Chapter 23
It had been an uneventful few days at the Bothswait household, at least where intruders were concerned.
Still, that heinous message continued to burn in Julian’s gut, even after the lettering had been removed.
Petula, once she’d seen the warning, had pursed her lips at the graffiti, and gone inside to sleep. Julian, Statler, and a few of his crew had immediately begun cleaning off the front siding. Sherbert had glued himself to his computer, studying from every angle, the video the cameras had captured.
With no results.
The perp had been smart. He’d covered himself, head to toe in black, and had kept his face down so that even his eyes—the only thing that would have been visible behind his ski mask—were never caught on surveillance
Very frustrating.
Julian had spent that night on the sibling’s couch, and the next morning had begun the power struggle with Statler again, over where Petula would be staying.
Nothing had been resolved by the time Julian left to attend the closing on his new property, because Petula had eventually emerged from her bedroom, still looking a little rough around the edges.
Julian and Stat had put their contentiousness on hold in order to spare her any additional angst, but Julian knew they’d be getting back into it, sooner, rather than later.
Still, Julian hadn’t hesitated to tweak the man’s tail.
While Statler was hanging around after breakfast, puckering his lips in rebuke, Julian had questioned Petula at length about her favorite colors, how big she liked her TVs, and what she preferred for furniture styles.
He’d taken copious notes, which had amused her to no end, but had pissed Statler off.
Petula had cheerfully over-engaged, even taunting her brother when his disgruntlement became over-the-top, palpable.
“I’ve always thought this kitchen was too dark,” she speculated with a gleam in her eyes. “Who has deep gray walls like this?” She waved an arm at the gorgeous coloring.
Julian knew, full-well, that during the kitchen reno that had obviously been done, she’d probably picked out the hue.
“But, you know,” she’d shaken her head, mock-regretfully, “Statler doesn’t cook, so he’s never thought about it. I, however, have to work in here every night, and something brighter would have been nice.”
Julian had snickered under his breath, but had also taken note of her mock-complaint while Statler scowled even harder.
Jules had vowed he would make his kitchen, and all the other rooms in the house, as bright as possible for Petula.
The real estate closing, an hour or so later, had gone smoothly, thank god. And as soon as Julian had his new keys in hand, he’d mobilized his entire family to get the place Petula-ready.
His brothers, with hands-on instruction from Tabitha, had installed the best-of-the-best available surveillance and alarm systems. While his mother—with three of his sisters-in-law in tow, and two on deck awaiting their turns—had taken Julian’s list, determined not only to fill it within a few hours, but to have those purchases delivered that afternoon.
If anyone could sweet talk the furniture stores into same-day delivery, it would be the Sothard ladies.
God help any salesperson who went up against them.
The poor, commission-based associate would find themselves out of a sale if the phalanx of women moved on to alternative spots for their purchases.
Julian had headed back to Petula and Statler’s to eventually reengage with Stat, determined to have Petula under his roof by tomorrow at the latest. He’d been more than ready to go back into battle with her brother to get his way, but after a brief discussion, they’d called a mutual, but short, moratorium.
The rest of the day and evening had passed quickly.
Petula had napped sporadically on the couch, while Julian had made himself useful by helping Stat in his work-shed, sorting tools and stock that the man would be bringing with him to his next job which he’d finally had confirmed, and would be starting up north in mid-April or early May.
That signed contract was part of Julian’s bargaining power.
There were only a few weeks left until Statler and his crew left to relocate for an untold number of months, which meant solving the issue of Jefferson—who they were now pretty sure was the stalker—was first on everyone’s agenda.
Keeping Petula safe, of course, would eventually land on Julian’s shoulders if they couldn’t take care of the problem before Stat left.
Statler had already agreed, somewhat reluctantly even though he had no other options, that Petula would stay with Julian if Jefferson was yet to be found before he and his crew departed.
Of course, Statler agreed. What choice did he have?
But it still burnt Julian’s ass. Somehow, in the interim, Julian wasn’t considered good enough to protect her?
Bullshit.
Julian, after letting the issue ride for the balance of the day and evening, vowed that he’d pick up the gauntlet again in the morning, and wouldn’t be giving up until he got his way.
As it turned out, Julian need not have fussed.
Arising early from the somewhat uncomfortable couch where he’d been crashing, Julian had just finished making coffee in the kitchen that, yeah, was a little dark, when Statler stumbled in, grabbed a cup, and filled it to the brim.
Julian hid his grin.
For a guy who was on-the-ball, alert, and ultimately in charge, Statler was not a morning person, Julian had discovered. The man was monosyllabic, and downright grumpy before coffee. But even that taciturn puss wasn’t going to keep Julian from engaging this morning.
“So, my family finished up my house yesterday,” he began blandly. “It’ll need interior paint once we decide on colors, but surveillance is up and running, and all the furniture has been delivered. Set up, too. Right down to my amazing relatives making the beds.”
He mentioned beds because he figured he might get some kind of a reaction from Statler, but other than a grunt, the man blew across his coffee and sipped, ignoring him.
Julian persevered. “The kitchen is also fully stocked with everything needed to cook, and the bathrooms are set to go, too.” He had three of those, which was overkill right now, but if he had kids someday…
Pictures of little redheaded girls popped into Julian’s head, and his heart beat a little faster.
Yeah. If he had children, he was one-hundred percent certain he wanted them to look like Petula.
“What I’m saying,” Julian pressed on, tamping down that fantasy, “is that my house is ready for your sister, and I think we should make the move, today.”
“Not happening,” Statler growled, clearly having had enough coffee to kick-start his brain and prime his mouth. “Petula is right where she needs to be. Where we can all keep an eye on her.”
Julian didn’t want to fight, at least not right off the bat, so he tried reasoning. “Jefferson knows where she is, too,” he argued. “But if we’re careful, which I have been, going to and from my new house, he’ll have no clue where she is when we spirit her away.”
When, not if.
Statler’s face turned stony. “Did you miss the part where Jefferson is a computer genius? If he hasn’t already found out you bought a house, he soon will.”
Julian was so glad he had that worry covered.
“Which is why,” Julian told him, “with Tex’s help, I put the house in a trust. There’s no overt connection to my last name anywhere to be found.
Jefferson would have to do an awful lot of digging to uncover my move from my parents’ house, which, by the way, is where I’ve been leaving my truck when I’m not openly following Petula on her route or coming here.
Tex rented me a car under his name. We stashed it in my parents’ barn, and I’ve already been using it when doing anything connected to my new house. ”
Statler only glowered.
Damn. It seemed like the more sense Julian made, the more entrenched Stat became in his insistence on Petula staying put.
“Statler. Be reasonable,” Julian wrangled, running low on patience. “I get where you’re coming from. You’re having a hard time letting go. But there’s brotherly love, then there’s brotherly stubbornness.”
“Which Statler is full of,” Petula threw out, entering the kitchen fully dressed and looking completely alert for the first time since her accident. “But it doesn’t matter in the long run. I don’t care how bullheaded he is, he’s not winning this one.”
“The hell I’m not,” Statler smoldered. “This is the best place for you. End of discussion.”
She raised a brow. “Oh really? What are you going to do, chain me to the couch?”
“If I have to,” he snapped.
She laughed. “And as soon as your back is turned, I guarantee one of your crew will let me loose. They’re all on my side, you know.”
Julian didn’t know that, and clearly Statler didn’t either, but it sounded like Petula must have been working on her brother’s bunch while Julian and Stat had been toiling in the shed the previous day.
Smart woman.
“Then I’ll fire them all,” Statler returned grumpily, but he’d turned his ire-volume down a smidge. It looked like he was slowly coming to terms with the fact that he wasn’t going to win this one.
“And if you get rid of them, what will you do about your upcoming job?” Petula responded smartly. “If you fire your crew, you won’t be able to fulfill your contract.”
Statler made a sound of frustration, then glared up at the ceiling. “You two think you have all the answers, don’t you?”
Petula softened her tone, walked over to Statler, and placed a hand on his arm.
“Not all of them, Stat. I still need you for lot of things. I just think that Julian has this one right. It will be harder for me to be found at his new house, and if you were being at all reasonable about this, you’d see it, too. ”
Petula turned and gave Julian a wink, which looked…promising to him.
He wasn’t going to open his big mouth right now and possibly screw up the groundwork she was laying.
A whine entered Statler’s voice. “But, Pet… It’s always been the two of us. You and me…” he managed, not looking at either one of them.
Ah. Now Julian was beginning to understand. He’d clearly been blind to the real problem since Julian had grown up surrounded by family. Now he felt remorse that he hadn’t approached this more compassionately.
“I know that, Stat,” Petula said gently.
“And nobody will ever replace you. You’re my brother, and you mean the world to me.
But I…really like the idea of living with Julian.
Figuring things out between us. I think that we…
might have a future together.” She glanced Julian’s way and he easily nodded his assent, urging her to continue.
“I know you want that for me, Stat.” Her voice grew stronger as she faced her brother. “A normal life, with someone I…love.”
There it was.
Petula had said it out-loud, and Julian wanted to cheer.
The “L” word floated in the air between them, and it didn’t scare him at all.
While Petula had been recovering from the accident that had almost made him lose his mind, Julian had also come to the undeniable conclusion that Petula was the one.
He loved her. He wanted her in his life, forever.
The starch went completely out of Statler. “You and Julian…?” he began but couldn’t complete his sentence.
Petula waited for Julian to speak.
“…are the real thing,” Julian finished for him, and Petula’s smile grew.
There was no last word from Statler. Just a nearly silent huff, followed by a long hug for Petula.
Statler’s eyes, however, when connecting to Julian’s over her head, told Julian everything he needed to know.
Fuck this up, and face the consequences.
Julian gave him a definitive chin-nod before Statler left the room.
“He’ll get over it,” Petula mused.
Julian knew the man would, but that’s not what he wanted to talk about right now. Since Statler was absent, he wanted to hear Petula’s words again.
“You love me, huh?” he angled.
Petula grinned and wagged a finger at him. “Nope. You first.”
That wasn’t a deterrent. Not at all.
The words came easily.
“I love you, Petula. You are amazing. Compelling. Beautiful. And sooo freaking under-my-skin. How could I not love you?” he asked.
She giggled. “That was pretty good,” she replied. “But this is what I’m really looking for.”
She launched herself at Julian and immediately claimed his mouth.
Julian caught her, and once she was secure in his arms, he lifted her from the floor and twirled her around, all while devouring her soft lips.
He was in heaven.
They went at each other like randy teenagers, but eventually Julian separated them.
A disconsolate noise accompanied by a moue of complaint came from Petula, but Julian knew she wouldn’t be unhappy for too long.
“What do you say we pack you up and I take you home?” he suggested.
Her answering smile was radiant. “I’d like that,” she responded. “I’d like that a lot.”
After thoughts and input from Statler and his crew were given a short time later, they all determined that—just in case Jefferson was watching—they’d disguise Petula’s belongings in construction material boxes, then load them into Dizzy’s truck.
He’d take the long way to Julian’s new house, making sure he had no tail before delivering her goods to the door.
Just in case Jefferson had somehow tapped into Statler’s video surveillance, Sherbert had already rigged it on a temporary loop where nothing unusual would appear to be happening as they took care of business.
Petula, disguised as Blue, would borrow the woman’s car and drive away; Pipes and Hazard on her tail to make sure no one followed. She’d be met by Julian at the local diner—where there were no cameras outside—and she’d be transferred surreptitiously into Julian’s rental car.
They’d then take a circuitous route to his house.
As a last-minute precaution, Sherbert had them all checking their vehicles for possible trackers, but thankfully that search came up empty.
It was go-time.
The plan was executed to perfection, much to everyone’s satisfaction, and by the time Julian pulled into his…their driveway, late that afternoon, he was certain they were in the clear.
“Okay, Petula. We’re here,” he told her.
She rose from her prone position across the back seats, leaned forward, and looked out the windshield.
“Oh. It’s so pretty, Julian,” she sighed happily. “I can’t wait to see inside and get the tour.”
“That’s next on the agenda,” Julian assured her.
Petula got a look in her eyes he couldn’t interpret, then glanced at him sassily. “Uh, no it’s not.”
“It’s not?” he puzzled. “Why isn’t—?
She shook her head and blew him a kiss, cutting him off.
“Sex is,” Petula replied sassily.
She exited the car.