Page 108 of The Mercenary's Guide to Mishaps and Romance

“So he’s paying off the woman who killed his daughter?” I ask, confused.

“Don’t ask me why. I have no idea. I wasn’t working with Arthur during that time. I really don’t know too many people who were besides Nate, who is now dead.”

“So we know at least two people knew what was going on,” Leland says. “Nate, who is now dead, and Ellis’s father Zachary.”

“So did Arthur kill Nate?” I ask, hopeful that it wasn’t my own father who’d killed the man in his office.

“No, Arthur was cussing up a storm about it, saying that Zachary is trying to get people looking into him. He went on about how ‘He’s making a fucking mistake because once people start looking at me, they’re going to start looking at him.’ I really don’t know more than that.”

“Why do you still want Ellis? He clearly has no fucking idea where his father is,” Tavish says.

Miller puts both hands up in the air. “Fuck if I know. I’m doing what I’m paid for.”

“Well, if you want to stay alive, then you’re going to take your mom and go on vacation for a couple of weeks. That sounds like a good plan, doesn’t it?” Leland asks as he flashes him some tickets. “Look how fun. It’s either this or death. It’s really up to you.”

Miller rocks back on his heels. “This is a damn good job that I really don’t want to lose.”

“Well, you need to be alive to work.”

He curses then closes his eyes and sighs. “Fine. If you touch my mother, I will murder all of you.”

“And if you harass us anymore, the same,” Tavish says as he holds his hand out.

Miller reaches out and shakes it, but before Tavish lets go, he yanks Miller forward.

“I’m not fucking joking. You hear me? If you evenlookat Ellis, I’m going to tear your eyeballs out of your goddamn head, understand? And if you touch him, I’m going to chop your hands off and I willmail them to your mother.”

“I hear you,” Miller growls.

Tavish smiles at him. “Perfect.”

“Can I leave?”

“I suppose I’ll permit it,” Tavish says.

“You can stay for the birthday dinner,” Leland offers.

“I think I’ll pass,” Miller says before quickly leaving. I can hear his mom carrying on about something, sounding upset about missing out on an opportunity to feast with a roomful of men.

“What will keep Miller from just murdering us now that his mother is gone?” I ask.

“I’m watching his location,” Cassel says as he waves his phone at me. I don’t quite know what that means, but I’m hoping it means we’ll be fine.

Leland looks over at us. “Well… I guess this Sally is going to get a visit from us. She’s still in prison?”

“Yes, she’s out this year, actually. She’s at the Hillsmont Women’s Correctional Facility,” Cassel says.

“Why’s that name sound familiar…” Leland mutters. “Wait… Everly once worked there, didn’t he? I remember seeing it when we looked into him.”

“Man, it’s been a while. I don’t quite remember,” Jackson says.

“Is Everly also someone I should find quite sketchy?” I ask.

Everyone is quiet as they all stare at Leland. “Everly is… Everly. I’ll handle it,” Leland says. “But for now, let’s feast.”

“Miller’s trotting right on off. He definitely doesn’t want to miss his flight,” Cassel informs us. “It smells delicious in here. Tavish, you’re lucky. Last dinner he invited me to, he tried making me eat in front of The Fence.”

“Well, Tavish doesn’t need to beg for The Fence’s forgiveness, now does he?” Leland asks.

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