“I think someone took the bones,” he said, “then swept up all the little pieces with this.”
“Why would they do that?” Jessie asked.
“Good question,” her older brother responded. “Let’s keep following the creek and go up a bit farther.”
From the ridge, the Aldens could see Mrs. Riley’s house. Henry pointed downhill and said, “There’s the spot outside where we were standing last night. Ha! If someone was up here looking down, I bet Mrs. Riley’s light made us look like silhouettes.”
“That’s funny!” Jessie said. “Maybe two shadows staring at each other. Anyway, back to business. I bet if we search around we’ll find foot or paw prints from whoever was up here.” She stepped carefully on a patch of ground that was moist from the creek. A single set of prints squished the mud.
Benny bent down to take a look. “These look like they were made by bare feet. Human bare feet,” he said. “I was hoping to find some big werewolf prints!”
Jessie also bent down to look. “These aren’t from a normal human. Check out this little mark in the center of each footprint.”
“Four dots inside a circle?” Henry said. “Each footprint has the same one. Hmm. I’ve seen these somewhere.” He squinted as he tried to remember.
Jessie said, “So have I. It’s some kind of logo.”
“What’s a logo?” Benny asked.
“It’s a special symbol used to identify things,” Jessie answered.
Benny thought a moment. “You mean like the street signs? They all show a sage hen.”
“That’s right, Benny,” Jessie said. “The sage hen is a logo for Townsend.”
“So then the potato is kind of a logo for Idaho?” he added.
“Makes sense to me,” said his brother. “But what kind of person has a logo on the bottom of their feet?”
“Whoa,” Violet gasped. “Wait a second.” Her camera was still around her neck. She scrolled through the digital photos. “Look at these.”
Benny and Violet looked, then Henry and Jessie did as well. They took turns cupping the screen to block the sun’s glare.
Jessie laughed. “Good work, Violet. I think we know where our next stop should be.”
Close Encounter
Grinning from their discovery, the Alden children returned to the trail. Ellen was still sitting in the sunshine looking out over the town and the park. Kamu slept at her side.
“Hi, Miss Ellen!” Violet called. “We found something to show you.”
“Really? What is it?” she asked.
Benny, too, was excited. “The mysterious footprints!” he cried. “We solved the werewolf mystery. Well, at least part of it.”
“But we still have some questions,” Jessie added.
Ellen stood up then brushed off her leggings. “I’m curious what you mean,” she said.
Violet showed her the digital photos. They were from the Aldens’ first day in the park when the children had met her. Violet tapped the screen. With her finger and thumb, she pinched an image to enlarge it. It showed Ellen leaping like a dancer and showed the bottom of her toe shoes.
“I’m not sure what your point is,” said Ellen.
Violet tapped again, to further enlarge the square with four dots. “We found this marking up the path. It was in the mud,” she explained. She showed Ellen photos of the mud prints.
Jessie said, “The logo made us realize the prints weren’t from bare feet.”
“Oh, is this what you mean?” Ellen asked. “I bought these special shoes from the Swim and Run Shop in Townsend.” She balanced on one leg and turned her foot. The bottoms of her toe shoes were muddy, but the children could see the logo.
“We’ve been thinking,” Henry said. “At first we wondered if a werewolf might make these prints after changing into a human. That is if werewolves are even real.”
“Which we don’t believe they are,” Jessie said. “Now it seems someone has been impersonating the werewolf. And we think that person is you.”
“Oh dear,” Ellen said. “I was worried this was going to happen. I guess I should come clean.” She looked out over the quiet town then back at the children. “I go on night runs in the foothills when no one’s around. As the moon becomes full, it’s so bright I don’t even need a headlamp. I can see way out over the desert and to the Rocky Mountains. It’s beautiful. Beautiful and peaceful.”
“But aren’t you afraid being out here alone?” Violet asked.
“I feel safe jogging with Kamu,” Ellen said. “Even though he is a wimp about getting his feet wet, I’m sure he will protect me.”
Jessie thought a moment. “Have you been running at night for very long?”
“Since June,” Ellen answered. “Summer days are so hot in Idaho, I wait till sundown to hit the trails.”
Henry turned to his family. “When did Mrs. Riley say the werewolf rumor started?”
“A couple months ago,” Jessie said. “When she put up the website and started planning the Harvest Festival.”
“That’s what I thought,” said Henry. “Miss Ellen, on your night runs, what happens when Kamu comes to the creek up here?”
“He starts crying,” Ellen replied. “Even a trickle of water bothers his feet. He’ll refuse to jump over it, so in the muddy spots I have to lift him.”
The children stared at Ellen in wonder. “Could you please show us how you do that?” Jessie asked.
Ellen patted her chest. “Here, Kamu. Here, boy.” The malamute uncurled from his nap and stretched. Ellen continued to pat her chest until he stood on his hind legs.
“Like this,” she demonstrated. She bent her knees to hug his torso. With an “ooooph” she lifted him then staggered a few paces. Kamu hung on her back like a furry cape. His furry head nearly covered her face. When he began to squirm, she leaned forward to gently let him down. “He’s really heavy,” she said. “But I only carry him past the puddles. It’s the only way he’ll keep going.”
“Does he cry at night when you lift him?” Henry asked.
“Oh yes. First he whimpers, then he howls. Big dogs like malamutes don’t like the feeling of being carried by a human. It throws off their balance. It definitely scared Kamu, but he’s more afraid of getting his feet wet.”
“Now I get it,” Jessie said. “So that’s what we saw from Mrs. Riley’s yard. We were seeing you carrying Kamu on your back.”
“Aha!” Benny cried. “You and Kamu are the werewolf!”
“I’m very sorry I scared so many people,” Ellen said. “The other day in the park I was stunned to hear the rumor. I went home and looked at the website. Someone had posted photos of the foothills just as the moon was rising. I admit the silhouette looked like a giant wolf standing on its hind legs.”
“Then since you weren’t trying to fool anyone, why didn’t you say anything?” Henry asked. “Mrs. Riley is worried and upset.”
“I’m sorry,” Ellen said again. “I was embarrassed. I’m not supposed to be running on the trail at night. It’s been closed for safety.”
Henry glanced up the hill then down. “But is it safe now?” he asked.
“It is,” said Ellen. “The other night I filled in a few gopher holes, which were actually made by those little mousy creatures called voles. And I cleared away some large rocks that had tumbled into the path. We’re all set for tomorrow’s run. I just hope people will still show up.”
As they stood in the afternoon sun, the dogs were panting from the heat. Jessie took a collapsible bowl from her backpack then poured in some water. Watch and Kamu were thirsty. They drank and drank. When they had slurped the bowl dry, Jessie raised her hand as a signal to sit. Watch obeyed. Next she tapped her hip pocket. He raised his front paw to shake her hand.
“Good boy, Watch,” Jessie said as she gave him a biscuit. Kamu cocked his head in curiosity. Now he sat. He lifted his paw to shake. “Yes!” Jessie cried. She rewarded him with a treat then turned to Ellen.
“Look how smart Kamu
is,” Jessie said. “See how fast he copied Watch? I bet you could train him to not be afraid of water.”
Ellen laughed. She bent down to pet both dogs. She hugged Kamu then kissed his furry head. “You might be right, Jessie,” she said. “That would be so wonderful.”
Benny put his hands in his pockets. He rocked on his heels. “I still wonder about something, Miss Ellen. Did you take away all the bones?”
“What bones?” she said.
The children explained what they had seen the day before. They described the hairy man. “Now the bones aren’t there any more,” Violet said.
“Hmm, that’s odd,” said Ellen. “I didn’t go that way, kids. I stayed on the main path. And I don’t know anyone in town who fits that description. Sounds like strange behavior.”
The children and Ellen walked down the hill together. Watch and Kamu wandered ahead, exploring the sagebrush. The dogs wagged and sniffed and crisscrossed the trail.
“Good-bye,” said Ellen. “See you later. Tomorrow’s the big day.”
Back at the house Grandfather was in the kitchen with Mrs. Riley. The oven was heating. He was rolling dough for his flaky biscuits while she chopped onions.
While the children described their afternoon, Jessie read aloud the clues in her notebook. She put question marks by “Hairy Man” and “Unfriendly Daniel.” She checked off “Silhouette” and “Odd Footprints.”
“We think people saw Ellen carrying Kamu over her shoulder,” Henry explained.
“The howling was Kamu too,” Violet added.
“Because he was scared!” Benny finished.
Mrs. Riley smiled at the Alden children. Her brown eyes gleamed. “This is a huge relief,” she said. “I knew the werewolf was just a legend, but I’m still puzzled. Who is spreading the rumors? And why?”
“We need to stop that person,” Violet said. “Otherwise no one will show up to the festival!”
“May we check the website?” Jessie asked Mrs. Riley. “We might find more clues.”
“Please do,” Mrs. Riley said.
Jessie logged on to the Harvest Festival website. “Oh no,” she whispered.
“What?” the others asked.
“A new post was added this morning,” Jessie said. She read aloud. “‘Close Encounter! Listen to the werewolf growl and scare away these sage grouse. Click here.’” A link showed a video. The camera followed three sage grouse waddling into a thicket of sagebrush. There was a sudden growling of a dog from the other side of the thicket. Suddenly the birds flew up in a noisy rush, and the camera cut off.
The Aldens looked at one another. They looked at Grandfather, then at Mrs. Riley. Finally Henry said, “Aren’t those the birds we saw our first night here?”
“And that was Watch growling!” Benny cried. “Watch, you’re a werewolf!”
Watch perked his head up at the sound of his name. Then he put it back down and wagged his tail.
Jessie tapped her pen on the table, thinking. “We know of one other person out that night.”
“Who?” Mrs. Riley asked.
“Yes, who?” Grandfather asked.
Violet said, “Daniel. Daniel the conservationist!”
Pumpkin Guts
A large pot of soup simmered on the stove as the Aldens and Mrs. Riley sat around the kitchen table. The children told about their midnight walk in the foothills. They described meeting Daniel the next morning.
Mrs. Riley shook her head sadly. “I’m so disappointed,” she said. “Daniel has been a good neighbor for years. He and I like to barter. I bring him homemade bread, and he gives me a dozen fresh eggs. We like to practice some of the old-time ways. That’s how people used to get by. They traded things they needed or they helped with chores.”
Mrs. Riley sat quietly with her thoughts.
After a moment Henry glanced out the window. “It’s still light out, Mrs. Riley. Maybe we could go talk to Daniel. I’m sure he has an explanation.”
“Tomorrow’s the big day,” Violet reminded everyone.
“So maybe it’s not too late to save the festival,” Jessie said.
Benny rubbed his stomach. “I’m hungry. But Grandfather’s soup tastes even better the longer it cooks. And we can bake the biscuits later. I want to hear what Daniel says.”
“You mean now?” Mrs. Riley asked. Her smile was broad. “I like your ideas, children. Okay, we’ll eat later. Is that okay, James?”
Grandfather nodded. He turned the stove to low then spread aluminum foil over the biscuit dough. He put on his wool sweater.
“Here’s a snack to hold us over,” Mrs. Riley said. She passed around a bowl of apples. Then she grabbed her down vest from a hook by the back door. “Button up, everyone. It’s chilly out.”
Daniel was closing up his chicken coop. He clicked on a warm light in the pen. Then he went to his wheelbarrow. “Might freeze tonight,” he told his visitors. He wore a “Save the Sage Grouse” T-shirt under his jacket. From his pocket he took out his black knit cap. It matched his hair, but instead of putting it on, he wrung it between his hands. “But I guess you’re not here to talk about the weather.”
“Not exactly,” Mrs. Riley said. Her face was stern. She gestured toward her friends. “Daniel, I understand you’ve already met my weekend guests, the Alden family.”
“Yes, I have. Good evening, Mr. Alden,” Daniel said in a quiet voice. “Hello, kids.”
“You told these children something that wasn’t true,” said Mrs. Riley. “I want you to make things right.”
The group stood awkwardly. Their breaths made frost in the cold air. Grandfather looked at his grandchildren. He could see they were bursting with questions. With a nod he smiled at them, urging them to speak.
“Daniel?” Benny began. “Why did you lie to us?”
“Why were you really out the other night?” said Jessie.
“And why did you pretend our dog was the growling werewolf?” Henry said. “You’ve scared a lot of people for no good reason.”
Daniel took a deep breath. “Okay,” he said. “Here’s what happened. A few weeks ago, I posted a werewolf rumor on the website. Some folks in town are superstitious, so I knew they would freak out. And I knew they would spread the story.”
Mrs. Riley shook her head. Her jaw was tight.
Daniel avoided her angry look and continued. “Then the other night when I was following the sage grouse, I saw you kids in the foothills. With my phone I took a video. Your dog barking was a bonus. I thought adding it to the website would make the rumor more believable.”
“That’s dishonest,” Jessie said.
“And why make up a story in the first place?” Henry asked.
“I’m embarrassed to say I wanted to scare people,” Daniel said.
“Well it sure worked,” Benny said. “And now everyone’s upset.”
Mrs. Riley opened her hands in a question. “I don’t understand. You and I are friends, Daniel. You know how important this first Harvest Festival is to our community.”
“I do know that,” Daniel said. “I went about it all wrong. I’m truly sorry.”
“I’m more sad than angry,” Mrs. Riley said. “What’s really going on here?”
“There’s no excusing what I did,” Daniel replied. He put on his hat then blew on his hands to keep them warm. “Mayor Chang and the city council have a big announcement tomorrow. I’m worried sick about it. Have you seen the fancy brochures she’s been passing out on her walks through town?”
“Yes, of course I have. I’m on the city council too,” Mrs. Riley said.
“Well, Townsend leaders want to devote more land to farming,” Daniel explained to Grandfather Alden. “I think they should reconsider. Bulldozers and tractors will have a terrible effect on the sage grouse. Tourists love to come to see these birds. Our town benefits from the money they spend here. Motels, meals, and snacks.” Daniel opened his jacket to show his T-shirt. “And they always buy souvenirs.”
Mrs. Riley though
t a moment. “You’re right,” she said. “But you’re a smart man, Daniel. Didn’t you try to communicate with anyone?”
“Oh yes, quite a lot. But the mayor didn’t respond to my emails. When I called her, she was either in a meeting or out walking around. I felt like no one cared.”
The children listened. Mrs. Riley and Grandfather listened.
“I’m ashamed of my actions,” Daniel said. “I owe an apology to you children. And especially to you, Susan. I should have come to you first. You and I have always been able to talk.”
“We’re talking now, Daniel, so do something. We can’t waste another minute. The Harvest Festival is tomorrow,” Mrs. Riley said. “We’ve planned a pancake breakfast. A fun run. A jack-o’-lantern contest and games. A dog parade with a marching band. Then a big picnic with fireworks after dark.”
“I’m going online right now,” Daniel said, hurrying for his front porch. “I’ll straighten everything out. I promise.”
“Well, guess I’ll head on home,” Mrs. Riley said. “I have phone calls to make, emails to send. Dinner’s not for another hour, so take your time.”
Grandfather said, “I’ll come with you, Susan. I have some of my own emails to answer.”
“The neighborhoods are safe if you kids want to explore a little,” she said. “Everyone around here looks out for one another. You know how to find my street. The rising moon will light your way. Have fun.”
The children kept Watch on his leash as they wandered the quiet streets. Cottages looked cozy with their windows lit as families settled in for the evening. Porch lights came on. It was getting cold.
Benny said, “I still have a big question.”
“What is it, Benny?” Jessie asked.
“Who smashed up all that stuff in the barn?” he said. “That’s part of the mystery too.”
“Oh, you’re right. One last clue,” said Violet.
The Legend of the Howling Werewolf Page 5
