Read Online Death Canyon by David Riley Bertsch - Free Book Online

get over the nagging fear that his vehicle would not be waiting for him. Before he put in on any float, he asked himself the same few questions over and over again: Did I call the shuttle driver to make arrangements? Did I tell the driver the correct takeout? Did I put the keys in the gas cap? Did I leave money for the driver? Over and over again. A mild case of OCD, probably.
    Jake’s cell phone had died and he was anxious to get to thepolice station. For the first time in several years, his nerves caused him to have some difficulty backing the trailer down the boat ramp. When he finally maneuvered the trailer into place, he pulled the parking brake hard and got out.
    Then he pondered the traveling arrangements for the corpse. Should I tether the man to the boat in some way or put him in the car? He regretted not buying a pickup. If he had, he could put the body in the bed and avoid having to make the drive with a dead man as passenger.
    Jake decided that because of the rough surface of the long dirt road between the takeout and the highway, it would be best to put the man in the SUV somewhere. The trailer had no real suspension system to speak of, and he wanted to avoid damage to the corpse—for the man’s family and to preserve the body for evidence. The fact that he moved the body would irritate the police enough. He felt certain that either the police department or the man’s family would request an autopsy, given the circumstances.
    Too bad autopsies almost never provide the family with the answers they want . More often than not, they simply exposed unpleasant truths about the deceased. This was particularly true with this type of mysterious death. At best, the family might discover a hidden drug or alcohol problem. At worst, they might find out that he had killed himself. Death, anyway, was like an unreviewable play in sports—it may have been wrong and unfair, but there was simply no possible way to make it right. The decision would stand.
    When he slid the body into the hatchback of his vehicle, Jake noticed for the first time that the man’s ankles were bruised. Must’ve happened on the riverbed while trying to jam his feet into the rocks to get footing. Scary way to go.

5
JACKSON POLICE HEADQUARTERS. LATER THAT DAY.
    â€œTell me you have good news,” the chief said tiredly. It was midafternoon. The inside of the station had calmed considerably since the night before. Terrell ignored Jake’s outstretched hand. The chief and Jake knew each other well; they were both involved in the town’s tiny political community. Jake didn’t totally understand the snub but assumed it was related to the Old Teton Dairy Ranch proposal. Jake knew Terrell felt that what was good for the economy was good for the town.
    â€œWell, the best news I can offer is that I don’t recognize the dead guy I found this morning in the Snake. I don’t think he’s a local.”
    â€œDon’t pull my chain, Jake. Do you have any flippin’ idea what I have been dealing with for the last thirty-six hours?” The chief had barely avoided using profane language in front of a woman, his secretary. A cardinal rule of his.
    â€œSorry, Chief. He’s in my truck. Looks like a drowning. What happened here—rodeo parking overflowed again?” Jake could tell immediately that Terrell was in no mood to joke. He followed the chief, who walked briskly back toward his office.
    â€œYou really haven’t heard? Jesus, Jake. Two wilderness fatalities yesterday. It’s been chaos. You know this town as well as anyone. People are putting those Nepalese prayer flags up everywhere. Really freaking out. One vic was a well-liked local. A lot of answers are expected from us and the park service. Answers we don’t have. We’ve been running at full speed since the first accident.”
    â€œWhat happened?” Jake asked as the chief collapsed in the chair behind his