What the water gave up

More of Andrew’s Story…

“Did you see the news this morning?”

Nori’s sister, Paula, puttered around the living room, fluffing couch pillows and rearranging knick-knacks on Nori’s book shelves.

Rolling her eyes, Nori took note of what to replace once her visitor left.

“No,” Nori said, “I went out to the jetty to clear my head.”

“I don’t know why you go there,” Paula said, shuddering with unconcealed distaste. “I hate those nasty seagulls.”

Nori sighed. “I know you do. What was on the news?”

“Oh yeah, the county cops pulled an old car out of Carson Lake,” Paula blew the dust off the top of Nori’s TV. “There was a body inside.”

Paula paused for dramatic effect, wiggling her eyebrows at her sister.

“Oh – kay,” Nori said. “Why is that important to me?”

Shrugging, Paula waited to answer.

“Paula, I don’t have time for 20 questions.”

“Fine,” Paula swept in close, pulling Nori down on the couch. “They say that the body could be Andrew Ransom.”

Covering her mouth, Paula was a little too giddy for Nori’s comfort.

“Has there been a definite ID on the body?” Nori flashed back to her earlier walk at the jetty and seeing someone she was certain was Ransom, and who certainly was not dead.

“They’ve determined the car belonged to him, and that the body inside matches his, how did they word it? The body matched his ‘body type and relative age.’ There were also some identifying effects, like jewelry and his wallet.”

“It’s been so long,” Nori said. “How did they come to find the car now?”

“The article said something about an anonymous tip,” Paula said, rubbing her hands together. “They said Cause of Death was a gunshot wound to the head.”

“You’ve been watching too many crime shows on TV.” Nori pushed off the couch.

“You know, this could mean that Drew wasn’t responsible for Ash’s death after all.” Paula wagged a finger at her sister. “The whole family could have been killed around the same time.”

“Not the whole family,” Nori said. “Ash’s mother and step-dad are still alive.”

Paula nodded.

“That’s right,” she said. “That’s not suspicious. Where are you going?”

Nori grabbed her purse and keys, and headed out the front door, yelling over her shoulder.

“I’ve got to see a man about a key.”