Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
“Slade requested,” I emphasized, wanting everyone listening to the meeting to know that I wasn’t nearly as picky or narcissistic as some of those changes might make me appear. “This is all above my head.”
“I’m your attorney. Slade’s involvement with me needs to be minimal. I’m watching out for your interests here,” Dash clarified.
I felt small in that minute. I tucked my hands together between my thighs and nodded. Dash had a way of speaking that felt as if he dumbed down everything to my level. Of course, I appreciated his effort. The problem then became understanding the dumbed down version. I generally nodded as I did in that moment. Who knew if it was an appropriate response.
“After Slade has time to respond to my latest changes, I believe we’ll be in a good place for you. Do you need me to explain again what that means for you?” Dash asked.
“No.” I shook my head the response. “Slade’s put all the risk on himself. Right?”
“Yeah, he wanted it that way. He keeps tellin’ me he has a team of rabid professionals that’ll work out the money side of things. Once I know more, I’ll let you know. I understand Kitt and Austin Kelly-Grainger will be initial donors once the non-profit’s approved and in place. Correct?”
“I believe so,” I agreed.
Dash’s grin implied I answered properly. Either way, I garnered a nod as he lifted a filled file folder and handed it to the mystery guy off-screen.
“After we first spoke, I had my assistant, Stone, review what happened to you and your accident. He wanted to hear your version of the events. Do you mind talking about it with me and him again?” Dash asked.
“Sure. I guess,” I said, feeling smaller than seconds ago. “The case was closed. By the time I remembered what I experienced, the local police department investigator said it was too late to change anything.”
“I’m sure he did. That’s where we come in. I’m particular about the cases I take these days, but this case involves people I’m familiar with. They aren’t the stand-up type,” Dash explained, sitting up even straighter as if his words might have been an understatement.
I nodded again. “It seemed like that was the case.” I drew in a deep breath and shared my story. “I was comin’ home from a rodeo. Natalie, my fiancée, was in the seat next to me. We were on a nearby country road, close to home. It’s a road that curves and bends, lots of places to slow down. I’ve traveled that road at least a hundred times in my life. I’d never not slow down for that curve. Wildflower was in the attached horse trailer. One of the cars in the other lane came at me in my lane, goin’ way too fast. He took me out head-on. I understand he didn’t live, the bikers on the road didn’t live, Natalie and Wildflower didn’t survive. I wasn’t supposed to either. The guy in the first car that slowed when he saw the bikers apparently died of a heart attack or somethin’ like that.”
“Stone’s shaking his head, agreeing that was the way it happened. Except that a man named Leon Dunn was in the SUV that hit you. He’s alive and hiding.”
“Did he give a statement?” I asked, surprised.
“No. But we found a connection between Dunn and that police investigator.”
I propped an elbow on the counter, anchoring me there with my palm lifting to cover my mouth. I’d thought that no one had survived, which made me the only witness. This revelation changed everything. “I can’t believe someone made it out of all that carnage.”
“Pretty much everyone’s opinion, but he did live,” Stone confirmed.
“Doesn’t that make it my word against his? And they won’t even take my statement at this point. They made their decision. The insurance already paid out.”
“This would be a case based upon extrinsic fraud. The investigator lied about the witness, colluded with and concealed him, which prevented you from having a fair chance to defend yourself. That’s something with teeth.” The gleam in Dash’s eye as he laid out the case showed how scary he could be in a courtroom setting. I’d thought he seemed laid-back, but I wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of the energy he was giving off in that moment.
“It’s basically a civil rights case at this point,” Dash continued. “At least from our end. Civil rights and civil conspiracy. The idea they hid him shows fraudulent concealment. Without getting into specific legal terms… when that officer lied on that report about Dunn, he violated your right to due process. Our case would be against the Dunn family and the Sterling County Sheriff’s office. The civil damages are potentially substantial.”
He looked at me as if he required a response of some kind.