Chapter 27

Martin backed his Mazda out of the Adventures Mall parking lot and headed back to the Sentinel office. “Man oh man, what was that woman’s problem?” Sam asked. “What the heck did you say to her anyway when you two were back in her office? Did you make a pass at her or something?”
Martin frowned and shot a quick glance at him. “Yeah, right. No, Sam, I didn’t do or say anything. One minute I was telling her about the series, the next minute, she’s too busy to talk to us anymore.” Irritated, he honked at a driver that cut him off. “Did you get anything good during the fifteen minutes we were talking in the office?”
Sam nodded. “Yeah, I got a few things. She shouldn’t have given me a map of the store with that stupid list.” They both started laughing. “I’ll dump the pictures on my computer and send them to you. Or do you want to see them right away?”
Martin shook his head. “Nope. I’ve got an errand to run.” He pulled into the Sentinel parking lot and said to Sam, “If anyone asks, I’ll be back around 3:00 p.m.”

+ + +

It took Martin about 3 minutes to get to Wild Bill’s. He had to talk to Sharla and get her read on his conversation with Karen Howe.
There was no one in the store when Martin walked through the door to Wild Bill’s. Even Sharla wasn’t behind the counter. He drummed his fingers on the cash register and tried to make some noise to let someone know he was there. “Hello, is anyone here? Sharla?” he called, stepping around the counter to peer down the short aisles that led to the back office.
“Hang on, hang on, I’ll be right there,” her voice came back muffled from the farthest corner of the store. “I’m coming, I’m coming.” Martin heard her tennis shoe footsteps hurrying down one of the aisles up to the front. “Oh, Martin, it’s you!” she said in perhaps the happiest voice Martin had ever heard. She clapped her hands and said, “I am so happy to see you!” Her obvious delight made him completely forget thinking he shouldn’t see her for a while.
Martin smiled at her and replied, “Well, it’s really good to see you, too. I’ve missed you…” He couldn’t believe he said exactly what he was feeling, but he couldn’t help himself.
Sharla looked down and then peeked up at him through her bangs and smiled back at him. “So, are you buying your usual two and a half gallons of gas today?”
Martin laughed out loud. “No, I just came here to see you, Sharla, and get your thoughts on something related to my story about Frank Talbot.”
Sharla’s face instantly got serious. “Really? What have you found out?”
“Well, I’m not sure, and that’s why I wanted to talk with you,” he said. “I went over to interview Karen Howe today at Delights of the North Woods…”
Sharla interrupted him. “Oh, that is such a nice store.”
Martin hesitated and laughed again. “Yes, yes it is a nice store, Sharla. But during the interview, things got a little weird.” He explained his idea for the series, how Karen and the store figured into the series, and his plan to corner Talbot. “Things were going along great. I asked her some questions about the shop and told her how her story fit with the others in the series. I mentioned Talbot being part of the series as a long time teacher who is retiring, and she just clammed up. It was like I hit her in the stomach.”
Sharla frowned and wrinkled her nose. “Well let’s see, here. Maybe she had friends that were assaulted by him, or maybe she…” A sudden look of realization came over Sharla’s face. “Wait a minute, do you think she was one of the girls he abused?”
“That’s thought crossed my mind,” Martin answered. “Let me ask you, is Karen part Indian?”
“Karen Howe?” Sharla practically shouted her name. “Oh, I don’t think so, unless…” She stopped mid-sentence, thought for a moment and then took off for the office in the back. “Hang on, Martin. I’m going to check something.” She came back a few minutes later with a business card. “Let me make a quick call,” she said and picked up the phone from behind the counter.
Martin started to get nervous. “Now wait a minute, Sharla, who are you calling? We can’t just let this whole thing get out.”
Sharla shook her head at him and poked him in the arm. “I’m calling Uncle Bill. I’ll make something up about why I’m asking and he won’t think twice about. Just trust me. He’s got so many other things to worry about right now.” She winked at him from behind her bangs. She looked down at the business card and began dialing. “He’s meeting with an accountant today. He needs help straightening out the mess created by that white woman.”
The store was silent for a moment as Sharla waited for someone on the other end of the line to answer her call. “Hello, I’m looking for Bill Whitefeather. Is he there?” She nodded and said, “I’ll hold.”
Martin still felt a little panicked. “How…?” he began as Sharla continued to hold, and she held up her finger and held it to her lips.
“Hi, Uncle Bill. It’s Sharla,” she said into the receiver. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m sitting here with a couple of ‘customers’, and they’ve got a bet going.” She paused as Bill probably grumbled about being bothered. “I know, Uncle Bill, but they won’t leave me alone until I find the answer, and I know you’ll know the answer that will settle their bet.” She laughed and nodded, and then said, “Okay, here’s what they want to know. Is Jeff Howe’s wife part Indian?”
Sharla put her head down and listened intently to the voice coming through the receiver. It seemed like forever until she nodded her head and said, “Okay, thanks Uncle Bill." And then, to the phantom customers, loud enough for Bill to hear, "Hey, Buddy, you win the bet!” When she hung up the phone, she folded her arms across her chest and smiled at him with a self satisfied grin. “Well, you won’t believe it, but yes, Karen Howe is half Indian.”

+ + +

Bill Whitefeather, as a leader in the tribal community, knew the lineage of every Native American in Burnett County. And as such, he knew that Karen Howe’s mother was indeed a full blooded Indian. Karen’s father, who came from a wealthy and influential family, broke with convention and married her anyway. And Karen, as their daughter, overcame the normal prejudice that permeated Burnett County when she was a young girl because she was part of that wealthy and influential family but also, because she was pretty and accomplished. And over time, and certainly by the time Jeff Howe started dating her, it was pretty much forgotten that she had 50% Indian blood pumping through her veins.
Martin looked at Sharla in amazement. “I’m not sure I like it that you can lie so easily,” he teased her. Sharla laughed. “Oh, it was just a little white lie. And Uncle Bill won’t even remember that I asked him.” She stopped laughing and became very serious.
“So, do you think he could have assaulted Karen, too?” Martin asked Sharla carefully.
“Martin, I think he’s capable of doing anything as long as he thinks he can get away with it.”