Page 102 of Statler

More like she was about to tell him a thing or two.

“Uh, uh. You’ve been working hard to uncover all this bullshit from the moment you got here, and I don’t see you as the kind of man who shrugs off seeing the results of his hard work.”

Statler couldn’t actually dispute that.

“So, here’s what’s going to happen,” she determined without letting him rebut. “We’re going down the mountain where I’ll get in my car and you’ll get in yours. You can follow me until I’m safely out of town, where I’ll continue on my way to Bangor. You will go back to finish your take-down of William, Jeremy, and all the rest who are involved.”

Statler looked for a reason that her plan wouldn’t work, but it was solid. And in truth, he did want to pound the shit out of Jeremy.

In the end, he agreed.

“Okay. But since I’m putting you up with my sister, I have to let you know she doesn’t have any inkling of what me and the team do, and you can’t tell her. Understood?”

“My lips are zipped,” Eliza responded, making the accompanying motion with her thumb and forefinger.

He gazed at her mouth, and couldn’t keep his own, shut.

“Let me make this clear,” he added gruffly. “Your lips will be truly unzipped, very soon. Once this is all over, I have big plans for them…and for you.”

Eliza looked up at him with a love in her eyes that couldn’t be mistaken. Her smile broke out like it was sunshine.

“Damn. I was really hoping you’d say that,” she purred, reaching up and stroking his face.

Oh, yes.

It looked like they wouldn’t be going down the mountain quite yet.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Statler headed back to the cottages after following Eliza for twenty miles past the Liminal border. He’d called Petula, who had been downright gleeful to host Eliza, teasing him mercilessly…

“Oooh. Does big brother have a girlfriend?” Petula prodded in a sing-song voice. “Staunch, lone-wolf, I-don’t-need-a-woman, Statler?”

“Cut the crap, Petula. Can you take Eliza in, or not?”

“Of course I can, Mr. Grumpy-pants. I just want to know if I should talk about the weather when she gets here, or if she’ll want to chat about how good my brother is at kissing?”

Statler growled. “You can talk about whatever you want,” he allowed reluctantly. “I just need you to keep her safe and tucked away for now. There are a couple of people up here who mean to do her harm, and I need to know she’s okay while I deal with it.”

Petula became serious. “You aren’t going to get yourself in any trouble, are you?” she asked.

“Who, me?” Statler attempted to joke. “Not a chance. You think Tonka is going to let anything happen to your brother?”

“Well, Tonka is not impervious to bullets, just like you’re not. So, how about this. I’d wish for you get law enforcement involved if there’s something dangerous going on up there, rather than risk death or dismemberment.”

Statler thought fast. Should he…?

Yup.

“I’ve already thought about all that, but there’s no police department or sheriff’s office in this town. Which means,” he added before Petula could get wound up again, “I’ve already called Mason, and SWAT is on the way here.”

That intel shouldn’t present a problem. Petula knew he was friends with Mase. And on the other end, Mason, all this brothers, and his team would know now, compliments of Dark, to keep the real situation in Liminal, under wraps.

“Awesome.” Petula breathed a sigh of relief. “And don’t worry about Eliza. We’ll take care of her, and…” she got impish again. “…I’ll be picking her brains to see what the situation is between you two.”

“Good luck,” Statler snorted.

If he and Eliza didn’t know where things were going yet, Petula would have a hard time extracting any information.