Page 124 of Statler

She looked up at him with pain in her eyes.

“Why couldn’t I do it, Statler? Why couldn’t I kill him? I…I…choked at the last moment. If you hadn’t been here, I would have wounded him, then… Who knows? He might have overpowered me and made me take those pills.”

“It’s all moot now, Eliza, but I know why you couldn’t end his life. It’s because you’re a decent person,” Statler affirmed for her. “You thought you had it in you, but in the end, you only have your mother’s kindness; not your father’s vindictive soul.”

“I’ve always wondered if I’d end up…like him.”

“Not even close,” Statler validated.

Eliza shivered, and…screw waiting.

Statler couldn’t maintain his distance any longer.

He scrambled to where she sat, dropped to his knees beside her and gathered her up in his arms

She nestled into him, and…he never wanted to let go.

“I have no doubt you would have bested him in the end,” Statler assured her in a comforting whisper, rocking them both as he stroked her hair. “And I know how badly you wanted to be the one to end his reign of terror. I’m sorry I took that away from you.”

Eliza gave him a warbly smile. “I’m not. I’ve come to realize something; watching you and your friends over the past few weeks. Sometimes it takes a team. Or at least a partner to make things happen.”

How true was that?

The next words were out of Statler’s mouth before he could even think about them.

“I’ll be that partner for you. If you let me,” Statler told her in all seriousness.

Wow.

He’d known, before this, that his feelings were strong enough to flirt around the edges of being called love, but now that he’d watched Eliza battle that maniac—her life momentarily hanging in the balance—Cupid’s arrow had clearly embedded itself deeply into his chest.

Eliza gave him a watery smile. “Hold that thought. I want to talk about this. About us. But maybe now isn’t exactly the time.” She canted her head toward the body on the floor.

Statler growled. “You’re right. But we’re not dealing with the mess. We’re leaving him. I have Blue and Amos on standby. They’ll come and stay until the FBI gets here to process the scene. In the meantime, I’m taking you home. To the cottages.”

“Will that be okay with all your…?” She waved her arm around as if to encompass everyone with whom he was involved.

Statler wanted to bow out on them all and concentrate on Eliza alone, but the operator within him, unfortunately, was still functioning; albeit in a background loop in his head.

He knew that a few calls would be necessary before he and Eliza could go off-grid.

He stood, lifting her to her feet where she leaned heavily on him. “Let’s go outside away from…this, while I reach out to a few people.”

There was no need for them to stay in this hateful house any longer.

One of Eliza’s arms went around Statler’s waist, and she steadied herself while squaring her chin. “Yes. Let’s leave.” She looked around and shook her head. “I actually never want to see the inside of this place again.”

“Of course.”

Statler could make that happen.

Without another glance at William’s body, they both walked outside, breathing the fresh night air as they emerged onto the front walkway.

Eliza—reluctantly he could tell—peeled herself off him.

“I’m okay.” She patted his chest. “Really, I am. I’ll just go sit on that garden bench over there while you contact your people.”

Before Statler could tell her that he that didn’t need the distance, she’d walked determinedly to a spot that in the daytime, would have afforded a front-row view of the fountain that sat in the middle of the impressive circular drive.