Ghost River Jon Coon (free reads TXT) 📖

safe. Also, this started because Zack wanted to know what happened to his dad. That gives you two a lot in common.”

“I know, but—” Paul began.

“If Gabe wants them here they can stay,” Carol said with finality. “Right, Paul?”

“If you say so,” Paul answered, head down, barely audible.

“One more thing. I’m going to Atlanta early tomorrow to get them. Paul, I’d like you to come with me.”

Back in the game and surprised at Gabe’s request, Paul answered, “Sure, but I’m on the schedule at the dive locker.”

“I’ll fix it,” Gabe said.

“Thanks for this new day,” Gabe said as he sat up in bed and checked his phone alarm. 3:36. He swung his feet to the floor and walked down to the galley kitchen. He turned on the coffee pot, dropped into his recliner, waiting. Thinking. He remembered the charts by Richard Greenly’s computer and Zack’s comments that there was nothing remarkable in any of the reports. What were you looking for Richard? If it’s not in the reports, why are they so important?

Gabe picked Paul up before dawn, and by the time the sun was banging against the port windows of the F-150 they were comfortably cruising up I-75 to Atlanta. They made a McDonald’s stop for biscuits and coffee and quietly enjoyed the road for the next fifty miles. As they approached Tifton, Paul began to talk.

“I read the reports until after midnight. I don’t think I missed anything, but there’s nothing unusual about the bridge. No mention of scouring or other problems.”

“Zack said that too,” Gabe said. “Guess we need to keep on looking.”

Paul worked on his soda then said, “Guess so. One thing though, the detail in the reports: how could they see that much in such black water?”

“Mostly by touch, but sometimes video can see better than we can. You can cover a spot then look at the video and see how much you really missed. It can be humbling.”

“Dad liked being on the dive team. I think he thought I would like it too.”

“How do you feel about that?” Gabe asked. Paul was actually talking. Perhaps the key was caffeine and early morning road trips.

“I like the guys at the dive locker. I can tell they have a lot of respect for each other and they like what they do. And they believe what they do is important.”

“That’s on target, Paul. What we do matters. And we get to help people in ways few others can.”

“Protect and serve?”

“That about covers it.”

“Is that why you became a cop?”

“I was an oil field diver first. I was hired to do some state work and got to be friends with troopers on their dive team. They recruited me to become a trooper. I guess I liked the idea of nailing the bad guys, especially the ones who hurt other people. So I was pretty easy to recruit.”

“Do you have to have college to be a cop?”

“Now you do, for state anyway. I got in before they made that rule.”

“Dad had college. Was he easy to recruit?”

“Yeah, he was a law-and-order guy too. He believed in his code, and he lived by it.”

“Like you said at the funeral?”

“Exactly like that.”

They were quiet for a while. Just past Cordele, Georgia, Paul opened up again. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said at the funeral. It’s hard for me to believe all that God and angel stuff. None of my friends believe it either. If there is a God, how could He let so much bad stuff happen?”

“Then you’re still mad at the God you don’t believe in?” A hint of a smile crossed Gabe’s face.

“Didn’t think of it like that, but yeah, I guess,” Paul answered.

“Okay, what do you believe in?” Gabe asked.

“Stuff I can see, I guess. Stuff that’s real.”

“How about oxygen? Can’t see it, or taste it, or smell it, or touch it. Then you don’t believe in it?”

“Of course I do. We couldn’t live without it.” Paul frowned as if it was a dumb question.

“Okay, so something you can’t see has rules and consequences: no oxygen, no fire. No oxygen, no life. Right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“You can’t see God, but He has rules. Life has consequences.”

“But that’s impossible. No one can live by all those rules!” Paul turned in the seat, glaring at Gabe.

Gabe remained undaunted. Hands on the wheel, eyes on the road. “So the God you don’t believe in has rules you don’t like. Interesting. If He doesn’t exist, why would His rules matter?”

“Okay, so maybe He does exist, but why should we worry about His rules when we know it’s impossible to follow them? What kind of a deal is that?”

“That doesn’t mean we’re not supposed to give it our best shot. I wouldn’t want to face a final judgment with nothing more to say than the mission looked impossible, so I didn’t try. What does it say about us that we don’t even try to listen to what He wants to teach us? We may fail, but we have to keep trying.”

“But what about forgiveness and mercy? If no one can live by all those rules, what hope is there without forgiveness and mercy? Like we hear about at church all the time.”

“We’re all going to need them, but mercy is someone else’s department. We can attempt to forgive someone who’s done us some evil, but it’s never easy. I definitely struggle with it. I’m the law-and-order guy. I guess that’s why we need God’s mercy. You ready to forgive the guys who killed your dad?”

“Not a chance.”

“Didn’t think so.”

The truck was quiet until they reached Mickey’s apartment.

“Look, officer, this was all my fault,” Zack repeated. “I talked Mickey into helping me. We certainly didn’t want anyone hurt. I only thought if we could get divers back on the bridge they might find out what killed my dad.”

Paul shook his head slowly. Hearing the apology didn’t ease the pain.

“I’m really sorry about your father, Paul. I never imagined anything like