Page 35 of Four Times Forever

With a tight leash on my anger, I stopped backing up. "So are you going to stop being so cryptic with me? Or are you going to tell me what it is that I'm supposed to have done?"

Chapter 27

Tyler

We were backed all the way up to the entryway to the sitting room. Just like I had planned. I knew something they didn't know. Every piece of furniture in the room had a weapon hidden in close reach. You know, for moments like these, when the past came knocking.

"You know what you've done," Kruger said.

An exaggerated groan, a slight eye roll. "Okay, guess you like sticking to the cryptic. I'll tell you what, why don't you stop waving that thing around since if you were going to shoot me, you would have done it the moment I opened the door." Which could also mean they didn't know much, they only had speculations and needed answers. "So, why don't we have a seat?"

I gestured to the sophisticated leather and wooden seats that complemented all the natural wood in the room, from the short table in the center to the floors, the ceiling, the drink cabinet, and the walls. Out of all the rooms in the house, this was mine to decorate, and the office. I took pride in every detail, the art on the wall, the old-fashioned glass windows that threw out geometric reflections of the sun, and matched my old-fashioned crystal whiskey glasses. It would be a shame to ruin it over speculations.

"Would you like a drink?" I turned my back on them and took my wife's hand, every bit aware of the gun still trained on her, though Kruger and Quasimodo lowered theirs. I led her to a seat and we exchanged eye contact. She knew as well as I did how heavily armed this room was and her eyes bulged.

Trust me. I blinked. I won't let them hurt you.

"I don't know about you, but it's been a while since I've had a gun pointed at my head. It doesn't feel very good to see my wife trembling like a leaf either." I walked toward the drink cabinet.

Though my back was turned, I was aware of every move. The glass on the cabinet door helped me keep an eye on each of them. The seats they were sitting on were primed for electrocution and I was standing next to the switch.

"It's making me a little jittery. A drink will calm me down. And we can also discuss this like level-headed adults, can't we?" I turned to acknowledge them. That fucker with the gun still aimed at Ann-Marie must have had a strong-ass arm. He'd be the first one to go. "I'm in the mood for scotch. What are you in the mood for?" I asked.

They didn't answer. Their eyes were on my every move. I poured us four drinks and handed them out to each of them like a good little host before taking mine to sit next to my wife. I took a sip and let the burn encourage me.

"Now, that's more like it." I sighed. Fixing a coaster onto the table, I rested the glass on top of it and took my wife's hand.

None of the men touched their drinks.

"So, are we going to sit like this all day?" I tracked my gaze over each of them, narrowing my eyes at the one with the gun trained on my wife. His hand was beginning to shake. It was subtle, but I noticed it. "Okay, I guess I'll start with the million-dollar question. How did you find me?"

"Well, that is the million-dollar question, isn't it?" Kruger asked while Quasimodo eyed his drink. Aw, he wanted a sip. I hadn't put anything in it. Poor thing. The torture on his face.

"Yup. Sounds like exactly what I just said." I performed a laugh.

Kruger struggled to find the humor. "That's not a joke. I have one for you. Wanna hear it?"

"I'd kill to hear a joke right now. The room is too tense." I shivered.

"Oh, you'll love this one. When Carter showed up dead in North Carolina, we wondered what the hell he was doing out here and WHO out here would want to hurt him. Someone could have followed him here, maybe. But you wouldn't guess what we found..." He paused for effect.

"Me." I filled in the silence. "So, naturally you think I had something to do with it. I mean, that is funny as hell. Now, catch me up to speed here. Who the hell is Carter?"

Quasimodo had taken up his glass and he was studying it. Kruger's loud, obnoxious laugh startled him and he jerked, spilling a little on his hand, before putting it down.

"Good one." Kruger wagged his finger at me.

I flashed my brows at him. "You have an odd sense of humor, don't you?"

My wife squeezed my hand, warning me to behave. I took a deep breath, caressing her cold, trembling fingers.

"Okay, so I happen to live close to where this Carter turned up dead. Still don't know what that has to do with me? As I said before, I gave up that life, and I'm sure that if you've done your research, you'll see that I'm telling the truth. This is all just a complete waste of our time, don't you think? You could be out there trying to find the actual person responsible. Or did you just want to catch up?" I smirked.

Kreuger shook his head, and my fingers itched to wring his neck. "You know, you put on a convincing act. And if we were brain-dead idiots, we might have believed you. But you're forgetting a slight detail."

I tensed. "Yeah? What's that?"

"Hold on. Don't rush the story." Kreuger smiled. "So, where was I? We found out you live here, Carter showed up dead. Right! We thought that you killed Carter as an act of revenge, but as you said, we had an agreement, so things weren't adding up, until the news reports of a kidnapping came up."

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