Ghost River Jon Coon (free reads TXT) 📖

“Whatever we can find on the I-10 bridge. I expect that will be toward the end of the reports, so let’s start at the most recent and work our way back. I don’t know exactly what we’re looking for, but let’s watch out for two things: deltas, that’s what the military calls discrepancies, anything that doesn’t fit. And we need to find the contractors who built them. My guess is this is about more than just one bridge. Let’s separate the files based on the builders. Look for those deltas and similarities. I need you to do this and keep it under wraps. I’ll talk to Zack and Mickey. We need to keep them safe while we figure this out. Call me if you find anything. Your mom has my cell number.”

Carol followed Gabe back out to his truck. As he was opening the door, she took his arm and stopped him before he climbed in.

“Gabe, thanks. He needed that, but why aren’t you taking the files into the department?”

“Captain Brady said this could go way up the food chain, and whatever it was he had to tell us got him killed. I think it’s best to keep it to ourselves until we know what we’re up against.”

“Then are you sure it’s safe for us to have that stuff here?”

“Helen Greenly is the only one who knows I’ve got those files, and she doesn’t know where I’ve taken them, so we should be good.”

“Okay. If you say so.”

Gabe’s cell rang as he backed out of the driveway.

Mrs. Eberly, Mickey’s mother, was upset. “I talked with Mickey, and they’re afraid to come home. I told her they have to, but I’m worried they might run. Zack wants to talk to you. Mickey gave me a number.”

Gabe pulled his truck to the curb and got out his pocket notepad. “I’m ready.”

She gave him the number, and he placed the call.

“Zack, this is Officer Gabe Jones. Are you and Mickey okay?”

“Yes, look, I’m really sorry. I never thought anyone would get hurt. I just wanted to know—”

“I understand. A lot is happening here, Zack, and I’m still playing catch up. It wasn’t your fault that officer Evans died, but I’m certain his death is connected to your dad’s death. What can you tell me?”

“I don’t understand all of it either. In his notebook Dad said Wilson Corbitt knew the bridge wasn’t to spec. Corbitt had been studying the blueprints. He told my dad, who suspected my grandfather was behind it.

“Dad told Wilson not to go to dear old Granddad, but Wilson didn’t listen. After the bridge collapsed and Wilson disappeared, my dad went to see Grandpa. That’s when they had the big fight. It was only a few days after that Dad was killed.”

“I have your dad’s inspection files. Can you tell me where to look?”

“There were only two reports on the I-10 bridge because it was so new. But there was something weird. The two reports about the I-10 and several reports of the other bridges were identical. I mean photocopy identical. The only difference was the dates. And they were all signed by the same guy.”

“Who was that?”

“Sergeant Wesley Rogers. In Dad’s notebook, when he mentioned Rogers, he drew dollar signs, some of them big. He also wrote on one-page blueprints, in big letters with exclamation points.”

“Zack, do you think your grandfather has a hand in this?”

“According to his journal my dad was sure of it. One more thing: after the big argument between Dad and my grandfather, Mom and Dad had a big fight. She must have really ripped into him because he wrote some ugly stuff about her in the journal. When I asked her about it she got mad and unloaded on me for reading it. She called Dad ungrateful and said after all Grandpa had done for us Dad should have minded his own business.”

“Zack, does your mom know you have that notebook?”

“Oh yeah; she tried to take it away from me.”

“Okay, then I don’t want you to go home. I’ll come up and get you, and we’ll find you somewhere safe down here. I want you two where I can keep an eye on you until this is over. Agreed?”

“Do you really think we will be safer down there?”

“Whatever this is, at least two men have been killed. Based on what you’ve told me, I have to believe someone who doesn’t want you talking is going to come looking for you. When that happens, there’s nothing I can do to protect you up there, but I can protect you here. That’s the deal, okay?”

“When can you come?” Zack asked.

“Can you be ready to leave tomorrow? I’ll drive up first thing in the morning.”

“How much trouble are we in?”

“Not in as much as if the guys who killed your dad and Charlie Evans come after you. Let’s get you safe. Then we can sort out the rest.”

“Okay. Just one more thing, officer. It wasn’t Mickey’s fault. It was my idea. I talked her into helping me. Please protect her if you can.”

Gabe put his anger about Charlie’s death on the back burner. It wasn’t as though the kids had set a trap to kill a cop. But that didn’t ease Gabe’s guilt about not having been on the dive. Gabe stared at the phone in his hand and wanted to smash it.

CHAPTER 10

1430

The Evans Home

Gabe turned the truck around and pulled back into Carol’s driveway.

“War council!” he said as he came in through the kitchen door from the garage.

When Carol saw how serious he was, she called the kids. Gabe told them about his conversation with Zack and his plans to bring them home. “But here’s the thing. I think Zack and Mickey would be a lot safer here with us. What do you think?”

“Zack Greenly here? No way,” Paul said.

“He’s got information that will help us. You guys can watch each other’s backs. Then, if things get hairy, we’ll only have one place to keep