“I don’t like the way I can hear you breathe, ya weasel,” Tavish says.
“Oh, now I’m supposed to stop breathing?” I ask.
“Nah, just quieter. You know what? There’s a wee spot in the back that would fit your breathing ass… ya know, where the spare tire goes? Or I bet we could leave you behind and there’d be no difference to any of us.”
“Please… anyone out there… give me the strength to not execute Tavish when someone is looking. And if I can’t hold myself back, please make sure they are looking the other way, and when they look back, they go, ‘Oh thank god someone finally put that man down. Ah well.’”
“Ah well, my ass!” Tavish says. “Are you planning on offing me?”
“I only get one man off and he’s in the driver’s seat.”
Jackson clears his throat at that. “Let’s talk about what we’re going to do when we get there… three hours from now.”
“I’m going to have your mighty fine ass stay in the van where it’s safest. That’s one plus side about having a van that looks like this. No one is wanting to get in it, so you’ll be safe.”
Jackson seems oddly suspicious. “Why am I staying in the van?”
“Because I want to keep you ultra safe.”
“That’s ultra sweet of you, but no.”
“I just want my son back,” Sophia says.
“We’ll get him back. I’m not worried about it. And then you’re going to pretend we never met. If our children want to frolic together then we shall let them on the condition that you keep your bullshit out of Waylon’s life.”
“Is Waylon yours?” she asks.
“He doesn’t have to be blood related to be ours,” I snap, feeling ultra prickly with this woman. My level of trust in her is nearly nonexistent. It’sfascinating.
“Calm down,” Tavish says as he pets my face for some reason. I realize I was doing the same thing to Waylon, which was fine with me, but this is just… it makes my skin crawl.
I scowl at him. “What did you just wipe on me?”
“I didn’t wipe anything on you! I was comforting your stubborn ass.”
“Sounds suspicious,” I whisper. “I think this calls for a song.”
“No!” everyone in the vehicle but Sophia says. Of course the one I like least is the only one eager to hear my singing.
“Why does everyone hate me singing? Everly, have you even heard me sing? I can’t remember.”
“I have and it made me regret deciding to spare you. It makes my fingers just… ache to squeeze,” Everly says as I sense his fingers uncomfortably close to my neck. I really think I shouldbe in the front, but Henry is already kicking back and closing his eyes in the passenger seat.
“Henry, Mr. Chief of Police, a murder is about to take place behind you, and I feel like you’re going to sleep through it.”
“It’s alright, I have good detectives. They’ll avenge you.” He stifles a yawn and then seems to get more comfortable.
I sigh and kick back, deciding I’ll save my song for when I have a bigger captive audience.
Unable to bear the silence, I decide that I’ll at least talk about the dreadful plan. “When we arrive, I think it’d be best to work in pairs. We are staking the place out,Tavish. We are not running in,Tavish. We’re not showing ourselves,Tavish.”
“I feel like you just love hearing the sound of my name. Must make you feel good,” he says.
My face twitches a little, but I’m a brave man who stays on task. “Jackson, why don’t you stay with Henry? Everly, I am deeply apologetic, but I think you should stay with Tavish. I’ll stay with Sophia.”
I can see Jackson look back at me, but I just give him a wink. I mean… who else should go with Sophia?
When the van reaches the location, we all file out. Teo Barlow’s place is a fenced-in area with a large estate and a few outbuildings. Just as we step out of the vehicle, Cassel calls, and I put him on speaker.
