| |
The Community Center was busy. Shandra hadn’t realized how many on the reservation followed the Seven Drum religion.
Stopping inside the main doors, she spotted Velma. She dodged the people coming into the building and stopped beside her aunt. “I didn’t realize there would be so many people here.”
Velma peered down at her. “With the Long House burned down and not replaced this is where we hold our Walahsat services.” She glanced at the ramp down to the basketball court.
Shandra followed Velma and the others down onto the court. Chairs were lined up on the north and south sides of the room. The women sat in chairs on the south side and the men on the north side. The drummers were set up on the west side.
Velma walked over to the women’s side and took a seat beside Wendy, leaving one on her other side for Shandra.
She wondered if her cousin had left Tripp’s side to come and pray for him or if her mother had insisted.
Before she could sit, a bell rang.
“Spin counter clockwise,” Velma whispered.
Those that had been sitting rose and everyone spun counter clockwise once and sat.
An elderly man who appeared to be the leader, spoke in the old language, rang the bell, and everyone began to sing.
Shandra listened to the words, though she had no understanding of them, and let her mind and heart drift along on the beat of the drum.
~*~
Ryan was headed north on the highway to find the spot where Duke went off the road, when his phone buzzed. He pulled over when he didn’t recognize the number.
“Greer,” he answered.
“This is Officer Red Cloud. Logan said you had some questions for me?” His tone sounded skeptical.
“What did Logan tell you about me?” He didn’t want the man to get into trouble for giving out police information.
“That you were going to marry Shandra Higheagle and you were a county detective.” The sound of shuffling papers came through the phone. “But I couldn’t find you listed on any of the counties around here.”
“I’m from Weippe County in Idaho. I don’t want to get you into trouble, but I’m curious about who Duke talked to during the celebration party at the Higheagle Ranch on Saturday night.”
“You want this cleared up to not interfere with your wedding.” The man’s voice held an aha of recognition of why the information was important to Ryan.
“Yes. I thought, being from somewhere else, I might have a different opinion of what might have transpired between Duke and those he talked with.” He didn’t want the man to think he was some cop who horned in on others jurisdictions.
“I see. Well, I can’t talk to you about it here. Meet me in twenty minutes in the Trading Post parking lot.”
“I’ll be there.” Ryan put his phone away and did a U-turn.
~*~
Shandra didn’t understand the words the elderly man chanted, but she repeated the words along with the others present. After several songs, one by one people stood up and walked to the center of the room.
They told stories of loss, determination, and faith. As each one told their story, Shandra better understood the lives of the people on the reservation.
One man, not much older than Shandra, stood and began his story. “It stabbed my heart to...”
His voice faded as another person came to mind. “Nelly Bingham’s been stabbed.”
Shandra shot to her feet.
Velma grasped her arm, drawing her back to her seat. “You don’t interrupt while someone is telling their story.”
Shandra nodded but her mind was going back over the events she knew. When she and Velma had come upon the body there was no way to tell Nelly had been stabbed. How had Old Moses known? If she had still been on her feet or knees, surely, he would have helped her, not come to the office to have someone call the police. He worked here and could have seen Tripp showing off the knife Wendy made him. He could have witnessed Tripp putting the knife under the seat in his pickup.
How did Old Moses lure Nelly to the sweat lodge and why?
The man was still telling his story. Everyone but her seemed absorbed in what he was saying.
Shandra ached to ask Velma about Old Moses but knew she would learn nothing until the man had finished his story.
~*~
Ryan and Officer Red Cloud sat on Ryan’s tailgate in the back parking lot of the Trading Post.
“You were assigned to follow Duke at the celebration the other night,” Ryan started. “Who all did he talk with?”
The officer pulled out his notepad. “When he was standing by himself, I’d jot down who he’d just talked to.” He flipped the pages and read, “Tripp confronted him when he first arrived. I could tell he wasn’t happy Duke was there.”
Ryan knew why. Having the drug lord at a celebration held by the family he wanted to join wouldn’t win him any brownie points with Velma.
“Then he meandered, talking to some of the younger women. Looked like he was flirting and they weren’t going for it.” Samuel grinned. “He talked to two males who we believe are dealing for him. But no money or substances exchanged.” He flipped the page. “Duke had words with Old Moses by the wood pile when the dancing started. Then it was like Duke searched the crowd and spotted Tripp and Wendy making a break away from the crowd. He caught up to Tripp said something to him and moved on. My eyes were on Duke when Wendy cried out. That’s when I saw Tripp was bleeding.” He glanced up from the notepad. “As much as I’d like to say Duke stabbed Tripp, he didn’t. It happened after he’d walked away.”
“Do you remember anyone who was in the vicinity who you thought was odd?” The killer had to still be in the area when Wendy cried out. Everyone would have noticed someone hurrying away.
Samuel shook his head, then stopped. “Old Moses. He was standing with his back to the scene.”
Ryan’s attention snapped on the officer. “What is his last name?”
“Tibble.”
“As in Wesley Tibble?”
“Yeah, Old Moses is Wesley’s father. Shame how Wesley drowned in the lake.” Samuel’s gaze had drifted to the parking lot. It snapped back to Ryan. “Do you think he’s doing this for revenge?”
“Oldest reason in the world for killing someone. Where would he be right now?” Ryan hopped off the tail gate and pulled out his phone.
“The Seven Drums services are being held right now. He’ll go to the Community Center when it’s over to put the chairs away.” Officer Red Cloud stood with his hand on his radio transmitter. “I’ll call in our suspicions to the chief.”
Ryan nodded. Shandra was at the Community Center. He didn’t want her confronting Old Moses. The man had killed twice and attempted a third, he didn’t like the odds of Shandra becoming number four.