Ice and Stone by Marcia Muller

Author:Marcia Muller [Muller, Marcia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: None
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2021-08-10T00:00:00+00:00

Saskia’s private line was busy for some time. When I finally reached her, I said, “Have you been talking to Elwood, by any chance?”

“Yes. He was quite concerned about your safety. I learned of the shooting on CNN and am concerned as well.”

“You needn’t be. I was out of the city when it happened.”

“Yes, I know. Do the police have any leads on the perpetrator?”

I explained that the shooter had been identified and that the police were trying to establish a motive. I also said that I had spoken to Elwood and reassured him. “Does he really have an e-mail address?” I asked then.

“Yes.”

“I didn’t even know he had a computer.”

“He took some classes at the junior college last fall, and then he went out and bought an Apple.”

I tried to imagine a computer setup in my father’s old cabin on the rez, then shrugged it off. Life is full of contrasts.

“The times are changing, Sharon,” Saskia added.

“Funny, but I’m not adapting to the changes as well as most of you older people are.”

“Well, I could say we adapt better because we’ve attained wisdom, but that’s an old saw. Many people of my age are doddering around, repeating lifelong mistakes. The rest of us…well, we don’t care to be that way. I think you’ve adapted to change very well, but haven’t taken the time to slow down and appreciate it.”

“You’re probably right.”

Saskia changed the subject by saying that Will had told her of my investigation in Meruk County. I gave her a brief account of the case to date, then said, “I need to ask you some questions about Native allotments.”

“What has that to do with your investigation?”

“I’m not sure, but I sense it does.”

“Then trust your intuition. Shall I give you a brief rundown?”

“Please.”

“The allotments began in 1887 with the Dawes Act, otherwise known as the General Allotment Act, which made the Bureau of Indian Affairs responsible for Natives’ financial welfare. Ostensibly the thrust of the legislation was to bring the tribes into the country’s system of land ownership, but the desired result was the usurping of nearly one hundred million acres of tribal land by whites.”

“My God! Which tribes were most affected?”

“The Curtis Act of 1898 names what were then called the Five Civilized Tribes: Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. Through the years, the list was expanded.”

“But the land ended up belonging to whites.”

“Much of it. The Natives didn’t want to abandon their way of living, and they resisted, but eventually the government forced them to sell out. There are still some allotments within various reservations held in trust by the government, although the laws were abolished in 1934.”

“But either way, the Natives got screwed again.”

She sighed. “Old story. Is there anything else you need to know?”

“Not at the moment. I’ve been in touch with Robin, but how’s Darcy?”

“Another old story. He’s not doing well in his new group home. Robin and I are already looking for another place to move him when he commits some atrocity to make the new place reject him.

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