Deadly Currents (24 page)

David shifted in his seat. “Okay, I hope I remember this right. Two blondes drove by a wheat field and saw another blonde in the middle of the field rowing a row boat. The driver blonde turned to her friend and said, ‘You know, it’s blondes like that who give us a bad name!’ The other blonde replied, ‘I know it, and if I knew how to swim, I’d go out there and drown her.’”

Everyone in the raft chuckled.

“With the ice broken, maybe now’s a good time to talk about the future of Uncle Bill’s business, Mandy. You and Rob seem to have kissed and made up, so why don’t you hear him out on his plans for a merger?”

Rob raised an eyebrow at Mandy.

She ran her hand across the top of the box. Would Uncle Bill have approved of a merger? A sense of calm descended on her. “I’m listening.”

Rob leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “This wouldn’t just be a merger of two river outfitters, Mandy. I’ve wanted to branch out for a while—into leading adventure travel trips. We could offer all kinds of experiences. In the summer, horseback riding, climbing, and mountain biking, as well as rafting. And in the winter, ice climbing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling. We could even combine two or three activities into week-long trips.”

He paused, looking hopeful. After Mandy gave him a nod, he continued, “You got into ice climbing last winter, and with your ski patrol background, you’d be ideal to lead adventure trips in the winter when you’re not working as a river ranger. And, by adding the other activities, we could extend our trips into the spring and fall, too. Offer adventure trips year-round. And offer full-time jobs to some of our guides.”

“You know I love horseback riding, Mandy,” Kendra said.

“And I’m getting certified to lead climbing trips,” Gonzo added.

“What is this, a conspiracy?” Mandy joked.

“Yes,” David said, with a pat to her knee. “A conspiracy for your future, a happy future.”

Mandy stared at the box in her lap. A warm glow suffused her.

She looked at the others’ expectant faces and smiled. “Uncle Bill would approve. I’ll do it.”

Kendra and Gonzo cheered while Rob grasped her hand and squeezed it.

David looked relieved. “I’ll start on the paperwork tomorrow.”

A puffy cloud that had skittered across the face of the sun moved away, allowing its rays to blaze through again. The sunlight striking the water made tiny sparkles shimmer across the surface, as if someone had strewn diamonds across the water. Mandy’s gaze followed the sunbeams west. There, on Mount Shavano, glistening snowfields formed the figure of a snow spirit, the Angel of Shavano, which Ute legends said brought their tribe good fortune.

“This is the spot,” Mandy said.

Kendra and Gonzo pulled their paddles out of the water.

“Do you want to say something?” David asked Mandy.

She nodded, a huge lump suddenly swollen in her throat. She swallowed it down and looked out over the water to compose herself.

“I’ll miss you, Uncle Bill, every single day of my life. But every time I paddle on the river, I’ll feel your presence—and your love.”

She stood and Rob steadied her. She removed the box’s lid and handed it to David. Then she held the box out over the river, slowly tilted it, and let the ashes fall out in a gentle stream.

A slight breeze made them dance and glitter in the sunlight until they drifted onto the surface of the water. There, they dissolved and disappeared, becoming one with the Arkansas River, where Uncle Bill belonged, where he had always belonged.

And where she belonged, too.

“Rest in peace, Uncle Bill.”

Beth Groundwater was an avid “river rat” in the 1980s, running whitewater rivers in the eastern United States in an open-boat canoe. She has enjoyed reacquainting herself with that subculture and its updated boating equipment while researching the RM Adventures mystery series. Beth lives in Colorado and enjoys its many outdoor activities, including skiing and whitewater rafting. She loves to speak to book clubs about her books. To find out more, please visit Beth’s website at bethgroundwater.com and her blog at bethgroundwater.blogspot.com.