NAVAJO’S WOMAN

Joe Ornelas resigned his job as a member of the Navajo Tribal Police Force and moved to Atlanta, Georgia.  Five years ago he blew the whistle on the force’s captain, Russell Lapahie.  As a result of being caught, Lapahie committed suicide leaving Joe the target of hurtful innuendos from friends and family.  Guilt and doubts plagues Joe still and he wonders how different would his life be if he had just kept his mouth shut. 

Joe has now been called back to the reservation to participate in the search for his nephew and Lapahie’s son.  The two teens were in the wrong place at the wrong time and witnessed the murder of the town’s drug dealer.  Afraid of the local police and the killer, the boys have run away.

Andi Stephens, the daughter of Russell Lapahie and Joe’s one time love, becomes very upset when she hears that Joe Ornelas is returning to New Mexico. She does not want him involved in the search for her brother.  After all he is already responsible for the teen being without a father. Joe was the cause of her family falling apart once before and she will not allow it to happen again.  The only way to prevent further damage is to make sure that she is with Joe through the entire search.

NAVAJO’S WOMAN is another entry in Beverly Barton’s “The Protectors” series. Andi and Joe are wonderful as ex-sweethearts that are awarded an opportunity to put right a relationship that went awry through miscommunication. The element of suspense holds a big presence in the story through the search for the missing sixteen year olds, and the maniacal killer that is on their trail.