Page 24 of The Truth

“I’ve had better months. But… faith is getting me through. How are you?”

“As good as I can be, considering. With… Mom… Dad finally signed the papers to put her in assisted living.” Emerson’s mother had had a stroke after the fire at Emerson’s church had destroyed so much of Emerson’s life’s work. She had never fully recovered. It was another blow Emerson had had to face. “He’s getting… a bit harder to handle since. She took care of his medications, kept him from causing too much trouble in town. That kind of thing.”

Emerson’s father was the retired sheriff. His older brother Collin was the sheriff now. “I’m sorry to hear that. Let me know if I can help somehow. You know I will.”

Gunn had met Emerson’s family. He wasn’t particularly fond of the other man’s father as a person, but as a child of God… well, Gunn didn’t expect to personally like everyone he encountered. But the older man seemed to like causing difficulties for his two sons. Gunn suspected it was a way for him to still feel relevant.

The man had told Gunn and Emerson when they’d graduated from the seminary that they had wasted good money and time on this foolishness. That onlyweakmen turned to God in times of trouble.

He hadn’t ever changed his attitude since.

Gunn knew how much that had hurt Emerson, even though his friend had never opened up about it.

“Let’s get back to the ranch, get you settled. I’ll introduce you to the ones you haven’t met yet.”

“Beautiful sisters would be a good place to start,” Emerson said. He smiled at a woman walking by, two small boys in her arms. When the younger boy, around two, dropped a stuffedJilly Sillydoll, Emerson bent down to grab it for her. Her cheeks turned red when she said thank you.

Emerson had always had that effect on women—but Gunn had never seen any hint that Emerson even realized it. Or maybe he just didn’t acknowledge it?

There had been a woman in Emerson’s life at least once. He’d told Gunn she was the reason he’d joined the seminary. That he’d made a rash decision to leave law school, but it had been the right decision for him. It had just taken him a while to accept that.

God worked in mysterious ways.

“They are all back at the ranch now. Gia told us she’s moving back in, too. All three of them. Though Genny isn’t staying long. Just until I can perform the ceremony.” And they were already planning when that would be. Genny was beyond excited. And Chad looked at Gunn’s sister like he adored her—Gunn couldn’t think of anything better than that. His sister was in love with a good man who loved her fully in return. That was what he wanted for all of his sisters.

“That’s good. You like the guy?”

“A great deal. He’s a good friend. He’s a pediatrician at the hospital where she works, and he adores her. He was there… when she was attacked.”

Gunn still had trouble speaking about what had happened to his sister.

“What?”

“A doctor with an obsession attacked Genny at the hospital one night. Genny and her good friend, Aubrey. Aubrey is a doctor at the hospital, she runs the ER. Genny was stabbed and Aubrey was roughed up. Aubrey and her… sister… someonebroke into their house that night, and they stayed with us a few days.” Gunn told him the details. He wanted an outside opinion—from someone who would understand his side of things, too.

His brothers were his best friends, his confidants, of course. But there were some things only another minister could understand.

“And… then there isAyla.Aubrey’s younger sister.”

“What about her?”

“She… does something to me.”

By the time they arrived at the ranch, he’d run his plan by Emerson. The other man agreed—slow and steady. No matter what.

Then they were at the ranch. And by then Gunn justknew…

Something was eating at Emerson. Something waswrong.

17

Well.They were right back at the ranch. Funny, that. Greer had picked her up after story time. She’d thought it would be her own sister, but Aubrey had gotten pulled back to the hospital—Guthrie had given Aubrey a ride and gotten stuck there himself. So, the Hillers were playing Pass the Ayla Around. That was okay—Greer was her bestiest bestie, after all. Well, Greer and Hala had equal rank and everything. She and Greer were looking for Hala now.

It wasn’t that easy to find her, though.

They finally found Hala—at the county attorney’s house. Since the county attorney was Hala’s big brother, that made a lot of sense. Ayla just stared at that big brother for a moment. She looked at Greer. “Both of my besties have really hot big brothers, you know.”

So pretty, that man.

---