Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem

Chapter 1290

Tarquin was calm as ever. "Killing people's illegal. I don't kill."

"...So you're just gonna let them walk down the mountain?"

He shrugged. "No one's stopping them. If they make it out alive, well-that's up to fate."

Bernard shot him an approving look.

That's how a real man does it-tough when he needs to be, but never crossing the line.

"As long as you don't break the law, we're good."

"But what if someone actually makes it down? How can you be sure they won't blab?"

"I can."

"Oh yeah? How? Those guys were scared stiff, but you can't count on them to forget everything."

Tarquin shot back, "How did Gerald manage to stay in touch with the outside world?"

No cell service up here in the mountains. Phones were useless.

Howard's custom wristbands worked like walkie-talkies, but only inside the mountain. No contact with anyone offsite.

And yet, Gerald somehow kept supplies coming and always knew what was happening back home. That meant he had some way of getting messages out.

Bernard asked, "You need to reach someone on the outside?"

"Yeah, I do."

tower. It's got reception and a phone -call, text, whatever

"...Where's the signal tower?"

over, not

"Can we go now?"

I'll take you.

been great, but once Tarquin set foot here,

the kids had brought him, he

Bernard started

Tarquin just blinked.

was trained, sure—but to Bernard, he moved

couldn't hold back the sarcasm. "You're

forgot that Evan had grown up on this mountain. Tarquin hadn't. Evan knew every rock and root. Tarquin

few

followed along,

who'd once kicked seven rival

owed this to Elysia and Evan,

the two of them made their way toward the signal tower,

roaring waterfall. The water thundered down

asked, "Is the tower behind the

gave him a look.

efine

the waterfall's just solid rock. Where would you put

had made it

the river. You scared?" Bernard

"Not at all.