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Back The Trickster Save as PDF
Chapters (74)
  1. The Trickster
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Contents
  5. Preface to the 20th anniversary edition
  6. Introduction
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. Keep Reading
  70. FURNACE
  71. Acknowledgements
  72. About the Author
  73. ALSO BY THE AUTHOR
  74. About the Publisher

‘It is a big deal. Claire’s my sister. Uptight corporate woman maybe, but my sister nevertheless, and I’m ashamed she upset Sam.’

Katie sighed and joined him at the table, toying with the defrosting flowers in their soggy paper wrapping. ‘You know the problem, Gerry. You’ve known us for nearly ten years. Sam just doesn’t think he’s an Indian.’

‘Kind of hard to forget. Especially when you look at Billy and Jess.’

Katie laughed.

‘I know. Sometimes I’m glad I can remember giving birth to them, or I’d think I had nothing to do with their creation at all. The Crosby DNA’s sure got mugged somewhere along the line by Sam’s.’

‘Is he mad at Ann and me for bringing Claire?’

Katie shook her head. ‘No. He’s mad at being born a Kinchuinick Indian and growing up on a reserve.’

‘Claire’s real embarrassed. She wondered if we could maybe have you all round to our place for supper before they head back to Montreal. But I guess if Sam’s not well …’

‘Let’s leave it, Gerry. But thanks for the thought.’

He nodded. The coffee machine gurgled its message that the brew was up.

‘So how’s school anyway?’

Gerry lightened up, his duty done. ‘It’s shit. As usual.’

‘The kids all talking about the explosion?’ She put two coffees in front of them.

‘And some. Of course now they’re also talking about this blizzard. They figure they’ll get time off if it keeps up.’

‘Billy seems distracted right now Gerry. Have you noticed?’

Gerry cupped the mug in his hand. ‘Can’t say I have. Was he upset by Sam collapsing?’

‘I don’t know. I just detect something disturbing him. Probably nothing. I thought you might notice, but I forgot teachers just practise riot control these days.’

‘Up yours.’

Katie laughed and drank her coffee. Gerry took one sip and stood up.

‘Look I really have to go. Just came to leave these.’

‘The coffee that good, huh?’

He kissed her on the ear and made for the kitchen door, then paused when he looked through the glass panel. ‘Hey, I think you should loosen up with the disciplinarian dog-owner bit and let Bart in. He’s carrying more snow than a blue trail.’

Katie came to the door. ‘I tried this morning, thanks Doctor Doolittle. He won’t come in.’

Gerry stepped into the blizzard again.

‘That’s huskies for you, huh? Bye!’

Katie waved goodbye, and looked over at Bart. Gerry was right. The dog was outside his kennel, almost completely covered in snow.

‘Here Bart. Come in boy.’ She patted her thigh.

Bart looked at Katie and then resumed his vigil, staring towards Wolf Mountain as if it were made of prime sirloin.

‘Jeez, a dysfunctional dog. That’s all we need. Next stop the Oprah Winfrey Show.’

Katie brushed the snow from her hair and shut the kitchen door.

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