Page 13 of Frostbite & Mistletoe
Kymberlie frowned.“But you could dry it out, right? I mean—it’s just water. We’re already removing all the drywall and insulation in the building. Just let everything dry out for a few days.”
Fred shook his head.“It doesn’t work that way, sorry.” Hisvoicewas gentle but firm.“Once electrical components are soaked, corrosion starts almost immediately. And with all that soot and mineral runoff in the water? You’ve got conductive residue everywhere. That means electrical shorts just waiting to happen.”
Emma said,“Code says anything that’s been exposed to water like this—panel, wiring, junction boxes—has to be replacedbyall-new components.”
Acid churned in Kymberlie’s stomach. Her throat went dry.“But the firefighters sprayed downeverythinginside this building,” she croaked.
She’d already figured on having to replace the electrical panel and rewire the storeroom, as well as the backbar power outlets that Gabriel had cited her for.
But now the Barkers were telling her she’d have to put a whole new electrical system in her club?
She put a hand against the nearest exposed wall stud to steady herself.Shit. I hope that insurance check arrives fast.
“The new fire marshal was right about this place being a deathtrap,” Sophie added.“No offense, Kymber.”
“Just do what you have to,” Kymberlie told Fred.“I swear I’ll figure out how to pay you.”
“That’s the last thing we’re worried about,” he assured her. The twins nodded in agreement.
She heard the crunch of gravel outside as more vehicles pulled up.
“Excuse me, but I have to see who just arrived,” she managed before fleeing the storeroom like a coward.
One of the new arrivals was a Jeep. The doors opened and five sabertooth shifters emerged, led by a silver-haired man with brawny, tattooed arms. It was Daniel Langlais.
She stared at him in surprise.
Daniel was an honest-to-God celebrity chef. His restaurant at the Bearpaw Springs Lodge had won a ton of awards. And he was coming to helpher?“Gabriel called me and said you could use a hand with demo. I brought a few guys who enjoy breaking stuff.”
“Wow… thank you!” Dazed, she smiled and nodded mechanically as he introduced the other sabertooth shifters who’d come with him.
Tyler Swanson emerged from the club.“Daniel!” he exclaimed, giving the other man one of those man-hugs that involved a lot of pounding on the back.“I have just the job for a bunch of big cats. How do you guys feel about getting up on the roof and removing damaged shingles?”
“I wouldn’t say no.” Daniel grinned as the other sabertooth shifters whooped.
Tyler herded the Cougar Lake volunteers towards the back of the club.
Then Kymberlie spotted a dignified woman in her sixties emerging from a sleek black SUV.
She recognized Jennifer Jacobsen, the longtime insurance agent for the Jacobsen Pack. She wore jeans with a stylish knitted sweater and a designer silk scarf wound around her throat. Her blue eyes were highlighted with subtle mascara and liner, and silver frosted her bobbed brown hair.
Kymberlie’s began pounding.This is it. The moment of truth. Am I gonna to have a big enough insurance payout to cover all the work I need to do?
Jennifer greeted Kymberlie with a warm hug.“I came as soon as I could. I’ve put together the preliminary paperwork for your claim.”
“Thanks for coming in person,” Kymberlie said, leading her to an empty corner of the parking lot where they could talk in relative privacy.“Please tell me you’ve got good news. I could sure use some right now.”
Jennifer’s expression didn’t change, but something in her eyes—a flicker of sympathy—made Kymberlie’s heart sink before the other woman had spoken a single word.
“I’ve gone through your policy with a fine-tooth comb,” Jennifer began, opening her leather portfolio.“And I have good news and bad news. First, the good news: your policy covers direct fire damage to the premises. That includes the walls, any stock you lost, replacing smoke and water-damaged fixtures, flooring, and furniture, plus cleanup—though I see you already have that part covered.”
“So, what’s the bad news?” Kymberlie demanded.
Jennifer’s generous mouth thinned.“Code-related upgrades—electrical replacement, new sprinkler systems, anything that wasn’t up to modern standards before the incident—those fall outside your coverage limits.”
Kymberlie stared at her, not fully processing the words.“W-what?”
Jennifer grimaced.“Your policy covers replacing what was damaged—like for like. But we both know that your place is over a hundred years old. If the county requires you to upgrade your mechanical and electrical systems to meet current code before you can reopen—and they probably will—that’s considered an improvement, not a replacement.”
