Page 69 of Canyon Killer
Carter laid a hand on his shoulder. “Did you mean it about staying in Eagle Mountain?” he asked.
“I want to make my home here, though I’ll still need to travel—for work and to climb,” Ian said.
“And you really hired security guards?” Dalton asked.
“I should have done it weeks ago,” he said.
“Why didn’t you?” Carter asked.
Because he hadn’t wanted to believe things were that bad. Because he didn’t want to add to his image of the rich guy wanting to keep everyone else out. Because he’d been too proud to believe he needed help. “I should have,” he repeated. “No excuses.”
“I guess I’ll feel better about Bethany being out there with a security detail,” Carter said.
“I’m so touched,” she said and stuck her tongue out at her brother.
“Speaking of spending time in the canyon.” Ian looked down at Bethany. “No pressure, but are you ready to come work for me?” he asked.
“I am.” The look in her eyes made his heart leap.
“We’re going to figure this out,” he added.
Not just the job, but the future—something he hadn’t spent much time thinking about before. Bethany had changed that.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Three weeks later
“I guess this is the kind of party a millionaire throws,” Carter said. He surveyed the crowd gathered in Humboldt Canyon for the pre-opening bash for the via ferrata. Bar tents and canopied pavilions housing buffet tables were spread out around the canyon. A local band played soft rock and pop from a stage near the start of the via ferrata course, and the various platforms, bridges and ladders were festooned with lights that glittered against the canyon walls.
“I could get used to this,” Dalton said as he helped himself to a glass of champagne from a passing server. “Maybe you should marry this dude, Beth.”
“Hush!” Her cheeks burned as Ian hurried toward them. They hadn’t really talked about his decision to stay in Eagle Mountain or what that meant for them as a couple. It was enough that he wasn’t leaving. He had said before that he was patient, and she was trying to adopt that attitude, too.
Ian kissed Bethany, then shook Carter’s and Dalton’s hands. “Glad you could come.”
“We weren’t going to miss this,” Carter said. He turned to greet Ryan, Eldon and their dates as they arrived.
“I think most of the search and rescue volunteers are here already,” Ian said.
“I think everyone in town is here,” Bethany said. She had spotted several sheriff’s deputies, a group of local climbers and some volunteer firefighters. “Is that the mayor?” She gestured toward a silver-haired man in an aloha shirt who waved from one of the catwalks along the canyon walls.
“I’ve got some people giving him, the town councilors and the county commissioners a tour of the course,” he said. “Not all of it, but the easier stuff.”
“Is Walt Spies here?” She sipped champagne and tried to pick out the irascible commissioner.
“He is,” Ian said. “Though he declined to try the course.”
“Let’s hope he’s not looking for some way to sabotage everything,” she said.
“Another reason I invited the sheriff and his deputies,” he said. “In case of trouble, I’ll have plenty of help on hand.”
“And you have your own guards.” Her gaze shifted to one of several beefy, uniformed men who were patrolling the party.
“It may be overkill, but I want people to know I won’t stand for trouble,” he said.
“Ian, this is awesome.” A bearded young man wearing a T-shirt that proclaimed Eat, Sleep, Climb clapped him on the back. “I can’t wait for tomorrow.”
“I’m looking forward to it, too,” Ian said.
