Page 109 of Statler

Granny was nowhere to be found, and Statler feared the worst. Not just for the older woman, but for Eliza.

Now that he’d told her that they hadn’t located her friend, all bets were off.

He knew Eliza was tenacious, and he had no doubt she’d turned around and was headed back, sacrificing herself for Granny if that’s what it took.

What she might not realize, is that people like Flazer never compromised.

If Eliza was eventually to be eliminated, Granny would end up as collateral damage. The asshole wouldn’t blink an eye at having to kill two people instead of one, especially since he’d been murdering townsfolk for ages.

Statler suppressed a shiver, hating his current state of inactivity.

As much as he wanted to be out scouring the town for Jeremy and Granny, his leadership, and continued connection to Dark were necessary, here.

At least for now.

Statler had heard from Dark every hour for the past several, and the last time they’d interfaced, Stat had learned that Spencer’s dive team was in place; ready to surprise and intercept the delivery truck later, at the waterfront.

The plan was to blindside the driver and helpers—as well as those on the scow waiting at the inlet—by arising from the water like so many Tritons. They’d overwhelm the intermediate couriers, and once they’d been dealt with and trussed up to be handed over to the FBI, the Diver Downeast crew would then pose as the bad-guys, taking the purloined scow directly to the freighter where they’d storm the decks and bring all those insurgents into custody, as well.

Spencer, it seemed, wasn’t worried in the least about his crew’s participation saying they had it all under control. They were actually quite excited to be part of this undertaking.

Statler—with his well-honed team as well as SWAT having his back—would have felt the same way…if Eliza and Granny weren’t in the mix.

In his gut, however, Stat knew that something tonight would go sideways, and he was going to have to stay vigilant to make sure that the two women remained unharmed.

He didn’t know what he’d do if something happened to Eliza. And that thought was unnerving, as well as quite revealing. For someone who’d always been happy, solo, Statler’s trepidation made him realize, even more, how much he wanted her in his life. He simply couldn’t get her out of his head. They just seemed to…fit. Cerebrally, artistically, and emotionally at least. And as for physically? He knew from their brief encounters that when the time came to take things to another level, they’d be explosive together in bed.

He gave a wry, internal chuckle. As mild and seemingly compliant as Eliza appeared on the surface, Statler knew better. She was a wildcat, and went after what she wanted. He’d caught sight, several times, of the spitfire she normally held in check, and he loved every bit of it.

In this instance, with her immediate compliance that she’d still head to Petula’s, Eliza might have thought she was fooling Statler with her outwardly meek act, but the resolve he’d heard in her voice had told him otherwise.

He looked at his watch.

If Eliza had turned around when they’d spoken, which he was almost certain she had, it would be approximately an hour and a half before she was back in the area.

He hoped like hell that he’d get the news, before then, that Granny had been located, so he could call to reassure her, then relax into the otherwise fairly standard “bust” that was on for midnight.

His current team which numbered seventeen—minus the four who were out looking for Jeremy and Granny—were, with the exception of Statler, currently enjoying their downtime together before the big event later on, joking and laughing; swapping outrageous stories.

Statler thought he was putting on a placid face.

But clearly, he wasn’t fooling Mason.

The man leaned forward. “So, you believe she’s coming back,” Mason second-guessed, speaking to Statler quietly.

Leave it to Mason to know exactly where Stat’s brain had gone.

Not that he’d hidden his interest in Eliza from Mason. The minute he’d “mentioned” her name, Mason had known something was percolating. He’d been pretty much teasing Statler, ever since.

“I’m ninety-nine percent sure she’s headed this way as we speak,” Statler grumbled.

Mase looked contemplative. “If you want, we can always spare one of my team to waylay her on the road back into town,” he suggested.

“I thought of that.” Statler ran a hand over his face, scrubbing across the chin-scruff he always had this late in the day. “But she’s far more familiar with the area than we are, and if I know of three ways to approach Liminal, she probably knows ten. There’s no guarantee we’d pick the route she’s taking, which means we’d wouldn’t be accomplishing anything except shorting our own manpower by setting people to watch for her return on all venues.”

“I get it,” Mason nodded. “So we’re just hoping…?”

“…that Granny is found soon,” Statler finished. “Because Jeremy and Flazer are most assuredly counting on Eliza returning for her friend. What they have planned for Eliza after that, can’t be good,” Statler ended with a growl.