Rogue Angel - Footprints Part 28

Jenny winked at her. "Perfect."

David slid the truck into gear and they rolled off down the main road. The truck bucked as it went over a pothole in the road. David rested his hands on the steering wheel.

"You guys were walking back to town?"

Annja nodded. "It's been a rough night."

"Has it?"

Jenny looked at him. "What in the world happened to you? Why weren't you at the hotel like you said you were going to be?"

David looked a little sheepish. "I got called out of town unexpectedly. I tried to get in touch, but the cell-phone reception is absolutely terrible up in these parts. I'm really sorry."

"Well, as long as nothing happened to you." Jenny squeezed herself over a little more, prompting David to chuckle.

"I need to drive, Jenny."

"Sorry," she said, sounding miffed.

Annja watched the road for a moment. "What called you out of town?"

"Pardon?"

"The errand you had to run? What was it?"

David shrugged. "Just some police stuff. I was about twenty miles up north, is all. I'd tell you about it, but it's really boring. I wouldn't want you guys to fall asleep on me."

Annja felt uneasy. Something didn't feel right. How could Jenny not know that David was the sheriff up here? Was that the truth? And why was David so evasive about why he'd been out of town?

"Jenny tells me you've got some amazing big-foot evidence to show her?"

David nodded. "In town. We'll go past the station so I can get some stuff, and then I'll show you."

"What is it exactly?"

David shook his head. "I don't want to spoil the surprise."

"Annja," Jenny said, "just be a little patient."

"We need to get some help when we get back to town," she said to David.

"Oh?"

"Do you have deputies or anything like that? Guys you can call on for help? Maybe the State Police?"

"Why would I need to do a thing like that?"

"Because you've got a roving trio of gun-toting guys up in the woods who scared off Jenny's students yesterday."

David frowned. "So they were telling the truth?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ellen, the lady who handles the calls at the station, got me on the radio late yesterday and said that a group of kids came into the station claiming they'd been run out of the woods by a bunch of psychos. Ellen didn't put much credence in what they said, and since I was out of town there wasn't much she could do about it."

Annja frowned. "I guess that answers my question about the deputies."

David shook his head. "Can't afford 'em. The town, I mean. We're a backwater place. Barely got enough funds for me and Ellen."

The truck rolled over another pothole, bouncing them in the interior of the cab. Annja knocked the top of her head against the roof. "Or enough for road work, apparently."

"Exactly," David said. "We're working on it, though. A wealthy industrialist recently moved to the outskirts of town and set up shop. His property taxes alone should be enough to at least get another part-timer on the force. That would help me out a lot."

"Who's the guy that moved in?" Annja asked.

"Made his money in mineral mining down in South America," David said. "Name's something like Bettancourt."

Annja frowned. "I've heard of him. I think he was in the news for something, a mine collapse down in Venezuela or something like that."

David nodded. "That's him. He was in a lot of hot water, but he's a nice guy. Invited me up for a chat one afternoon recently. He's really taken with the area, loves going for hikes, that sort of thing."

"Better warn him not to go out there while those nuts are stalking around."

David nodded. "We'll take care of those guys, don't worry about it."

"Well, we'll need to hurry up because there's a fourteen-year-old boy who's determined to wreak vengeance on them for killing his wolf," Annja said.

David slammed on the brakes and looked at Annja. "Joey?"

Annja nodded. "Yep."

David took a breath. "Cripes. What in the world is he thinking?"

"He's not. That's the problem."

Jenny shook her head. "They killed his wolf. It was terrible. The poor thing came to us and died."

"Cheehawk." David was quiet for a moment. "It was a beautiful creature, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"And Joey's out there now?"

Annja nodded. "Yes."

"Well, one thing's for sure-whoever killed Cheehawk, they're going to have their hands full with Joey."

Annja raised her eyebrows. "Are you kidding?"