Page 127 of Statler

Dark wasn’t upset at all.

“I’ll expect a full report by Monday.”

Huh. The man hadn’t even asked for details.

“Yes, sir,” Statler quickly agreed. “Monday. I’m headed back to do a debrief with my team and SWAT right now.”

Dark sighed. “Don’t take too long with that, Statler. Your girl needs you.”

“Don’t worry, General,” Statler assured him. “I couldn’t agree with you more.”

After finishing up with Dark, there was only one more person to notify before Statler completed his agenda.

He dialed, now.

“Statler?”

“She’s okay, Granny.” Statler cut to the chase.

“Oh. Thank the Lord,” the woman returned with a rousing whoop. “I was so worried. And her father? Jeremy?”

Statler gave her the rest of the news. “William is dead. Jeremy is in custody.”

“The best possible outcome,” Granny affirmed. “And now that you’ve done your job successfully, it’s time for you to get the girl.”

“Exactly my plan.”

Statler wasn’t even trying to hold his secret in anymore. Apparently, his prior attempts at keeping things under wraps had failed dismally, so what did it matter? It seemed like everyone he knew had understood he was falling for Eliza, even before he’d admitted it to himself.

“And don’t worry about me. One of your people will give me a ride home, which means you’ll have no more excuses to put your declarations off,” Granny chastised. “Be with Eliza. Make things work. This old woman is hanging up now.”

“I—”

The phone went dead and Statler chuckled.

It was a good thing he’d already made up his mind, and was ready to shout his love to the rooftops, because it looked like nobody in his circle was going to take no for an answer.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Eliza didn’t mourn the death of William Flazer for one second.

Instead, she shed tears over her mother’s preventable demise, cursing the man who’d been her father.

He really had tried to ruin her life; killing two people she loved, dictating how she lived. And in the end, he’d even attempted to do away with her.

There was no redemption for him.

Eliza hoped he was rotting in hell.

She looked around, knowing that this was the last time she’d ever see this place. It held a few loving memories of her mother, but most of the feelings remaining were negative, and for that reason, she’d never step foot on this property, again.

The sound of the fountain tinkled merrily in the air as she tuned in to Statler, who, under the flood lights, looked like he was wrapping things up on the phone.

Eliza sighed.

She did realize that without her patriarch’s greed and wish to expand his illegal operation, she never would have met Statler. The love of her life never would have come to town. But the boon that had come of that happenstance attraction wasn’t something William had planned, so she’d give the old man no credit where Statler was concerned.

One thing she was certain of at this juncture?