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to Rosewood, it had taken him months and a lot of money to get Woody’s and the apartment upstairs just the way he wanted it. But in the end, it was worth the hassle.
“It darn near will be. We’re close to being finished, though. We’re hoping to be in by Halloween. Maybe we’ll throw a party at Christmas after we get settled.”
“And maybe I’ll be out of jail and can come,” Emmett said, only half joking. Disturbing the peace was hardly a long-term offense, but if going in front of the judge didn’t put an end to his battle with Madelyn, they might end up back there again before long.
Blake shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, man. That’s not going to happen. I know Maddie, and as stubborn as she is, she likes to win more than anything. If she can’t find a way to beat you, she’ll find a new battle to fight. Eventually, she’ll come up with something else to outrage her and she’ll leave you and your bar alone.”
Emmett couldn’t help the momentary feeling of disappointment at Blake’s observation. As much grief as she caused him, he didn’t want Maddie to leave him alone. He just wanted to stifle the flow of cutting words from her mouth by kissing her until she forgot why she was mad. He wanted to breathe in the warm scent of the lavender soap on her skin, and not just because they’d been handcuffed together most of the night.
He certainly wasn’t going to mention that to her overprotective brothers, though. They might be on his side of the noise battle, but when it came to someone dating their sister, it was a brother’s prerogative not to trust the guy in question.
“I’ll try to keep that in mind as I’m led off by the bailiff in handcuffs.”
“At the very least,” Grant added, “if you do go to jail and have to close the bar, I promise to come over to Woody’s every night and crank up the jukebox while you’re locked up.”
Logan Anthony hung up the phone, sat back in his leather executive chair, and smiled the grin of a very satisfied man. His sister, Pepper, had been right. It’d taken a few months to find his niche, but his newly established law firm in Rosewood was doing excellent business. The best part was that he was stealing those clients away from Norman Chamberlain.
His windfall had come over the summer, when someone tripped and fell inside the local women’s clothing boutique, Dressin’ Up. The woman who fell threatened to sue the owner, Beverly Perkins, and Beverly came running to Logan for help. He’d gotten the customer to settle for far less than a judge probably would’ve awarded her. When it was all over, Beverly asked what she could ever possibly do to thank Logan. At first he dismissed it, knowing good service was its own best advertising. Then he realized that Beverly’s shop was directly across the street from the Chamberlain Law Firm. She let him put up a huge sign on the side of the store facing Second Avenue, so everyone who walked in or out of the firm would see it. The banner declared that he offered free legal consults and second opinions and he could help them for less than other firms charged.
It was absolutely true. He charged a fraction of what the prestigious and stuck-up Chamberlain firm billed their clients. Since he put that sign up, he’d had a steady stream of people in his office. Not all of them opted to go with him, but enough did to make him seem like a credible threat. The Sunday after the sign went up, there was a full-page color ad in the Rosewood Times advertising the Chamberlain Law Firm and all the services they offered. They touted their years of experience and dedication to the community. That was nice and all, but every client that ad brought to Norman’s front door would see Logan’s sign, too.
Logan might not get business from the fanciest of Rosewood families, who dined and golfed with the Chamberlains, but he was getting everyone else. Logan would damn near work for free to underbid the Chamberlains. This wasn’t just about business. It was about revenge against the father who refused to acknowledge him.
Glancing down at his phone, Logan noticed he had another text from Pepper. She had been adamant about having him over for dinner one night. That wasn’t his idea of a good time, so he’d carefully dodged her requests. He had been busy at work, no doubt, but considering she lived across the street with Norman’s legitimate son Grant, he could probably make the time if he wanted to.
Learning the truth about his father was a hard adjustment, especially with his sister and Grant engaged. His mother had raised Logan and Pepper to despise and avoid the Chamberlains. While the whole family wasn’t to blame for Norman’s actions, Logan wasn’t about to give them all a pass. He tolerated his half brother Grant only because he had to. That didn’t mean he wanted to have dinner with them and act like everything was hunky-dory.
His office phone rang then, surprising him. It was pretty late—and a Sunday at that—for a client to call, but people got into trouble at all hours, he supposed. “Anthony Law Firm, this is Logan speaking,” he answered.
“Hey, Logan. This is Emmett Sawyer over at Woody’s. I was wondering if you had time to come by the bar and talk to me about a legal issue I’ve run into with Madelyn Chamberlain. I could use some lawyerly advice. Beer’s on me.”
Logan perked up in his seat. If this involved his snotty half sister, he had all night. “Sure thing. I’ll be right over.”
Logan hung up the phone, a smug smile curling his lips. Stealing his father’s clients and battling him in court was just the first step in chipping away at Norman Chamberlain’s empire. In time, he hoped to expose the truth to Norman’s family and watch his own children, Maddie included, turn on him. And then, when Norman was at his lowest point, Logan would find a way to deliver a fatal blow to the man’s reputation and let the whole town realize the truth about the man and the family they’d practically worshipped.
It would take time, but as they say, revenge was a dish best served cold.
Chapter Six
Maddie put on her most professional outfit—a pale gray pantsuit with a gray-and-pink-striped blouse—and headed to the courthouse early on Monday morning. She walked there in a practical pair of pink ballet flats since it was after Labor Day and her white sandals were packed away for the winter. Her parents and her grandmother were going to meet her out front at eight forty-five, fifteen minutes before her case was scheduled.
As she walked down First Avenue toward the square, past her store, she felt a flare of irritation lick at her cheeks. Madelyn’s Bakery was closed today, by necessity. She hated posting the sign in the window telling customers they’d have to come back tomorrow. They shouldn’t have to. They should be able to get their tasty treats today just like always. It was lemon tart day.
Perhaps she needed to look into getting an assistant. She was avoiding it, the cost would eat into her ability to pay back her father, but she didn’t really have a choice. It wouldn’t be that expensive to hire a teenager to work after school. They’d work for minimum wage and she’d get her afternoons back. A small price to pay in the scheme of things. Today, she made zero money because no one was there to run the bakery.
And it was all Emmett’s fault.
Maddie could only hope that the judge saw her side in all this. She hadn’t had the chance to ask her grandmother if she’d spoken to Judge Griffin after church yesterday. She’d sworn she would, so Maddie just had to hope for the best.
When she arrived, she saw her father’s black Mercedes parked out front. Her parents stepped out of the car when they saw her, gathering on the sidewalk to each scoop her into their arms in a supportive hug.
“I’m so sorry you’re having to go through all this, baby,” Norman Chamberlain said. “Sheriff Todd is running a mockery of a police station if a sweet, law-abiding girl such as yourself finds herself in handcuffs.”
“Norman,” her mother, Helen, warned, placing a hand on his shoulder to calm him. “Please remember to hold your tongue in the courtroom today. You’re not at trial and it won’t help matters for Madelyn. And remember, your son is an officer. You don’t want to put Simon in an awkward position by starting a war with Sheriff Todd.”
“Simon is just as guilty,” Norman snapped bitterly. “I didn’t raise my son to do something as callous as arresting his own sister.”
“He had to do his job.” Helen opened her arms wide to usher everyone up the stairs and silence her husband’s tirade. “I’m sure this will be just a little thing. If we have to, we’ll pay the fine and move on. The bigger the stink we make about this, the more people find out about it.”
