Once again Hillerman succeeds in crafting a story packed with the tantalizing teases that seduce mystery readers. As with
most of his mysteries, this one is set in the American southwest, on the Navajo reservation.
With skill and accuracy, Hillerman weaves his stories out of the intricate fabric of the Navajo culture. The reader is given the necessary information in the text without feeling he’s had to sit through a course in anthropology.
In Coyote Waits, Hillerman uses both of his usual protagonists. Cynical Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is planning on retiring as he desperately attempts to cope with the passing of his wife and best friend, Emma. Officer Jim Chee is a young policeman who struggles to make time for studying with his uncle, Frank Sam Nakai, a great shaman, to learn to perform the Blessing Way and other hataalii ceremonies. Not often does a story involve both of these characters and the different methods each uses to solve their cases.
Indian reservations don’t follow state lines causing jurisdictional problems requiring the FBI to get involved when murders occur. Conflict evolves out of the FBI not being cognizant of the local culture which is always a primary ingredient in the ultimate solution of these mysteries.
Hillerman deftly places the reader in the vastness of this awesome setting describing Shiprock, a magnificent volcanic core with a sacred aura. Flat prairies with “ragged up thrusts of black basalt” under the storm clouds that attack the land just often enough to keep it alive but dry are easy to visualize through his prose. Solitude of place comes not just from the land but also from the people. Personal appearances tell stories of basic survival. Hillerman’s respect for his characters and his readers is evident by the depth of description shown in few words.
Native Americans of various tribes have coyote stories. Many of the stories make coyote out to be the fool that’s always trying to put one over on someone else but instead gets caught in his own trap. A lot of these stories are funny. The Navajos do not consider him to be funny. Coyote is a metaphor for chaos in the Navajo culture which strives for harmony and peace in their lives. Coyote represents “the evil of malice.” They have a saying, “Coyote is always out there waiting, and Coyote is always hungry.” Coyote is active in this story.
All of the reader’s senses are stimulated. Not only are there magnificent vistas to see, there are human sounds to distinguish from the whisperings of nature and the skinwalkers, the witches, and there’s always the ubiquitous coffee to smell and taste. Dropping by the Short Mountain Trading Post could get you a cup of coffee that had been reheated all day, that is, if John Mc Ginnis was in the mood to offer you any.
Coyote Waits begins with a
vandal painting random white marks on some of the basalt outcroppings and soon adds a
murder that seems to be related but yet, the murder doesn’t make any sense to either Lieutenant Leaphorn or to Officer Chee. Nevertheless, the FBI feels the case is solid and wants to go right to trial.
On duty the night of the murder, Chee is working down U.S. 666 from his station at Ship Rock while Officer Nez is working up U.S. 666 from his station at Window Rock. Keeping in touch over the radio, they plan to meet at the Red Rock service station-post office-grocery store for coffee. Nez thinks he’s caught his paint-spraying vandal. The radio is breaking up, as it does in this area, according Deputy Sheriff Dashee because of the magnetism from the volcanic monoliths. Old Thomasina Bigthumb says witches cause the transmission problems. Chee knows that this section is renown for its witches but Old Lady Bigthumb blames everything on witches.
Chee asks Nez if he needs any help with the painting vandal and thinks he hears, “No” and Nez laughing. Chee drives on over to Red Rock to wait for Nez. There he chats with the young attractive clerk and remembers her lineage which he, like all Navajos, must consider. It is vital to know whether one is somehow related in the tribe’s complex clan system. A single man cannot flirt with a relative. She is too young and giggly anyway.
Too much time passes. Chee is anxious. He radios Nez but gets no response. Getting into his car, he turns on the siren and emergency flashers as soon as he leaves the parking lot.
Thinking he sees Nez coming toward him on Route 33, he relaxes. He slows down. When he reaches to turn off the siren, he sees that the oncoming car has its left turn indicator blinking. As the car turns north off the road, he sees it is a battered white Jeepster, not Nez’s Navajo Tribal Police patrol car. Anxiety rushes back. Chee speeds up. A storm has come up and a flash of lightning displays an empty highway ahead. Off to his right he sees a glow of light. It’s in the direction of the dirt road near the vandal’s work. Chee is sure it’s Nez. Nearing the intersection, he realizes the glow is red and flickering. Fire. Chee drives onto the dirt road and begins slipping and sliding as the rain falls and he tries to hurry.
What Chee finds is Nez’s car on fire and Nez inside.