Hey Frank!
No, no trouble with the kids. They love me! I can't say the same for some of the other counselors. One in particular seems to be having a rough time with his group. His fault, though. He should learn to lighten up. Camp is for fun, not rules.
I think I'll just ignore Vanessa this summer. Then, when I get back, she can dump me and that should make her feel better.
Got anything on Cook yet? Or has working in Senator Davenport's office given you any leads as to who planted the bomb or how?
My roommate split. He couldn't handle it. His group of kids are now mine so I've got twice the load. Craig helps some, but I'm mainly in charge.
Craig and Jenny are in charge of the camp. They're okay. Craig and I are getting to know each other a little better since Steve left. Craig thinks I'm doing very well. He has asked me to stay on for a couple of weeks after the kids go home and help get the place ready for winter. I told him there would be no problem so let Dad know, okay?
I really miss not being there to help you and Dad out with this Cook case. Keep me posted. That way, if you run into trouble I won't have to start from scratch.
Gotta run. Mail is going out soon and I know you want this letter as soon as possible. Give everyone my love!
Joe
Joe finished writing and threw the pen down. "Why are you so interested in Cook?" he demanded, looking into Dobson's eyes. "D.C. is a long way from here."
"None of your business," Hash snarled.
Steve looked anxiously at their captors, afraid they were going to get sick of Joe's nagging everytime he was ungagged and kill them both.
"You're going to kill us eventually," Joe pointed out reasonably, ignoring Steve's gasp. "Why not tell us?"
"True," Dobson admitted, smiling down at the two boys. "Very well, you may ask what you like."
Steve's eyes widened in surprise but Joe looked at Dobson thoughtfully. "You obviously had something to do with the bomb in Senator Davenport's office," Joe said, thinking about the letters he had been forced to write. "Did you have Cook killed?"
"Not killed," Dobson corrected. "He has information which is worth quite a bit."
"Abducted, then," Joe conceded. "Where is he?"
"On his way here," Dobson answered. "Our assocciates had to wait for the right time to escort Mr. Cook from the capitol."
"And your associates planted the bomb?" Joe asked. Dobson nodded. "Why did you plant a bomb in his office in the first place?" Joe demanded. "Senator Davenport isn't involved in any anti-terrorist campaigns."
"What makes you think we're terrorists?" Dobson asked in an even tone, quirking an eyebrow at the youth.
"It's kind of obvious," Joe replied, his eyes roaming the cave. "Do you conduct your business here or is this just a supply stop?"
"This is just where we keep our stock," Dobson answered.
"Here and by the lake?" Joe pushed. Dobson inclined his head.
"What's the connection to the camp?" Joe asked.
"And why do you thing there is one?" Dobson countered.
"Most, if not all, of the kids at the camp have parents who work in some way for the government," Joe said. "Which kid's parent worked in Davenport's office?"
"Your friend's," Hash answered for Dobson. Steve began shouting under his gag. "Shut up," Hash ordered him, taking a threatening step toward him.
"Leave him alone," Joe ordered. "You may already have used him to blackmail mail his mom or dad into helping you, but if you hurt him, I won't write any more letters for you."
"Stand down," Dobson ordered Hash, who grunted then bent down to pick up a length of rope with which to re-tie Joe's hands.
"You are much brighter than I gave you credit for," Dobson admitted to Joe. "You're quite right, of course," he continued. "The camp is made up of the children of the elite. We get addresses; personal information; even a child's likes and dislikes. Usually, we have only to hint that their children are being watched and we could take them at any time for a parent to do whatever we request. Occassionally, we have had to back up our threats."
"And no one has suspected this camp?" Joe demanded, wincing as Hash tightened the rope around his already raw wrists.
"Why should they?" Dobson countered. "We never go after a child while they are here, only after they have returned home."
"But you took Steve and me," Joe said, confused.
"Steve overheard Lane and Mars talking," Dobson answered. "You were there as well, but not close enough to hear."
Joe shot a look at Hairy/Mars. Now he had a name to go with the big, bushy man. Joe snorted in derision. "Steve only heard their voices," he said. "He couldn't undersatand what was being said."
"That is unfortunate," Dobson said as Hash removed Steve's gag and Mars brought over some food for the boys. "But it was good timing, none-the-less. Having Steve, apparently abducted on the train ride home, allowed us to learn form his father that the vice-president would be attending a meeting at Senator Davenport's office."
"What about Cook?" Joe asked. "Why did you risk taking him?"
"He uncovered the D.C. side of our operation," was the answer.
"Do you honestly think he would tell you anything?" Joe demanded.
"Under torture, maybe," Dobson replied a bit doubtfully. Then he gave Joe a deep thoughtful look and his eyes brightened as his smile blossomed. Joe felt a lead weight drop in his stomach before Dobson spoke again. "But watching us torture the youngest son of an old friend of his just might give him the push needed to tell us what we wish to know."
No, no trouble with the kids. They love me! I can't say the same for some of the other counselors. One in particular seems to be having a rough time with his group. His fault, though. He should learn to lighten up. Camp is for fun, not rules.
I think I'll just ignore Vanessa this summer. Then, when I get back, she can dump me and that should make her feel better.
Got anything on Cook yet? Or has working in Senator Davenport's office given you any leads as to who planted the bomb or how?
My roommate split. He couldn't handle it. His group of kids are now mine so I've got twice the load. Craig helps some, but I'm mainly in charge.
Craig and Jenny are in charge of the camp. They're okay. Craig and I are getting to know each other a little better since Steve left. Craig thinks I'm doing very well. He has asked me to stay on for a couple of weeks after the kids go home and help get the place ready for winter. I told him there would be no problem so let Dad know, okay?
I really miss not being there to help you and Dad out with this Cook case. Keep me posted. That way, if you run into trouble I won't have to start from scratch.
Gotta run. Mail is going out soon and I know you want this letter as soon as possible. Give everyone my love!
Joe
Joe finished writing and threw the pen down. "Why are you so interested in Cook?" he demanded, looking into Dobson's eyes. "D.C. is a long way from here."
"None of your business," Hash snarled.
Steve looked anxiously at their captors, afraid they were going to get sick of Joe's nagging everytime he was ungagged and kill them both.
"You're going to kill us eventually," Joe pointed out reasonably, ignoring Steve's gasp. "Why not tell us?"
"True," Dobson admitted, smiling down at the two boys. "Very well, you may ask what you like."
Steve's eyes widened in surprise but Joe looked at Dobson thoughtfully. "You obviously had something to do with the bomb in Senator Davenport's office," Joe said, thinking about the letters he had been forced to write. "Did you have Cook killed?"
"Not killed," Dobson corrected. "He has information which is worth quite a bit."
"Abducted, then," Joe conceded. "Where is he?"
"On his way here," Dobson answered. "Our assocciates had to wait for the right time to escort Mr. Cook from the capitol."
"And your associates planted the bomb?" Joe asked. Dobson nodded. "Why did you plant a bomb in his office in the first place?" Joe demanded. "Senator Davenport isn't involved in any anti-terrorist campaigns."
"What makes you think we're terrorists?" Dobson asked in an even tone, quirking an eyebrow at the youth.
"It's kind of obvious," Joe replied, his eyes roaming the cave. "Do you conduct your business here or is this just a supply stop?"
"This is just where we keep our stock," Dobson answered.
"Here and by the lake?" Joe pushed. Dobson inclined his head.
"What's the connection to the camp?" Joe asked.
"And why do you thing there is one?" Dobson countered.
"Most, if not all, of the kids at the camp have parents who work in some way for the government," Joe said. "Which kid's parent worked in Davenport's office?"
"Your friend's," Hash answered for Dobson. Steve began shouting under his gag. "Shut up," Hash ordered him, taking a threatening step toward him.
"Leave him alone," Joe ordered. "You may already have used him to blackmail mail his mom or dad into helping you, but if you hurt him, I won't write any more letters for you."
"Stand down," Dobson ordered Hash, who grunted then bent down to pick up a length of rope with which to re-tie Joe's hands.
"You are much brighter than I gave you credit for," Dobson admitted to Joe. "You're quite right, of course," he continued. "The camp is made up of the children of the elite. We get addresses; personal information; even a child's likes and dislikes. Usually, we have only to hint that their children are being watched and we could take them at any time for a parent to do whatever we request. Occassionally, we have had to back up our threats."
"And no one has suspected this camp?" Joe demanded, wincing as Hash tightened the rope around his already raw wrists.
"Why should they?" Dobson countered. "We never go after a child while they are here, only after they have returned home."
"But you took Steve and me," Joe said, confused.
"Steve overheard Lane and Mars talking," Dobson answered. "You were there as well, but not close enough to hear."
Joe shot a look at Hairy/Mars. Now he had a name to go with the big, bushy man. Joe snorted in derision. "Steve only heard their voices," he said. "He couldn't undersatand what was being said."
"That is unfortunate," Dobson said as Hash removed Steve's gag and Mars brought over some food for the boys. "But it was good timing, none-the-less. Having Steve, apparently abducted on the train ride home, allowed us to learn form his father that the vice-president would be attending a meeting at Senator Davenport's office."
"What about Cook?" Joe asked. "Why did you risk taking him?"
"He uncovered the D.C. side of our operation," was the answer.
"Do you honestly think he would tell you anything?" Joe demanded.
"Under torture, maybe," Dobson replied a bit doubtfully. Then he gave Joe a deep thoughtful look and his eyes brightened as his smile blossomed. Joe felt a lead weight drop in his stomach before Dobson spoke again. "But watching us torture the youngest son of an old friend of his just might give him the push needed to tell us what we wish to know."