Kenna toyed with the string on her sweatpants. I’d never seen her in clothes like these. Even her normal loungewear was somehow put-together. These sweats looked as if they were three washes away from disintegrating altogether. “He’s been looking for a way to get me out for years. But he’s never had any leverage. The Abbots gave him what he needed.”

My fingers dug into the arm of the couch. “What do you mean?”

Ford leaned forward in his chair. “The Abbots don’t do business around here. I don’t think they’re clients of Cornerstone either.”

Kenna kept knotting and unknotting her sweatpants’ string. “But they do have relationships with some of my clients. The Cove, the marina, and Island Sports all asked to be reassigned.”

“What the hell?” Bell pushed to her feet and began pacing. “What is wrong with people? You’re the best accountant on this whole island. You’re a true local. And a good person. And these jerks are willing to throw all of that away because the Abbots aren’t getting what they want?”

Kenna gave a small shrug. “You know their influence.”

“And who knows what Grant promised them.” I wanted to break something. Preferably something heavy…over Grant’s head. I’d seen ugly tactics during legal battles in Boston, but nothing like that had ever happened during one of my cases on Anchor. Leave it to the Abbot family to bring this island low.

Bell paused in her pacing and turned back to the group. “Did that boss of yours even bother to ask the rest of your clients what they thought of your service before jumping all over you?” Kenna started to answer, but Bell kept right on going. “Of course, he didn’t. Because he’s a pompous, jealous dingleberry!”

The room went silent. Then one by one, laughter overtook us all. Kenna pushed into my side, and I wrapped an arm around her, simply enjoying the feel of her body shaking with amusement instead of grief.

Ford wiped a tear from his eye. “Tell us how you really feel, Trouble.”

Her cheeks heated. “I don’t like that man.”

“I can tell.” Ford arched a brow. “Dingleberry?”

“I was flustered. It just popped out.”

Caelyn coughed. “It’s a good word.”

Kenna nodded. “In fact, from now on, Chris will only be referred to as Dingleberry.”

Bell pressed a finger to her lips in an exaggerated thinking pose. “It does have a certain ring to it.”

I shook my head and pulled Kenna closer against me. These women were goofy as hell, but it did my soul good to see some of the heaviness leave Kenna’s shoulders. Unfortunately, I had to put it right back on. “We need to think about where they might hit next.”