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Back Low Country Save as PDF
Chapters (25)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. CHAPTER 1
  4. CHAPTER 2
  5. CHAPTER 3
  6. CHAPTER 4
  7. CHAPTER 5
  8. CHAPTER 6
  9. CHAPTER 7
  10. CHAPTER 8
  11. CHAPTER 9
  12. CHAPTER 10
  13. CHAPTER 11
  14. CHAPTER 12
  15. CHAPTER 13
  16. CHAPTER 14
  17. CHAPTER 15
  18. CHAPTER 16
  19. CHAPTER 17
  20. CHAPTER 18
  21. CHAPTER 19
  22. CHAPTER 20
  23. CHAPTER 21
  24. CHAPTER 22
  25. CHAPTER 23

At the far side of the bridge I turned around and raced back to the other end. Pulling to the shoulder of the road, I punched on the emergency flashers, grabbed a flashlight from the glove box, jumped out of the car, and ran out on to the bridge. I cast the light out across the black water of the swampy creek. The glare of the light found the truck lying on its left side, the water almost to the level of the passenger door. I shined the light on the water around the truck and saw a head bob up. The face turned toward me, the eyes wild and scared. At least one of my attackers was alive.

“Where’s the other one?” I called. Fully expecting an “I don’t know” or “He’s dead.”

Before the man in the water could answer, another voice called from the darkness, “I’m over here—behind the truck.”

I played the light on the truck again and saw another head on the far side of the cab. He had his hands on the edge of the cab and was just lifting himself above the surface of the water.

“Can you boys swim?” I called.

“Yeah,” came one reply. The other said, “This water’s cold.”

“Well, come to the light. But if I see that shotgun again, it’s me will do the shooting this time. And at this very minute, I ain’t feeling so pleasantly disposed with you two.”

I shined the light on my pistol so they could see it pointed in their direction.

“Don’t shoot, mister—I think I’m hurt pretty bad,” said the man at the truck.

“We comin’ out, mister. Just don’t shoot. ’Sides, we was only foolin’ around. We didn’t mean no real harm,” lied the other one as he floundered in the water.

“Yeah? Well, I was only playing, too, but not anymore. Give me the slightest reason, and I’ll shoot you both where you are and leave you for the crawfish. Now, you—the one out there in the water—come help your buddy. I ain’t about to get my feet wet for the sorry likes of you two dumb-asses.”

I walked to the end of the bridge and stepped carefully down the low embankment to the water’s edge. Placing the flashlight on the ground, I let the beam shine across the surface of the water to show them the way to safety. Then I dialed 911 and gave the dispatcher the gist of the situation and an approximate location. After that, I called Patricia to let her know she could find me at the Liberty County jail. About the time the two swimmers made it to the bank, sirens were howling in the distance and coming on fast.

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 19

“BOY, TANNER, YOU SURE HAVE A knack for losing car windows, don’t you?” Patricia chuckled when she saw my Chevy.