Page 5 of Night By Night

He regretted falling out of touch with his former best friend, but life had just gotten in the way. But at least he stillhada few friends here in Sarasota.

Hence how he’d been able to get this place arranged. Bryce had reached out to him to check on him after Lois’ murder. They’d been friends in high school and Bryce had known Lois. He’d heard about her murder through one of Hank’s distant cousins, who still lived in the area.

Bryce was an attorney, and had been a valuable resource both through the criminal trial and through navigating Pennsylvania’s family law system. He’d helped Hank find a new family law attorney up there, a friend of one of his coworkers, who’d discounted his fees. Bryce had actually prepped most of the paperwork for Hank for free, sending it to the attorney there for little more than a quick perusal and to file it. Which had saved Hank a shit-ton of money.

Another reason returning to Sarasota was a no-brainer—Bryce had made Hank promise to call him if Cameron’s family started more shit, and that he’d rep him for free, or at least for a greatly reduced rate, if Hank insisted on paying him.

Well, he was no mooch. He’d be working as a roofer, for now, because it was the first paying job he could get that he was qualified for that paid more than minimum wage.

It’d be hard work, and not paying as much as he was making up there. But without a state income tax, and without having to pay union dues, and with cheaper living expenses, it’d wash out. Plus he was going to look into taking online classes. Maybe he could get his contractor’s license or something.

For now, he could make ends meet, and it had to be enough.

He simply had to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

With a little girl to take care of, it wasn’t like he had any other choice.