The Night Visitor Read Online Free Page B

Or small passengers if you counted the cat.
    â€œWho’s that in your truck?”
    â€œOh, just a little girl. You got your grocery list ready?”
    Daisy turned to wrinkle her brow at him. “What little girl?”
    â€œSarah Frank. I picked her up at the Colorado Springs airport this morning.”
    â€œThat’s Sarah?” The old woman jammed her hands into the pockets of the heavy man’s overcoat. Now that was interesting. Sarah’s mother had been one of them Papago people, buther daddy had been a Ute. “I thought she was staying with her grandparents down in Arizona.”
    â€œShe was,” Moon said. “But her grandmother died last month. And her grandfather’s been put in a nursing home. So the
Tohono O’otam
Social Welfare Department had a talk with the Social Services people in our tribe, and they worked out a deal. Sarah will be placed in a foster home on our reservation.” So far, no arrangement had been made.
    â€œOur tribal council is working with them Papagos?” Daisy said with a chortle. “Hah. A Ute goes and makes a deal with them sneaky desert Indians, he’d better count his teeth before he comes home. It costs a lot to take care of a child. One of ’em will drink a quart of milk a day. And they’re a bother and a nuisance.”
    Moon continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “Because Sarah is
Tohono O’otam
on her mother’s side and Ute on her father’s, the tribes will go fifty-fifty on her financial support.”
    At the mention of cash money, Daisy’s left eyebrow raised a notch. “Financial support?”
    â€œYeah. Monthly payment to cover expenses.”
    â€œSo who’s going to take care of the little girl?”
    Moon shrugged. Several well-qualified families had already refused. Had too many responsibilities already, they’d said. The few who had shown an interest were, for one reason or another, considered unsuitable. “I expect there’ll be several families who’ll volunteer.”
    â€œSure,” she said with self-righteous indignation. “All they’ll be interested in is makin’ some money. What that poor child needs is a good home.”
    Moon turned away to hide a smile. “Roy Severo and his wife Bertha have talked some about Sarah movin’ in with them.” It wasn’t a lie. Not exactly. They had talked about it—and decided they were too old and set in their ways to raise another child.
    Daisy snorted. “Roy and Bertha couldn’t raise their
own
children up right. Why, one of ’em is working for some fly-by-night telephone outfit. They say she calls people up right at suppertime—tries to talk ’em into changing their telephone service.” Enough said. She squinted through the window.“Why’s Sarah stayin’ out in the truck? Why don’t she come inside?”
    â€œI figured you’d be in a hurry to leave,” Moon said innocently. “And I guess Sarah’s anxious to get to Ignacio And find out where she’ll be living.”
    â€œWell, we’re not going to Ignacio for shopping today,” Daisy snapped. “I need to go up to the supermarket in Bayfield.”
    â€œBayfield?” She seldom shopped in Bayfield.
    â€œSure. They got a big sale goin’.”
    â€œSale? On what?”
    She hesitated. “On… on broccoli. And artichokes.”
    â€œOh.” He’d never seen the least sign of either item in Daisy’s kitchen. “Well, I guess I could loop around and drop Sarah off in Ignacio on the way back from Bayfield.” He glanced at his wristwatch. “Guess we better get going. The Social Services Office will be wanting to start the processing.”
    â€œStart what?”
    â€œThe paperwork.”
    â€œPaperwork for what?”
    â€œThe monthly checks to Sarah’s foster parents.”
    â€œYou know,” Daisy said as if the