Part 53 (1/2)
Annja frowned. ”I wonder exactly who David is working with. And why the h.e.l.l has he fabricated the entire existence of big foot?”
”I thought we were calling it Sasquatch,” Joey said, opening his eyes for the first time.”
”You okay?” Annja asked him.
Joey nodded. ”Yeah. My stomach hurts a lot, though.”
Annja grinned. ”Did you get shot in the stomach?”
”Yeah.”
”It's the localized pain from the dart hitting you. Sort of feels like you got punched real hard.”
”Yeah.”
Annja smiled. ”It wears off in time. The important thing is you're okay and back with us.”
Joey flexed his hands. ”Whoever tied these ropes did a good job. There doesn't seem to be any give to them.”
”Agreed,” Annja said. ”Which leaves us with the questions that have been plaguing us for the past day or so. Namely, what the devil is going on around here?”
”Well, Dave hasn't succeeded in luring the Sasquatch to his backyard, that's for sure,” Joey said. ”He did, however, succeed in suckering us something silly. Speaking for myself, as a fourteen-year-old, I'm not happy. But you guys are grown-ups. You should be ashamed.”
Jenny smirked. ”Thanks a lot.”
Annja looked around the cave. ”Joey, you recognize any of this? Does it look familiar at all?”
”Not really. The woods are filled with caverns like this. Miles of unexplored tunnels crisscross the area. I don't know if anyone has really ever explored them, to be honest.”
”Not you?”
Joey shook his head. ”I was just mastering the outside world. I wasn't even that curious about the tunnels.”
”Maybe this is where the Sasquatch lives,” Jenny said.
Annja sighed. ”I doubt that. Last I remember reading about the Sasquatch, it doesn't wear a gillie suit, shoot tranquilizer darts or tie people up in secret underground caves.”
”This is all the sheriff's doing,” Joey said. ”And, boy, am I going to enjoy having some words with him.”
”But what's the purpose of all this?” Annja asked. ”Why bother getting us out here? He could have simply ignored us and done whatever he was planning on doing by himself. What does he need us for?”
”That would be the magic question,” Jenny said. ”But clearly it's not for anything romantic.”
”Safe bet,” Annja said. She glanced at Joey. ”Any ideas there, Einstein?”
Joey shook his head. ”All I know is Dave has been a decent guy since I've known him. That's not all that long and all, but he's always been cool with me. This is completely out of left field. I don't get it.”
”None of us do,” Annja said. ”So let's hear some theories.”
”You think this is connected with Simpson and Baker?” Jenny asked.