The Only Good Indians

The next morning, Denorah’s mother drops her at Cassidy’s property so she can collect on the bet she won, and she observes the scene of the collapsed truck and the sweat lodge smoldering in a heap. She thinks of her father’s old stories, some of them local legend and others from his childhood, recalling one in which Ricky found a dead body at Duck Lake and was arrested for breaking into a house nearby to call the police.

She approaches the property, wondering where the horses and dogs are, and is greeted by Elk Head Woman, who introduces herself as Shaney Holds. She tells Denorah that the men rode out to look for the dogs, pulls out a basketball, and challenges Denorah to a game of 21. On the way to the concrete court in the horse pen, Denorah notices Gabe’s shattered windshield, but she assumes it was his doing while drunk.

Elk Head Woman plays the part of a Crow basketball player well, showboating and talking trash to Denorah. The game begins, and Elk Head Woman backs against Denorah and gets by her when she attempts to steal, sinking an impressive layup and making Denorah worry that she’s in for a real game.