“You be good to that Spanish girl,” Tommy ordered as he headed out of the room. “She’s definitely a keeper.”
Sean snorted a laugh. “Yeah, I know. And I will.”
Chapter 57
The clear blue waves splashed gently up onto the perfect white sand. During the winter months, there weren’t many tourists in the panhandle region of Florida, so the beaches were almost completely empty.
Sean stared into the blue sky at a few streaks of white clouds hovering overhead from behind his trademark pair of black Oakleys. The constant sea breeze blew his dirty blonde hair around like cattails in a summer storm.
He turned his head to the left, taking in the vision of the Spanish woman next to him. Her dark hair cascaded down to her shoulders where the black strings of her bikini top met her neckline. She was reading through the same book she had been reading a few weeks before in Armenia.
“Still investigating that Greek mechanism?” he asked with a smile.
They’d spent the last few days setting up Sean’s new bungalow on the beach, moving furniture and other belongings. It was the first day they had taken some time to relax since arriving in the sunshine state.
She returned the smile and nodded. “Yes,” she answered in her seductive accent. “There is just something I cannot figure out about this device.”
“Oh?”
“It seems the Greeks had several of them. And while the accepted theory is that they were used for navigating the seas, something just doesn’t add up.”
He scooted his beach chair closer to hear what she had to say.
“While the devices seem to account for celestial bodies, this book says they served another purpose.”
“And what would that be?”
He was close to her now. The wind picked up and blew a strand of her hair across his face. She unconsciously set the book down in her beach bag, pulling closer to him.
“It can wait.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
There are so many people responsible for the success of my stories, and for helping get them out into the world. I want to thank all of them so much for their support.
I especially want to thank you, the reader, for taking a chance and reading a book by a guy you’ve probably never heard of. I promise I will always do my best to keep you entertained in the future, and thank you so much for trusting me with your time. I can’t tell you how much it means to me.
Specific thanks go out to my editors, Susan McClarty and Becky Jewell. They worked very hard to get you as good a book as possible. I always wish to thank Megan Sticher for her consultation on the cover of this book.
A special thanks goes out to my beta readers. You guys and gals are in my thoughts as I write every single word. You are the VIPs of the worlds I create and I can’t thank you enough for your time, input, and constant support.
If you are interested in becoming a beta reader for upcoming projects, subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here. You will get updates, blog posts, and special offers including pricing discounts and chances to read stuff before it is released to the public.
FACT OR FICTION
Nekhen: This is a real place in Egypt where ancient ruins have been discovered, dating back to beyond the time of the first Egyptian settlements. Though the description of the location was slightly distorted by my imagination, Nekhen is real enough, and is a short distance from the city of Luxor.
Axis: This agency is a figment of my imagination, created from the ashes of World War II as a response to spy threats from the Communist East.
Khor Virap: Everything I said about this amazing place is absolutely true, though I tweaked the weather a bit. Khor Virap rests on the plains leading up to Mount Ararat on the border of Turkey and Armenia. The information provided about King Tiridates and Saint Gregory are accurate, and the king did experience some mental health issues for a while. The map engraved in the floor was concocted from my imagination. Sadly, the part about the graffiti is accurate, an unfortunate marring of this ancient site’s history.
The Town of Ararat: This small city was once a thriving industrial town. Now it is a shell of its former self. My description of it was as accurate as I could make it, save for the fictional statue I included in the center of town.
Location of the Ark: During my research, I found some amazing things, including one location I deemed possible as the final resting place for Noah’s ark. However, it is mere conjecture that the vessel came to rest there. Most ark hunters continue to search around Mount Ararat as they have done for centuries. While there are many anchor stones in that region, particularly in the Valley of the Eight, it is highly possible that the boat could have drifted further to the northeast, deep into the smaller mountains of Armenia.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ERNEST DEMPSEY is the author of up-tempo action/adventure thrillers and edgy science fiction adventure stories that have entertained tens of thousands of readers all over the world. His novels reveal to the world historical secrets, scientific mysteries, and new theories, all at a pace that keeps readers turning pages faster than they ever thought possible.
Dempsey is also a blogger, writing about life observations and self-improvement. His blog posts have inspired people all over the planet. Check them out at ernestdempsey.net.