***
After supper, Justin persuaded Henry into sharing the night’s adventure with him; and Henry was grateful for the company. In fact, he’d intended all along to take Justin with him. If some belligerent creature was in the water it’d be safer not to be alone, especially after seeing what had become of Sam Cutler’s boat.
Still, beneath it all, the notion some beast lurked in Crater Lake waiting to waylay and destroy the unwary was too ridiculous to take seriously. Going out on the water that night was Henry’s way of whistling in the dark. He couldn’t allow himself to be afraid of the unknown. A pragmatic man, he was merely tracking down whatever leads he could uncover because Sam Cutler was missing and had last been seen on the lake. No big deal. It was his job.
To keep Ann from worrying, he said they were going to do a little night fishing, which he often did in the warmer weather. He didn’t mention the Seabird’s fate. She’d find out sooner or later, and later would be better because he didn’t want it all over the newspaper yet.
He knew she suspected he was up to something, but being the good wife that she was, she didn’t question him further. Just gave him a hug and a kiss goodbye and told him to be careful.
***
Although Henry and Justin patrolled the lake most of the night, and the next two nights as well, they saw nothing unusual. Henry talked himself into believing there wasn’t anything strange in the water, and that Sam Cutler’s disappearance and boat wreck had another cause. He just had to discover what it was.
Time went by and nothing else happened. The lake, as the park, was eerily quiet.
Dinosaur Lake Page 13
