Lake Effect

by K C Gillis

  10

  Jordan’s alarm went off at seven a.m. Sitting flush on a wooden night table added an annoying vibration. Fortunately, Jordan was within an arm’s reach of her phone. She reached up and pushed a button to mute the sound and vibration. She felt no immediate need to do anything else, including getting out of bed. After a few minutes, she slowly rolled onto her side and looked at the time on her phone.

  Why did I agree to get the fish so early?

  Her phone showed a text message that had come after she’d fallen asleep. She held the phone close to her face and squinted, her eyes not fully open. The message was from Derek, asking if she could come at 8:30. That was welcome news in terms of potentially getting more sleep. Except that the time it took to read the message and respond was enough to wake her up.

  Jordan rolled onto her back, her hand with the phone lying out to her side. She closed her eyes and listened to the rain falling outside. She hadn’t checked the forecast, assuming it would be sunny since the previous day had ended with a clear sky.

  Jordan slid her feet off the side of the double bed, planting them on the floor. She slowly sat up, letting the blankets fall away as she yawned and stretched out her arms. She stood and went to the window, peeking out behind the curtains. Her eyes confirmed what her ears told her. It was raining. Not a big downpour. Probably just a small system passing by.

  She pulled open the curtain halfway, letting in enough light to be able to see around her room. Not that there was much to see. The room was maybe twenty feet by twelve feet, with two double beds, a small desk, a night table, and a TV stand with a flat-screen TV. Jordan walked around the room, looking for a coffee machine. There was none. That wouldn’t do. A refrigerator she could do without, but she needed coffee. Jordan didn’t function without it.

  She passed on a shower, settling instead on splashing some water on her face, running a brush through her hair, and brushing her teeth. Jordan stuffed her phone in her bag and headed to the front desk. She needed a coffee shop and didn’t expect to find a lot of options in this small town.

  To her surprise, there was a large coffee urn, presumably for guests, beside the front desk. The man at the desk smiled and said good morning, to which Jordan nodded. She grabbed a cup and opened the dispenser. Nothing. Her head fell forward in disappointment.

  I can’t believe that it’s fucking empty.

  “Is it empty?” the smiling front desk man asked.

  Jordan took a deep breath. Running out of coffee wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. “It is. I really need a coffee.”

  “Sorry about that. I’ll get another one brewing.”

  Jordan turned her head to face the man. “How long will that take?”

  “Oh, about ten minutes. Not long.”

  “Maybe not for you. Where can I find a place to buy a coffee and maybe some breakfast?”

  The man’s smile evaporated. “Well, there’s a little bakery on Main Street. But it won’t take long for me to brew some fresh coffee. Really.”

  “Sorry. I have things to do and need a coffee before I do them. Maybe there’ll be coffee tomorrow morning.”

  “I’ll make sure of it.”

  The rain was light but persistent. Jordan had a rain jacket in her trunk and put it on before getting in the car.

  Jordan focused on what she needed to get done. One issue she should have dealt with right away was promising something she wasn’t 100 percent certain she could deliver. Namely, getting the dead fish tested. She had a plan to get the testing done quietly, but the plan relied on getting help from someone. Specifically, it required Charlie’s help.

  Charlie had been instrumental in exposing GenPhage. Without him connecting with a doctor from Kenya and getting essential evidence from him, there would have been no story. Not to mention that Charlie had been kidnapped and would have been killed if he hadn’t smartly sent a copy of the evidence to Jordan.

  She and Charlie had kept in touch since the GenPhage story went down, but in the last couple of months, they had only exchanged the occasional text and email. Part of the reason was Jordan. Charlie was a good friend, but they had gone on a few dates in the past. Jordan knew he still harbored feelings for her. She didn’t want to lead him on, but she also didn’t want to distance him. It was a tough balance to try to maintain. Jordan’s typical approach with difficult situations was to avoid them.

  To be able to get the dead fish tested quickly and quietly, she needed Charlie’s help. Again. His job with the CDC gave him access to a network of medical and scientific resources, and Jordan knew he’d have a way to test animals for cause of death. The question was whether Charlie would be willing to get the fish tested while generating no meaningful record. At least until they knew what had killed the fish.

  Jordan knew Charlie to be an early riser, but she still felt uncomfortable calling so early in the day. She opted to send him a text, asking if he was free to chat. She waited a minute in case he read the message right away. No response. Jordan started the car and headed toward Main Street, coffee still her top priority.

  Main Street was quiet as Jordan parked in front of the bakery. It was on the small side, occupying a simple retail space in a long commercial building. There were four tables on the left side of the restaurant, with the main counter facing the door and the street. To the right were shelves and baskets containing an array of fresh-baked bread, pastries, and cookies. There was a table with coffee set up. It looked like there were two flavors, plus a decaf option.

  Jordan went to the counter and ordered a coffee and a bagel with cream cheese. She self-served her coffee while they prepared her bagel. She had some time to kill before 8:30, so she grabbed a seat at the furthermost table.

  She was halfway through eating the bagel when her phone buzzed, signaling the arrival of a text message. It was Charlie. He said he was free to talk. Jordan texted him back that she would call him in a few minutes from her car.

  Jordan wrapped up the half bagel for later, grabbed her coffee, and went to her car. She put the coffee in a cup holder, dialed Charlie’s number, and started the drive to Derek’s house.

  Charlie answered on the second ring. “Jordan, it’s been a while.”

  “I know. You can blame me. I’m not the best at keeping in touch.”

  “No need to explain. I figured your reporter stardom was keeping you occupied.”

  “I’m no star. It’s you and Travis who made that possible. You know that.”

  “I’m glad I could help. But it would have been nice to avoid the kidnapping part.”

  “Yeah, I’m not sure how to make that up to you.”

  “I’ll let you know. So, what’s up?”

  “I’m sure you can take a guess.”

  “I’d guess you need my scientific expertise or my CDC connections.”

  “Pretty much. This time, I need help with some dead dish.”

  “Dead fish? You know I’m an MD and not a vet, right?”

  “Of course, dumb ass. But I’m at a lake where hundreds of fish died for no obvious reason. The local authorities dismissed the incident and even got rid of the fish, so no one knows how they died. But the guy who found them kept two. We want to know what killed them. That’s where I need your help.”

  Jordan paused as a strong sense of déjà vu set in. She wondered if she’d ever be able to find solutions to her problems without roping her friends into helping.

  “Let me make sure I understand. You have a lot of fish that died with no obvious cause of death. And you need someone like me to get the fish examined to determine what killed them. And I bet you want this done under the radar?”

  “That’s it.”

  “You know I can’t misuse government resources. That could cost me my job. I could get some testing done, but there’s some risk for me to do so. If there were a legitimate request from the authorities to do this, it would be an easy decision. But if the local authorities—and here, I’m assuming the police—don’t have any conce
rns, then there’s not much I can do officially.”

  “I know all that, Charlie. But you know I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think something was wrong in this scenario. There’s nothing obvious that can account for this. And the local police chief brushed it under the carpet. It doesn’t add up.”

  “I know you think it’s important, and I trust you. But the best way to figure out what happened is to convince the police to request support. It might not be from the CDC, but I could help make connections if needed.”

  “That’ll take too long. If there’s something wrong with this lake, we need to know sooner rather than later. It’s peak season, and there’re many people up here.”

  “Still not enough justification for the risk. I think the official route is best here.”

  It disappointed Jordan that Charlie wasn’t immediately agreeing to help. She couldn’t fault him. If he felt there was a good reason to bend the rules, he would. He just wasn’t convinced yet. She racked her brain for something to move Charlie from no to yes. She remembered what had hooked her. The pictures. Once she saw them, she knew the fish had been sick. And she was far from being a scientific expert.

  “OK. I get it. But can I ask you to do one thing?”

  “Sure, fire away.”

  “Look at the pictures I have of the fish. If you see the pictures and still think there’s nothing that warrants finding out the cause of death, then I’m good. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  “Thanks. I’ll send you the pictures as soon as we hang up.”

  “Will do. When do you need to know?”

  “Well, I’m actually on my way to collect a dead fish from a freezer, so soon would be good.”

  “Damn, Jordan. You are the queen of pressure tactics.”

  “What can I say. I need results.”

  “You always do. Give me an hour to get to the pictures.”

  “Thanks, Charlie. As always, you’re a lifesaver.”

  11

  Despite the lack of a clear solution, Jordan felt more comfortable having connected with Charlie before seeing Derek. She would at least be able to tell him things were in motion with a straight face. That would minimize any guilt she might have felt for guaranteeing she could get the fish tested. She’d deal with Charlie not agreeing to help if she had to. She hoped that wouldn’t be the case.

  Jordan headed to Derek’s house, the light rain dissipating. The Foster property was at the end of a short dirt road, maybe four miles from the marina. The property appeared to be large, at least from the perspective of someone who lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Boston. A lawn occupied at least an acre, with a field on both sides and forest behind the house. The grass was long and needed some maintenance. Neither Derek nor the chief looked heavily invested in having a great-looking lawn. The house was a modest Colonial-style home, typical of New England. Jordan figured it had been built in the 1970s, so the Fosters probably weren’t the original owners. The white-painted shingles were significantly faded, and the roofing looked worn, with patches of moss.

  As Jordan pulled into the driveway, she saw three vehicles. Two were pickup trucks. One was blue with wakeboards sticking out of the back. Definitely Derek’s. The other was black with a cap on the back. Both were Ford F-150 models. The third vehicle was the chief’s police vehicle. A black Explorer. Jordan hadn’t considered running into the chief.

  Jordan stopped halfway down the driveway, both hands on the steering wheel, contemplating if she should continue. The cold welcome from the chief yesterday, paired with what she’d seen last night, made her not in any hurry to see him again anytime soon.

  Before she could decide what to do, the chief came out through the garage. He saw her vehicle and stood still, watching Jordan’s indecision. She had no choice but to continue. She parked so as not to block the Explorer.

  Jordan leaned over to her glove box, pretending to look for something before getting out of the car, hoping the chief would ignore her arrival. She glanced up. The chief hadn’t moved. Jordan continued her charade, but after another minute, it was clear the chief was waiting for her to get out of her car.

  Jordan glanced sideways, hoping the chief would have decided to ignore her. He hadn’t. He was standing in front of Jordan’s car, arms crossed, still waiting for her to get out.

  Oh hell. What did I do to deserve this?

  Jordan slowly opened her door and got out, putting her backpack over her shoulder. She tried to sound pleasant. “Good morning, Chief. I guess you’re off to work?”

  The chief stepped toward Jordan. “I am.” He stared directly at her. “What brings you to my home?”

  The way he said “my home” told Jordan the chief viewed her visit as unwanted. She couldn’t for the life of her figure out why he was so unpleasant. Telling him the truth wasn’t an option. She selected a lie she hoped was believable. “Derek was going to show me more of the lake today. With the rain, I figured I’d stop by first. If he wanted to wait until the rain stopped and go out later, I’d go explore the area.”

  The chief scratched at his jaw with his right hand. “Is that so? What do you mean by ‘more of the lake’? Did he already take you out?”

  Shit. I shouldn’t have said that.

  Jordan felt momentarily frozen, at a loss for a reply. The chief didn’t miss a thing. How could she explain why and where Derek had taken her without arousing suspicion? What if Derek had already told him that they hadn’t gone out on the lake and the chief was testing her? The few seconds of indecision seemed like hours.

  Before she had a chance to respond, Derek emerged from the garage and saved her.

  “Jesus, Dad, enough with the third degree. Save the grilling for the criminals and not the guests and customers who keep the town alive. Maybe you should go find your old buddy Punch and see what he’s been up to. I’m sure he’s done something you should question him about.”

  The chief’s face contorted in frustration. “When someone I don’t know comes to my home, I ask them why.”

  Derek took up a position standing closer to Jordan than to the chief. “Fine. But she’s here to see me. Nothing we need the police for.”

  The chief turned and headed toward his car. “I’m going to be out on the lake for a while. Looking for the missing driver of that black boat. I also have some other things to run down today, so I’ll be back late.” With that, he was gone.

  “Sorry about that, Jordan,” Derek said. “He’s been a real jerk since my mom left him a couple of years back. He hasn’t gotten over it. Probably never will.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Sorry about your mom, though. It must be tough.”

  “It was the best thing for her. Dad is pretty hard to deal with on a good day. She needed to get away from him. Now that she has, we actually get along better. Dad just needs to move on.”

  “Speaking of moving on, how about I take one of those fish?”

  “Sure. Do you think you’ll still be able to get it tested?”

  Jordan had expected Derek to ask again. “I’ve already reached out to my contact. He should get back to me later this morning.” Jordan congratulated herself on using a true statement that hid the fact that her plan may still fall apart.

  “Have you thought about how you’re going to get the fish to your contact?”

  Jordan hadn’t specifically thought about that at all. “Not really. I figured I’d just overnight it.”

  Derek smiled. “Sure. But it’s a dead fish. It has to stay frozen. You can’t just stick it in a box.”

  Jordan glared at him mildly. “I’ll figure it out. I’m sure I won’t be the first person to have to ship something frozen.”

  “Relax. I’ve got you covered. Come in the garage.”

  Jordan followed Derek and stopped as he picked up a box.

  “I took the liberty of packing it for you. The fish is frozen, packed with ice in a couple of two-gallon ziplock bags. The box is insulated. The fish should stay frozen for at least a day. So you have t
o get it shipped this morning.”

  “That’s what I planned.”

  Assuming Charlie says yes.

  “The closest UPS Store is about twenty miles away. You probably drove by it on your way up here. I think they open at ten, so you can get there by the time they open.”

  “Yeah, I remember seeing one. I guess I’ll hit the road. Good thing I grabbed a bagel earlier. Are you heading in to the marina?”

  “Not yet, my shift starts at noon. I’m going to watch some TV. I’m finally watching Game of Thrones, so I’m going to power through a couple of episodes.”

  “Sounds like a good rainy-morning activity.” Jordan picked up the box. “Shit, this is heavy. What did you put in here?”

  “Mostly ice. Don’t drop it,” Derek said with a grin.

  “It’s not like I can kill it again. What about the other fish? Are you going to keep it here?”

  Before Derek could answer, Jordan heard a phone ring. “Is that you or me?”

  “Me.” Derek pulled his phone out of a pocket. “It’s Mike. I better take it.”

  Jordan could only hear Derek’s side of the conversation, but it was enough to know something was wrong at the marina. She couldn’t discern what exactly, but it had to do with the dock.

  Derek ended the call saying he would be right there. “No Game of Thrones for me. Looks like a section of the dock somehow got loose and partially drifted away. Mike said there’s still one tether holding it from taking off completely, but it could break if the wind picks up. We’ve got to get it back in place.”

  Jordan turned to face him. “Another incident at the marina? That’s kind of odd. How often are there accidents?”

  “Hardly ever. I don’t think we had anything worse than a fall or a guy damaging his own boat in the last two years.”

  “So you think it’s strange as well?”

  “Strange? Nah. Just bad luck. Not everything is a conspiracy, Miss Reporter.”

  “I know that. But two strange accidents within twelve hours. Feels like more than bad luck to me. I’ll talk to you later.” Jordan put the boxed dead fish in her trunk and left.