Drago #5 (#2b). Art Inc. Spinella
Dead people found in trees hard to believe? Here’s something to ponder:
Just a few reviews and comments…
Review of Drago #4 in Northwest Book Lovers newsletter:
"…If you’re needing some wickedly fun books for that beach or camping trip, toss this one in, but be prepared to pull an all nighter as you flip through the pages. It’s not rocket science folks; it’s just a damn good read." -- Richard Morris
This is a great series. Judi Wutzke, Owner, …and Books, Too!, Clarkston, Washington
I love the Drago series, each story is exciting and full of surprises. This is a great book to purchase for yourself or as a gift; it's hard to put down and leaves you looking forward to future books featuring Nick Drago and his mystery solving friends. – Tracy A., California
Just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your books, I even figured out the user name and password. However Drago and his buddy sure do eat a lot. Looking forward to book 3. – Diane M., Michigan
Great read!... Started reading and quickly got to the point I couldn’t put it down… -- ST, Oregon
Darn you, Drago. You made me late for work! – MJ, Oregon
…a 3-D jigsaw puzzle of clues… (Western World newspaper)
Great read capturing my attention from page 1. – CGM, Oregon
(My wife) liked your book… – R.L. , U.K.
Great books, next?? – FG, Oregon
Love your books!!!! – D. B. Oregon
I always like your story lines and my sister, her neighbor and her boss over at Hauser Store are also great fans of yours!!! My Sis doesn't do computers so I always have to keep her updated on what you are up to next!!! lol – E. P. Coos Bay
DRAGO #5
(#2b)
For a free autographed Drago Bookmark, email your address and name to [email protected]
To have your copy of Drago autographed, mail it to:
PO Box 744, Bandon, Oregon 97411
Include your mailing address. We’ll pay return postage.
Copyright 2012 by Art Spinella
All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Art Spinella. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Most businesses and locations, however, are real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is entirely coincidental. For a closer look at Bandon, Oregon, go to www.Bandon.com.
ISBN: 978-0-615-71114-0
Cover design: D. T. Spillane
Audio book version in 2013 by Pasta Studios
Printed in the United States of America
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-1093-7
PHOTOS:
COVER COAL MINE – Bandon Historical Society
AVA: FRONT, BACK COVERS, INSIDE – Lance Nix
INTERIOR ‘CAUGHT LOOKING’ – Lance Nix
PREFACE
Of all the Drago mysteries, this was by far the hardest to write. While I’m a big fan of archeology, anthropology and Area 51, weaving them into a story that doesn’t bore the drawers off of a reader is a challenge.
Add that this is a continuation of the second Drago mystery and it became necessary to complete a tale readers of #2a found intriguing (fanciful, perhaps) in a way that is true to the fiction and to the facts.
Here’s what I can tell you: The migration patterns of ancient peoples found in this book are true. Well, at least some mainstream archeologists from at least three countries believe it to be so. Others are quickly coming on board.
Second, the coal mines in Coos County are actual places and were responsible for keeping the lights on in San Francisco for much of the latter half of the 19th Century and into the 20th Century. A list appears at the end of this book.
Third, anything presented as fact in Drago #5(#2b) can be searched on the Internet and I heartily recommend readers do so. There’s some mighty interesting stuff out there that wouldn’t fit in this novel. If Nick and Sal could find it, so can you.
---- Art Spinella
DEDICATION
To the men who lost their lives in Coos County coal-mine explosions including:
Martin Bomar
Cyrus Ferreri
Liberto Gonzales
Thomas Kingsley
John “Scotty” Lowe
Albert Menegat
Other names have been lost to history.
THANKS TO
Cookie for being a delight
Tiffany’s Pharmacy for letting us have some fun
Joseph Bain for recommending an important scene
David Kimes for allowing us to abuse his ’66 T’Bird
Kitty Lou English for loving old stuff
Bonnie at Lil’ Orbits for help with Lil’ Orbits
Shauleen for being Xena
Jeri, final edit and perfect FBI type
Ava, our favorite model
Country – Harley rider and friend
Jesse M. – Harley rider and friend
Bubba – Harley rider, friend and gun critic
Lillie – My sweet 30 pound rodent
Lori and the folks at Edgewaters
Tony and Mary Ann – Friends worth a fortune
Jacob – For advice about being a kid
PROLOGUE
“Did it come?”
Sal had thrashed through the woods from his place to mine, stood in front of me at the deck picnic table, hopping from foot to foot. Hopping might be a bad word to use. Sal is 299 pounds and 5-foot-eleven and a half inches tall. Big guys can’t hop.
“Inside.”
He continued bouncing. “So why are you sitting here?”
“Thinking about it.”
“Take it out of the box yet?”
I can tell when Sal is excited.
“Nope.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
“Come on, Nick. We gotta unpack it. We’ve been waiting for days.”
“Another couple of minutes won’t hurt. We have to make