Page 43 of The Truth

“Oh. Peoples in here already… ” Hala said. She acted like it shocked her to see them in there. “Ayl, I didn’t realize you were still outside.”

“Yeah. Gunn… we came to see the calves.”

“Sure looks like you’re seeing the calves,” Hala said.

“Well, why areyouout here, then?” Ayla asked.

“To see the baby calves,” Hala said.

But… no.

Gunn knew when someone was fibbing. His brother just looked at him, pointedly. At Gunn’s own hands, still around Ayla’s waist. It was obvious Ayla had been in his arms. Alone.

No, Gunn wasn’t going to judge. Not for a moment.

“I just bet you were.” Ayla squeezed Gunn’s forearms gently. She leaned forward. Gunn tilted his head down, until only a breath of space existed between them. “We will… later.”

“I think we are going to have to talk. Very soon.” Whatever happened next between them—well, it was up to her now.

All Gunn could do was wait.

33

This,this was horrible. So horrible.

She didn’t know what to do.

Leaving again… and her father said they were never coming back this time. She was going to have to leave Value forever.

But that was the last thing she wanted to do. Dinah… Dinah washappierin Value than she had ever been anywhere before. She had a job, she had friends, she had alife.

She didn’t want to go back to Colorado. ShehatedDella. She just hated it there. They didn’t even know if they would have a house there now. And since everyone from the church they knew had been arrested, her friends Esther and Naomi had disappeared forever.

Judah was crying. He was so afraid.

He didn’t want Hezekiah and their father to go to jail for what they’d done for Father Rei.

If they went to jail, what would happen to the rest of them? Dinah and Judah couldn’t make enough money to take care of their mother, too. They just couldn’t.

But… she didn’t want to leave Value behind. Tears coated her cheeks. She didn’t know what to do. She just didn’t.

Her father was yelling, she didn’t dare argue. Not… when he was likethis.

They were leaving. Tomorrow. She had until tomorrow to figure this out.

Maybe… she should stay behind. It would keep the feds from being suspicious maybe. Not think they were all running away. She and Judah couldstay,though, and could tell everyone that their family was visiting an ill grandmother or something.

It would be a lie, and that was most definitely a sin, but would it really hurt this once? If it protected her family? Her father and Hezekiah, they were big, strong, healthy. They couldwork.But Judah, he didn’t fit in anywhere, not really. And her mama had never worked a job before. She just cleaned and took care of the family.

Dinah’s stomach churned. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She had a life here, plans. She had wantedmorethan what her mama had.

But none of that mattered now. Because Judah had put them all in danger years ago with that blond FBI man, and that man washere,and their father wasn’t about to wait for the police to figure out what he had done. Her father was making them leave to hide whathehad done. That was all.

He didn’t care about what was best for all of them, he just didn’t.

Why hadn’t she ever really realized thatbefore?

Her father had said… Reverend Riordan was at the hospital the other day. He’d recognized her father, her father was sure of it. He was afraid… of what Reverend Riordan woulddo.

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