Ghost Canyon (The John Decker Supernatural Thriller Series Book 7) by Anthony Strong (ebooks that read to you .TXT) 📕

right.” Carlton folded his arms. “If I hadn’t done something, that creature would’ve killed the lot of you. I’m not Robyn’s number one fan, but I like her a whole lot better than a bloodthirsty monster.”

“Thanks,” Robyn said, bemused. “I think.”

“That’s probably as close to a compliment as you’ll ever get from him,” Decker said. “I’d take it if I were you.”

“And with the creature gone, you’ll be able to extract the gold from that mine,” Barnes said. “You probably aren’t going to run tours down there anymore, given what’s happened, but if Harlan Biggs’ hunch was correct, there should be more than enough precious metals in there to open ten wedding venues if you want.”

“One will be enough,” Robyn replied. “But we can worry about that later. Right now, I’d really like to get out of here. Angry skeleton creature or not, this place gives me the creeps.”

“You won’t get any argument from me,” Decker said as they started back down the trail, with Barnes assisting Carlton even though the old man was doing his best to shrug the FBI agent off. He was bruised and battered, but alive, and that was a good day in Decker’s book. Tomorrow he would check the mine and make sure the creature was really gone for good. But right now, all he wanted was a fresh shirt, his wounds patched, and a hot shower.

Epilogue

Three Days Later

Decker was in his room, packing up to depart the Last Chance Hotel and Saloon and head to the airport. He’d spent the last few days making sure the Baykok really was vanquished, tidying up loose ends, and writing a lengthy report to his superiors back in Maine regarding the activities at the ghost town. The two Special Agents, Barnes and Fowler, had left the hotel forty-eight hours before and resumed their regular duties at the Las Vegas field office. But not before all three, along with Robyn, had entered the mine and navigated their way to the tunnel discovered by the geologists, where three mummified corpses sat in silent darkness. They also found the deep vein of gold that Harlan Biggs and his general manager, Wagner Mitchell, had lost their lives over. This was confirmed by one of their employees, a Mexican laborer found wandering, hungry and dehydrated, in the desert. He told a tragic tale of the pair’s greed and how it had resulted in the death of his friend, whose corpse had subsequently been located and removed from the second mine entrance to be returned to his family. Now all that remained for Decker was to say his goodbyes and leave.

He was almost finished packing when there was a light knock at the hotel room door. When he answered, Robyn was on the other side with Tieg. She was smiling.

“How are you getting along?” She asked.

“Almost done,” Decker replied. “Another half hour and I’ll be out of your hair for good.”

“You don’t have to run off so soon.”

“Actually, I do,” he said, touched by her sadness at his departure. “My employer is sending a jet. It will be here within the hour.”

“That’s a shame. Tieg will miss you.”

Decker looked down at the dog, who returned his gaze with trusting brown eyes. “Well, I’ll miss him too. He saved my life, after all.”

“Maybe you could come visit him once in a while.”

“I’d like that.”

“Or you could stay a few days longer and hang out with him,” Robyn countered.

“Nice as that sounds, I really can’t.”

“What would it take to change your mind?”

“I’m not sure you can change my mind,” Decker said with a smile. “Unless you want to call my boss, Adam Hunt, and demand he give me a few days off.”

“Maybe I don’t need to,” Robyn said, enigmatically.

“And why is that?” Decker asked.

“Because your fiancé already has,” a new voice said.

“Nancy?” Decker asked, confused, and delighted.

“Do you have another fiancée I don’t know about?” Nancy said, appearing from the corridor.

“What are you doing here?” Decker's smile widened into a grin.

“Adam said you cleared things up here quicker than he expected, so he didn’t need you back for a few more days.” Nancy stepped into the room. “He thought you would have more fun in Las Vegas than sitting at home, so he flew me out here.”

Robyn coughed gently. “I’m going to leave the two of you alone. I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.” With that, she turned and left.

“I must say, the ride out here was plush.”

“Ride?”

“The private jet. Is that what you’re doing when you’re not with me, riding around in swanky jets sipping champagne?”

“No one’s ever offered me any champagne.” Decker rubbed his chin.

“Huh.” Nancy furrowed her brow. “Hunt must like me more than you.”

“I hardly think so,” Decker joked. “Seriously, how did you pull that off?”

“Because it’s a special occasion.” Nancy crossed the room and sat on the bed. “Speaking of which, I booked us a suite for a couple of nights at the Bellagio. I thought you might like to enjoy Vegas instead of chasing monsters all over it.”

“Sounds like fun,” Decker said. “What did you mean when you said it was a special occasion?”

“Well, I was going to wait until we got to the hotel room to mention this, but what the hell.” Nancy shrugged. “I’ve been thinking. Our lease is almost up on the house in Mississippi, and I’d love to be closer to Taylor while she’s at college.”

“You want to move to Boston?”

“Not exactly. I know how hard it is on you, going back and forth between Mississippi and Maine, so I figured we should just move there. That way I can be close to Taylor, and you can be close to work.”

“What are you going to do in Maine while I’m working?”

“What do I do now while you’re working?”

“Good point.”

“Maine might actually be good for me,” Nancy said. “A new start. I could open another restaurant. Get back to doing what I love.”

“You want to open a diner?” Decker joined her on the bed.

“Not a