Red River: Red Crime Thriller Series, #4

By Tania Stephanson

A Spring flood threatens a small city. Random attacks on the sandbagging volunteers, strikes fear in those left standing. Kevin refuses to give up and waits for the man, who's responsible for putting his cousin in the hospital, to show his face. Meanwhile, suicides have become a regular occurrence, leaving the police baffled. A reporter, Elaina, is caught in the middle. She learns to trust her instincts both at work, and at home. In this fast-paced short story, characters are living in a wild race against time to protect homes from the flood, catch the attacker and resolve the string of suicides.

 

This is the fourth story in the Red Crime Thriller collection, leading us to story five, Red Secrets, which will be released in the fall of 2020. The first four stories can be ready in any sequence, but Red Secrets should be read last.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sable BooKnight
• Release date: Aug 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781777158378

Book preview

Red River

Tania Stephanson

Original Photograph by Ian Espinosa with Unsplash

Cover designed by Tania Stephanson

The names in this story are fictitious.

Any similarities are strictly coincidental.

Watch for more upcoming short stories!

Copyright remains with the writer and artist credited. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, including electronic or digital, without the permission of the writer or artist.

The Red Series

Red Leaves

Red Snow

Red Lies

Red River

Red Secrets

This series can be read in any sequence, except Red Secrets, which should be read last!

Table of Contents

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

About the Author

One

Elaina

ELAINA THOMPSON? THE female RCMP officer reaches out.

I shake her hand. Yes, you must be Officer Kris Stanton.

She nods.

Thanks for the call. Damn... flashing cherries are blinding this early in the morning. My stomach flutters as I lean over the railing of the Selkirk bridge; red and blue lights reflect off the dark, rushing water. A sliver of light-blue paint flakes off in my hand, while the scent of catfish wafts my way. Gross! Is this where the person jumped?

Two meters from here. I’d allow a closer look, but we’ve blocked off that section.

Gotcha. My first crime scene, and I can’t even get close enough. Water sure is getting high.

Apparently the Red River will crest this weekend. Sandbagging is in full swing.

Hopefully, it won’t be as bad as ninety-seven. On the east side of the river, where the concrete docks and monuments are, paramedics zip a body bag. Mind if I snap a few pics?

Go ahead, the body’s concealed. Stanton steps back.

Thanks. I take out my digital camera, remove the lens cap and zoom in on the action. I can’t believe they called me instead of someone at the Journal. Were there any witnesses?

On the record?

I glance over my shoulder with a smile. Preferably.

Stanton clears her throat.

One sec. Fumbling, I slip the camera back in the bag, pull out my cell phone and prepare the voice-recording app, then nod once ready.

Witnesses saw a silhouette running across the bridge when the man jumped. They could not account for the individual’s direction, as their concern for the man’s well-being took priority. They dialled nine-one-one and emergency crews responded but unfortunately, the man drowned.

That’s terrible. Have the RCMP identified the body yet?

Officer Stanton folds her arms across her chest. You know I can’t divulge that information. We have not contacted the family yet. All I can say is that he was in his thirties.

Jeepers, calm down lady, it was just a question. Noted, thanks. Are the RCMP tracking the missing person?

We have a small crew searching on the other side of the bridge, but without knowing which direction it’s difficult to take action at this point. We consider this individual a person of interest in this case.

If any further information develops...

We will update you.

Sure, you will. I turn off the app. "Thank you, Officer Stanton. One more