Part 47 (2/2)

David took a deep breath. ”Look, I've got a confession to make. The only reason I asked her to come out here was because I knew she was friends with you. And I hoped you'd follow her.”

Annja frowned. ”How the h.e.l.l did you know we're friends?”

”Jenny wrote something in one of her e-mails that mentioned you had been close in college. I took a chance that if she came out here to solve the Sasquatch mystery she might include you. And obviously it paid off.”

Annja held the beer bottle in front of her. This was bothering her more and more. ”Look, David, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not into you. At least not like that.”

”You might be if you let me kiss you.” David leaned in again.

Annja backed away. ”Come any closer and I will put you down on the ground painfully,” she said.

”Technically, you'd be guilty of a.s.saulting a police officer.”

Annja frowned. ”Don't play that petty power bulls.h.i.+t with me, Sheriff Sheriff. I've tangled with guys a lot meaner than you before. And they all lost. Every last one of them.”

David stepped back. ”I'm not like the other guys, Annja. You'd know that if you'd just let me do what I need to do.”

Annja pointed at the door. ”Right now, you need to take yourself back inside that house and get dinner grilling. Or else you're going to have a lot of explaining to do to Jenny.”

”The h.e.l.l with her.”

Annja gripped the bottle tighter. ”You're talking about my friend, David. One I happen to care about very much.”

”Then you should kiss me.”

”Why on earth would I do that?”

David smiled but there was nothing pleasant about it. ”To keep me from telling her how you've thrown yourself at me,” he said.

”What? I've done no such thing.”

”You really think she'd believe you? After all, you said yourself how crazy she is for me. You think she's in the right frame of mind to tell who's lying and who isn't? I don't think she is. And jealousy is a real pain the a.s.s for friends to deal with. But, hey, you go ahead and try it if you want.” He leaned back on the porch railing and crossed his arms.

Annja looked at him. What a jerk, she thought. But she would have to play this just right. Jenny was fragile enough not to believe her if David really ran with this. Just how much did Jenny trust Annja? How jealous was she?

The door swung open and Jenny walked out. ”What's going on, guys?”

Annja eyed David, who c.o.c.ked an eyebrow and mouthed the word later later to her. She frowned but quickly looked back at Jenny. ”Nothing. David was just telling me how nice it is up here during the daytime. The view is spectacular, apparently.” to her. She frowned but quickly looked back at Jenny. ”Nothing. David was just telling me how nice it is up here during the daytime. The view is spectacular, apparently.”

Jenny nodded. ”David, Joey says to tell you that the chicken is almost finished and he's starving.”

David laughed. ”All right, I'm going. I'm going.” He walked inside and left Annja alone with Jenny.

Jenny looked at her. ”You okay? You don't look so good.”

Do I tell her? Annja frowned and tried to work all the scenarios through in her head. How would Jenny take it if she knew David had a thing for Annja instead of her? Not well.

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