Free The Mystery of the Moonlight Murder by Roderick Benns

the Cree name for the berry was misaskwatomina . It was one of her favourite fruits.
    â€œMother, thank you for this delicious dinner,” John said, as he leaned over and gave her a one-armed hug. The others mumbled and nodded in agreement with their mouths stuffed with food. It seemed like everyone just wanted to avoid talking about Summer’s father, if only for the first night.
    Summer felt so welcome at the Diefenbaker table. She spoke about her life on the reservation, and how the adults struggled to make a good life for their children. Although Chief Five Hawks worked hard, nothing seemed to ever change. The Diefenbakers could relate to struggling to get by on the farm. They added how difficult it was to get a fair price for wheat after the harvest.
    â€œThe sky looks strange tonight and the air is so heavy and sticky,” said William, glancing out at the eerie glow of the falling sun. “I think Mary’s right. We’re in for a storm.”
    Ed pushed his plate away as he finished and nodded in agreement at his brother’s comment. “That’s alright, we need the rain,” he said. “Looks like we’ll have a pretty good crop this year.”
    Everyone smiled at the thought of a good harvest and then the clean-up process began. After the table was cleared, Mary shooed her boys and Summer out of the house. It was time for the children to finish their daily chores. Summer enjoyed the evenings with John and Elmer, even though it meant cleaning out the animals’ paddocks.
    â€œWhat do we do tomorrow?” asked Summer, wiping a few stray hairs away from her eyes. She seemed to be enjoying everything, simply because it wasn’t part of her normal routine.
    â€œProbably the same thing,” said Elmer miserably.
    â€œGreat!” said Summer while John and Elmer glanced at each
    other and shook their heads.
    The animals seemed restless—even the oxen and not much usually bothered them. John chalked it up to the lightning flickering far away.
    ***
    After putting in a hard day’s work, Ed fell promptly asleep that night. Although John and Elmer had worked hard, too, they lay on their backs with their eyes wide open, heads resting on the folded blankets they used for pillows. John was in his usual place, his single wooden bed shoved against the north wall of the tiny homestead. Elmer was right below him camped out on the floor. They both stared at the tiny window in front of them, watching the distant lightning play about the sky. As they stared at the ribbons of fractured light, Elmer sat up on one elbow and leaned over to John, sensing he was still wide awake, too. “John?” he whispered.
    â€œYes?” John whispered back, leaning over on one elbow too. “Do you think Summer will get to come back during the harvest?”
    â€œI don’t know,” said John. “We could ask Father and Mother. She did last year, remember?”
    Elmer nodded but it was too dark for John to see.
    â€œJohn?”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œDo you think all of us will get to go to Langham later this week when Mother sells her butter?”
    â€œI hope so,” said John, whispering.
    â€œJohn, if they say River’s Voice did you-know-what and he has to stay in jail for a long time, do you think Summer can always live with us?”
    â€œHe didn’t do it,” said John quickly.
    â€œI know that,” said Elmer. “I said what if they say he did?” he repeated.
    â€œProbably not, Elmer. She still has family, you know.” As much as he loved the idea of Summer staying with them, John disliked the idea of someone getting blamed for something they didn’t do.
    â€œI don’t want to think about that right now, Elmer,” John complained. “I’ve got a better idea. Why don’t you try to help me figure out who really did it and then we won’t even need to have this conversation?”
    â€œYou mean, like,