The Reservoir by Rosemarie Naramore Read Free Book Online Page B

sand,” she assured him, squeezing his hand, “whatever the heck that means,” she added ruefully.  She shook her head.  “Zack, is it possible that maybe the oar got caught in a current below the surface.  I’m thinking, since there is a creek flowing into the reservoir, you know, the Siouxon, maybe the icy cold water meeting the warmer waters creates a current, or an undertow or something.”
    “Have you ever felt anything like that before?”
    She shook he head again.  “Well, no, but then, I haven’t covered every inch of this reservoir either.  Mostly, we hang out down by the bridge, at the cove we went to earlier.”
    “Wish we’d stayed at that cove,” Zack muttered.  “If we had, Daniel wouldn’t be inside, possibly having a nervous breakdown.”  His jaw tightened at the prospect.  “God knows, I hope he’s okay.  He’s my best friend.”

Chapter Six
     
    Back in the cabin, Holly and Zack found Daniel crumpled in the recliner, wrapped in an old wool blanket. 
    “We made him take a shower since he was shivering,” Niqui told them.  “He hasn’t said a word since he got out.”
    “What took you guys so long getting back here?” Kendall asked Holly.  “We were getting worried.”
    “We had some things to do.”
    “Yeah, like make out in the truck,” Kendall muttered.
    Holly glanced up with alarm.  She opened her mouth to speak, but Zack clamped his hand over her arm and met her eyes.  She spied the almost imperceptible shake of his head.  It wasn’t time to talk about their budding relationship.  It was nobody’s business.  Besides, they had bigger fish to fry right now.
    Zack crossed the room to Daniel and knelt in front of him.  He reached a hand toward him and shook his shoulder.  “Daniel, look at me.”
    He refused to budge.  His friends prayed desperately that he wasn’t already locked in some sort of deluded, mental state—or on the verge of a breakdown.  Could he bring one on by willing it true?  Were his fears of developing mental illness a self-fulfilling prophesy?
    Zack spoke sternly this time.  “Daniel, look at me.  We have to talk about what happened out there.  Holly and I have some theories…”
    Daniel finally brought his face around slowly and met his friend’s eyes.  He didn’t speak, but at least Zack had his attention.  That had to be good.
    “Holly and I wonder if maybe you got caught up in a tree branch out there?”
    “What?” Daniel cried, struggling to sit upright and watching Zack through wounded, accusing eyes.  He knew they were doubting him.  Probably thought he was crazy.  Well, he wasn’t.  He knew that now.  He wasn’t crazy.  “Tree branch?  There wasn’t any flippin’ tree branch.  Didn’t you see her, Zack?” 
    Zack spread in hands in a gesture of frustrated apology.  No.  He hadn’t seen any girl.  There was no girl.  He refused to play into some ridiculous fantasy.  He and Holly had developed theories—very real possibilities as to what had happened on that lake.  Daniel was talking nonsense.  Daniel was talking crazy .
    Daniel saw the pity on his friend’s face.  He shook his head furiously and swiped at his eyes.  “It wasn’t a damn tree branch.  It was a girl!  She was staring at me.”  He shivered, and Kendall hurried to get him a second blanket off the bed.  She draped it over him, but he only shrugged it off. 
    “Daniel…” Holly said softly, moving to join Zack in front of their friend.
    Daniel saw the doubt in Holly’s eyes too.  “I saw her, damn it!  She was looking at me.  She was so sad.  She was so strong!” 
    Suddenly, his eyes widened and he leapt from the chair, nearly hitting Holly in the face with his knee.  Fortunately, Zack acted quickly and pulled her out of harm’s way.
    “Listen!” Daniel cried, but took his voice down several notches.  He spoke quietly, measured now.  He was in control of himself.  “She was so strong.”  His eyes