Part 29 (1/2)

”What?”

”That's all you can say? Joey's just a boy. He can't handle those guys alone. They'll kill him.”

”I highly doubt that.”

”You doubt that?”

David held up his hand. ”Hang on a second, Annja. We'll get out there, trust me. I know his grandfather very well and I promised him I'd always look out for Joey, but you should know that Joey's a pretty accomplished woodsman. His grandfather taught him a fair lot of stuff. Joey knows those woods like no one else in the area and can disappear anytime he wants.”

”That's not going to help him when they shoot him dead for being a pain in the a.s.s. What happens to your promise to his grandfather then?”

”Joey knows how to handle himself. I'm honestly not that concerned. I've seen him fight before.”

”Joey?”

David nodded. ”We had a guy come through here about a year or so back. Got drunk at the bar and started some c.r.a.p. I was on my way there when Joey happened to stop by the bar, dropping off some stuff for Mr. Crowe, the owner. The drunk guy saw that Joey was Native American and started ha.s.sling him. According to Mr. Crowe, Joey held out as long as any reasonable man might be expected to. Then he leveled the guy. Threw him out of the bar just as I was pulling up.”

”Was the man armed?” Annja asked.

”Had a knife about as long as my arm,” David said. ”Didn't matter to Joey. He just handled him. Never saw the guy again.”

David started driving again. ”I asked Crowe if he wanted to press any charges, but most folks around these parts are happy if trouble just leaves them alone. I'm inclined to agree with the sentiment. People leave us alone and we can keep on with our lives.”

”What if they don't leave you alone?”

”Then we take them over to the State Police barracks about an hour from here. They lock 'em up and prosecute them, if need be. But that's only happened once, long before my time as sheriff.”

Annja sighed. ”I'm still worried. I met Joey's grandfather last night and, after everything he's taught Joey, I can't imagine he'd be thrilled if he knew his only male heir was out in the woods facing down three armed guys.”

”You don't know his grandfather, then,” David said. ”He'll eat this up and ask for seconds.”

Jenny glanced at Annja and then back at David. ”David, maybe we should try to get out into the woods as soon as we can. I mean, I know you think Joey can handle himself and he probably can, but wouldn't it be better to make sure those guys, whoever they are, are taken care of before we look at the evidence you've got?”

David shrugged. ”Sure, no problem. But we still need to go back to the station. I'll need my rifle.” He glanced at Annja. ”You shoot?”

Annja shrugged. ”Do I have to?”

”I don't know. You saw these guys. Are they skilled?”

”From what I know about guns, they looked as if they knew what they were doing.”

”Okay. I'll give you both a crash course in handling the rifles.”

Jenny's eyes opened wide. ”You want me to take a gun, too?”

”Any dumb a.s.s can shoot a gun,” David said. ”And apparently there are three of them out in the woods right now. You'll be okay, trust me.”

Annja wasn't happy about the situation. She glanced at David. Just what the h.e.l.l was going on around here? He didn't seem the least bit concerned about Joey. And he wasn't too concerned about the guys in the woods, either. Why did everyone seem to think she was overreacting?