Page 94 of Statler

“I know some guys,” he said. “If you can get them clearance. You might be familiar with Mason Sothard?”

“A good man. Head of the Bangor SWAT team if I’m not mistaken.”

“That’s right,” Statler confirmed, never shocked by how much Dark actually knew about…well, everything. “I’m sure, with your approval and if I ask, he’ll mobilize his team and have them here for us. They could make it in under four hours if they hustle.”

“Funny you should invoke SWAT,” Dark chuckled. “The FBI agent I’m about to call is Cruz Livingston, who has helped them out in the past.”

“That’s good to know,” Statler felt some of his concern drop that the agent involved was someone who was familiar with their local protocol.

“I’ll make a few calls, and get the necessary clearance. You talk to Mason and let him know that this mission is top secret.” Dark’s voice grew speculative. “It might be useful to have them read-in and on standby for future operations. But…that still doesn’t solve our problem at the coast,” Dark barked. “We have to take out all the players on the truck, the scow, and the freighter on that end.”

“I think I have that covered, too, if you agree,” Statler supplied excitedly. He thought of all the ex-military Sothards along with a couple of bad-ass wives who worked in deep sea operations.

“Another Sothard. Spencer at Diver Downeast⁠—”

“—along with the other brothers,” Dark cut in again. “All ex-military and most spec-ops. Yes. They’ll do quite well. I’ll have them fast-tracked into our operations, as well, and will make that call to give them details and timing.”

Statler breathed a sigh of relief.

“We’ll all touch base at nineteen hundred hours to solidify everyone’s approach,” Dark concluded, “well after SWAT has arrived.”

“It’s a plan,” Statler agreed.

When he hung up, he noted the anticipation and excitement he saw on all the faces around him.

Yup.

They’d been playing nice for too long.

It was about time to take down the bad-guys, and rough them up for all the shit they’d been pulling, and for what they had planned for Eliza.

* * *

Ten minutes later, the call to his friend Mason was complete, with astonishment from Mason over Statler’s secretive status, but Stat had assured him he’d fill him in on the details he was missing about Statler’s crew, once they met up.

Mase had been fully read-in on the logistics of the situation, and had immediately agreed to help. There hadn’t been a moment’s hesitation.

His team’s ETA, since everyone had to convene, was just under five hours.

Tonka and Pipes had taken off to watch the road to Eliza’s, and the rest of Statler’s crew had gone back to their cottages to prepare their gear and decompress before the big event.

Decompression was a smart idea.

There was only one place Statler wanted to go to find his own sense of calm.

At the top of a museum-quality mountain.

And it being Saturday?

One never knew. He might just run into the artist who had been creating all that magnificence.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

It was a glorious day, and Eliza was taking advantage. She knew there wouldn’t be many more of these warm weekends as fall was now fully underway. And…

Who knew where she’d be, anyway?

Since the night she’d seen Jeremy at the factory, she’d been digging harder into things that she’d previously neglected investigating; Holden’s death being top of her list.