The Mystery of the Moonlight Murder (16 page)

Chapter 17
The Chief

Mesmerizing wheat fields danced promisingly in the cool prairie morning as the Diefenbaker Schooner made its way to Borden. Everything seemed especially quiet after so much upheaval. The night before had left few people unaffected.

William and Mary were up front, talking quietly, while Ed, John and Elmer were squeezed into the back. Summer was not with them. She had gone home with relatives after the rally, in time for her father's triumphant return the next morning. The Cree had let William know that they would retrieve her things, including her horse, in a day or two.

John and Elmer were exhausted but it wasn't as if they were allowed to sleep in. In fact, if the police had not asked William and Ed to make a statement at the station today and to bring John and Elmer with him, they knew they would likely be working double-time for Mary Diefenbaker, after all that had happened.

However, if Mary was still angry that William had allowed

the boys to attend the rally, she did not show it. It probably had a lot to do with the outcome—the establishment of the innocence of River's Voice, the capture of several criminals, and, perhaps, the prevention of a full-scale rebellion.

As for John, he was still basking in his father's praise from the ride home last night. He played it over in his mind.

“I'm very proud of you, John. The way you were able to hold the crowd with the conviction of your words and your insistence on finding out the truth. We're going to support your education when the time comes, no doubt about it. Good work, son.”

Once at the police station, it only took about twenty minutes for the Diefenbakers to make their official statements.

“When was River's Voice let go?” asked John.

“We released him at dawn,” the sergeant replied. “We offered him a ride but he wouldn't hear of it. He said he just wanted to walk the fields and watch the sun rise on his way home. We apologized for the time he spent in here and all he did was shake our hands and smile. We watched him walk down the steps and then he turned west toward the reservation, singing the entire way.”

Everyone looked happy with the description of River Voice's release from prison.

“Were your men able to catch that Duncan Rainey fellow, the one Dupont said actually killed Hans?” asked Ed.

Sergeant English snorted as if there was a good story behind his answer.

“Oh, we got him alright. But not without a chase. My men pursued him all the way to Borden. He had himself a good horse, that's for sure. When he got to Borden the late train was there. It had stopped for a few minutes before it went on through, but it was about to leave. So then he gets an idea into his head how to escape my officers.”

“What kind of idea?” asked John.

“He thought he'd get off his horse and jump into a train car that he saw was open on both sides. He planned on closing the doors once he jumped off onto the other side. That way he could make his escape with the long train blocking my officers.”

“But it didn't work?” asked Elmer.

“Well, it probably would have but he didn't count on what happened next. As he shut the first door on my officers who were getting closer, he turned to jump out the other side. But the other door was slammed in his face and then locked from the outside. Thing is, some young kid who was working on the train at the time…”

The sergeant paused as he checked his notes.

“…a Matthew Carver, saw the man being chased down by the officers. So when Rainey entered the train and shut the first door, the kid locked the other side and trapped him in there

until my men caught up. Can you imagine?”

“Matthew!” yelled Elmer. He explained to everyone how he and Summer had met Matthew Carver.

“Well, good thing for us that he found employment on the railway then,” Sergeant English said with a smile.

Before the Diefenbakers left the station, Sergeant English thanked everyone for their assistance in the case, singling out John for the way he had taken control of the crowd before the police had a chance to arrive.

“From what I heard, you may have been the difference between a riot and the outcome we ended up with,” said the sergeant.

“I think Mr. Dupont meant for everyone's anger to be channeled against the government, not to turn against one another. His dream was to be a famous rebellion leader like Gabriel Dumont, his hero. But he wasn't able to contain all of the passions people felt on all sides,” John reflected. “He didn't know what to do once he unleashed it all, kind of like the story of Pandora's box from Greek mythology, right, Father?”

William nodded. “It's a good analogy, son. When people start pointing fingers at one another, a lot of undesirable traits can come out, that's for sure.”

Sergeant English shook his head. “Stealing things from some people and leaving them in one another's property as a strategy to create distrust and chaos. Who would have thought of that?”

As the Diefenbakers left the police station, John spotted Earl T. Wright's carriage in front of the printing shop. The main street of Borden, dirt brown and dusty, allowed his canary yellow wagon to stick out easily. Seeing the Diefenbakers approaching, he tipped his wide-brimmed hat toward them.

“Howdy, William, Mary, Ed,” said Earl, as they jumped out. “Howdy all,” he added, seeing John and Elmer.

“You disappeared on us last night,” Ed said. It was obvious that everyone, other than Mary who hadn't been there, was wondering why Earl had been on stage with André in the first place. John had a feeling the police were wondering as well.

“No, no, I left once all the action started,” said Earl. “This old heart can't take that kind of excitement anymore,” he said, his silver hair peeking out from behind his hat onto his shoulders. Ed nodded, unconvinced.

William picked up on this theme.

“Well, I have to say, Earl, the boys actually thought you might have been involved in something suspicious.”

Earl glanced up with a peculiar expression. “Suspicious? Me? Now why would you think that?” he asked, although he somehow managed to look the part, at least a little.

John cleared his throat. “Well, with all due respect, Mr. Wright, it was for a couple of reasons, sir. First, after the fire when we saw you go by that day, you were trying to hide something in your wagon from us. You even told us it was blankets

when we could see it was a collection of various things. You also said you were going to stop in at the house to see if Uncle Ed needed anything for his arm, but you never did.”

Earl didn't say anything, so John took this as an invitation to continue.

“The next day,” John continued, “Elmer and Summer were in Langham with Uncle Ed. They saw you shake hands with Mr. Dupont. As well, Elmer and Summer overheard you say: ‘I liked Hans, but, as I said, he surprised me. But enough about that. What do you need from me if I agree to this?'”

Earl looked both pale and fascinated as John painted his understanding of the last few days' events.

“Only one day later, you were here at the rally created by Mr. Dumont, er, Dupont. Right up on the wagon with him, in fact.”

“Now hold on, hold on,” said Earl with his hands up in the air defensively. “Now what you saw in the wagon was just an old salesman trying to make a living.” He sighed and looked around. “And I expect you'll all keep this information to yourselves, you hear?” Everyone nodded, unsure of what he was going to say.

“A man has a reputation to uphold,” Earl added for good measure.

“For your information, under the blanket were some tools, a bucket of Saskatoon berries and a Ridpath encyclopedia set, or at least thirteen out of fifteen volumes anyway. The set's broken.”

“That's what I saw last night at the rally!” said Elmer. “Oops!” he added, realizing he had just given away the fact that he and Summer had snooped in Earl's carriage during the rally. Mary didn't look impressed.

“You boys really get around don't you?” said Earl. “Well…why were you trying to hide those things?” asked Elmer, feeling embarrassed.

“Because I took them in trade for some tonics, kitchen spices and salves from various customers. But I can't make a living if everyone thinks they can just pawn their stuff off on old Earl T. all the time! I just can't earn a living that way if everyone thinks they can trade with me,” he said. “Then, why did you do it?” asked John.

“Because I was feeling kind of sorry for the Turner's and the Wentzell's. They got hit by the fire, too, and I was trying to do them a good turn, that's all. Then, I got to thinking so much about those trades and what that would do to my business if folks found out I was open to trades and then told others…well, I just got lost in thought and plumb forgot to stop in to see you Ed, and for that I'm sorry.”

“I understand,” said Ed.

“Well, that was sure nice of you to help the other families,” said John. “You gave up your profit on those sales.”

“It's nothing,” said Earl sniffing.

“But what about seeing you in Langham with Mr. Dupont?”

began Elmer.

“And,” added John, “the fact that you said Mr. Schneider surprised you. Well, for a while we thought you meant in the field, you know, on the night of the murder.”

Earl burst out in laughter. His face revealed that he felt a combination of amusement and disbelief at the accusation.

“Old Earl T.? Kill someone? You must be joking! I was talking about the fact that I was surprised old Hans could work that late at his age! We were just talking about current events, that's all.”

John was glad he realized in time that André Dupont was more of a suspect than Earl. It could have been very embarrassing if they had gone to the police first.

“Then just what were you talking to Dupont about in Langham?” asked Ed.

“Well, that André fellow approached me with two things. First, he had a cut on his arm. Said he did it saving someone from drowning, which I highly doubted. You have to get up pretty early to fool old Earl T.”

John and Elmer looked at each other and tried to keep a straight face.

“Anyhow,” Earl continued, “he wanted to buy a salve for a cut on his arm. Said it was a little worse than he thought. So I helped him out there. But then he proposed an idea to me, that I come out to this rally of his where there would be a whole lot

of customers just waiting to be served, all in one place! How could I pass that up?”

“But what did he want in return?” asked John.

“He said he just wanted me to deliver messages from time to time in the next few weeks, since I travel so much. He said he had plans to send messages of meetings and so on.”

“Didn't you want to know what the messages were about?” asked Ed.

“No,” he said quietly. “The truth is I didn't, and I didn't ask to know, either. I guess deep down I knew this fellow was up to no good. I even told you so at the funeral.”

“But you didn't know who Mr. Dupont really was, right?” asked John.

“No, that's true,” said Earl. “But I ended up getting involved anyway…and nearly ended up getting in trouble myself by being there,” he concluded. “Guess at my age I should know better.”

“So, why were you up on that stage then?” asked John. “Because he told me in Langham that I could be first to say a few words to the crowd if I attended. I wanted to let them know what new products I had and where I'd be set up afterwards. I was ready to make a small fortune in one night, that's all. But he hogged the whole stage and then the crowd went crazy…then young John here jumped up and gave the best darned speech I've ever heard in all my days…”

John felt his face grow warmer.

“…and then…well, that maniac showed up, as you well know. It wasn't the best night for an old salesman, that's for certain. The company you keep says something important, that's for sure.”

“Say!” added Earl, looking especially at John and Elmer. “Come here for a minute, boys.”