The Mystery of the Moonlight Murder Read online

  “Aren’t we close to the river?” John asked, referring to the mighty North Saskatchewan.

  Summer nodded. “It’s near here. There’s a place where the river bends near the forest,” she replied, pointing, “where I have been swimming before.”

  “Let’s go swimming!” said Elmer enthusiastically. “I mean, after we get the ointment.”

  “Can we do that?” asked Summer, who seemed keen. John instantly felt uneasy about the idea for a number of reasons. Father and Mother had told them before not to swim in the North Saskatchewan River because it had a strong current and the boys weren’t very good swimmers. On the other hand, John reasoned, they were with Summer and he knew she was an experienced swimmer. John didn’t want to feel like the one who was about to spoil all the fun.

  “What about the current?” John asked, trying to maintain some sense of responsibility.

  “It’s fine where I swim,” said Summer. “As long as you don’t go far into the middle, you’ll be alright,” she said convincingly. John considered for another minute. “Fine with me, but we won’t be able to stay long.”

  “Yes!” whooped Elmer, happy that his older brother wasn’t going to rain down on all the fun.

  “Our clothes should dry on the way back easily enough, with all this sun,” John continued. “But you know if we get caught we won’t be able to go to Langham tomorrow to help sell Mother’s butter.”

  Elmer had almost forgotten about the trip. “We won’t stay long,” he said reassuringly.

  “But first let’s get the ointment,” John reminded them. With the reservation now in view, John looked at the simple collection of small, plain wooden homes that had replaced the

  famed Cree tepees of old. John had once seen two tepees with his father when they were travelling for supplies, but it wasn’t common anymore. Two hunters had set them up for a temporary camp and John was invited inside to see what they were like. It was an experience he never forgot.

  Closer to their destination, John and Elmer fell back in formation to let Summer lead the way to her grandparents’ house. People in the village who were working outside peered up with curiosity as the unlikely trio entered the village. Small children ran toward them, waving and laughing to Summer and the boys. She was delighted to see the little ones and spoke to them in both Cree and English, introducing John and Elmer who were still on horseback behind her. She called them nitoótém, which the boys learned meant ‘my friend’ in Cree. John responded by nodding and smiling, while Elmer waved enthusiastically. In fact, Elmer did it for so long that John was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

  “Elmer, stop waving so much. It’s embarrassing,” said John in a low voice.

  Elmer frowned at his older brother. “Who made you the chief? I’m just being friendly.” John groaned.

  Along the way Summer pointed out various things on the reservation, like the building where she went to school and where Chief Five Hawks lived. John saw a magnificent looking

  sorrel-coloured bronco tied in front of Chief Five Hawk’s place. It seemed familiar, but he couldn’t place where he had seen it. When they neared Summer’s house, John could see the expression on her face change, as she probably pictured her father inside, safe and free, instead of locked up in a jail cell.

  Soon Summer slowed her horse and jumped off, a few feet away from her house where she lived with her father and grandparents. A small wooden rail served as a tether for all three horses.

  “Maybe you should wait here. My grandparents are still sick,” she reminded them. “I will just visit them for a few minutes and ask for the ointment. I will be right back.”

  The boys nodded, content to let their gazes fall across the village. Soon, a number of the Cree children caught up, and two of them chatted in a combined English and Cree while others stood by silently in their shyness.

  The boys replied when they understood what was being said but soon concerned parents called their children back to their own homes. This freed John and Elmer to look around and take in their surroundings.

  “Elmer, where have I seen that horse before? Doesn’t it look familiar?” asked John, pointing to the distinctive horse in front of the chief’s home.

  Elmer stared inquisitively at the horse and then hesitantly stepped closer, as if to be sure of something about it. Then he

  spun around and looked right at John. “John, that’s Mr. Dumont’s horse!”

  ***

  Inside his home, Chief Five Hawks continued to study the young Métis man in front of him. The tall, dark haired stranger had sought a meeting with the chief a few days ago, introducing himself as the nephew of the great Gabriel Dumont. The chief had members of his council send him away while he considered the request. He never had the opportunity to meet Gabriel Dumont and yet, of course, his reputation as a remarkable warrior was legendary.

  He knew that Gabriel Dumont had fought with all Native peoples, Indian and Métis alike, and that they shared many of the same concerns. The decline of the buffalo herds, the rapid spread of the European white people across the prairies, occupying land that once seemed unlimited—all this and more affected the original prairie dwellers.

  At first, the Cree and other Indian tribes had welcomed the newcomers with open arms. But when their numbers grew and they began to populate the entire West, the buffalo disappeared from overhunting. Then the white people came with their treaties and agreements, just when the Indian was hungry, the chief reflected. Chief Five Hawks was only a young man when

  the words of the white speaker were spoken aloud on that warm prairie day. But he remembered the hope he felt when he heard the message from the person they called the Queen, a distant ruler. He could still hear the man’s voice, speaking on her behalf:

  “The Queen Mother says, ‘I hear that the natives are hungry at times. My arms are long; I shall uplift every one of my children. You will never again suffer for want of food. I shall distribute annually among all the natives a given sum of money… for as long as the sun will shine and the rivers flow. I have not come to buy your game nor the fishes in the lakes and streams; these are yours always. Three things only do I want, namely, the land which I will cultivate, also the timber, and the grass.’

  “The Queen Mother says, ‘I shall give to each head man a horse and carriage. I shall provide wise men and women to teach my children how to till the sod, and teach you the white man’s way of making a living. I want all my people…to strive and get along with one another. I shall provide you with a strong-armed man. He of the Red Coat will protect you, fight for you and settle your difficulties. You will regard him as your brother.’”

  Chief Five Hawks considered the trail of broken promises from the past. And what had he accomplished for his people of the Long River Band? What will be his legacy? What will he be remembered for? He managed business the best he could,

  but poverty was persistent. It seemed as if his legacy as chief would be marked only by indifference from a distant government. It seemed as if time had marched on and forgotten the Cree. He knew their allies, the Assiniboine, felt the same way. Chief Fallen Branch would surely be interested in what this young man had to say.

  Then his thoughts turned to River’s Voice, one of his own band members, now in jail on a murder charge that was surely not believable—another example of the white man’s arrogance. Yet, here was the nephew of Gabriel Dumont before him, with the spark of youth still lit and the energy to change things. Was it possible to do more for his people? He felt the stirrings of hope again, not an easy feeling to activate in an old chief.

  “You know your presence there would say a great deal,” André said, as they walked outside under the morning sun. He stuck his hand out to shake and Chief Five Hawks accepted it. “I will be there,” the chief replied evenly, gripping the younger Métis man’s hand firmly.

  John and Elmer, who were hidden behind a shed, watched André Dumont and Chief Five Hawks shake hands. “What did they say?” whispered Elmer.


  “I don’t know. I couldn’t hear either,” John said wonderingly.

  “But I wish I knew why he was here.”

  ***

  With the ointment now in Summer’s saddlebag, courtesy of her grandparents who were still feeling quite ill, the three travelers headed back to the Diefenbaker homestead. After getting briefed by John and Elmer, Summer didn’t know what to make of André Dumont’s visit either. But children were not permitted to know the plans or the ways of elders, or any adult either.

  “We’ve got more important things to worry about anyway,” said John. It had been two days since John’s visit to River’s Voice and he was feeling a sense of urgency to find out the truth of the murder of Hans Schneider. John tried to review the evidence against Summer’s father, which included the necklace of River’s Voice found near the scene of the crime.

  “We know he had at least two arguments with Mr. Schneider in the past, going by what Sergeant English said,” John stated. “Did you know about these, Summer?”

  Summer nodded. “My father, he told me. One was a couple months ago, one just a while ago.”

  “What was it all about?” Elmer asked curiously.

  “It was about not liking him because he is not white,” said Summer quietly. “That’s the way Mr. Schneider treated my father.”

  “Then why did he go back to Mr. Schneider’s?” John tried to ask sensitively. “Why did he think it would be any different?” Summer shrugged as her horse stepped over a gopher hole.

  “I think my father wants to give everyone a chance. It’s hard for him to understand why Mr. Schneider did not like him, just because he is Cree.”

  John understood what discrimination felt like, but in a different way. Sometimes the other children at school—the ones with English, Irish, and Scottish last names—made fun of his last name. ‘Diefenbaker’ reflected a German heritage and the name looked and sounded differently from his peers’ family names. He also remembered the discrimination his black friends faced in Ontario when he was younger. Although he didn’t remember all of the details, he remembered feeling a sense of unfairness on their behalf.

  “The police have your father’s necklace, found near the area where Mr. Schneider was…where everything happened,” John said, not feeling like stating the obvious. “But I guess he could have lost it the last time he visited the Schneider farm to make a trade,” John thought out loud.

  Summer immediately agreed. “Yes, that is what must have happened.”

  “Did he tell you anything in particular that was said during the arguments, just in case there is some kind of clue we might have missed?” asked John.

  “Clue?” asked Summer, not understanding.

  “Yes, a clue is a helpful detail of some kind that might lead to a mystery being solved. It’s like when police look for clues

  to solve a crime,” John explained.

  Summer shook her head and seemed downcast that she couldn’t help more.

  John continued to recap what they knew. “That’s okay, Summer. There’s more that we have to think about.”

  “Like what?” she asked.

  “Like what happened to your father’s pelts?” John asked, confused.

  “Yes, how did Mr. Schneider find those?” Elmer questioned.

  “It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Because he took them from us,” said Summer accusingly. “Then he sold them and took our money.”

  John reined Skipper back a little, since the horse was starting to pull ahead too far. “Actually, all that we know for sure is that Mr. Schneider had your father’s pelts and then he sold them. What we don’t know is whether or not he took them. Plus we know that the Schneiders owed a lot of money to Mr. Taggart’s general store.”

  “What? How do you know that?” Elmer asked.

  John felt more like a detective now. “While you and Summer were looking around the store, I overheard Father and Mr. Taggart talking. Mr. Taggart mentioned that the Schneiders had a big debt with him and that he hoped Mrs. Schneider would be able to pay it off.”

  Elmer seemed excited now. “But then that means Mr. Schneider had a… a… what do the police call it, John?”

  “A motive.”

  “Yes, he had a motive then, a reason for stealing the pelts!” said Elmer excitedly. “I agree with Summer. I think he did do it and you just helped prove it.”

  John wondered. “True, it does show he needed the money. It just doesn’t seem like something Mr. Schneider would do, though.”

  John didn’t say anything for a little while as the horses walked dutifully toward the homestead across the open prairies. Summer and Elmer fell silent, too, not wanting to break his train of thought. He had a new question for Summer.

  “Did your father talk about the argument he had with Mr. Schneider in Borden? The police say they have witnesses who saw them arguing loudly and your father tried to take the pelts from his hands.”

  She shook her head. “No, he did not want to talk about it with me. I think he felt sad that all his work was wasted. He is a proud man and I think this was hard for him.”

  John straightened his back on Skipper and thought for a moment. “So, from the police’s angle, they should realize both your father and Mr. Schneider needed money, then. I wonder if they know about the debt Mr. Schneider owed to Mr. Taggart at the store?”

  “Good idea, John,” said Elmer. “We should tell them!”

  John wanted to move onto a new angle now and didn’t reply to his brother.

  “Summer, where did your father keep the pelts that were taken?”

  “In our shed, behind the house. Father works to clean them and prepares them outside. Then, when they have been dried, he always puts them on a table in our shed.”

  “Was it locked?” asked John.

  “No. We never lock it,” she replied plainly. “We have not had anything stolen before.”

  “But still,” said John, recapping, “that means Mr. Schneider would have had to travel five miles to the reservation, and for what reason? Could he have known there were pelts there to steal? I doubt it,” said John, answering his own question. “And, he would have been recognized right away. He would have stood out.”

  “But then why would he bother going at all? Why would he take the time to travel there?” Elmer asked. “Exactly,” said John. “Maybe he didn’t.”

  “But if he did not take them,” said Summer, confused, “how did he get my father’s pelts?”

  John looked at Summer and Elmer. “That’s what we need to figure out.”

  Chapter 10

  Undercurrents

  Rushing through Canada’s Rocky Mountains, the powerful North Saskatchewan River flows easterly across Alberta and Saskatchewan before emptying into Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. Many years ago European explorers traversed its swiftmoving waters, looking for what they had not yet discovered and driven by what might be found. The river was still being used as a means of transportation for individuals and traders, just as the fur traders had done a hundred years earlier in the early 1800s. Many newcomer families and businesses established themselves along the shores of the river, where tiny villages and bustling towns formed into thriving prairie settlements.

  At the sight of the majestic waterway, John, Elmer, and Summer pushed all thoughts of Chief Five Hawks and André Dumont from their minds. Each of them was eager to experience the refreshing coolness of the wide, swift river that carved through the thirsty fields.

  John felt anxious as the three tied their horses to trees on the edge of the forest. All of the horses had already drunk their fill from the river and now they seemed content to stand in the shade.

  Even the sight of so many trees in one area was a thrilling sight given their own land was fairly treeless back on the homestead. John wished he had time to explore the forest but the truth was he was nervous about even taking the time for a quick swim. It had always been more difficult for John to relax and have fun. He just seemed to be a natura
l worrier. In contrast, Elmer and Summer ran, splashing right into the river with their clothes on. No one was wearing shoes in the heat of summer and they knew their clothes would dry off as they galloped back to the homestead on their horses.

  “Come on in, John!” Elmer yelled. “This is fantastic!” Summer was already taking long, powerful strokes and when she surfaced she pointed to the middle of the river.

  “Don’t go there,” she said. “See how the current moves the water? It’s different there. It pulls the body, like this,” she said, simulating someone being pulled under. She did it in such a funny and dramatic way she had Elmer in stitches and John laughing, too, as he slowly waded in.

  Soon the anxiousness John was feeling evaporated and he began to enjoy the clean, bracing water that washed away his obligations. Even though he and Elmer were not great swimmers, it felt like they were able to fully enjoy themselves as they swam and floated in various spots along the river. “Be careful…the current,” Summer reminded them. “We will,” said John, as the brothers tried to push each other underneath the water, showing off in front of Summer. Soon, the boys found themselves in a full-fledged, water-based wrestling match. At one point, John was able to pick up Elmer, since the water made him lighter and more buoyant as part of his play-fighting. John staggered slightly from the weight of his brother. Before John could fix his footing, Elmer laughingly shifted his weight. As he escaped his older brother’s grip, John felt himself stumbling backwards into the quick-flowing centre of the river.

  He felt himself go under the water for a moment and thought it was just the momentum from wrestling with Elmer. As he pushed to break through to the surface again, he was only able to do this for a second as a strange, more powerful pull yanked him under the surface and then pushed him down the river with great force. It was a power like nothing John had ever experienced before.

  As the river moved him around like a rag doll, carrying him farther along the middle of its wide girth, it would occasionally grant him a moment’s frantic breath as he was yanked up and down, above and below the churning water. John was terrified and could no longer see where he had just been swimming.