Page 37 of The Keeper

“Why do you look so mopey?” Shawna asked Seth. So much for ignoring their remarks and hoping they’d let their observations go. “Oliver swooped in and saved the day by outing your racist opponent.” Martindale hadn’t officially withdrawn from the race, but his support had all but dried up, according to the latest polling. “I can’t believe he’s hidden his bigotry well enough to get within a few months of the election.”

Kerry cleared his throat dramatically and bumped his shoulder against Seth’s. “Martindale never would’ve gotten this far if your cheap-ass brother would’ve hired a campaign manager.”

“I’m not cheap,” Seth countered. “I just hate a dog and pony show.”

Kerry ignored him and kept yapping. “Maybe a campaign manager wouldn’t have dug as deeply into Martindale’s closet as Oliver did, but they would’ve turned up enough red flags and skeletons to boost your numbers.”

Seth bristled at hearing his ex’s name, and his entire body must’ve tensed because Shawna frowned as she removed her hand from his shoulder. He and Rueben had discussed the Oliver situation at length after the town hall meeting. Seth had tried to give Rueben a warning beforehand since he hadn’t known if his ex would reveal their secret, but they’d played phone tag. Leaving a message or sending a text hadn’t been an option, so Seth had braced for the worst and hoped for the best. Oliver’s stunt at the meeting had landed in the “best” column, but his aggressive remarks to Rueben afterward personified the worst part of his ex’s personality. Rueben thought it meant Oliver wanted him back, but Seth figured Oliver just didn’t want anyone else to have him. Regardless of his motive, the darts struck a bullseye in Rueben’s heart, and Seth could not repair the damage or bridge the growing chasm.

“And the Carson guys are back in our county lockup to face the judge on Monday morning,” Kerry said.

The hearing was supposed to have happened on Friday, but Judge McCready postponed the hearing due to a sudden illness. That man was more vibrant at sixty-five than most people half his age. Seth smelled a rat and suspected the ploy was a setup to give Lyndhurst a chance to talk to Mick Carson. Otherwise, both detainees would’ve been moved in and out of their county on the same day instead of Seth housing the assholes for the weekend.

“Tony should try to work out a plea deal this weekend,” Kerry added. If only he knew the lengths Tony had gone to for the opportunity to take his shot.

Shawna stood taller and squared her shoulders. “Maybe Cynthia’s late because some legal magic is happening.”

Seth didn’t want to think he’d be the last to know if one of the Carsons agreed to speak to Lyndhurst, but sometimes a situation unfolded quickly, and a person had to take advantage of the opportunities handed to them. He stopped guessing Cynthia’s whereabouts and was about to call her when the sound of tires crunching on gravel caught his attention.

Cynthia’s white SUV came around the corner of the building a moment later. She waved at them through the windshield and offered a wan smile. She opened the driver’s-side door and stepped out with a drink carrier in one hand and a pastry bag in the other. “Sorry I’m late, but at least I have a decent excuse.”

Seth’s stomach growled in appreciation, and he was ready to place a moratorium on his worries. Kerry threw an elbow and cut him off to get to the pastries first, so the mellowness didn’t last. Seth retaliated by hooking his arm around his neck and putting his cousin in a playful headlock. “You might be bigger, but I’m still meaner.”

“There goes your reelection bid,” Kerry bit out. “I’m going to get the security footage of this and leak it to the press.”

The ladies snickered at their antics before digging in and taking first pick of the donuts. Shawna got a wicked gleam in her eyes when she bit into a lemon custard donut, which was Kerry’s favorite. Their cousin slung teasing insults and wrestled free of Seth’s hold. The scuffle had messed up Kerry’s hair and somehow made him more good-looking.

“Morning, Cyn.” Kerry kissed her cheek before reaching into the pastry bag.

“Morning, Ker Bear.”

Seth skipped the pastries and went for the coffee, taking the cup with his name on it. He sighed after the first sip because the café had doctored it to perfection. There were pros and cons to small-town living, with people always knowing about your business. The local establishments knowing your drink and food preferences was a big plus in his book. “Nectar of the gods,” he said after his second drink. “The world always looks a little more hopeful with a good cup of coffee. Thanks, Cyn.”

“Are you kidding me? This is the least I can do to thank you. I appreciate you all so much.” Her voice cracked a little, and she sniffled.

Kerry’s eyes widened in panic at the thought of Cynthia bursting into tears. Sometimes the largest guys were the biggest softies. Seth took pity on his cousin and ceded the reins on the conversation.

“We’re glad to help, but we should probably get a move on. It’s supposed to start raining in a few hours and not let up until tomorrow night.”

“Severe storms could keep all of us busy,” Shawna said. “Between the saturated ground and high winds, the potential for downed trees and power lines is significant, not to mention the accidents on rain-slick roads.”

“You’re absolutely right, which means all three of you better reserve some energy,” Cynthia said. “Let’s just get the bigger pieces for now, and I can come back and get the smaller boxes later. I can pack a lot in my SUV, so it might only take a few trips to clear the storage unit completely. I can do that after work this week.”

Seth felt less optimistic for Cynthia once she rolled the door up to reveal her contents. She’d crammed the unit full, and there didn’t seem to be rhyme or reason for where she placed things. It seemed haphazard and very un-Cyn-like. He was surprised boxes hadn’t fallen on top of her when she lifted the door.

“Whoa,” Shawna said.

Cynthia winced and offered an apologetic smile. “I haven’t quite reached hoarder level yet, but I often take things off people’s hands that are destined for the landfill.” Her voice wobbled again, and Seth placed a calming hand between her shoulders.

“Nothing to do but dive in.” Seth scanned the boxes and noticed she’d taken time to label each one. “This might not be as bad as you think.”

“Fucking Pollyanna,” Kerry grumbled under his breath.

The foursome worked together to sort and tunnel their way to the bigger pieces of furniture, then loaded them onto the three pickup trucks and secured the cargo safely in the beds. Cynthia offered her house key to Seth so they could get a head start on unloading, but Seth pointed out that there was a lot of space left inside the three pickup cabs.

“Makes no sense not to grab everything we can,” he said, ignoring Kerry’s glower.

It seemed Seth wasn’t the only gloomy one among the crowd that morning. Shawna seconded Seth’s suggestion, forcing Kerry to agree or look like a dick. Cynthia had been Natalie’s best friend, and Kerry had always reserved one of his few soft spots for her. The bright morning sunshine disappeared under thick cloud cover, casting the rented unit in shadow. The breeze picked up, stirring leaves and dust into a miniature cyclone.

---