Fatal Descent Read Online Free PDF

plastic knife, she leaned over to make a disparaging remark to her brother-in-law. Les laughed and nudged his wife to join in.
    Just as the last introductions were made, Tom O’Day sauntered up. He wore tight jeans and a pearl-button shirt, opened wide enough to show off some of his chest hair. His damp long hair was tied back with a strip of rawhide. When he brushed past Mandy, she caught the whiff of a strong musky aftershave.
    Rob introduced O’Day to the others and asked him to share. While he spoke, Mandy noticed his gaze locking onto each of the female clients at the table. All except for Diana Anderson, who had her hand on her husband, Hal’s, knee, and Amy Williams, who was under the protective arm of her husband, Les.
    Rob stood, told Cool to grab some food, then launched in to his pre-trip speech. He reviewed what they had mostly covered both in pre-trip emails and again when the clients had checked in for the trip, but it never hurt to give out directions multiple times.
    After taking a few questions, he clapped his hands together. “Okay, who knows how many rafting guides it takes to screw in a lightbulb?”
    Mandy knew this joke. She assumed Kendra, Gonzo, and Cool all did, too, and were wisely keeping their mouths shut.
    Rob looked around as a few clients shrugged. “The answer is eleven. One to screw it in and ten to talk about how big the hole was.” He paused for the chuckles to die down. “We’ll be seeing some whopper holes on this trip. Now, I don’t want to run you off if you want to socialize some more, but be sure to get a good night’s sleep. We expect you to be at the outfitter building at seven o’clock sharp!”
    Prompted by Gonzo, a collective groan went up, mostly in good fun, except for Alice Anderson and Les Williams, who seemed to really mean it.
    “Why so damn early?” Les asked.
    “We’ve got a full day planned for you,” Rob replied. “We’ll stop for lunch where you can see some petrified wood logs, some of which are still sticking out of the solidified mud sandstone that preserved them, and—”
    “I care a lot more about getting a good night’s sleep than seeing a few old logs,” Les said.
    “Well I, for one, am looking forward to seeing them.” Alex’s hard stare at Les was a challenge.
    “Me, too,” Paul chimed in.
    Rob held up a hand. “The petrified forest isn’t the only reason we’re leaving early. We plan to reach the Little Bridge campsite by mid-afternoon, so anyone who wants to can climb to some caves in the cliffs before dinner. It’s seventeen miles downstream. Since we’ll be floating on flatwater the whole way, it’ll take some time to get there.”
    Les made a face but remained silent.
    Most of the group stood and started to leave, throwing their trash in the diner’s oil barrel trash can on the way out. The Anderson family all left theirs on the table, however, as if expecting a bus boy to clean up after them. There was no such thing. Kendra jumped up to clear their trash.
    Cool O’Day had taken a seat near the gal-pals and was chatting them up while he ate his Cowboy Burger with cheddar and jalapeños . “You know what would make this burger better? If it was drowned in marinara sauce and mushrooms.” He patted Mo’s knee. “Like Mo here, I have a hankering for Italian food. Goes good with cool nights like this.”
    Viv leaned in. “Is October a good time to be taking this trip?”
    “Hell yes,” Cool replied. “You get bigger water in May, but fall’s for taking it slow, savoring the experience. Know what I mean?” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively then put a hand on his heart. He sang a few lines in a deep baritone from a song Mandy didn’t recognize, something about autumn weather turning leaves to flame and spending precious days with you. He ended with a flourish and a bow, obviously begging for applause.
    The women all accommodated him, laughing while they clapped. They seemed to enjoy Cool’s attention and weren’t