Down River Read Online Free

angry words. It’s the way people were: quick to judge and long to remember.
    “Did they find Faith?” I asked.
    “He ran before the deputies arrived, but they found the other two. I’m surprised you didn’t see them at the hospital.”
    “Are they under arrest?”
    Robin looked sideways at me. “All the deputies found were three men lying in the parking lot. You’ll have to swear out a warrant if you want somebody arrested.”
    “Great. That’s great. And the damage done to my car?”
    “Same thing.”
    “Perfect.”
    I watched Robin as she drove. She’d aged, but still looked good. There was no ring on her finger, which saddened me. If she was alone in this world, part of it was my fault. “What the hell was that all about anyway? I knew I’d have a target on my back, but I didn’t expect to get jumped the first day back in town.”
    “You’re kidding, right?”
    “No. That old bastard has always been mean-spirited, but it’s like he was looking for an excuse.”
    “He probably was.”
    “I haven’t seen him in years. His son and I are friends.”
    She laughed bitterly, and shook her head. “I tend to forget that there’s a world outside of Rowan County. No reason for you to know, I guess. But it’s been the deal around here for months. The power company. Your father. It’s torn the town in two.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    “The state is growing. The power company plans to build a new nuclear facility to compensate. They’re looking at numerous sites, but Rowan County is the first choice. They need the water, so it has to be on the river. It would take a thousand acres, and everybody else has agreed to sell. But they need a big chunk of Red Water Farm to make it work. Four or five hundred acres, I think. They’ve offered five times what it’s worth, but he won’t sell. Half the town loves him. Half the town hates him. If he holds out, the power company will pull the plug and move on to some other place.”
    She shrugged. “People are getting laid off. Plants are closing. It’s a billion-dollar facility. Your father is standing in the way.”
    “You sound like you want the plant to come.”
    “I work for the city. It’s hard to ignore the possible benefits.”
    “And Zebulon Faith?”
    “He owns thirty acres on the river. That’s seven figures if the deal goes through. He’s been vocal. Things have gotten ugly. People are angry, and it’s not just the jobs or the tax base. It’s big business. Concrete companies. Grading contractors. Builders. There’s a lot of money to be made and people are getting desperate. Your father is a rich man. Most people think he’s being selfish.”
    I pictured my father. “He won’t sell.”
    “The money will get bigger. The pressure, too. A lot of folks are leaning on him.”
    “You said that it’s gotten ugly. How ugly?”
    “Most of it is harmless. Editorials in the paper. Harsh words. But there have been some threats, some vandalism. Somebody shot up some cattle one night. Outbuildings were burned. You’re the first one to get hurt.”
    “Other than the cows.”
    “It’s just background noise, Adam. It’ll work out soon, one way or another.”
    “What kind of threats?” I asked.
    “Late-night phone calls. Some letters.”
    “You’ve seen them?”
    She nodded. “They’re pretty graphic.”
    “Could Zebulon Faith be behind any of it?”
    “He leveraged himself to buy additional acreage. I’m thinking that he needs that money pretty badly.” She cut her eyes my way. “I’ve often wondered if Danny might not be involved. The windfall would be enormous and he doesn’t exactly have a clean record.”
    “No way,” I said.
    “Seven figures. That’s a lot of money, even for people that have money.” I looked out the window. “Danny Faith,” she said, “does not have money.”
    “You’re wrong,” I said.
    She had to be.
    “You walked out on
him
, too, Adam. Five years. No word. Loyalty only goes so far when that