Page 36 of Homecoming

“I’ll ask that you be held separately from your brother.”

“They are holding us separately. The punch happened in the bathroom when we had words, and he got off a cheap shot.”

“I’ll do everything I can to get you out of here as soon as possible. Keep the faith, okay?”

“Yeah, sure. Why would I lose faith or anything?”

“Hang in there, Kirby. Keep your head down and your mouth shut. Remember not to talk to anyone about the case unless I’m there, too.”

Kirby nodded as an officer came to shackle him to take him back to jail.

Neither Kirby nor Keith looked toward their parents as they were led away.

“So, um, maybe we should work together on this, huh?” Matt said to Dan.

Matt had dark blond hair, brown eyes and a baby face. The thought of him touching Kara made Dan’s stomach turn. He wished he could punch him in the face for hurting her.

Was this guy for real? “That’s not going to happen, Matt, but ballsy of you to ask. I’ll give you that.”

“We’re on the same side here.”

“Let’s get one thing perfectly clear. You and I willneverbe on the same side of anything. Ever.”

Matt frowned. “I hate that Kara is still so bitter toward me—and Kelly—after all this time. Kelly said she was rude to her when they saw each other yesterday.”

Dan was stunned to hear that Kara had seen Kelly and not told him about it. He smiled at his so-called brother-in-law. “Kara doesn’t have a bitter bone in her body. In fact, I was thinking that I should thank you for cheating on her with her sister, because that led her to Gansett, where we were lucky enough to find each other. She thinks you both did her a huge favor by being lying, backstabbing assholes, and I couldn’t agree more. She’s the best thing to ever happen to me, so thanks, man. Truly. And also, fuck off.”

Shit, that felt good. So, so good. I can’t wait to tell Kara about it.

Dan practically whistled on his way out of court, despite being disappointed that he’d been unable to spring Kirby. He wasn’t giving up on that.

“Dan!”

He turned to face Chuck Ballard.

“What happens now?”

“We’ll continue to gather information and make decisions accordingly. Oh, and, Chuck? You might want to find a real lawyer for Keith before that jackass mall cop does more harm than good.”

“Yes, I know. I’ll do that.”

Dan nodded and sent a text to Walter that he was ready for a ride as he continued toward the main doors. It was time to get busy doing his own investigation into the events of the night in question so he could find the evidence he needed to get Kirby out of jail.

Before he did that, however, he needed to have a conversation with his wife about the encounter she’d had with her estranged sister—and his encounter with her husband. He was looking forward to that last part.

Even though the hearing hadn’t gone exactly as he’d hoped, there had been a few positives to go with the negatives. Recalling Matt’s shocked expression after Dan told him to fuck off, he laughed to himself as he went down the courthouse stairs to meet Walter.

Chapter

Nine

When he got backto Bertha’s, he was surprised to find Kara still asleep. Before her pregnancy, she’d rarely slept past nine o’clock, even on a day off. Now, she couldn’t seem to get enough sleep. He kissed her forehead and left her to rest.

“Hey.”

Dan winced over having woken her and returned to stretch out next to her. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I need to get up.”

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