"He don't feel it now."

I controlled my mounting irritation as I said to Green, "I know you're eager to get started, and so am I. But I don't see any rescuers or police. I haven't seen the johnboat or the area of the river where the body is located."

I felt half a dozen pairs of eyes on me, and I scanned the eroded faces of what easily could have been a small band of pirates dressed for modern times. I was not invited into their secret club and was reminded of those early years when rudeness and isolation could still make me cry.

Green finally answered, "The police are inside using the phones. In the main building there, the one with the big anchor in front. The divers are probably in there too staying warm. The rescue squad is at a landing on the other side of the river where they've been waiting for you to get here.

And you might be interested in knowing that this same landing is where the police just found a truck and trailer they believe belonged to the deceased. If you follow me."

He began walking. "I'll show you the location you're interested in. I understand you plan on going in with the other divers."

"That's right." I walked with him along the pier.

"I sure as hell don't know what you expect to see."

"I learned long ago to have no expectations, Captain Green."

As we passed old, tired ships, I noticed many fine metal lines leading from them into the water. "What are those?" I asked.

"CPs-cathodic protectors," he answered. "They're electrically charged to reduce corrosion."

"I certainly hope someone has turned them off."

"An electrician's on the way. He'll turn off the whole pier."

"So the diver could have run into CPs. I doubt it would have been easy to see them."

"It wouldn't matter. The charge is very mild," he said as if anyone should know that. "It's like getting zapped with a nine-volt battery. CPs didn't kill him. You can already mark that one off your list."