Ghost River Jon Coon (free reads TXT) 📖

email. I’d been helping Bo gather material he called insurance. If they found out, well it might explain what happened.”

“Janna, that could definitely be enough to put you in danger,” Bob said. “There are a lot of loose ends in this story. We’re going to need your help to tie them up. And you would be a powerful witness when this goes to court. If you’re willing to testify.”

“If it will help catch the ones who killed Bo and Nancy, you can count on me. They were family.”

“Good, then I want you to have security until this is over,” Bob added, “I’ll set that up today.”

“Janna, one last question,” Gabe asked. “What kind of computer did Bo have?”

CHAPTER 32

2200

The River

Clearing skies

Gabe and Carol returned that night to the boat with a body bag. On the way through the gate the security guard Gabe had asked to keep the crime scene secure stopped them. “I kept an eye on that boat, like you asked. No one’s messed with it. Not on my watch.”

Gabe thanked him and drove back over to the beached workboat. He and Carol pulled on their dry suits and gloves, Gabe got the pouch with the body bag, and they dropped down into the boat cabin.

“Stinks,” Carol said. “Let’s get this done.”

She helped Gabe recover Nancy’s bones and carefully place them in the body bag. “She was only nineteen?”

“That’s what Janna said.”

It took an hour. Gabe zipped the bag and climbed out through the port window. Carol handed the straps up to him. He lifted the bag out and lowered it over the stern. He laid it in the trunk and said a silent prayer, a blessing of sadness, as he closed the hatch. They drove an hour to the river camp, past where the house had been down to the water’s edge by the meadow.

“Do you want to come in the water? It’s only about ten feet deep, and there’s not much current,” he invited.

“Sure, I want to meet her,” Carol answered.

Back into the dry suits, Gabe helped her into her new gear. “Do you want to stick with a regulator or try the Aga mask?”

“I didn’t buy this thing to leave it in the box. I’ll be okay. Don Lane gave me a briefing at the dive shop.”

Equipment check, mask check, final okay, and they started down. There was more visibility here than in the mighty Chattahoochee, and Gabe imagined Carol, in her new, well-fitted suit and thick underwear, found the cold water refreshing, not freezing. They settled on the bottom. Gabe opened the body bag but didn’t remove any of Nancy’s remains. He paused for prayer, gave Carol an okay, which she returned.

“Nancy Bodine, awake!”

Light surrounded them, and as with Wilson and the others, bright, wispy light rose over Nancy’s remains and formed the image of a beautiful young woman.

“Nancy?” Gabe began. “We don’t have a lot of time, and we need your help.”

“Who are you?” she asked. “And where is Wilson? Where are we?”

“We’re friends. We had to move you, but don’t worry. He’s waiting. We know the bridge fell on your boat. Wilson had a briefcase. He told us you hid it for him.”

“He was supposed to go up on the bridge to check something. I think it was the counterweights on the lift span. They called him.” She halted abruptly and shuddered. “The span hit us before we got out of the cabin. So fast. Not even a breath. It just crushed us to the bottom.”

Gabe gave her a moment to refocus then asked, “Do you remember who called him?”

“The state guy, Peterson.”

“What about the briefcase?” Light was rising around them as her escorts became visible.

“Wilson gave it to me before we got to the bridge. He told me to hide it . . . I put it in the anchor chain locker.”

“Good, now, what can you tell me about your dad and Jewels Peterson?”

“I loved my dad, but he got into that mess with Peterson and couldn’t get out. Peterson was greedy, always pushing my dad for more money. I hope you catch him.”

“It’s done. We got him. I’m sorry about your dad. He’s gone too.”

“What about Wyatt, my brother?”

“Brother? No, we don’t know,” Gabe answered. The light became more intense. Nancy reached out to him, touching him gently on the shoulder. “Thank you,” she said. “Can I go to Wilson now?”

“Nancy, one more question. Do you think your dad knew you were on the boat?”

She thought before answering. “I don’t think so. We argued, but he would never have hurt me. The boat belonged to Wilson’s company. We were going to cruise the river after Wilson’s meeting, so I made lunch. We didn’t get to—What’s that light? It’s beautiful.”

“They’re here for you,” Gabe said. “Wilson is waiting.”

“Oh, they’re for me? They’re beautiful!”

Now she was encircled in the glowing wings of her angels; her countenance was taking on their radiance. Carol took Gabe’s arm as she watched in awe. The light increased to an uncomfortable intensity. Gabe and Carol covered their eyes, and then it was gone. They were left in the darkness, holding each other, happy to be together.

The body bag felt lighter as Gabe carried it back to the riverbank. He remembered reading research stating that at the moment of death a measurable weight leaves the body, and the authors suggested the weight of a soul could actually be measured. Gabe had seen some souls heavy enough to sink their hosts straight to hell, but this was not the case. Nancy Bodine and Wilson Corbitt made it safely home, and while their deaths were sad, their going home together was something to celebrate.

As they walked back to the cruiser holding hands, moonbeams pierced the clouds. From the shadows a jealous coyote bewailed his loneliness. Gabe spread a blanket on the grass.

“It’s beautiful here,” she said as he unzipped the back zipper of her drysuit. She pulled the neck seal off, over her head. “I’m praying it can