Chapter 20: Confrontation and Arrest
Spoiler Warning
Spoiler ahead. This summary and analysis covers all major plot points from Chapter 20 of Douglas Preston’s Dead Mountain. Read on only after you have finished the chapter.
Summary
Nora Kelly and her brother Skip carry a body bag of ancient remains toward the parking area when Sheriff Hawley races in. Hawley waves the governor’s letter, calls the bones federal property, and blocks the trail. Nora cites NAGPRA, the federal repatriation law, and insists the remains belong to Isleta Pueblo. Hawley refuses to step aside; while Skip films the standoff on his phone, Hawley shoves Nora aside, causing her to drop the bag. In a flash of protective instinct, Skip uses the sheriff’s own momentum to throw him to the muddy ground. Hawley draws his weapon, arrests Skip for assault and attempted murder, and seizes the phone as evidence. Deputy Baca, a silent witness, will later claim the shove never happened.
Hawley drives off with Skip, leaving Nora distraught but resolute. She retrieves the fallen body bag, loads it into the Isleta van, and meets tribal liaison Joe Tenorio and Morrison, who have brought out the second bag. After Nora explains the arrest, Tenorio predicts the video will be erased and Baca will lie, but he promises to take the matter to the Tribal Council. Nora completes the repatriation and then plans to bail Skip out of jail. Morrison volunteers to accompany her, offering unexpected support.
Key Events
- Sheriff Hawley arrives at the parking area and declares the remains federal property, blocking the Kellys.
- Nora counters with NAGPRA law but admits the FBI did not specifically authorize the removal.
- Skip records the confrontation on his cell phone.
- Hawley shoves Nora; she drops the body bag and falls.
- Skip throws Hawley to the ground in defence of his sister.
- Hawley arrests Skip for assault and attempted murder and confiscates the phone as evidence.
- Deputy Baca silently aligns with Hawley’s false version of events.
- Nora loads the first body bag into the van and informs Tenorio, who fears the video will be destroyed.
- The second body bag is brought out and loaded; Tenorio pledges Tribal Council support and departs.
- Morrison offers to go with Nora to Estancia to bail Skip out.
Character Development
- Nora Kelly demonstrates fierce determination under pressure. Even after her brother’s arrest, she prioritises the repatriation, seeing it as “one measure of justice.” Her earlier hesitation about calling Corrie shows she is willing to take personal risks rather than endanger a colleague.
- Skip Kelly acts impulsively out of loyalty, filming the sheriff and physically defending Nora. His quick reaction leads to severe consequences, highlighting both his protective nature and his lack of foresight.
- Sheriff Hawley reveals the depths of his corruption. He physically assaults Nora, then invents an attempted-murder charge to silence Skip’s video evidence. His reliance on Baca’s false testimony confirms a pattern of abuse.
- Deputy Baca is shown as complicit; he will swear to Hawley’s lie, reinforcing the sheriff’s impunity.
- Joe Tenorio responds with dignified anger and gratitude. His belief that the video will be erased betrays years of experience with Hawley’s tactics, and his promise to involve the Tribal Council injects a note of political counterbalance into the story.
- Stan Morrison extends a small but meaningful olive branch. His offer of support indicates a growing respect for Nora, bridging the professional distance between them.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs Actually Evidenced Here
- Abuse of Institutional Power. Hawley weaponises his badge to intimidate, assault, and fabricate charges. The chapter starkly contrasts the letter of the law with the reality of lawless authority.
- Justice vs. the Law. NAGPRA is federal law, yet Hawley ignores it; the “attempted murder” charge is legally preposterous but serves as a tool of coercion. The chapter questions whether “federal property” can trump human dignity and tribal rights.
- Fragile Truth. The cell phone video symbolises vulnerable truth. Tenorio’s certainty that it will be erased before the Kellys can use it suggests that evidence has no power when controlled by the corrupt.
- Loyalty and Sacrifice. Skip’s instinct to protect Nora, Nora’s refusal to drag Corrie into a difficult position, and Morrison’s decision to stand by her all illustrate loyalty tested by crisis.
- Sacred Remains. The body bag, dropped and retrieved, becomes a silent emblem of what is at stake—not just bones but a people’s ancestral honour.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 20 is a pivot point that transforms the novel’s underlying tensions into a legal and personal crisis. Until now, Sheriff Hawley’s obstruction was bureaucratic and menacing; here it escalates into physical violence, false arrest, and evidence tampering. Skip’s imprisonment raises the stakes for Nora: she must now fight on two fronts—protecting her brother’s freedom and completing the repatriation mission. The chapter also deepens the alliance between Nora and the Pueblo people, as Tenorio pledges formal political support. Additionally, Morrison’s decision to accompany Nora hints at a shift in his character and a possible rapprochement. The erasure of the video, if it occurs, will leave a stark power imbalance that the rest of the book must resolve.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Sheriff Hawley focus on the cell phone after arresting Skip, and what does Tenorio predict will happen to the video?
Answer: Hawley wants to suppress Skip’s recording because it shows Hawley shoving Nora first, which would disprove his claim that Skip attacked him unprovoked. Tenorio predicts the sheriff will erase the video before leaving the mountain, or at least by the time the phone is logged as evidence, and that Deputy Baca will lie to support Hawley’s version in court.
2. How does Nora’s decision not to call Corrie before removing the remains reflect her character?
Answer: Nora knows that calling Corrie would force the rookie agent into a difficult choice—either authorise the removal and risk her career, or refuse and stall the repatriation. Nora chooses to act first and face consequences later. This shows Nora’s willingness to shoulder personal risk to protect others and achieve a moral goal, even if it means bending protocol.
3. In what ways does this chapter illustrate the conflict between state or federal authority and tribal sovereignty?
Answer: Hawley insists the bones are “federal property” and waves a governor’s letter, treating state power as absolute. Nora counters with NAGPRA, a federal law that mandates repatriation to tribes. The sheriff’s dismissal of the governor’s letter as “Indian gobbledygook” and his refusal to recognise tribal rights embody the historical disregard for Native sovereignty. Tenorio’s appeal to the Tribal Council signals that Isleta will use its own political channels to push back, setting up a broader jurisdictional struggle.