Ghost River by Jon Coon (best non fiction books of all time TXT) 📕

As she watched her daughter sleep, Carol only had one prayer. Lord, help us get through this. Help us get through this alive.

CHAPTER 25

0800

Rainbows after the storm

Gabe spent the day writing reports and briefing Bob and DA Jessica Carruthers. She would ask the court for warrants. Then Bob and Gabe would investigate Peterson’s house, the state records, and the finances of the engineers Peterson had named. They would make every attempt to extradite Rogers from Mexico and find the wounded accomplice D. B. Johnson. McFarland Construction would also be looked into, tactfully, due to the influence of the owner’s brother, Congressman Conners. Gabe would find and interview Wilson Corbitt and hopefully save his relationship with Carol.

On the drive home Gabe began to analyze the two biggest questions of the day: what would it mean to lose Carol and what would it mean not to lose her.

He remembered a teacher explaining the Ben Franklin method for problem solving. Sister Fletcher, perhaps old enough to have known old Ben personally, told the class, “When Mr. Franklin, certainly one of the smartest men of his day, had a problem, he would divide a piece of paper into two halves. He’d list the positives on one side and the negatives on the other. When the lists were made, he’d count the items in both columns and have his answer.”

The example she used was whether or not to do homework: “To do, or not to do, that was the question.” She had the class make the arguments on both sides, which were listed and then counted. The conclusion was, of course, that next to crawfish and beer batter hush puppies, homework was the best thing students might ever encounter.

Gabe remained skeptical about homework, in spite of the indisputable evidence. However, believing the method sound, he started his lists. There were the tangible and intangible benefits. Positives: She’s attractive. She’s smart. We have a lot in common. I like one of her kids and will pray for the other. She likes the dogs. The dogs love her. She’s not too bossy, and when she is, she’s usually right. I like her dad. She cooks—better than I do. She not only knows how to drive straight nails, but she’s also willing to do so. She knows what it is to be a cop’s wife. She’s good with guns. She could give me CPR, stitches, or meds if required.

Negatives: She was Charlie’s wife and knows what a cop’s life is. She probably thinks I’m nuts. If this dive goes badly, she’ll know I’m nuts. She’s good with guns.

He tried, but the second list remained alarmingly lacking. I think old Ben has made up my mind.

When Gabe returned from work shortly before dusk Carol was waiting. They loaded her scuba gear into the trunk and headed down the long tree-lined drive.

“You okay? He asked. She looked spooked.

“Not really. You’re asking a lot.”

“Just trust me. It’s going to be fine.”

“Gabe, I had the most terrifying dream last night. Emily was trapped in some kind of tank underwater. She was dying, and I couldn’t save her.”

“Sounds like a nightmare more than a dream.”

“I think it was more than that. While I was trying to get to Emily, I banged my shin into something. It hurt like crazy. When I woke up it still hurt.”

“Spooky.”

“Look,” she said and pulled up the leg of her jeans. There was a large bruise turning painfully purple.

“Ouch.”

“I don’t know what’s going on here, but that dream and this bruise made me think I need to trust you. Dreams don’t leave bruises. It had to be something more. But I swear if this is some kind of joke, ‘Old Testament’ won’t half cover the paybacks.”

He turned and took her hand. “Carol, I promise, no joke. What I hope you’re going to see is, well, it’s impossible to explain. You have to see it. And as far as I know, you will be the only other living person ever to see what you’re going to see. I hope that makes you feel special.”

“Oh, I feel special all right.”

As Gabe had requested, Jim had dry suits, tanks, and weight belts laid out. The man’s small dry suit was a bit snug for Carol, but she made it work, and soon they were ready. Jim had done his “Are you sure about this?” routine with Gabe and had gotten only a “She’ll be fine” response.

“Okay, let’s dive,” was Jim’s answer. “I only work here.” He stood by, ready to tend Gabe’s umbilical.

Gabe briefed her on hand signals and made sure she had them correctly. One squeeze: you okay? Returned: yes. He assured her that if for any reason she wanted to call the dive she should grip his hand repeatedly, and they would immediately surface. She agreed. He backed slowly down the mud bank with Carol hanging on to his arm with a life-lock grip. They stopped in chest-deep water. He waited until he saw her breathing had slowed, then he checked her gear a final time and gave her a diver’s okay. She returned it and they both submerged. She took his hand. It was too dark to see, but he could feel her hand trembling and hear her regulator working like a steam locomotive. He squeezed. She squeezed. He backed farther down the line. He squeezed. She responded.

No visibility even in four feet of water.

Go slow. Very Slow. Ten feet down he waited for her to relax, but so far, considering zero visibility, current, cold, and ghastly mission, relaxing wasn’t yet reality. Several times he repeated the hand signal question. Are you okay? Each time she answered by returning the hand signal with a single squeeze and then pushing on down the line. Confident she was managing, he led, backing against the search line until at sixty feet they came to the bridge steel.

Gabe followed steel beams out and down until they passed the first footings