Rogue Angel - Footprints Part 33

"We cross that bridge and we're in town."

Annja looked at the bridge as they approached. Rough-hewn beams created a neat archway and they'd covered it like the old-style bridges. It was just wide enough for two people to walk through abreast.

"Nice work," Annja said.

David nodded. "We have many craftsmen in town. The kind of people who take a lot of pride in their work."

On the other side of the bridge, the footpath changed to gravel and then a bit of asphalt led up to the main road. The three of them stepped out onto the street.

About a dozen buildings lined the street on both sides. She spotted four cars in total and there were even a few places where you could tie up a horse if you had ridden into town.

"You weren't kidding. This place is a bit old-fashioned."

David pointed. "My office is over there."

They crossed the street and headed toward the police building. Annja felt a twinge in her gut and decided that a hot cup of coffee would be just the thing to make her feel worlds better.

David held the door open for them. "Come on in."

Annja and Jenny stepped into the station and David came in behind them. "Coffee?"

"That's the magic word," Jenny said.

"Annja?"

"Please."

A side door opened and a trim woman in her forties walked out. She smiled at David. "I wondered when you might be in."

David grinned. "That's it?"

"What?"

"That's all you have to say?"

The woman eyed him up and down. "Well, you look like h.e.l.l, if that's what you're angling for."

David smiled. "Annja, Jenny, this is Ellen. She helps me out on the admin side."

"And dispatch, and occasionally I strap on a pistol and back him up. But you know, don't let that keep him from making me seem like his personal secretary."

David held up his hands. "Hey, we've got guests. Is the coffee hot?"

"Scalding. I burned my tongue on it."

"Great. You guys help yourselves."

Ellen stopped him. "Speaking of guests, you've got some waiting in your office."

"Really?"

Ellen nodded. "They seemed anxious to see you."

"All right," David said. "In the meantime, can you raise the State Police in Southville? Someone tried to blow us up on the way in this morning."

Ellen's eyebrows jumped. "You're serious?"

"Absolutely."

Ellen busied herself with the phone while David winked at Jenny. "This shouldn't take too long. You guys relax and I'll be out soon." He stepped into his office and, as he did so, Annja caught a glimpse of the two men sitting there.

One of them looked exactly like the lead gunman who'd terrorized the camp.

Chapter 18.

Jenny stirred some creamer into her coffee. She looked up as Annja approached. "You want some of this?"

Annja shook her head. "Those guys David is meeting with-you recognize any of them?"

Jenny tried to look over Annja's shoulder. "Blinds are drawn on his office windows. I can't tell who is in there."

Annja frowned. "Well, I do."

"You do?"

"Yeah, one of them is the guy who ran us off your campsite yesterday and has been presumably prowling the woods, looking for trouble."

Jenny sipped the coffee and yanked her lips away. "Ellen wasn't kidding, this stuff is boiling."

"Jenny, I'm being serious here. If that guy is in David's office, what if it means that David is one of them?"

Jenny frowned. "You're joking, right? David? Annja, unless I'm seriously mistaken and I'm not, you were just riding in the truck that blew up with all of us in it. Remember?"

"Vividly. But still-"

"And you say I have a crazy imagination. Tell me, why on earth would David rig his own truck to explode? He could have killed himself."

Annja glanced around the office. Ellen seemed absorbed in the file she was poring over. "I don't know. There are plenty of skilled people who can rig an explosion so it blows a certain way."

"Annja, the truck somersaulted about a half dozen times before coming to rest. David could have been seriously injured. We all could have been killed. I don't see the likelihood of him doing something like that. It just seems absolutely crazy to me."

Annja sighed. "Yeah, I know it does sound insane. But why on earth is that guy in his office?"

Jenny shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe David doesn't know he's a bad guy."

Annja sat down on the bench across from Ellen's desk. "Have they been waiting long to see the sheriff?"