Part 62 (2/2)

Annja shook her head. ”Not yet, sweetheart. But I will if you don't start talking about what you two are cooking up around here.”

David looked at Sheila. ”Ask her.”

”Why would I do that?” Annja asked.

”Because she's in charge of the entire thing, that's why!”

Annja frowned. Sheila shook her head. ”He's delusional from the pain of his broken wrist. I don't know what he's talking about.”

”She does! You have to believe me. I'm not the one who knows everything. She is. They They are!” are!”

”They?”

David nodded furiously. ”Of course. I couldn't pull this off without their help. You've got to believe me.”

”Who are they they?”

David eyed Annja. ”G.o.d, are you really so stupid? Tom! Him and Sheila are running this show, not me.”

Jenny started to speak. ”But Tom just told us-”

The sound of a ratcheted shotgun behind them made both Annja and Jenny turn around. Tom stood there, leveling the mean-looking Mossberg pump action on them. ”I guess you might as well stop torturing that poor man,” Tom said.

”You sure don't look brokenhearted anymore,” Annja said.

Tom smiled. ”Time heals all wounds. Isn't that what they say?”

”Some people say that, yeah.”

”Wise folks, those people,” Tom said. ”Now, slowly get on up and stand over by that wall on the far side of the room. I think it's about time we all had ourselves a nice little chat.”

Chapter 32.

Annja edged over to the wall and Jenny followed. I hope Joey's okay, she thought.

”Your friend Joey has been taken care of,” Tom said.

”You killed him?” Annja shouted.

Tom shook his head. ”I gave him a rap on the head and he's likely got a concussion. He won't be a problem for a while.” He sighed. ”Eventually, though, we're going to have to make a decision about what to do with him.”

”He's a child,” Jenny said.

”He's a pain in the a.s.s,” David replied. ”Just like that d.a.m.n wolf of his before I shot him. Things'll be better when they're both gone.” He got up from the table and walked over to Tom. ”You got any bandages or something? I'm going to have to get this thing set down in Maynard at the clinic,” he said, holding his wrist.

Tom eyed him. ”You're going to leave now to get that set?”

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