jim Chee, a sergeant with the Navajo Tribal Police, that it's a hunting accident.
He finds this very puzzling. He becomes more suspicious himself of the pipelines and pumping stations in the gas field. Meanwhile, Bernie, the love of his life, has left the Tribal Police to join the Customs Patrol. Jim Chee misses her. He suspects she left her job on his squad because of him - scared of getting too close? Bernie tackles her new job with the same competence she showed with the Tribal Police. She notices an exotic game ranch near the Mexican border and takes photographs. When her boss finds out she was there, he gets agitated, orders her not to go there, and takes her photos. Plus he wants a photograph of her. When Bernie later finds out her photo is being distributed among drug dealers, she gets suspicious - of her boss, and of several other people. Soon she is in terrible danger; someone wants her dead. Jim Chee and his former lieutenant, Joe Leaphorn, do some more investigating, and start putting pieces together. A powerful Washington businessman orders his pilot to kill Bernie. He is actually using the pipeline for a massive illegal drug business. A Mexican smuggler working for him and Winsor's pilot realize that killing Bernie is not necessarily going to help them in any way. They tip her off and, in an ensuing struggle, Winsor is the one who gets shot. Jim Chee finds Bernie and takes her home. | ||
|
Plot & Themes Tone of story - very upbeat How difficult to spot villain? - Moderately Challenging Time/era of story: What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70% Kind of investigator Any non-mystery subplot? descript. of violence and chases - 10 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 % Crime Thriller Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Profession/status: Motive of antagonist - power The antagonists are: - Drug kingpins How sensitive is this character? Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting United States Yes The US: - West Desert? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
||