John A. Heldt - River Rising

RIVER RISING

A novel by

John A. Heldt

Copyright 2017 by John A. Heldt

Edited by Aaron Yost

Cover art by LLPix Designs

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the author, with the exception of brief quotes used in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

NOVELS BY JOHN A. HELDT

Northwest Passage Series

The Mine

The Journey

The Show

The Fire

The Mirror

American Journey Series

September Sky

Mercer Street

Indiana Belle

Class of '59

Hannah's Moon

Carson Chronicles Series

River Rising

Boxed Sets

Northwest Passage: The First Three Novels

American Journey: The First Three Novels

Audiobooks

The Mine

The Journey

The Show

The Fire

The Mirror

September Sky

Mercer Street

Indiana Belle

Class of '59

Hannah's Moon

River Rising

Follow John A. Heldt online at:

johnheldt.blogspot.com

To Mom and Dad

First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity. George Bernard Shaw

My boyhood home was crushed like an eggshell. Victor Heiser, flood survivor

Strangers are just family you have yet to come to know. Mitch Albom

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: ADAM

Flagstaff, Arizona Friday, December 1, 2017

Adam stared out the window of the attorney's office and watched with amusement and sadness as a woman across the street tried to transfer several boxes from her shopping cart to her car. He was amused because he knew the woman would never succeed in cramming all of her gift-wrapped purchases into her tiny trunk. He was sad because her struggle reminded him of the Christmas to come, a holiday he did not want to face.

He gazed at the woman a little longer, as she placed a few big boxes on the laps of two children in the back seat, and then turned away from the window. He barely had a chance to settle into his comfortable chair, which faced the attorney's desk, when the man who had invited him to his office returned to the room, closed the door, and took a seat.

"Thanks for your patience," Toby Benson said. "I had to take care of a few things before the receptionist left at five. This has been a busy day."

"I believe it," Adam replied. "Just be glad shoppers aren't roaming the streets for legal services. You'd have to hire security."

Toby chuckled.

"What makes you think we haven't?"

Adam smiled.

"Nothing, I guess."

Toby, a plump, balding man of sixty who had managed the Carson family's legal affairs for thirty years, smiled and brought his hands together atop his ornate rosewood desk. He gazed at his twenty-seven-year-old client for a moment before resuming their conversation in a serious, more thoughtful voice.

"How are you holding up, son?"

"I'm doing all right," Adam said. "Today was better than yesterday. I suppose tomorrow will be better than today."

"How about the others?" Toby asked. "How are they doing?"

"Natalie and Greg are doing OK. At least they tell me they are doing OK. I'm not so sure about Cody. When he's not getting into fights at school, he's keeping to himself."

"What about Caitlin?"

"She cries a lot," Adam said. "She cried every day last week, even after Natalie and Greg came up from Phoenix. Thanksgiving wasn't so hot this year."

Toby frowned.

"I can imagine."

Adam wondered if he could. He wondered if anyone could imagine a family gathering in the wake of something as awful and inexplicable as the mysterious disappearance of Tim and Caroline Carson on September 22.

"What's this all about?" Adam asked. "Why did you ask to see me?"

"I have something for you."

"Oh? What is it?"

"It's an envelope," Toby said. "It's a sealed manila envelope your folks gave me in June. They asked me to give it to you in the event that they died."

"We don't know that they died."

"You're right. We don't. That's why I hesitated to call you this morning. I don't want to make any assumptions that may be upsetting, but I also don't want to sit on something I'm certain your parents would have wanted you to have several weeks ago."

"Where is this envelope?" Adam asked.

"It's in my desk."

Toby pushed his chair back and pulled open the desk's center drawer. Then he retrieved a standard nine-by-twelve manila envelope and slid the item forward.

Adam grabbed the unmarked envelope, gave it a quick inspection, and placed it back on the desk. He looked at the lawyer with puzzled eyes.

"What's inside?"

"I don't know," Toby said. "All I know is that it's not their will or at least not the will we drafted two years ago. That's filed away in another room."

Adam stared at the attorney.

"They came here in June?"

Toby nodded.

"They came here bright and early on the first day of summer. I remember that much. They gave me that envelope, said their piece, and left for a day trip to Sedona. I don't think we spoke for more than ten minutes."

"Did they give you anything else?"

"No."

"Did they tell you anything else?"

"If they did, it wasn't important."

Adam sighed.

"You must remember something. What about their demeanor that day? Did they seem their usual selves? Did they seem nervous or uneasy?"

"Your mother did," Toby said.

"How so?"

"She fidgeted a lot. Unlike your father, who was very composed, she squirmed in her chair and tapped her fingers on her knee. I had never seen her so restless. I suspect she was the reluctant partner in whatever scheme the two of them had cooked up."

Adam closed his eyes. He tried to imagine his prudent, ethical, law-abiding parents engaging in a dangerous or illegal activity, but he could not. He opened his eyes, looked at the lawyer, and then reached for the envelope.

"I should open this."

Toby placed his hand on the envelope.

"I think you should wait."

"Why?" Adam asked. "Don't you want to see what's inside?"

Toby took a deep breath.

"What I want is not important. What your parents wanted is."

"I don't follow."

"Your folks were clear about this. They wanted you to view and consider the contents of that envelope before anyone else. Honor their wishes, Adam. If you want to share anything with me at a later date, then give me a call. I'll advise you as best I can."

Adam retrieved the envelope, rose from his chair, and met Toby near the side of the desk. He smiled sadly at his godfather and shook his hand.

"I'll call if I need guidance."

"Please do," Toby said. He walked with Adam across his large office, opened the door to the hallway, and spoke one last time before releasing his client. "Adam?"

'Yeah?"

"There is one more thing."

"Oh?" Adam asked. "What's that?"

"When you do open that envelope and examine what's inside, keep an open mind. Keep an open mind through the entire process."

"Why?"

Toby smiled sadly.

"I think you'll find it helps. I suspect the contents of that package might be troubling, perhaps even infuriating. Your parents apparently had secrets they did not want to share with others while they were alive, but that does not make them bad people. Don't be quick to judge. Get all the facts before drawing any conclusions."

Adam looked at Toby thoughtfully.

"I'll do my best."

CHAPTER 2: ADAM

Adam did not open the envelope when he returned to his family's five-bedroom home in Flagstaff's upscale University Highlands neighborhood. He instead fixed dinner for Cody and Caitlin, sent them off to a high school basketball game, and spent the next hour trying to decide what to do with his new acquisition.