David put the truck into Park and then switched off the ignition. "Home sweet home."

Annja stepped out of the truck and instantly felt the bite of the night air sweep over her. They were up a bit higher in elevation and she could feel the cold air settling in.

Jenny stepped out and shivered. "Wow, it's colder up here."

David waved them inside the ranch house. "It'll be warmer inside once I get the lights on and stuff. Come on in."

Joey crept out of the truck and took a look around. Annja saw him stooping and studying the ground. "Everything okay?"

Joey looked up. "Huh? Yeah. I guess."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Joey shrugged. "Nothing. I'm tired, I guess. And he's right. As much as I want to hurt the guys who killed Cheehawk, I really can't. How would I care for this place if I was in jail? As much as they deserve it, sometimes the toughest part of being powerful is knowing when the universe has to dish out the justice and not you."

Annja smiled. "You say some pretty wise things for a kid."

Joey grinned. "I'm not a kid anymore. Not after Cheehawk died. And not after I saw who killed him." He walked inside, leaving Annja alone in the darkness.

Lights flickered on inside the house and Annja could see more of it as it became illuminated from within. It was a modified ranch that looked as though there was an upstairs. Bits of wooden porch furniture sat near the entrance and Annja could see that David had a nice view of the valley below.

This must be something in the daylight, she thought.

"Annja?" David's voice called out from inside. "You want a beer?"

Annja grinned in spite of herself. "Yeah, great, thanks."

The sheriff appeared on the porch with a bottle. He handed it to her and then pointed toward the valley. "Pretty nice, huh?"

Annja took a sip and swallowed. "I'd probably be in a better position to make that call when I can actually see it, but, yeah, it looks pretty nice."

David smiled and moved closer to her. "I'm glad you're here."

Annja frowned. "Really?" She took another sip from the bottle, watching David as he smiled at her.

"Yes."

She could feel the shift in energy. Oh, great, she thought. Not this on top of everything else that's going on. She put up a hand as David moved in even closer. "Please don't," she said.

"What?"

"You know what."

David moved in again. "What? I shouldn't try to kiss you?"

She put up her hand to stop him. "You'd better not."

David shook his head. "I can't help myself. I'm really attracted to you. What's the harm in letting that show?"

"The harm," Annja said, "is that my friend is nuts about you and she's deeply hurt that you're not interested in her."

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.