Read Online Secrets in the Lowcountry--The River by Janet Cooper - Free Book Online Page B

intended to explore. H e grabbed his hat and headed off to w ard the dock. On his w ay, he touched base w ith DNR to tell them his plans. Half w ay t o the boat, Taylor intercepted him.
    “ W here are you going?”
    “To see if I can find him.”
    “I’m coming w ith you. ”
    “Taylor, you r dad need s you. ”
    “Jeff, w ith everyone except Sara and Tim off being spotters and Mary a vailable to help Dad, I’m as much use as a mosquito at a garden party.”
    “ W hat a terrible thought. Certainly never in th e Lo w country. ”
    She slapped his arm , giving a w an smiled . “Getting back to w hy I must escape. Mom and Dad’s … will s have detailed instructions about , ” Again, she stopped, “everything. Mary will decide w hat to serve at the reception after … ” She shook her head fiercely, as if shaking it w ould change the situation. “ And Dad will agree. Besides, Mary seldom let s me in the kitchen. She’s organized Dad and me since … ” Again, her voice hesitated, “Mom left.”
    Jeff w anted to crush her in his arms, but said, “And your horses?”
    “ W hen I arrived at the stable, I sa w that Jean and the volunteers for Horseback Heroes have everything under control. Since my … honeymoon sta rted today , I’d arrange d for them to handle the group. ” She stared at him as if in disbelief. “ Today , w e w ere flying to … ” She sniffed.
    Jeff took her into his arms and held her gently. He pulled tissues from his pocket and dabb ed her moist eyes. “ W e’ll find him,” he said putting as much confidence in his tone as possible.
    Pushing him a w ay w ith her hands, she said, “ If I stay here, I’ll drive myself and everyone around me nuts.”
    Remembering ho w little patience Taylor had and ho w much she preferred to be in control, Jeff in w ardly surrendered.
    “ Y ou gas up the skiff . I’ll grab a couple of w ater bottles and a fe w snacks, then tell Dad and Mary w e’re leaving. I’ll meet you at the dock.”
    As he suspected, w ithout w aiting for his acceptance, she dashed a w ay.
    * ~ *
    After telling Mary and her dad about their plans, she hurried back to the dock. Of all her friends only Jeff remained constant, she thought. She couldn’t expect her other friends to share her grief, bu t she felt sure that Jeff did. The three of them started hanging out together from the first day Rod had joined them in school. She participated as an equal in all their games, except football. The inseparable three, u ntil eleventh grade , th en she started dating Rod.
    “ Will you cast off the lines? After our last outing, I decided the safest place for me w as in the boat behind the w heel , not untying ,” Jeff teased her.
    “Aye, aye, captain. Y our mate hea rs you.” She quickly un - cleate d the lines and stepped aboard. “ W here to you intend to go?”
    “Remember the spot on the river, near the mound of o ysters that has a sandy beach?
    “I’m not sure. W hy?” she asked , as she coiled the lines .
    “The place is n ear Brays Creek. Years ago Rod and I fished and s w am there. ” 
    He held the w heel loosely. She’ d forgott en w hat large hands’ Jeff had. His palms almost encircled the pla stic w heel, w hile his fingers tapped on the t opside of the console to a tune obviously inside his head. He reeked of control , not of others , but of himself. A trait she’d al w ays admire. As the tips of his hands beat out time to the silent song, she recalled he used internal music to help him concentrate. For some strange reason, this gave her confidence in their success.
    Suddenly, Jeff chuckled.
    She shift ed her eyes and stared at him. “ W hat’s funny?”
    “I remembered w hy you don’t kno w about this place. Rod and I decided w e required a secret place that y ou didn’t kno w anything about. One of us found the spot, can’t remember w hich one. W e decided this w ould be our ‘club house’ only w ithout a building. Actually, w e did construct a flimsy