Page 76 of Silver Tears

I reach for her hand and shake my head. “I’d make sure the police paid him a visit when she wasn’t there.”

Her shoulders sag in relief. “You think it could work?”

“I do.” I nod. “Either that or I can get the boys to bundle him in a van and we can tie him up somewhere until we get your mum clean.”

She looks at me as if she isn’t sure if I’m joking, and I chuckle. “It’s a joke, Mills.” It’s kind of a joke. It had crossed my mind, though.

“When?”

I chew on the inside of my cheek. “I was thinking this weekend. Saturday morning. I could place the drugs at his flat on Friday night. Police do an early morning raid, and the rest is history.”

Mills frowns. “But they always go out Friday night and come home together, so mum would be with him and what’s stopping them coming back here instead of his flat?”

I tap my head. “Already thought of that. I’m not just a pretty face, you know, precious?”

She rolls her eyes at me, fighting a smile. “Go on then. Dazzle me with your genius!”

“I text your mum and tell her I’ll lend her some money but that I need to talk to her about you and Chops without Lenny there.” I wink at her. “She, therefore, comes home and sends Lenny to his place.”

Mills bobs her shoulders, considering my plan. “It could work. It could also fail.”

Tap. Tap.

We both jerk when we see her dad leaning down at the passenger window. He gestures to his watch, hinting that it’s time for Mills to go in.

Mills groans in embarrassment and gestures to her dad that she’s coming. “What do you think?”

“Okay,” she says with a determined look on her face.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I trust your judgement.”

I smile. She trusts me. “I’ll need the boys to help. But they won’t know that Lenny has any connection to you or your mum. I promise.”

“Do it,” she says firmly. She leans over, kisses my cheek, and exits the car. Her dad waits at the door, making a point of looking at his watch again before frowning over at me. I give him my best smile, waving to him as I pull away. Yeah, he hates me and thinks I’m taking his daughter’s innocence away.

* * *

I drive to Archers and head to the den. When I walk in, Eliza has her head in a book, lying flat out on the sofa. Archer and Rafe are playing pool. Vee isn’t here tonight. She has drama rehearsals for the end-of-year theatre production.

“Hey, folks. Little Red, are you reading one of those why choose smutty books again?” I ask her, waggling my eyebrows as I make my way over to the guys.

Eliza lifts her head from her book and, pulling her tongue out at me, and gives me the finger. I chuckle at her response. I reach the table and lean my hands on the edge of the table, watching as Archer takes his shot and pots the red ball.

I glance over my shoulder, and check Eliza isn’t listening. “I need a favour tomorrow night. You know that situation I paid the Brownlee’s a visit about?”

They both nod their head and Rafe walks around the table studying the balls and considering his next shot.

“The Brownlee’s haven’t dealt with him, so I need to move things along myself. I need to get rid of him. Preferably with jail time. I’m thinking possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.”

Archer nods his head at me, glancing over at Eliza. “What do you need from us?”

“I’ll set everything up. I just need you with me as a lookout.”

“Sure thing,” Rafe says, taking his shot and potting the yellow ball. He’s winning the game. I can never beat him. He’s a master at pool. “When?”

“Tomorrow night,” I tell them. “I was thinking before we head to the club.”

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