Page 18 of Daybreak

It took a bit less than two hours to complete the change to Gunner Kingston’s life. He and Wes left the claims office as calmly as they’d entered, and then Gunner returned Wes to his office.

“I’ll message you with specific details regarding the change in my will,” Gunner said.

“And I’ll send you the details to the best financial planner in Dallas, although you won’t really need him until the payout shows up in your account,” Wes said. “In the meantime, what’s next?”

“Back to the case my partner and I are working on,” Gunner said.

“Are you going to tell your partner?” Wes asked.

Gunner didn’t hesitate. “No.”

“Really? Why not?” Wes asked.

“Long story. He gambles. He already owes me more money than he will ever repay. I’ve already cut him off, but he’ll see me now as his personal piggy bank, and…I don’t entirely trust him anymore.”

After that, the conversation ended until Gunner pulled up in front of Wes’s office building again.

“I really appreciate that you rearranged your schedule for me this morning. Don’t forget to bill me for the time,” Gunner said.

Wes grinned. “I’ll add it to the charges for reworking your will. Take care of yourself. I’m wishing you a long and happy life, and that you loosen up and spend a little of your fortune along the way.”

Gunner reached out and shook his lawyer’s hand. “Thanks. I’ll be in touch.”

Wes was headed for the entrance when Gunner took off like he’d been shot out of a cannon, tires squealing as he left a little bit of rubber behind. Wes shook his head and watched until the sports car slipped into the traffic flow and disappeared, and thought how aptly that man had been named.

* * *

Gunner went straight home, got out the copy of his will, and read it through before deciding how he wanted it reworded, then emailed his notes to Wes. Only after he’d done his due diligence did he grab a cold pop from his fridge and go outside on his patio. He sat down in the shade and kicked back in one of the Adirondack chairs before he popped the top on his drink. It was still fizzing when he lifted it in a toast to himself.

“Gunner Kingston, you are one lucky son of a bitch,” he muttered and took a big drink.

He knew his dad and both brothers would be at work, so he sent a group text to all three of them with a single cryptic message.

We need a family meeting. Make yourselves available for a 10:00 p.m. call tonight. Highly confidential.

* * *

Asher Kingston was in Austin on a stakeout when he got his youngest brother’s text. He frowned when he read it and wondered what fresh hell he’d gotten himself into now, but he made a mental note to be available when the time came.

Dylan Kingston was at a job site, waiting for a city inspector to pass judgement on the electrical and plumbing work so they could begin putting up sheetrock. When he saw Gunner’s text, like Asher, his first instinct was to wonder what kind of trouble his little brother was in now.

Jacob Kingston was behind his bar, hooking up a fresh keg of beer to the tap when he heard his phone signal a text. He finished what he was doing, then wiped his hand and picked up his phone.

He read the text with interest, wondering what Gunner had to say. Maybe he’d finally met a girl. Maybe he was getting a promotion. And there was always the possibility that he was up to his eyeballs in a mess not of his own creation, but not once did Jacob ever doubt his sons’ honor or honesty.

Now he was curious, and more than a little anxious about the call. Tonight, he was closing the Tumbleweed Bar a little early and hoping for good news.

* * *

With the business of becoming shockingly rich out of the way, Gunner drove to his dealership to get his car serviced. He was sitting in the waiting area of the showroom while the maintenance crew was rotating his tires and changing the oil. Waiting with nothing to do was pure torture for him, so he’d brought his laptop with him to continue gathering background on the case of the hanging man.

After learning there was a hefty payout from a life insurance policy belonging to the deceased, Barry Caldwell, and that his twin brother, Perry, was the recipient, he began digging into the living twin’s background.

Perry was gay and living with his partner of seven years, Ron Ames, but witnesses they’d spoken to were clear about how close the two brothers were, and that they were in business together. What he did find interesting was the amount of debt that Ron Ames held. He made a note to tell Cliff they needed to find out if Perry Caldwell knew his partner Ron was in financial trouble and see if that went anywhere, so he made notes to that effect to share with Cliff.

As he kept working, a bright light flashed through the plate-glass windows and into his eyes, causing him to look up, and he was surprised to see Cliff’s car pulling up to the curb across the street. Curious, he closed his laptop and leaned forward, watching as Cliff got out and took a nervous glance around before slipping into the passenger seat of the car beside him.

Gunner was already suspicious of Cliff since that night in the warehouse, so he wrote down the tag number of the other car, curious about who Cliff was meeting. The car door opened. As Cliff got out, he slipped an envelope inside the inner pocket of his jacket, then got in his car and drove away.