Free Fatal Descent by Beth Groundwater Page B

setting up a buffet line with plates and utensils. He placed a bowl of strawberries and jam and butter at the end for toast. “I’m surprised none of us heard anything.”
    As soon as the coffee was hot, Rob bellowed “Coffee!”
    Some folks had already started stirring in their tents and making forays to the screened portable toilet. While the omelets bubbled on the griddle, the clients queued up for coffee, which Cool poured into mugs through a strainer to catch the grounds. Within minutes, most of the group had settled into camp chairs around the folding tables to eat. The only one missing was Alex.
    “I guess Alex didn’t hear your call,” Mandy said to Rob with a raised eyebrow. Probably worn out after last night’s gymnastics.
    Being one of the last out of the tents, his sister Amy hadn’t filled her plate yet. “I’ll get him,” she said. “Where’d he bed down?”
    “Behind those rocks.” Mandy pointed toward the rock formation at the back of camp, and Amy trotted in that direction.
    Mandy had filled her plate and taken one delicious bite of hot, cheesy omelet when a piercing scream rent the air.
    Mandy leapt to her feet. “The bear?”
    “Crap!” Rob dropped his plate on the prep table, grabbed the camp shovel and ran for the rocks.
    Mandy snatched a couple of pots to clang together that she hoped would scare away the bear and followed Rob.
    Gonzo came running with a metal marshmallow fork and the largest of their camp knives. “Stay here!” he yelled to the clients, some of whom had stood and were moving toward the formation.
    After the three of them rounded the rock formation with makeshift weapons raised, they stopped dead in their tracks.
    Amy was on her knees by Alex’s sleeping bag, sobbing hysterically.
    No bear was in sight.
    “Amy? What is it?” Mandy asked.
    Amy said nothing, only shook her head, her eyes wide and distressed.
    Mandy stepped closer and looked over Amy’s shoulder. She gasped.
    Alex’s face was raked with claw marks. Where his head lay, a dark maroon stain spread out in the sand. One of the claws had ripped into his neck, opening the jugular vein. His body had been pulled partway out of the sleeping bag, but as far as Mandy could see, the head wound seemed to be the only damage. As the coppery scent of dried blood filled her nostrils, gorge rose in her throat.
    Murmuring “ madre de dios ,” Rob dropped to his knees by Alex’s head and felt his neck for a pulse. He looked at Gonzo and Mandy and shook his head. “His body is cold. This happened hours ago.”
    That brought another agonized wail from Amy.
    Mandy knelt beside Amy and put her arms around her, offering what comfort she could. She tried to pull Amy away from Alex’s body, but the woman wouldn’t budge. She looked at Gonzo. “Bring something to cover him with. And keep the others away from here.”
    Too late.
    Diana stepped around the rock formation, pushing her husband’s hand off her shoulder. “—and something could have happened to Alex,” she was saying to him over her shoulder.
    She turned to the scene in front of her and stopped. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open. A keening wail escaped her lips a s she stumbled forward and sank to the ground next to Amy. Mandy released Amy and let mother and daughter grasp each other. Tears streamed down their faces.
    Hal came up behind them and put a hand on each. His wrenchingly sorrowful gaze at Mandy was pleading, please don’t let this be true . “Is he—” He couldn’t finish the question.
    All Mandy could do was nod in horror. She could barely believe it herself and felt frozen and powerless, unable to think of what to do.
    Amy’s husband, Les, and her sister Alice appeared next and took in the scene with shocked expressions and “Ohmigods.” Alice grabbed her father’s arm, and he turned and took her in his arms. Les rested his hand on his wife’s shudderi ng shoulder.
    Before long, everyone in the group had piled up behind the