The Water Keeper

The Prologue is an excerpt from the final book in a fictional series within the world of the novel. Both the hero of the series and the author are named David Bishop, which is later revealed to be the real name of Murphy “Murph” Shepherd—The Water Keeper’s protagonist.

Bishop captains his boat across the Atlantic Ocean. He heads toward a luxury yacht that is burning and on the verge of exploding. He pulls his boat up onto the yacht’s deck and then begins frantically searching for several kidnapped girls.

Bishop finds his partner, Fingers, who has been shot. He then goes to the bow of the boat, which is submerged. He swims through the water and finds an air pocket, with seven girls huddled within. He leads them out and back to his boat.

Bishop asks Fingers about Marie. Devasted, Fingers drops a pill bottle and then tells Bishop that she went overboard with a weight tied to her ankles.

Bishop drives the girls and the boat back to shore. He goes to Fingers on the bow of the boat, who asks for his orange case. In it, he keeps church wine and bread. Bishop gives communion to Fingers.

Fingers gives Bishop a letter, telling him to “forgive” Marie.