Just Under the Surface

Copyright 2021 by Kat Thomas

All rights reserved.

Cover design by Canva Kat Thomas

Book design by Kat Thomas

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Due to many thefts of online work This copyright notice will be there on every online posting from now on. I will also say I will take action on any person or company who posts my work without permission.

She took in the scene before her. This was not what she had thought of when they told her to come to the park to do a quick pick up. The lights from the police cars and the other first responders were almost blinding in the dark.

She had to walk away from them for a minute to focus on what she was there for. She couldn’t see what she had thought was going to be an easy pick-up. A gunshot. An overdose. She had to squint her eyes towards the water, which was where everyone was at. Then she saw it.

She had to shake her mind clear for a few seconds. A water body was never easy. It was never quick. They were the worst ones to have to get. She knew this was her turn, regardless. She squared her shoulders and grabbed her bag. The two assistants she had were unloading the gurney and the bags they would need when she was done getting what she needed.

“Sorry, doc.” One of the cops called out to her as she moved closer to the scene.

“For?” she asked as she smiled at the younger cop. “This is my job.”

“This isn’t pretty.” He said as he jogged over.

“Most death isn’t pretty; it seems. At least the ones I deal with.” She replied. She continued on to the scene and didn’t hear the conversation behind her.

“Such a beautiful woman.” One of the older single males said only loud enough for her not to hear. “A waste.”

“A waste?” one of the others asked.

“Look at where she is on a Friday night. I mean, she should be curled up sated beyond belief in someone’s bed.” The older man replied with a sigh.

“Keep dreaming about that, and she will probably cut you for the fun of it.” Another man said from behind him.

“She is an undeniable beauty that much is for sure, but guys really?” another said to the comments being made.

Sara knew they were talking about her. Though she didn’t hear the words, it was the same at every scene. They all said something when she was far enough away that she couldn’t hear them, and then they all stared for as long as she was there. It was like that everywhere, though for her.

Young and the only pathologist in three towns, she had to deal with these calls every few days. She was on call all the time because simply no one else was qualified to handle these calls. The pair of detectives she normally worked with were there on the edge of the pond, looking toward the body that was floating there.

“How long can a body possibly be in the middle of a pond, and no one notices?” one of them asked.

“The problem with that question is actually simple to answer.” She said with a smile.

“Oh really, this I have to hear, doc.” One of the detectives, Abersom, said.

“Well, it could be there for a few weeks before someone actually sees it.” She said. “Bodies have a normal tendency to go down, and then as the gases from decay set in, they become more buoyant, and then they float.” She said. “I do believe in this case with the weather finally warming up, but the water is still cold we may have a problem figuring out exactly when they were put into the water though.”

“You mean you might not be able to figure it out within an hour like you normally do?” he asked teasingly. “Come on, doc, you must be losing your touch.”

“Abersom, even I am not going to touch that one.” She said, laughing. “I have a computer that will help. The problem is, how are we going to go and get it?”

“That is your job.” The other detective said with a grin.

“I was afraid you guys were going to say that.” She said with a sigh. She looked toward the two assistants she had. “Go and get the waders.”

She could see the dread in their faces as they remembered that they would have to go into the cold water along with her. As they finally got everything prepped on the side of the pond, she was already in the wadders and her overall suit that was rubberized and was walking into the water. She had her floating bag trailing behind her as she carefully made her way to the body. She started to feel things brushing up next to her, and it didn’t seem like fish. It was a weird feeling. She looked back to the shore and held up her hand. “Don’t come in just yet.” She called out. “Get the lights.”

“The lights?” one of her techs asked because it was an odd request for her to make. “Why?”

“Just do it, please.” She called back as she was near the body. She could quickly see it had been in the water for a while. A few weeks at least. Though not decayed because of the cold water and the winter season, it did have the issue with the skin starting to slough off. She knew moving it was going to be an issue.

She took another step, and again it felt like something was grabbing on to her leg, and she moved away. She turned and saw her techs setting up the lighting system they had, and she looked at the body a little closer.

“See anything useful doc?” one of the detectives shouted at her.

“Been in the water for a while.” She yelled back.

“How do you know that?” Abersom asked loudly.

“The skin is coming off. They have been here a few weeks.” She yelled back.

“Lights coming on in three, two, one.” One of her techs yelled out, and then the blinding lights were there on the edge of the water. It took a second for everyone’s eyes to adjust. She was far enough away that it didn’t bother her.

As she felt another brush past her legs, she looked down, and for the first time on the job, she screamed. This had to be a nightmare. She knew it had to be. She closed her eyes and counted to ten and opened them again, and then looked down. It was still there. She turned and looked behind her. She wanted to scream again. She wanted out. She wanted to run. It took everything in her not to completely lose it. Now everyone was looking at her.

“Doc, you okay?” one of her techs asked still shocked she screamed.

“Tyler?” she called back.

“Yeah, doc?” he yelled out to her.

“Call everyone in,” she said. “Everyone needs to come in. Call the state Medical examiner and tell him to get his ass here.”

“Doc?” Tyler asked.

“Now, Tyler!” she screamed.

“Okay, doc.” He called out.

“Doc?” Abersom yelled out as he moved closer to the edge of the water. He looked at the water and then saw what she was in. “Holy crap. Doc get out of there.”

She started back slowly now. She could see what was brushing up against her. She was carefully not trying to touch anything. She moved slowly, and as soon as she got close enough to the shore, she was going faster. All she could see then was Abersom standing on the edge with his hand reached out to her. She reached out and grabbed it. He pulled her out of the water, and she went to move as she unlatched her wader overalls and moved out of them.

“Breathe, sweetheart.” He said softly as he walked with her. Other people were now going to the water to see what had caused that reaction that she had. It was something out of a horror movie once people’s eyes adjusted.

“I’m trying.” She said softly as she moved away from the lake. She was about ready to hit the ground. He reached out and pulled her closer to him.

“It is okay.” He said in a calming way. He was rubbing her back, and everyone took notice of the way the two were acting.

“Are they?” someone asked.

“No. He just saw what she did.” someone called out.

“Well, what the hell was it?” someone further back asked.

She looked up to him and knew he was just trying to calm her down. This was not how she wanted to look like she was completely a novice at her job. “I’m fine.” She said as she caught her breath.

“It is okay not to be fine.” He said. “I sure as hell wouldn’t be fine if I walked through that not only once but twice. Take your time.”

“There is no time.” She said as she swallowed really hard. “We need to drain the pond.”

“I know.” He said softly. “Tom is calling it in right now.”

“Okay.” She said as she looked back towards the water.

“I have to ask, though. How many were there?” he asked.

“Nineteen that I could see as I passed by. Abersom, they went to the other side of the water.” Sara said.

“Holy hell.” He said as he looked at her. “Take your time, sweetheart. I have a feeling it is going to be a long night.”

She looked back over the water, and she could see the shadows, and she knew what they were. She shook her head as she looked up at the man who has blocked her from view. “Thank you.”

“For?” he asked as he looked at her and then tucked, one of the strands of hair that came out of her bun, behind her ear.

“Helping get me out.” She said. “If I stayed in there, I was going to pass out.”

“No, you wouldn’t have.” He said softly, “You are too good for that, but I am sorry. Your workload just went sky high.”

“So did yours.” She smiled as he moved away from her as she was thinking better and had color in her face again.

“This is not the midnight stroll I hear about, is it?” he chuckled.

“Back to the edge of a pond that seems to be a dumping ground? No, this is not the romantic stroll your girlfriend wants.” She said.

“Who said anything about a girlfriend?” he said as he looked at her, “I was talking in general.”

“Sorry, I shouldn’t assume.” She said as she looked back to the water.

“As if any woman would want me.” He said softly.

“Well, then your man.” She said, and he laughed.

“Yeah, not one of those either.” he smiled.

“Then, I know that feeling.” She said as she looked at him.

“Except your completely wrong. Every one of those guys would jump through a ring of fire to take you out.” He said as he looked up.

“Yeah, that’s nice.” She said sarcastically. I don’t want one of them, She thought.