#Little pink houses driver

He raises his arms and shouts but he’s too far away. He should have covered the body with branches. Two large vultures are pecking at the torso, and one of them pulls out something long and stringy. Overhead, hundreds of gulls circle squawking loud enough to be heard over the din of the river and traffic. When Josh reaches the first spot where he has a view of the body there are crows everywhere, some hopping on and off the body or flapping their wings as they peck at one another. He asks Josh to lead the way, and the rest follow. He’s roughly the age Josh’s father would be now but he has several large scars on his left cheek. Three German Shepherds sit waiting with a handler next to the first police cruiser.Īn officer leaves the group and comes over and introduces himself as Constable Bishop. At least a dozen more uniformed men and women hurry out of vehicles and form a huddle near the front of the ambulance. Instead three cruisers, an ambulance, and two fire trucks converge from different directions.Ī paramedic steps down from the back of the ambulance and places another blanket around Josh. He expects one police car and an ambulance because the man is already dead. In less than five minutes, Josh hears the first sirens across the river and then along Louise Bridge. The man shrugs and gets back in his car and turns on the four-way flashers. Besides, he’s bound to ask a lot of questions. The prospect of having to make small talk with a stranger doesn’t appeal to him. Josh thanks him but says he’s not that cold. He’s the sort of man his mother says she prefers but never ends up with.Īfter the call, the man pops the trunk and retrieves a blanket and hands it to Josh and he wraps it around himself. His hands are manicured and not banged up like Floyd’s. “I found a body,” Josh says, and points to the river.

#Little pink houses driver

The driver is in his late thirties and has gelled hair. When he gets them done up, he runs to Memorial Drive and flags down the first car. He’s shaking from cold and can barely tie his shoes. He pulls his hand away and rubs his wet fingers on dry grass. Josh touches a leg and it feels like a water-filled balloon about to burst. The man’s feet and calves have swollen enough to split the heels of his cowboy boots. He drags the corpse out of the water and pulls it up the bank. He works the hand free, and the body almost gets away from him before he grabs the belt more securely. The corpse has rolled onto its side facing away, and he feels around under the water until he finds a hand wedged in the rocks. He looks back to shore hoping for help, but the path is deserted. He’s shivering and breathing quick, shallow breaths. He uses both hands and pulls harder but it still doesn’t give. The flesh swollen around the belt is waterlogged and squishy. He grabs the body by the belt and tugs forcefully, but it doesn’t budge. The water is bone chilling even through his clothing, and he has to fight the current more than he expects. He takes off his shoes and empties his pockets and goes in. He drops his cigarette into the river, and it’s instantly gone. He hurries to the river’s edge, where the fast moving water gurgles and rumbles like a tub as it finishes draining. He stands for a better view and sees a body wedged in rocks.Ī fresh surge of water causes the body to undulate in the current. Josh inhales several times and shifts his gaze from the middle of the river to the near bank and notices a pair of cowboy boots bobbing in one place despite the current. He strikes a match against his pant leg and cups his hand around the cigarette to light it, like his mother’s boyfriend Floyd does. Despite the risk of another detention, he stops on a steep grassy bank and takes out his pack of Export A. Floodwaters have receded but the path is washed out in places, forcing him to jump to higher ground. He’s late for school so takes a shortcut along the Bow River.