Dark Valley

Dark Valley is the first novel in the new James Barlow series. James was introduced in my last Sam Goodwin novel, Blackmail.
James Barlow, an Arizona Sheriff, is assigned to assist authorities in New Mexico in finding three missing youths as a favor between the two state Governors. One of the youths is Navajo, whom Barlow believes will be made the fall guy.
The youths stumble upon a plot to steal a laser rifle being evaluated by the Army. Through a series of events, they end up with the rifle.
Barlow's reception in Albuquerque is frosty. Taking independent action and drawing on his Navajo roots, he is reinstated as a deputy sheriff in the Navajo Nation, giving him police authority on the reservation, where he captures two of Boris's thugs. Boris is later captured by Barlow in Mexico. Due to his working relationship with the Federales, Barlow has been assigned to assist DHS in a cross-border operation. Boris is discovered hiding on the cartel compound.