Page 64 of Deadly Revenge

“Sorry, Granddad,” Kirk said.

He wasn’t, but Jenna wasn’t going to call him on it.

Alex gave Jenna a wry grin then held out her hand, first to the grandfather, then to Kirk. “I don’t think we’ve met. Alex Stone, Russell County’s chief deputy.”

“Heard you were running for the office next year,” Bryan Bishop said.

“Thinking about it.” She turned to Kirk. “Have you noticed anyone strange hanging around the woods?”

“You mean like weird, or somebody I don’t know?”

“How about both?”

Kirk’s shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Not really.”

Max leaned forward. “The ones you haven’treallyseen—are they people you know or strangers?”

“Strangers—I mean, uh ...” The boy stared at his boots.

“Boy, if you’ve seen anyone in the woods, I want you to tell these officers right now. Unless you want me to take the keys to that ATV for the rest of the month.”

Kirk gulped. “Uh ... sometimes people tie up their canoes at the river and walk through the woods to the Armstrong place.”

“That’s the farm next to us,” Bryan explained. “Belonged to William Armstrong. His heirs sold it after William died, and the buyer rents the house out. The ones renting it now have been there six months at least. I never see ’em.”

“Do you know who bought it?” Max asked.

“Afraid not. None of William’s kids live in Russell County, so I haven’t talked to them.”

Alex turned to Kirk. “Did you see what’s going on over there?”

This time the boy’s shrug was bigger. “I don’t know. I don’t mess around there.”

“Why’s that?” Jenna asked.

“I rode my ATV too close to their barn one time, and they yelled at me.”

“Why haven’t you told me about this?” his grandfather asked.

“I don’t hardly never see them.”

Hardly ever, Jenna mentally corrected. “But you have seen them. What do they look like?”

Kirk tilted his head and looked up toward the barn rafters. “Some of them have big arms with tattoos on them. And one of them has a real creepy smile.”

“One of them smiled at you?” Jenna frowned. “You were that close to him?”

“Yeah. He wasn’t big like the others ... he had muscles, just wasn’t as tall. I thought he was going to yell at me, but he didn’t. Asked me what my name was and told me to be careful in the woods. That’s when he smiled, real creepy like.” Kirk shuddered. “I haven’t seen him down there again.”

Bryan pinned his grandson with a stern gaze. “See to it that you keep away from the river.” When Kirk didn’t respond, the grandfather raised his eyebrows. “You hear me, boy?”

He studied the floor. “Yes, sir.”

“How long ago did this happen?” Jenna asked.

“I dunno ... maybe two weeks ago. I was riding down to the river on Blackjack—that’s my horse—and I didn’t see him until he came up the riverbank. We scared each other.”

“And you haven’t seen him again?”

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