The Secrets of Lake Road

“They should be coming in off the water,” he said of the underwater recovery team. It was too risky for divers to search in the dark, particularly with the threat of a storm looming. But at the last minute there was activity on the boat and another diver went under.

Jo leaned farther out on the railing, the muscles in her neck and shoulders tightening as each second passed. She spotted her daughter at the lake’s edge, but it was Johnny who was foremost on her mind. She had watched as he attacked the water, diving down and popping up, covering as much area as he could in his efforts to find the girl in time. He moved through the water, graceful and fearless as if the lake was an extension of his body, a part of his flesh and bones. Sometimes, long after the summer had ended and they were settled in their home and in their lives, Johnny would breeze by in his nonchalant way, and she would catch the smell of the lake on his skin and in his hair. It was as if the lake lived inside of him, what was good, cool, and refreshing, but tangled with something dangerous, too.

Lightning lit up the blackening sky in a one-two flash. The sheriff’s deputies appeared and cleared the beach of stragglers, including Caroline, forcing them to seek shelter.

Eddie ran his hand down his face. “Lots of new renters this summer,” he said, and returned his gaze to the recovery boat, the visibility fading in the waning light.

“Why doesn’t anyone warn them? Why don’t they tell them about the dangers of swimming here?” she asked, thinking about the diver, wondering whether he could feel the temperature drop through the dry suit as he dove closer and closer to the bottom. He would start at the farthest point from the boat and systematically work his way back, sweeping the area with his hands into a center line and then outward, double searching each section at a time, kicking up silt, making it that much harder to navigate, searching blind.

“The signs are posted,” Eddie said. “And advertising three drownings in the last sixteen years wouldn’t be good for business.”

“Posting signs on the beach and in the Pavilion isn’t enough.”

“No matter what you do, it’s never enough.”

She supposed that could be true, but she would never accept that it was fair. Then again, what in life was ever fair?

After a long pause he added, “They found something. It’s the only reason they’d still be out there.”

She agreed.

The diver emerged and handed something to the three men on the boat. It was much too small for a body, even a child’s body.

The sheriff, Dave Borg, appeared on the beach. He stopped and talked to Heil. Heil nodded continually to whatever the sheriff was saying, rubbing his chin and appearing troubled about something.

Thunder continued to rumble. The men on the boat moved quickly. They looked to be securing their equipment, no doubt eager to get off the water. The wind picked up, bending the branches of trees and scattering leaves. The sheriff and Heil made their way onto the dock, waiting for the recovery team to come in.

“I’m going to find out what’s going on,” Eddie said. “Watch the bar.”

“Yeah, okay.” She turned around, but there was no one in the bar to watch.

She stood alone on the balcony. Thunder clapped. The recovery team reached the dock where the sheriff and Heil waited. From where she stood, she couldn’t tell what was passed to the sheriff, but it was definitely a bag, and she believed it contained whatever they had found on the lake bottom. One of the deputies charged onto the dock, taking orders and then dashing away, passing Eddie on the beach.

The recovery team finished securing their watercraft and rushed for cover from the storm that was quickly making its way over the mountain. Eddie met with the sheriff and Heil when they stepped off the dock. Heil was shaking his head, hiking his shorts over his expansive waistline. Thunder roared across the sky. The wind whirled, whipping Jo’s hair across her face.

The men were talking, arguing. Heil was waving his stumpy arms around. Eddie stood between them. He was hunched over, looking more and more uncomfortable as time passed, covering his stomach as though he’d been sucker-punched. Heil pointed at him and motioned toward the Pavilion and bar. A few more words were exchanged, the men shouting as the storm moved overhead. They hurried into the Pavilion. After another minute or two Eddie returned to the balcony.

“You’re never going to believe it.” He gripped the rail. The wind continued to howl. The first few drops of rain sprinkled her cheeks.

“Is it something from the little girl?” She had to holler over the wind.

“No.” He shook his head. “It’s got nothing to do with the girl.”

“Then what?” A bolt of lightning split the sky.

Eddie took ahold of her arm and pulled her off the balcony and into the bar just in time. The rain came pouring down, blowing sideways in the wind, hammering against the building. Thunder cracked. Something in Eddie’s eyes frightened her. “What is it? What did they find?”

“Bones,” he shouted. “They think they found Billy’s bones.”