Page 24 of The Beautiful Mess

Kerry didn’t bother checking with Dom first. He knew how hard his friend was working to build up his clientele. Landing a successful lawyer like Vinny could be a lucrative arrangement with infinite possibilities. He jotted Dom’s phone number and email down for Vinny without hesitation, though he’d give Dom a heads-up once they left. “You said something about a countersuit? Is that what you recommend?”

“Yes, I do. I think you should sue for a dollar,” Vinny said. “It sends a powerful message. At first, Bozeman will think it’s a weak countersuit, but then I’ll clarify that he will also pay all your legal fees when you win. I’m not charging you a penny for this, but he doesn’t need to know that. And his attorney sure as hell knows how much someone with my experience charges.”

“So, you’re saying my son has nothing to worry about, Vin?” Steven asked.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Vinny turned his attention to Kerry. “Do not lose another moment to worrying about this case. If this man is stupid enough to take this all the way to court, I will make him regret the day he was born.”

Kerry slapped his hands against his thighs. “That about settles it, then.”

“Only thing left is the crying. His,” Vinny clarified with a wink. “You’ve already provided all your documentation on the accident and a list of witnesses who were on the scene and can confirm that Chuck Dahl acted in the opposite manner you instructed him during Mr. Bozeman’s rescue. I will contact your insurance company to obtain documentation on their negotiations with Mr. Bozeman. They will have done an extremely thorough investigation into the matter. We’ve already hit the ground running on this, so I’ll be in contact when I need more information or have an update to share.”

“I can’t thank you enough, Vin,” Steven said.

“This is what I do.” He smiled at Kerry and said, “I hope you feel better about the situation.”

“Immeasurably so,” Kerry replied.

They left the office a few minutes later. Steven offered to buy Kerry breakfast, but he was eager to get back to a normal routine. Caffeine and Vinny’s assurances had worked miracles, and time was wasting. The two men hugged before parting ways, and Kerry headed to the station. He called Dom to give him a heads-up, but Vinny had beat him to the punch.

“Do you know what this could do for my business?” Dom asked.

“Great things, I hope.”

“His assistant is sending over a contract and information on a case Vinny wants me to start on right away. I can’t thank you enough.”

“Your work created the opportunity. I just provided your contact information. I’m really happy for you.”

They chatted for a few more minutes so Kerry could tell Dom what Vinny said about his case. They promised to meet up soon for a steak dinner before disconnecting. Kerry almost felt like a new man when he strolled into his station. The crew whistled when they caught sight of him in a suit.

“This old thing?” Kerry asked as he continued to his office.

He kept spare uniforms at the station for emergencies but decided not to change unless he needed to respond to a call. The suit made him feel like a boss, and he needed the boost after weeks of floundering. Kerry sighed when he saw the mountain of paperwork on his desk. His role at Hart’s Creek Rescue had become more administrative over the past few years as he’d expanded the business and hired additional crew. He’d fallen behind miserably on his paperwork and was determined to set things right.

Kerry removed his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and got to work prioritizing the outstanding tasks. Facing the music was overwhelming at first, but he found a rhythm in no time. Kerry started with the outstanding renewal contracts because they were the rescue’s primary source of income. Those agreements cemented Hart’s Creek Rescue as the first responders to accidents and rescues, and he was fortunate to work with nearly every municipality in the tri-county area, as well as state-funded entities. Kerry sent the renewal documents out ninety days before the existing contracts expired, then followed up forty-five days later. It was common for the municipalities and state to wait until the last minute, so Kerry wasn’t initially alarmed that three renewal contracts were still pending until he saw how close they were cutting it. Two of them still had three weeks until their contracts expired, but he only had ten days left to secure Hart’s Creek Township’s renewal. Kerry tried to track down the three entities by phone but didn’t have much luck. Township trustees managed the municipalities, but it was rarely their primary jobs. Kerry left messages and sent emails, hoping he’d hear back from them soon, and continued working through the mess he’d made.

One of the crew brought him lunch, and he took breaks to stretch, snack, and hydrate throughout the afternoon. Around three o’clock, Kerry received an email from Frank Tallus, a trustee for Hart’s Creek Township, in response to the renewal contracts. Dread knotted his stomach when Frank admitted they were considering other service providers. One of the trustees raised nepotism claims, pointing out that they shouldn’t just choose Kerry because of his lineage or relation to the county sheriff.

“Fuck!” Kerry snarled. This had Chuck’s fingerprints all over it. The timing of his newly formed company and the renewal holdouts couldn’t be a coincidence. He took a deep breath and wrote a respectful reply to Frank’s email, signing off with his hope that they’d continue to work together. He jotted a follow-up in his calendar so he could make a last pitch to Frank before the contract expired.

Kerry wanted to give in to his temper, pause to pound the punching bag for an hour, but he directed his focus to getting caught up. Before he knew it, dinnertime arrived. Kerry thought longingly of the leftovers waiting for him at home, but he’d made great strides and didn’t want to ease off the throttle. He jumped when his phone vibrated with a text message from Sven around seven o’clock. Kerry’s heart raced when he recalled his brother’s plans for Monday night.

At the Thirsty Cowboy. I really don’t like this Danny guy. Need backup. Now!

Kerry was out of his chair and heading to the door before he finished reading the message.On my way,he typed. Sven was many things. Dramatic was one of them, but he wouldn’t trigger unnecessary panic. If Sven said something was off about Danny, then Kerry believed him. The drive to the bar only took fifteen minutes, but his mind spun countless possibilities—each one worse than the next. Sven had texted him updates, which he checked as soon as he parked in the crowded lot. The number of thirsty cowboys at such an early hour on a Monday was surprising. Equally concerning was the attention Kerry got when he strolled over to Sven’s table. If his brother hadn’t texted him with his location, Kerry would’ve struggled to recognize him. Hell, he didn’t even know Sven owned a regular ball cap that didn’t have sequins or glitter on it. The black-framed glasses were a nice touch, and his dowdy, oversized shirt and baggy jeans hid the assets he typically showed off at the bar.

Kerry’s attire must’ve equally distracted Sven. “Did you come from a funeral?”

“I had a meeting with Vinny about the lawsuit,” Kerry replied.

“Oh my god! I forgot all about that,” Sven said, then gestured across the room to where Keegan sat with a dark-haired guy close to his age. Danny was deep in conversation with a couple sitting across from them while he absently stroked Keegan’s hair, shoulders, and arm. “He looks miserable. Every time he stands up to leave, Danny places a hand on his leg. Do something.”

“I will not storm over there and yank Keegan out of his embrace.” Though that was exactly what he wanted to do.

Before Kerry could formulate a plan, Keegan scooted his chair back and stood up. Danny had reached for him, but Keegan evaded his touch. His little lamb said something to the table before heading to the bathroom. Danny watched Keegan go with a telling glint in his eyes that made Kerry’s stomach curdle. The tablemates said something Danny found hilarious, but he never tore his gaze away from Keegan. When Danny stood up to follow, Kerry was moving too. The distance between them was too great for Kerry to intercept Danny, but he should only be a few steps behind. Unfortunately, that was all the head start Dickhead Danny needed.

“I said no, Danny.” Keegan’s distressed voice rang down the hallway, and Kerry ran the last few steps, his mind spinning with horrible possibilities.

“You little cocktease,” came the angry reply. “You should consider yourself lucky—”

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