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their dad, clearly trying to decide who was more insane.
    What started out as a way to solve a problem had suddenly mushroomed into a disaster.  Jared couldn’t believe it.  “Christ, you never mentioned this before.  You were supposed to tell him he was off his rocker and there was nothing to worry about.” 
    “James is off his rocker and there is nothing to worry about,” Jesse said forcefully as he glanced over at the women and boys.  “And not a word of this gets repeated to anyone.  Are we all clear on that?  We’ll discuss this another time and meanwhile, Jackson and I will—”
    “Proceed with every caution,” Jackson muttered.
    Everyone nodded, grasping onto Jesse’s firm line of sanity.
    This morning Jared didn’t believe the world could get any more off kilter than it was.  He was wrong.
    Jackson continued.  “Meanwhile, it looks to me as if James has come down with a bug, so you need to take him home to rest.”
    It was clear to everyone that James wasn’t capable of keeping it together a minute more.  Their father’s revelation had pulled the rug of reasonable doubt out from under James and he looked as if he was free falling into a black abyss.
    Jared hoped to God that nothing did happen to Jesse and Jackson, because Jared knew James wouldn’t survive it.  The next little bit passed in a blur as he shouldered James out to the Porsche, with their mother fussing and dishing out advice for the flu.
    Somehow, as he headed back into town, the financial problems they faced seemed almost insignificant.
    “I can’t go back and sit in the condo,” James said.  He sat staring at the road, horror fixed in his eyes.  “I need a drink.”
    It was on the tip of Jared’s tongue to say booze was the last thing either of them needed, but he clamped his mouth shut.  Maybe now wasn’t necessarily the minute to turn over a new leaf.  “What do you want to do?”
    James shrugged.  “Got a text from Dan that some of the McKenna crew will be hanging out at Sally’s Roadhouse.  Might as well checkout the competition.”
    “Good idea.  It’s early yet.  Why don’t we go visit McKenna’s last job site.  See what kind of work they did then head over to Sally’s?”
    James agreed; his relief to have something besides his premonition to think about was evident.  They didn’t speak during the rest of the drive.  Nor did they say much upon arriving at the job site.  The stone, three-story office building was impressive, a combination of stylish design and expert craftsmanship.
    “When did they finish this job?” Jared asked as they got out of the car.    
    “Two days ago according to the social media buzz.”
    Jared shook his head.  You couldn’t tell that it had just been built.  There were no telltale scraps of building materials, or a coke can, or a hamburger wrapper anywhere in a seeable radius.  As they walked around the building, Jared became more and more impressed with what he saw.  “I have to say the workmanship appears to be top-notch.  Of course, only time will tell if the material used was sub-par or not.”
    James grunted.  “And there was no way to know if illegal labor had had a hand in the construction unless we’d been on the site.”
    “True.  That has to be how they’re cutting us out of the market.”
    James turned a three-sixty.  “I think I’m ready for that drink now.”
    They left the job site no longer riding the same high-horse they’d arrived on.  Jared headed to Sally’s Roadhouse with a worried frown that he soon shook off.  They’d find out how McKenna was cutting corners soon enough.  After a day like today, he needed to relax.
    It had been a while since they’d hit the peanut-shelling beer joints.  It would be a good change from the swinging, upscale clubs of late.  They pulled into a full parking lot and walked into a hoppin’ place.  Seemed as if every nobody in town was out tonight.  He and James got the usual double-take