Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel 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.”

Bernard didn’t hide it. “You’ll want the signal tower. It’s got reception and a phone—call, text, whatever you need.”

“…Where’s the signal tower?”

“Couple ridges over, not far.”

“Can we go now?”

“Sure, I’ll take you. Let’s move.”

Bernard’s first impression of Tarquin hadn’t been great, but once Tarquin set foot here, they’d counted him as one of their own.

If Elysia and the kids had brought him, he wasn’t an outsider.

Bernard led Tarquin through the woods. Pretty soon, Bernard started griping. “Can you pick up the pace?”

Tarquin just blinked.

“We gotta cross the river. You scared?” Bernard asked.

Tarquin shook his head. “Not at all. We swimming across?”

Bernard rolled his eyes. “Are you for real? Even Elysia’s got more sense! That water’d sweep you right to the next state.”

Tarquin just took the hit. Only two people had ever called Elysia smarter than him—Bernard, and Elysia herself.

“So, how do we get over?” Tarquin asked, eager to learn.

Bernard glanced at his wristband and tapped a few buttons.

Suddenly—

*CLANK*—a massive rock beside them split open!

Four steel cables shot out, anchoring themselves into crevices across the river.

The cables pulled tight, forming a makeshift bridge—complete with footboards and handrails.

Bernard grinned at Tarquin. “That’s how we cross.”