Out of the Depths (5 page)

“What did the kid do?” Cody took a sip of his coffee.

“Petty theft. He helped himself to a case of sodas. I couldn’t let it slide. It wouldn’t have been fair to Ronnie, or to the others who work here.”

“I totally agree. What makes you think he may be the one behind the damage to your property?”

“Mostly a gut feeling. Jim has seen him hanging around here more than once. Ronnie said he was just waiting for his girlfriend but I’m skeptical.”

“Tell me more about Jim.”

“There’s not much to tell. He’s a second cousin on my mama’s side. A real math whiz. I hate book work. I’m lucky to have him.”

“He uses a computer program, you say?”

“Yes. I used to write everything in a ledger. Boy, do I love letting Jim fiddle with the figures, instead. And is he fast! You should see him work.”

“I probably will,” Cody said, pushing away from the table and rising. “I’ll want to borrow your Internet
connection to do a little work of my own while I’m here. Remember?”

“Of course. I’ll tell Jim to let you know when he’s not going to be using the computer.”

“That’ll be fine. I’d also like a list of names and addresses for all your employees, even the seasonal ones, for the past two years. I don’t want to overlook any angle.” He noticed her quizzical expression. “What?”

“You’re taking this a lot more seriously than I thought you would. What if there’s no big, scary conspiracy? What if it’s just a couple of kids who think it’s fun to break things?”

“Then we’ll catch them in the act, and they’ll find out differently,” he said.

“I don’t want you to go to a lot of trouble. I mean, our deal was for you to watch from the cabin in exchange for rent. That’s all I expect.”

Thoughtful for long moments, Cody finally said, “Look. When I opened my eyes this morning it hit me. This is the first time since my accident that I’ve looked forward to getting out of bed and doing something. Anything. Being useful is a feeling I’ve missed and I don’t want to lose it. Can you understand that?”

“Yes. Completely. I feel the same way about running this campground. Even bad days are better than my life was before I opened. And the good days are wonderful. The Lord’s blessed me beyond my wildest dreams. That’s one reason why I’ll never sell or quit, no matter what.”

“Quit? I thought you said business was good.”

“It is. And believe me, I’m not complaining. I just
don’t understand why all the other canoe rentals on this part of the river have closed in the past year or so.”

Cody scowled. “
All
of them?”

“The closest ones,” she said. “There were three others when I opened. I’m a little farther upriver but that shouldn’t make any difference. If a client wants a longer ride, we just drive them to a distant point, launch from there and pick them up when they drift back down.”

“Makes sense. We used to do the same thing on the Tuolumne. For Class I, II or III rapids we used a different stretch of the river.”

“You ran Class IV and V, didn’t you?”

“Usually.” Cody glanced at his knee and gritted his teeth. “I really miss it.”

“I’m sure you do.”

He stared at her, waiting. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Aren’t you going to tell me how lucky I am to be alive? Everybody else does.”

“Hey, not me.” Trudy Lynn held up both hands, palms out. “You warned me not to preach so I’m not preaching.” She gave him a sweet, knowing smile. “But don’t expect me, or Becky, or any of our friends to stop talking about God’s influence in our lives. This part of the country isn’t called the Bible Belt for nothing.”

“Yeah. I didn’t think of that when I decided to visit my sister.” He turned and started away. “Thanks for breakfast. I’m going to go outside and check on Sailor. Hang on to your ankle-biter when I open the door, will you?”

“Sure. No problem. Come here, Widget. That’s a good boy.” She lifted her little dog in her arms. “Got him.”

Though she’d sounded glib and unconcerned, Cody knew she was watching him laboriously making his way across the room and he wished mightily that he had his formerly steady gait. He’d always taken strength and agility for granted. Now that he was having to grit his teeth and work for every step, he realized just how much he’d lost.

It made him angry. Especially toward God. If there really was a God.

C
ody spent the better part of the day sitting on the porch of his cabin with his heel propped on the railing and Sailor dozing beside him. He’d read the information Trudy Lynn had provided. Everything seemed pretty straightforward. Her operation was small but well run and her seasonal staff members were teenagers drawn from the local community. Good kids. He’d made it a point to talk to as many of them as he could when they’d passed his cabin. One more was on duty in the camp store. He’d observed her working while he ate breakfast and couldn’t imagine any threat originating with such a polite young lady. That only left getting to know Will and cousin Jim.

Cody smiled. The old man had failed to look in on him that morning as promised. Maybe Trudy Lynn had told him to stay away, or maybe he was embarrassed over their initial confrontation. Either way, talking to Will was going to be imperative. And the sooner the better.

He hailed a passing young man. “Hey there! You’re Sam, aren’t you? Have you seen Will lately?”

“Yes, sir. He’s up by the office. You need him?”

“I’d like to talk to him,” Cody said, “but not if he’s busy.”

“He always says he’s busy, even if he’s taking a nap.” Sam sported a grin that accentuated the sunburn and freckles on his cheeks. “I’ll tell him to come on down.”

“Thanks. Make sure he knows there’s no hurry.”

“Yes, sir.”

The warm sun and the ambience of the camp had been bathing Cody in Southern contentment all day. Compared to the cold wind off Lake Michigan at his dad’s place or the icy waters of the Tuolumne, this was sure a pleasant place to lounge around. He sighed and closed his eyes. His knee wasn’t throbbing ceaselessly, the way it had been. That, alone, was enough to make him glad he’d come.

“Afternoon,” Will said, startling him back to alertness. “You wanna see me?”

The weathered old man was clutching his dingy baseball cap in his hands and looking as if he expected to be chastised. Cody smiled and gestured to the porch. “Yes, I do. Join me?”

“I guess I can spare a few minutes. What did you want to talk about?”

Cody waited until Will was seated in the other pressed-metal chair. “Trudy Lynn’s prowler,” Cody said. “Have you ever gotten a good look him?”

“Nope. Comes sneakin’ around at night. I’ve seen shadows. That’s about all.”

“Where was he when you spotted him?”

“Down closer to the river.” Will peered past Cody. “Don’t think you can see that place from here.”

“That’s what I was afraid of. Okay. Tell me where you’d go if you were planning on sitting up all night.”

“I ain’t plannin’ to.”

“I am.” He lowered his stiff leg and rubbed his thigh through the khaki fabric of his slacks.

“That’s clear dumb if you ask me. Wanna borrow my twelve-gauge?”

Cody shook his head. “No. I don’t intend to try to capture anybody. I just want to get a good look at them so I can give the sheriff a description.”

The old man cackled. “Okay. It’s your funeral.”

“I certainly hope not,” Cody gibed. “What makes you say that?”

“I’m not laughin’ at you,” Will said. “I’m laughin’ because around here, our county sheriff is elected. Anybody can run. Most times, the fella what wins ain’t much of a lawman. We figure we’re lucky if he knows which end of a gun shoots and where to put the bullets.”

“How about the man who’s in office, now?”

“He’s kin to just about everybody so I can’t say.” Will continued to laugh softly. “We only got two police cars for this whole county. Last I heard, one of ’em was broke down. That tell ya what ya need to know?”

“Pretty much,” Cody answered, nodding thoughtfully. “Okay. Here’s what we’ll do. As soon as it starts to get dark, you come get me and help me find a place where I can hide and watch. Think you can do that?”

“Sure. But why ask me? Why not get Miss Trudy Lynn to help you? Be lots more fun.”

Cody ignored the other man’s knowing expression and conspiratorial wink. “Because I don’t want her to know what I’m doing. You’re not to tell her. Understand?”

“She’ll throw a hissy fit when she finds out.”

“Unless I spot a prowler, there’s no need for her to know anything about it. Ever.”

“There ain’t much about the Spring River Miz Brown don’t know. But I figure I owe you a favor after bustin’ in on you last night, so I’ll keep mum.”

“Thanks. See you at dusk.”

“Yeah. See ya.” Will started away, then paused and turned back to Cody. “That fella Ned I told you about? The one Miz Brown was figuring on marryin’ someday? He used to keep a lot of secrets. She didn’t like it.”

“This is for her own good,” Cody replied.

“Don’t matter. She still ain’t gonna like it. Not one little bit.”

Cody had let the old man help him to the river’s edge and settle him comfortably behind a fallen tree. Moonlight reflecting off his metal crutches had made them too noticeable in the dark so he’d sent them back to the cabin with his cohort. There would be no need to walk until Will returned for him in the morning, anyway.

Smoke from a distant campfire layered across the lowlands, bringing back childhood memories of his father showing him how to cook hot dogs and roast marshmallows over an open fire. He smiled. Dad’s love of the outdoors had certainly rubbed off on him, hadn’t it?

Suddenly, a twig snapped. Cody slowly turned his head in the direction of the noise. Instead of the vandal he’d expected, he saw Trudy Lynn. Judging by her direct course she knew exactly where he was hidden.

Her “Hi, there,” sounded far too cheerful for the circumstances.

“Get down before you blow my cover,” Cody ordered. “What are you doing here?”

“Bringing you hot chocolate. I made a whole thermosful. I brought an extra cup, too. Mind if I join you?”

“Yes, I mind. How did you find out where I was?”

“Don’t blame Will. I caught him putting your crutches back in the cabin. Even if he hadn’t told me what was going on, I’d have found you sooner or later. Will said I was better off sitting with you than poking through the bushes alone in the dark. Don’t you agree?”

“The only thing I agree about is how dangerous it is for you to be out here. Go home. Now.”

“You don’t have to yell.”

“I’m not yelling. I’m stating a firm opinion. There’s a difference.”

“Not in my book there isn’t.” She plopped down on the ground beside him and ducked her head below the level of the fallen oak. “This is my campground. I pretty much go where I want and do as I please.”

“Fine. Then catch your own vandal. I’m leaving.”

“Oh, yeah? How? If I remember right, your crutches are back in your cabin.”

“I’ll crawl.”

“Not on that sore knee, you won’t,” Trudy Lynn said.

Cody thought he saw a flash of sorrow in her eyes. When she immediately mellowed, he was certain of it.

“Look. I’ll go back soon if that’s what you want. Just have some hot chocolate with me first. Please?”

“If I do, you’ll go home?”

“Yes.”

“And stay there?”

“Cross my heart.”

Sighing in resignation, Cody said, “Okay. Pour. But no funny business. One cup and you’re on your way.”

“Absolutely.” She pulled a large thermos out of her pack and twisted off the lid. “I’ll leave the rest of this with you so you can warm up through the night. It gets pretty cold out here sometimes, depending on the season, of course. I see Will talked you into wearing a jacket. That’s good. I was afraid you’d be cold.”

Cody scowled. “Don’t you ever stop talking?”

“Not often.”

“Then I know why you never spotted your prowler. He could hear you long before he got close enough to see you.”

“Very funny.” Trudy Lynn made a silly face.

“And very true.” Cody waited till she’d poured herself a drink, then raised his cup to his lips. The liquid was scalding. “Ouch!”

“You don’t have to chug it down and burn yourself just to get rid of me faster.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Right.”

“You calling me a liar?”

“Of course not. I just think you have a skewed view of life, of what’s really important, that’s all.”

“For instance?” He took a more cautious sip.

Trudy Lynn blew on her hot chocolate and waited a few moments to answer. “Well, you might want to start by appreciating the good things. Didn’t it occur to you that you were spared for a reason when you were pitched into that river?”

“I was lucky, that’s all.”

“Okay. Let’s say you were lucky. Does that mean the man who drowned was unlucky?”

“I suppose so.” He saw her start to smile. “What’s so amusing now?”

“You are. Don’t you see? If it’s all a matter of luck, you just exonerated yourself. And if it isn’t, if God is in charge of life and death, the way I happen to believe, you still can’t take the blame.”

Cody huffed. “Fine. Does that mean I should blame God for my limp?”

“If you want to. He can take criticism.” She paused for another sip. “Later on, when enough time has passed that you can look at the whole situation objectively, maybe you’ll see that what happened was for the best.”

“I doubt it.”

Trudy Lynn’s smile was sweet and sympathetic when she said, “That’s okay, too.”

They sat in companionable silence till each had finished a second serving of cocoa. Stretching, Trudy Lynn zipped her empty cup back inside her pack.

“Well, guess I’d better keep my promise. You sure you’ll be all right if I leave you here?”

“I have a bad knee, I’m not unconscious. Of course I’ll be all right. Why wouldn’t I be?”

She had to admit he had a valid point. “You win. I’m going. But don’t blame me if you’re freezing by morning and wishing you were back in your nice, cozy cabin.”

“I promise to hold you blameless.”

Clearly, he was teasing—and enjoying every word. Well, so what? If their back-and-forth banter amused him, she’d pretend he was winning their contest of wits. She knew she could give as good as she got. Truth to tell, she was enjoying Cody’s wry sense of humor and the way his eyes twinkled when he was expecting a weird reaction to something he’d said or done.

If Cody wanted weird, she thought, he’d certainly come to the right person. More than one man had told her she was crazy, including her former fiancé. Thinking back on it, she was surprised to find the memory of Ned’s censure no longer made her sad. Her spirit soared. What a wonderful, unexpected gift!

“You look awfully happy. What’re you up to?” Cody asked.

“Just counting my blessings, like I told you to,” she said. “I—”

A crash behind them made Trudy Lynn jump. Her eyes widened. “What was that?”

“I don’t know. Hush.” Cody pushed her head down. “Stay out of sight.”

“Where did the sound come from?” she asked in a stage whisper.

“Down by the dock, I think.”

Holding her breath and listening, she winced when a second blow echoed. The crunching, brittle sound was all too familiar. “That’s one of my canoes!”

Cody hoisted himself up to peer over the top of the log. “Are you sure? I can’t see anything.”

“Positive. Fiberglass hulls always sound like that when they smash against a rock. Somebody’s breaking up a canoe.”

“Okay. Take a quick look. Can you make out who’s there? Maybe give the cops an idea of what to look for?”

On her knees, Trudy Lynn eased higher so she could peer over the horizontal trunk. Rough bark flaked off on her palms. It was no use. Even with the help of moonlight it was too dark to see details that far away. “No.”

She felt Cody’s hand on her arm as he said, “Then get back down here before they spot you.”

“If I can’t see them, they can’t see me,” she argued. “We have to get closer.”

“Absolutely not. We’re staying right here.”

“In a pig’s eye.” Without giving Cody a chance to talk her out of it, she vaulted over the fallen tree and started creeping, bent low, toward the sound of chaos.

“Wait!”

Trudy Lynn knew he was being sensible, but someone was tearing her life apart with every blow. She couldn’t merely stand by and let them. No, sir. Not when
she had a chance to intervene before too much more damage was done.

Near the rack of inverted canoes stood a bin filled with extra paddles. Trudy Lynn grabbed one in passing, hefted it like a batter stepping up to the plate, straightened and charged.

Cody heard her yell. His pulse had already been racing. When Trudy Lynn screeched as if she was either demented or under attack or both, he thought his heart would pound out of his chest. He’d never felt so helpless in his entire life.

Using his arm and chest muscles, he levered himself into a standing position. Deadwood littered the ground. Choosing a stout limb to use as a walking stick, he leaned on it and began to hobble toward the echoes of demolition and mayhem.