Red Tide: The Flavel House Horror / Vampires of the Morgue (The Ian McDermott, Ph.D., Paranormal Investigator Series Book 2) by David Reuben Aslin Read Free Book Online Page A

suicidal depression. And now, even more important to Ian’s reclamation than delving into the deep end of his newly reinvented work, was his new companion, Scout. Besides companionship, Scout gave Ian something that he hadn’t even realized was missing in his life. Someone, or something, besides himself that he was responsible for taking care of every day, even when he might not care to take care of himself.
    “Okay boy, I’ve got a good idea. Let’s drive through that McDonald’s that I spotted when we first drove through town. We can eat our grub on the way up to that tower.” Scout, seeming to understand, stood up from his usual seated posture just for a moment, wagged his tail, and then settled back to his seated head-tall position in the passenger seat.
    Ian pulled up to the menu and microphone. A pre-recorded message came blaring at him with a clearer tone than most order-board speakers. “Hi, welcome to McDonald’s. Would you like to try our new limited-time, seasonal pumpkin McFlurry with your order today? Go ahead and order when you’re ready!” Those pre-recorded messages ending with, “go ahead and order when you’re ready,” always threw Ian. He never felt like there was a human standing by actually ready to take his order.
    “Uh … yeah, anyone there? Are you ready for my order?” Ian asked in a slow clear voice.
    “Yes sir. Go ahead and order when you’re ready.” Ian heard clearly the polite voice of an obviously young, female order taker.
    “Okay, hi … um … I’ll have a number three quarter pounder with cheese value meal with a medium orange High-C for the drink. Oh, and give me an extra quarter pounder with my order. Thanks.”
    After paying for and receiving his order, then subsequently leaving the McDonald’s parking lot, Ian reached into his bag of fast food and unwrapped a quarter pounder and handed it to Scout, who wolfed it down in about three seconds. “Wow, you were hungry, huh, boy.” After having taken care of Scout, Ian began eating his meal while driving. He kept his eyes peeled, looking for a sign. “There it is, boy. ‘To the Astoria Column.’ All right, here we go. Just like Officer Parker said. This is a piece of cake.”
    Upon arriving to the Astoria Column, that was located at the very top of the highest hill that overlooked all of Astoria. Ian instantly began marveling at the artwork that was etched and painted on the sides of the column. Which depicted aspects of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
    “It ended up near here, boy. Lewis and Clark, they finally made it to the Pacific Ocean just beyond Astoria. Just a short distance from here; I believe they built Fort Clatsop near the mouth of the Columbia on this side of the river near where it dumps into the ocean. This entire area’s riddled with the history of Lewis and Clark as well as World War I and II fortifications on each side of the mouth of the Columbia. Forts that housed enormous gun batteries built to protect the mouth of the Columbia against any enemy ships or submarines that might attempt to come up river and attack or even try and invade strategic deep water ports along the river like Astoria, Longview, and especially Portland. I think I read that the fort on the Washington side is Fort Columbia, and the one on the Oregon side of the river is Fort Stevens, which also has right there on the beach the remains of an old shipwreck, the Peter Iredale, I think it’s called. Nearby, there’s the Battery Russell, a famous old gun emplacement. Just some fun facts. Do you like history as much as me, boy?”
    Scout barked twice and began happily panting. Ian affectionately petted Scout from the top of his head, down his back with his right hand. There were only a few cars in the parking lot. None of them were gray Toyota Camrys. Ian decided to park his Jeep and take Officer Parker’s suggestion to climb to the top of the column.
    “Well, boy, now that you’ve had your history and geography lesson for