Read Online Fatal Descent by Beth Groundwater - Free Book Online Page A

on that and the light from the fire has died down, it’s time to move on to some stargazing.” He pointed to the sky. “Has anyone ever seen the Milky Way as clearly as you can tonight?”
    All of the clients’ heads tilted back so they could gaze at the star- studded sky.
    “Man, it’s hard to pick out any constellations with all those stars!” Viv said.
    “The only one I know is the Big Dipper, and that’s not too hard,” Mo added.
    Cool O’Day turned out to be quite a stargazer, plus he pulled out a well-worn book on the Navajo interpretations of the constellations. He and Gonzo started a little competition between them and got everyone involved in identifying Greek constellations as well as some of the Navajo ones.
    Finally, Hal let out a big yawn and stretched his arms wide. “Well, I’m ready to hit the sack.”
    Looking grateful, Diana said, “Me, too.” She got out of her seat and held out a hand for Hal. While the two of them walked to their tent, the three gal-pals said they, too, were going to call it a night, and left.
    When Kendra rose to go with them, Mandy put a hand on her arm. “Kendra, could you come with me to check on the rafts?”
    Kendra gave her a quizzical look, but she said, “Okay.”
    Mandy strapped on her LED headlamp and turned it on, and Kendra did the same. The two of them walked to where the rafts were beached on the sand.
    Once they were out of earshot of the others, Mandy turned to Kendra. “I don’t like the moves I’ve seen Cool putting on the female clients. Could you feel out Betsy, Viv, and Mo? See if he’s bugging them, if they’re okay with it or not?”
    “Sure. But what’ll you do if they’re not?”
    Mandy pursed her lips. “Rob or I will have to tell him to cut it out. The last thing we want is some client complaining about sexual harassment.”
    “Oh, I don’t think it’s as serious as that.” Kendra raised an eyebrow. “He’s just flirting, making the trip a little more exciting for them.”
    “Maybe so, but he’s laying it on a little too thick. Let me know tomorrow what they say. Sometime when we’re away from the others.”
    Kendra nodded and headed for the 4-man tent she would share with the gal-pals. Mandy made sure all of the rafts were still secure before she returned to the tables. By then, everyone but the guides had left. Gonzo and Cool were washing pots and pans by the light of a camping lantern and dropping them into the dishnet hanging off one side of the kitchen prep table to dry. Rob, wearing his headlamp, was scouring the campsite for food droppings and trash. They had already tied down the locked food coolers on the rafts, and the trash bags would be joining them.
    Mandy asked Rob, “Did the ranger briefing have any black bear sightings?”
    “No, but better safe than sorry,” he said as he knotted the trash bag. “The rangers said the bears don’t usually come down to the main river channel, but they’ll often follow stream corridors in the fall looking for prickly pear cactus and hackberry tree fruits to fatten up for hibernation. We don’t want to entice them into camp with any easy pickings here.”
    Raised voices from the 4-man tent being shared by Hal, Diana, Alex, and Alice made both of them turn. Mandy couldn’t make out what the argument was about, because they all seemed to be talking at once and the tent was far enough away that the words were indistinct.
    Finally, the tent flap was thrown back, and Alex stormed out. He wore his headlamp and was lugging his sleeping bag.
    “Fine! I’ll sleep outside,” he shouted and stomped away from the campsite.
    Mandy hurried to catch up. “Anything I can help with?”
    “Crap, no,” he said. “Alice is just being difficult, and I’m not in the mood to put up with it. It’s a nice night, so I don’t mind sleeping outside. No rain’s predicted, right?”
    “Not for a couple of days, at least. You want to bed down near the guide tents?”
    “I’d rather be