Ghost River Jon Coon (free reads TXT) 📖

license, and then we went to your house and picked up his dad’s truck. He said he was going to get some things from the house and follow me back here. I helped him load a bunch of clothes, then he went into your bedroom and came back out with a travel bag.”

“We keep cash for emergencies. There was a couple thousand. Both kids know where it is,” Carol said.

“One more thing,” Zack continued. “He got a .22 rifle and some ammo. Again, I thought it was okay. We started back, but when we came to the interstate overpass, he got on the onramp and took off. I did a U-turn and tried to catch him, but he was long gone. When I tried to call, I realized he must have taken my phone. I’m very sorry.”

“We wouldn’t let him get his license because of the stunts he’s pulled recently. Like smoking dope at home and getting caught with it at school,” Carol said.

“I can have him picked up,” Gabe offered. “But arresting him isn’t going to help change his attitude. I wonder if he has a night or two on his own . . . perhaps reason and reality will prevail. With that cash, he won’t starve, and he won’t sleep in the rain. But if he misses his Saturday shift, we’ll have to go after him. He wants to make his own rules, let’s give him that four days to see how that works. Why don’t you try calling him and lower his anxiety?”

“Will you call him? What I’d say to him now will only make things worse,” Carol said.

“Okay. Let’s go sit on the porch. I think we need to pray about this before we make the call.”

After talking, praying, and agreeing, Gabe called. Paul answered.

“Your mom is here. She asked me to call. Here’s the deal. She says you can keep the truck and the cash. She’s not going to have you arrested. She wants you not to do anything stupid. Okay so far?”

Long pause. “Okay.”

“Now, you made a deal with the court to work off your community service. You have two choices. The smart choice is to show up and finish your sentence. The dumb choice is to run and get arrested. If you show up on Saturday, I promise not to hassle you. You want to be on your own, that’s okay. When or if you decide to come back, that’s okay too.”

“You don’t want me . . .”

“No one said that, Paul. But here’s my rule. You will never be disrespectful to your mother again while you’re under my roof. And you will apologize to her and mean it before you come back through my door. Are we clear?”

Silence for a while.

Gabe prompted him with, “Well?”

“Yeah, we’re clear.”

“Paul, I certainly remember what it’s like to want to run your own life. There’s nothing wrong with that. You’re old enough and smart enough. Just remember that gold line, that cave diver safety line we talked about? You need to find yours and find a goal, a mission for your life. Anyone can have a job. Successful people have a mission. Just one more thing: Zack needs his phone back. Figure that out. Have a good night.”

And Gabe hung up.

Paul was left staring at Zack’s phone wondering what on earth had just happened. A cold chill swept over him as he realized the independence he’d dreamt about had just been handed to him on a silver platter. It felt like a one-way ticket to an undiscovered planet. For the first time in his life, he was indeed, freely, totally, alone.

The next morning as Gabe made his way back to the dive locker, Alethea called. “I found a contractor who builds cracker houses,” she began. “He says they can finish in just a few weeks. I want to keep it simple, as rustic as possible, so that shouldn’t be hard.”

“Sounds great. How big?”

“About twenty by forty: eight hundred square feet plus front and back porches. Bigger than the original, but the same basic design, except that it has to be up on pilings or I won’t have insurance. So there will have to be a lift. My knees aren’t the best. I’ll need a new generator too.”

“Sounds good. When do you want me to come and get you?”

“Cas wants to bring me. But, Gabrielle, you be careful with her. She is not over you. She’s been talking about you all week.”

“Oh.”

“How are Carol and the kids?”

“Paul moved out, took some cash and his dad’s truck. Carol’s pretty upset, but looking down the road it may be for the best. The kid’s eighteen next month. He can make it. There was a lot of drama between them. Hopefully they’ll both be happier with some breathing room.”

“And you?”

“I’m okay. Do you want to stay with us? There’s plenty of room.”

“No, I don’t think Carol would agree. I need to find Souriciere, and I know how Carol feels about snakes. There’s one other thing: I’m sorry to have to tell you this now, you’ve got more than enough to worry about without it.”

“What?”

“I heard from my friend on the parole board. Your father has another hearing coming up.”

“Oh.”

“Gabriel, you have to know they can’t keep him locked up forever. Someday he’s going to come knocking on your door. How many times has he called and written? You don’t take his calls or even read his letters. When he’s released, he’s going to want to see you.”

“That’s a mistake he’ll only make once.”

Her silence made him wonder if the call had been dropped. When he heard her voice again, she sounded tired and in pain. “Gabriel, what he did was terrible enough without you letting it destroy your soul as well. Aren’t you ready to let him go?”

“Alethea, please don’t bring this up again. I don’t care what happens to him, and I never want to see him again. Let’s just let it rest. I’m going