The Last Living Detective by Bruce Levine

Author:Bruce Levine [Levine, Bruce]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Published: 2018-06-15T06:00:00+00:00

It was rough ride out of Dry Well. Though the rental jeep handled the rugged terrain well, my body couldn’t say the same. Add to that Val’s constant harping about her burka, I was seriously relieved when we finally reached the End Times Mine four hours later. We walked up to the entrance and examined the dry rotted wood nailed there. No false door, no new hardware, it all looked genuine.

“I don’t think anyone’s been here for ages,” Val said as she took a selfie of her burka beside the mine entrance. “You sure you got the right place?”

“That’s what the sign says.” I began to unload the jeep. Twenty minutes later, I had one end of a rope tied around my waist and the other to the front bumper of the jeep.

“Stay here,” I told Val. “If you feel me tugging, it means there’s trouble and haul me up immediately.”

“Would it be easier if you just told me on the bluetooth? Why do you always have to do things the hard way?” Val tapped her phone and checked if my camera was working. “And if you’re really in trouble, I’ll do more than tug on a rope. I don’t have vampire strength for nothing.”

“I don’t want you putting yourself in danger again.”

“Spoken like a true mortal.” Val played with her phone. “Audio and video are both up and running. You’re set, Boss.”

I pried a few boards loose, turned on my headlamp, and stepped into the darkness. “One small step for a fool,” Val said in my earpiece. “One giant leap for stupidity.”

I never cared much for caves. They’re dark, dank and even a little spooky. This tunnel was no exception. Carefully watching my every step, I avoided the rubble on the ground and followed the mine shaft down through a couple of twists and turns. I found nothing but old timbers supporting rocky walls. It was somewhere around the fourth turn that I noticed a light ahead. “Val, there’s something here.”

“I see it,” she replied. “Just be careful. Okay?”

As I rounded the curve I was greeted by a gleaming metal corridor opening into the rock tunnel. Light panels shedding illumination from every angle, the structure looked more like it belonged in a modern office building than an old copper mine.

“Looks like you’re really roughing it,” Val said through the earpiece.

“I don’t think I’ll be needing these.” I untied the rope and removed my headlamp. Following the corridor down a few yards, I was stopped by a featureless metal door set in the tunnel’s dead end. A keypad with figures like the ones on the rings was the only visible means of opening it. I tried prying the door open with the prongs of my rock hammer but with no success.

“Well, it’s official,” I finally proclaimed to Val. “I’m stumped. Any ideas?”

Before I could finish the sentence, I heard the flapping of leathery wings and a large bat flew into the corridor bearing a tire iron in its claws. The bat settled onto the floor and quickly metamorphosed into my assistant.

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