Rogue Angel - Footprints Part 44

Annja wrapped the covers around her. So much for door locks. "Where have you been? We've all been worried about you."

"Who is we?"

"Jenny. Me. The sheriff."

Joey glanced at her. "Dave? He knew I was out there?"

"We ran into him on the main road leading into town after you got the idea to run off on some vengeance mission." Annja narrowed her eyes. "How did that work out for you, by the way?"

"Their camp was abandoned. But I destroyed it, anyway. I figured they'd come into town so that's why I'm here. I had to stop and get cleaned up first. No sense walking into town all camouflaged. Makes people nervous."

"The few people that are left, huh?"

Joey frowned. "Does seem a little less active than usual. Did Sheila mention something about it?"

"She mentioned meteors in the area. Did you happen to see anything like that a few months back?"

"Oh, sure. Lots of them in the sky. Nothing too unusual, except there seemed to be more of them than last year."

"Sheila thought one of them might have actually landed out in the forest. Did you see anything in your travels to suggest she might be right?"

Joey sat on the edge of the bed. "Sheila's a little...strange sometimes, Annja. She has a tendency to say things that aren't always true. I'd be careful of what you choose to believe if it's coming from her."

Annja nodded. "She did seem a bit odd."

"She told you her conspiracy theory yet? That Dave is somehow different? That he's the puppet of aliens or something like that?"

Annja looked at him. "Actually, she did."

Joey smirked. "I thought so. She's been telling anyone who will listen that Dave is changed since the camping accident."

"Accident?"

Joey nodded. "He went out by himself. Not the wisest thing to do unless you're truly skilled. Dave's not bad, but he hasn't been trained like some of us. Anyway, he fell and b.u.mped his head. Probably had a minor concussion or something, and when he came back, it took him a little while to get himself right again."

"And this was after the meteor showers?"

"Yeah, but I don't think they're connected. According to Dave, he fell down a gravel slope by one of the streams when his feet slipped out from under him and he got a gash on the back of his head. Knocked him a little loopy, is all. Nothing to be so concerned about. I think that Sheila's just anxious for someone else to take the role of town weirdo."

Annja smiled. "Well, that clears up that. What about the guys in the woods you were going after? How do they fit in with all of this?"

"They killed Cheehawk. I don't much care what they're here for. They'll pay for killing my friend."

Annja held up a hand. "Their names are Simpson and Baker. Apparently, they're with the government."

"Feds? Why?"

"They claim they're going to trap the Sasquatch and take it to a laboratory."

Joey shook his head. "What the h.e.l.l would they do that for?"

"The reason they gave me is because they think that the creature can bypa.s.s border security and they view that as a threat to national security. They need to plug the leak, so to speak."

Joey sighed. "So that's why they're out there?"

"According to them. Whether or not they're telling the truth remains to be seen."

"Yeah, well, I don't suppose they told you why they saw fit to kill Cheehawk, did they?"

"They claimed they didn't do it."

"Of course they did. Cowards. I swear, it sometimes seems that people need protecting from from the government, not the government, not by by the government. Biggest bunch of reckless psychos, I tell you." the government. Biggest bunch of reckless psychos, I tell you."

"I don't necessarily disagree with you," Annja said. "But for right now, we've got to figure out what to do about them. I've already got one obsessive person to deal with. I don't need a couple of gun-toting government lackeys obsessing over a mythical creature, as well."

Joey stood and walked to Annja's door and opened it. Outside was a neat pile of clean clothes. He stooped and brought them over to Annja. "You should get dressed, first of all. I'll go and knock on Jenny's door."

"How do you know which room she's staying in?"

Joey smirked. "You two are the only guests here. Shouldn't be too hard to find her and, knowing Sheila, she probably put her across the hall."

Annja smiled. "Okay, I'll see you downstairs in five?"

"Good."

Joey slipped out of her room, closing the door without making a sound. Annja smirked and then quickly got dressed before Joey somehow managed to get back into her room and grab a quick eyeful of her birthday suit.

She walked toward the window. Through a gap in the curtains she could see the sun sinking toward the horizon. She took a deep breath, sucking in the last tendrils of lavender and then opened the door to the hall.

Downstairs, she found Joey sitting at a table talking with Sheila. Sheila looked up as Annja approached. "Sleep well?"

"Eventually, yes. The bed's incredibly comfortable."

Sheila smiled. "Hungry?"

Annja shrugged. "You know, not just yet. I think Jenny, Joey and I are going to take a walk around town. We'll be back later on."

Sheila nodded. "Door stays open until ten o'clock."

Jenny appeared behind Annja. "Wow, did I need that. I feel like a new woman."

Joey smiled. "You look pretty good, too."

"Thanks."

Annja stretched and yawned. "We all set?"

They left the hotel and wandered down the main street. Jenny walked alongside Annja. "So what's the plan?"