Amish Vs Kinaho Tribe

Ethan carefully advanced through the terrain, his boots sinking slightly into the wet ground. He leaned down to pick up a fallen branch, briefly inspecting it before walking to the inert body that lay on the ground. The female corpse was partially covered by the foliage.

Ethan knelt next to her, with precise and measured movements. He extended the branch to the victim's face, using it to push away the hair that hid his features. 

—This is going to be troublesome, it's a girl from the Kinaho reserve —Brock commented, walking alongside him and looking at the girl.

— What do you mean? —he asked, his tone a mixture of caution and curiosity.

Brock shook his head with a serious expression.

—Believe me, you don't want to see a conflict between the Kinaho and the Amish —he said, in a tone that mixed warning and certainty —. Things can escalate ... and get ugly very fast.

Hood came up and slapped Ethan on the shoulder.

—There is a dirt road not far away, that runs from the Bowmans' house. Go and close access to this area, county coroners will take a while to get there.

Ethan nodded, pulled the branch, and returned.

Hood and Siobhan remained at the scene while others continued to search for Solomon, now with the body of this murdered girl, the disappearance case had become one of murder. 

At that time, although the night was dark and the rain was continuous, they still had to look for the lost young man, so the others divided into two teams, led by Emmett and Brock, once again entered the rainy night.

After closing the access to the Bowmans' cornfield, Ethan quickly returned to the crime scene, his car pierced through the darkness, casting long shadows over the rainy landscape as he advanced down the winding dirt road. The small pond Siobhan had mentioned appeared in the distance, gleaming in the pale moonlight, and within seconds, arrived at the site.

By stopping the car, the headlights illuminated the scene as if it were the setting for a theater: next to an old apple tree, Siobhan was standing, rigid and alert. His slim figure trembled under the flashing light of the flashlight that he held in one hand, while in the other, his weapon shone in the light of the headlights, ready to fire if necessary.

— Where's the sheriff? —Ethan closed the car door and screamed loudly.

—He is close, he said he would go looking for more clues. But with this rain I don't think I can find anything. —Siobhan's face turned cold.

He hurried out and pulled the tools out of Ethan's car trunk.

 The two took the warning tape and threw it in a circle around several apple trees. Just as the warning tape was lifted, a few steps rang and Hood returned, shaking his head at them.

The search team returned to the scene after a long time. Without any surprise, they found nothing. Ethan looked at his watch with a flashlight. It was already after three in the morning. He reached out the palm of his hand and saw that the rain had begun to subside.

Seeing that everyone around him was tired, sleepy, and soaked to the bone, Hood had no choice but to come up and talk to the Bowmans, so everyone could go rest.

Although Mr. Bowman still wanted to keep looking, he also knew that everyone was exhausted and had to wait until dawn to resume the search.

After the discussion, Hood stayed to watch the crime scene and wait for forensics while the others rested again.

After arriving at the Kellys' house in Siobhan's old truck, exhaustion invaded them both. As soon as they entered, they hurried to the bathroom, without exchanging words, only the need to relax after a long night. The hot shower was an immediate relief, the steam enveloping them as the water swept away any trace of the storm and stress.

Soon after, they dropped into bed, exhausted. The silence in the room was only broken by his breaths, which soon softened to the rhythm of deep sleep.

The next morning, the sun's rays gently penetrated through the curtains, bathing the room in soft light. Ethan was the first to wake up. Opening his eyes, the world seemed completely different from the night before. He sat up slowly, watching through the window how the clouds moved lazily in the sky and the wind gently caressed the trees.

—Get up —whispered, reaching out to give a gentle pat on Siobhan's back.

She stirred, still sleepy, as the fresh morning air filled the room, contrasting with the warmth of the sheets. Ethan, on impulse, lowered the window to let the cold air enter the room. The temperature change was immediate, waking them up completely.

— Ah! —Siobhan shuddered, shaking off the blankets —. That was a low blow!

Ethan smiled halfway, deeply inhaling the fresh, renewed air of the day.

—I told you you had to get up. —Her voice sounded calm, albeit with a touch of humor.

Siobhan, still rubbing his eyes, looked at him with a mixture of reproach and resignation

 After the cold air that cleared their senses, they knew there was still work to be done. The Bowman's cornfield awaited them, and the memory of the crime scene wouldn't let them fully relax.

Ethan got up first, stretching, his muscles still tense the night before. He glanced around and, without saying much, headed to the small laundry room. He opened the dryer door where the clothes they had left the night before were still there.

Both were changed quickly, the soft heat of the freshly dried clothes comforting them in contrast to the fresh air that filled the house. Ethan adjusted his shirt and looked at Siobhan, who had just tied his boots. Despite the tiredness, they were both ready.

— Shall we go through coffee? —she asked, standing up, already more animated.

Ethan nodded, putting the keys in his back pocket.

—Yes, and donuts too. We are going to need some energy.

They left the house and got into Siobhan's old truck. The engine roared as it started and they soon made their way to the small café at the gas station in downtown Banshee. The place was barely waking up, with a couple of cars parked and the sign of "Open" dimly illuminating the facade.

Inside the small premises, the aroma of freshly made coffee hit them immediately. Ethan ordered 5 large black coffees while Siobhan selected a dozen assorted donuts. After paying, they came out with their hands full.

—This is going to be long —Siobhan commented, taking a bite out of a glazed donut as he got into the truck.

—I know —Ethan replied, taking a sip of his coffee and starting the engine — but I prefer to have a clear mind when we get to the cornfield.

The journey to the Bowmans' grounds was short, but the scenery, with its combination of cornfields and hills, reminded them of the area's deceptive stillness. They knew that what they would find in that field was far from calm.

Ethan slowed down and drove down the dirt road that led them directly to the place where, hours earlier, it had all started.

—Here we are again —Siobhan murmured, looking into the distance, where the remains of the police tape still waved faintly in the breeze.

Ethan nodded, turning off the engine. When they arrived at the scene, Emmett was taking pictures of the surroundings with his camera.

— Where's the sheriff? —Ethan opened the car door, greeted him, and asked.

—She changed her clothes again and will be back soon —Emmett left the camera and joked with them —. In case they are dating, right?

—Just shut your mouth and have your coffee. — Siobhan handed him a cup of coffee and said nonchalantly.

Emmett seemed to understand, smiled, and reached out for coffee.

Because there had been a murder, the crowd of spectators gradually grew and there were disturbing discussions outside the cordon. Soon after, several police cars approached.

Hood passed the warning tape, raised his hand, and threw the car keys at Ethan.

Ethan took the key and looked back. Brock and an Indian Reserve officer in khaki uniform crossed the cord.

— This is Aimee King of the Kinaho Tribe Police Department.

Brock noticed Ethan's gaze and introduced the small policewoman with delicate skin and long black hair behind him.

Because it was related to people from the Kinaho tribe, they notified the tribe's Police Department last night, and arranged for a young police officer to come.

—Hello, nice to meet you.

Ethan took her hand and asked hesitantly:

— Where's your police chief?

—Aimee, she's here to help us —Brock waved her hand silently and winked at her quickly — Ethan, take her to see if she can identify the young woman's body.

Ethan released his hand, smiled at him, and pulled out of the way.

Aimee solemnly nodded and walked towards the corpse.

—The tribe's police chief is Karl Yazzie, he is an old man who cares nothing but retire.

Brock approached Ethan and continued:

—Now that this happened in our jurisdiction —said with a sigh — And the person who died was not a person of importance to the tribe, they just sent Aimee.

Ethan nodded, his gaze fixed on the horizon as he processed the situation.

—She did not want to intervene at all —she continued, with a note of frustration in her voice —. He simply asked her to help us.

Ethan shook his head, people like that existed anywhere.

After Aimee looked at the body closely, she got up and said to Hood:

—Her names are Lana, she is a member of the Collery family. I will notify your family members to come now.

After finishing talking, the little police picked up the phone with determination and stepped aside.

Hood nodded, bent down, and grabbed a handful of grass, looked at Emmett who was still taking pictures, and hesitated:

— What happened to the forensic team because they have not arrived?

Emmett shrugged.

—There is only one forensic department for the three nearby counties, so we are not a priority for them.

—Last night it rained a lot and if there was still any evidence the rain has already erased it. All we could do was take pictures and then follow the process and send them to Harrisburg for forensic analysis.

—It is just a procedure. Just look at the ax on his head, we know what causes death. — Siobhan put his hands on his hips and shook his head.

After confirming that the crime scene had been photographed, Emmett left the camera, pressed the radio, and notified the ambulance to come pick up the body.

Soon after, an ambulance arrived at the scene, immediately followed by two ramshackle trucks.

The back of the truck was full of people from the Kinaho tribe. They jumped out of the truck with anxious expressions. Brock quickly patted Ethan on the arm and whispered:

—Just control the scene, don't let things get out of control. And I mean you.

Ethan nodded and he and Brock walked quickly to the warning tape, reaching out to stop people who were excited to enter.

— Stop, this is a crime scene. If you have information we can take your statement at the police station later 

When several of them saw the girl lying on the carpet being covered in a white cloth by medical personnel, their emotions instantly crumbled and they wanted to rush recklessly.

The scene suddenly turned into a disaster and Brock also took a few panic hits. He clenched his teeth and tried to control the situation on the scene.

Emmett, Siobhan and Amy from the Kinaho Police Department saw something was wrong and rushed to help.

— Bang bang bang! - Several consecutive shots surprised the people of the tribe and stopped quickly.

—Calm down, you are not helping anything, we are going to find the murderer as soon as possible

Hood raised the gun in his hand and looked around.

He did not re-found his pistol until he saw that the Aborigines had calmed down.

With Aimee's help and Hood's wake-up call, the fuss subsided. Brock touched the swollen corners of his mouth and then pulled out a notebook to record the situation with an unhappy expression on his face.

After a while, he approached Hood with the transcript in hand.

—The name of the dead girl is Lana Colliery. Disappeared last night —he said.

— Is something else happening? —Hood crossed his arms.

Brock shook his head and put the notebook away.

 —Not yet.

 At that time, Bowman and an Amish group also arrived at the scene. Regardless of Siobhan's obstruction, he overtook the guard and took him away.

 —Chief Hood, my tribe and I also looked for Solomon this morning, but found no trace of him.

 —No matter who did this, I'm afraid the same thing happened to Solomon. Can you help us continue the search?

 Hood grabbed his belt with both hands and said:

 —Mr. Bowman, don't worry, we promise to do everything we can to find it.

 —Also, you can also ask Solomon's friends to see who was the last person to see him yesterday. This can provide us with some clues.

 —Okay, no problem —Bowman grabbed his felt hat, nodded, and was about to leave.

 At that moment, a cornflower made its way through the crowd, after speaking a few words with Aimee, he let him pass and talks to Hood.

 —I am Lana's father —said angry —. I know who Lana's killer is.

 Hearing it, it caught the attention of everyone present.

 Hood seriously asked:

 — What are you talking about?

 The man in the plaid shirt did his best to control his emotions. He patiently said to the crying girl:

 —Come on, tell Chief Hood what you just told me.

 The little girl, who was only fourteen or fifteen years old, looked at Lana, who was covered with a white cloth, cried and said:

—Yesterday, Lana told me that she would have a date with an Amish boy —the young woman's voice was broken when she said it, the words coming out between agitated sighs —. And now she's dead. It was that boy! —He dropped suddenly, almost pleading, as if saying it out loud made sense of the horror he was experiencing —. He killed her!

— An Amish boy? —Lucas Hood asked, frowning as he looked at the person giving him the information. The mention of the Amish, especially in the context of a murder, complicated things. 

—Yes, that's what he told me. I didn't know him well, but he seemed excited about the date. —replied the young woman, nervous, clearly affected by Lana's death.

Lucas paused, processing the information. Dating someone from the Amish community was almost taboo, and now, with Lana dead, this clue could lead to something much bigger than she had imagined.

— Do you know who it was? —Lucas asked, his gaze intense.

—Yes, that boy's name is Solomon Bowman.

After those words fell, Elijah Bowman's face changed dramatically. He waved his hands in panic:

 —That is impossible, you must be lying. It is impossible for my son to date an Indian girl.

 — What do you mean by that? —Lana's father looked at him angrily.

 Bowman repeatedly shook his head, his gray beard waving.

 —I didn't mean that, but what she said is definitely not true. My son is would never relate to a foreign girl from our community.

 Colliery stepped forward, excited.

 —So where's Solomon Bowman? Call him and I'm going to confront him.

 Hood quickly stepped in to explain:

 —Your child is also missing. We searched for him for a long time last night.

 —Shet.

 — Do you think anyone believes these lies? You bastard, you must be hiding Solomon so that he does not receive his punishment.

 After saying this, he wanted to run towards Bowman or hit him, but Brock quickly hugged him and stopped him. Members of the tribe were outside the cord also clenched their fists and pushed the Amish to their side.

Aimee tried to dissuade him, but was rejected.

—Whatever you want to do, just come back.

Seeing something go wrong, Ethan ripped off the warning tape and ran into the crowd.

As he ran from left to right, the chaotic crowd quickly parted, everyone who faced Ethan kissed the floor quickly, and what was still standing quickly receded, watching Ethan standing in the middle of the crowd in fear. 

Emmett and Siobhan also quickly pulled out their batons and rushed to separate the two groups.

At that moment, a piercing horn sounded and a car passed quickly, stopping behind the crowd. Alex and Nola Longshadow got out of the car one after another, and the people of the tribe gathered around them as if they had found a spine.

 Amid the screams of the chiefs, Alex shook hands with the tribesmen and patted them solemnly on the shoulders, then parted ways with the crowd and approached. Ethan's piercing eyes saw Alex suppressing the movement of the corners of his mouth. It seemed like he was really enjoying that moment.

 At that moment, a hostile gaze fell on him and Ethan immediately looked the other way, avoiding Nola who was staring at him, without expression, with piercing eyes like knives.

 Ethan laughed secretly. She did not expect that, after being imprisoned for a time, she would regain her original arrogant demeanor so quickly, she quickly looked at Nola unceremoniously, challenging her with her eyes, but gestured with her hands, forming two pistols in her hands, gestures as if shoot.

 Nola was furious and wobbly.

 He clenched his teeth and looked at Ethan. If her enemies hadn't accidentally jailed her, she would have wanted revenge on that arrogant city police officer, but she soon froze, perhaps the ...

 —Please give me the official step — Alex approached Ethan and said politely.

 Ethan nodded and stepped aside.

 With Alex's comfort, Colliery decided to return to take care of his daughter's funeral.

 Thanks to Alex's arrival, the situation was quickly controlled. After Lana's body was loaded into the ambulance, the tribe slowly dispersed.

 It could be seen in their eyes that they now identified Solomon as the murderer, and before leaving, they warned the Amish to hand over the culprit or bear the consequences. Hood also felt a little dizzy at the time. Although he preferred to believe that Solomon was not the murderer, he had to admit that he was now the prime suspect.

 Desperate, he turned to look at Mr. Bowman.

—Mr. Bowman, are you sure you didn't hide Solomon?

Bowman tightened his felt hat tightly and said with an aggrieved expression:

—I swear, I did no such thing Sheriff.

Hood sighed.

—Now go organize the search. My people and I will accompany you later.

 Bowman nodded and walked away with heavy steps.

 After he left, Hood noticed a group of people standing on the slope in the distance. The man in front of them was covered in tattoos and looked unusually tall.

 — Who is the big man? —Hood pointed, asking Brock curiously.

 When Ethan heard what Hood said, he turned his head and looked in the direction he was pointing.

 It opened more than a dozen people standing there. Unlike ordinary Aborigines, these people had tattoos all over their bodies and exuded a dangerous aura.

 The burly man in front of them noticed the concentrated attention and turned, exposing a thick braid to the back of his head.

—That's Chayton Littlestone, the boss of the Red Bones Gang —Brock said frowning.

Hood wondered:

— Red Bones Gang?

—Yes, it is a dangerous parasite in the Kinaho tribe settlement —Brock replied as he watched Chayton walk away — With the living conditions of these indigenous people. Young people have nothing to do throughout the day. Drinking and fighting are commonplace for them, so they have chosen to join gangs.

—The strongest gang in the Kinaho tribe is Red Bones Gang. Your people have come to our Banshee Town to cause trouble many times in the past.

— Didn't the tribune kinaho Police Department crack down on the gang Red Bones? —Siobhan asked.

It was the first time I saw Chayton, the boss of Red Bones Gang, and her cold eyes had scared her.

Brock shook his head.

—Your Sheriff is lazy, he just lets them do whatever they want.

—Chayton is a lunatic. Previously, a group of tourists disguised as Indians was beaten and wounded by more than a dozen members of Red Bones, led by him.

—Since he was released from prison, he has become even more temperamental, and you were not a police officer at the time. —added Brock.

— Did you capture it? —Siobhan asked.

Brock shrugged.

— Are you kidding me? Of course not. Look at its size and the group of people around it.

—It was the state police that took action, captured him on the interstate —Emmett intervened in his deep voice.

—We tried it at the time, but there wasn't much we could do, nobody knew where they were. And at that time, our police station only had three people in total.

Emmett shrugged and went to save the caution tape. Later, they organized another search with the Amish, but this time they found nothing. After two failed searches, no trace of Solomon was found. Desperate, Hood asked everyone to return to the police station first and then plan their next step.

At Miles's restaurant, Ethan thanked Daria and had her lunch. On his tray was a huge double cheeseburger, a large serving of fries, and Coca-Cola.

Seeing Daria's slender figure disappear, Ethan took a sip of his drink.

Brock, holding his burger with both hands, took a big bite out of him and said with satisfaction: '

—Because I feel that whenever I come to eat here with you, the portions are always bigger.

Ethan arched an eyebrow.

—It is the result of my hard work —Ethan said while taking some fries, dipping them in ketchup and putting them in his mouth.

Brock had a great drink of Coca-Cola.

—If you weren't so reserved all the time, I think we'd be best friends —Brock said, waving.

After working all morning, Ethan was hungry, so he quickly devoured his hamburger.

When they finished eating and drinking, Brock loosened his belt and asked:

— What do you think of the Solomon and Lana case?

Ethan removed the ice cubes in his glass with the straw.

—It is simple. Either Solomon is the murderer and fled after the murder, or he knows who murdered Lana and hid for fear that the same thing would happen to him.

—Now I lean more towards the second option, because Solomon is a good boy, he has no reason to kill a poor girl —Ethan continued after a sip.

Brock nodded.

—My thoughts are similar to yours, but Solomon is not completely free of motives. There are many cases of violence and murder caused by relationship problems, especially at his age, it is easy to act on impulse.

—Now we need new clues to see if we can find an advance among their relatives.

At that moment, Daria approached.

—Ethan, your takeout is ready.

—Thank you, you are a beloved charm. —Ethan said, getting up with a smile and taking the two big bags of food.

Back at the police station, the atmosphere was noisy. At Hood's request, the victim's relatives had come for questioning.

Ethan left the food at the sheriff's office and returned to his desk.

He patted Siobhan on the shoulder and left her a bag of food so she could have lunch while he was in charge of writing the reports.

Half an hour later, as Ethan took Lana's sister's statement, the hustle at the police station suddenly faded. Ethan raised his head and saw Proctor and Rebecca, both nervous-looking, appear at the door.

Rebecca, whom he had not seen in a long time, now stood before him with an elegance that seemed alien to the young woman he remembered. Her white Chanel suit hugged her figure with impeccable precision, and the soft makeup that adorned her face highlighted her features with almost cold subtlety. It seemed unattainable, as if power and luxury had lifted her onto a pedestal from where she watched the world with a new, much more calculating look.

When Solomon's relatives, sitting nearby, saw Proctor and Rebecca appear, they were silent and looked away. Rebecca did not mind being ignored. Now, he only cared about his missing brother. He was the only member of her family who supported her when she was kicked out of the house.

Ethan got up, handed paper and pencil to Siobhan and approached them.

After observing the situation around him, he knocked on the door of the sheriff's office and drove Proctor and Rebecca inside. Once the door closed, the hustle and bustle at the police station returned to its usual level.

Hood was reviewing the reports on his desk when he saw Ethan enter with the two newcomers. He settled into his chair.

As soon as the door closed, Rebecca hurried to Ethan, her eyes red.

— Is there any news from my brother? —asked desperately.

Ethan shook his head, looking at her seriously.

—Not yet. Do you know where Solomon might be?

Rebecca clenched her teeth and replied:

—I have searched all the places I can think of, but found nothing. You have to believe me, my brother wouldn't do something like that.

—So if you have any leads, you should share it with us —Hood said, hitting the table with his fingers. If you know something you must tell us, there are many people outside who think that Solomon is the murderer, and they are looking for him, we must find him first. — he added.

Proctor clenched his teeth, aware of the situation.

—If there is anything I can do, just tell me —Proctor said with determination.

Hood nodded.

—Don't worry, we will do our best.

—Thanks —Proctor replied, quickly taking Rebecca away.

Before leaving, Rebecca looked at Ethan with a pleading expression.

—Please bring my brother back.

After they left, Hood lit a cigarette and, curiously, asked:

— What relationship do you have with Rebecca?

Ethan pulled out his cigarette case and calmly replied:

—The same one you have with Kate Moody.

Hood almost drowned when he met Ethan's answer.