Page 42 of The Fear
Jessica just stared at them.
He’d done it.
Brenton had finally done it.
He’d called child services to come and take the kids from her. And he was a cop, friends with all of them in this town. And with Judge King not working there any longer, she was utterly screwed. King had told her himself his last time in the diner to get her act together. That he couldn’t make things happen forher any longer, and he’d only done so before because he’d been friends with her father—and had thought Brenton’s father was scum—for decades.
That utter bastard.
“He’s not taking my kids!”
35
Someone had hatedher brother enough to try to kill him multiple times. Hala was still trying to wrap her head around that, long after the fire at her brother’s. It had just been the beginning for Gia and Hudson. No, Hudson’s accident weeks ago had. Her brother had been targeted because ofenvy.And Gia had almost been killed multiple times because of it. Hala was still shaking days later, just thinking about what could have happened.
Hala teared up every time she thought about what Gia had been through—and what they were going to have together now.
But today…
She didnotknow how she had gotten roped intothis.
“The bake sale lasts until five,” the man beside her said. “But it should slow down around two or so. You might not have to stay all day if you don’t want to.”
“I’m sure I’ll be just fine. The carnival starts at seven, but I need to be there—with a thousand boxes of stickers—by six. I’m going to help your mom as long as she needs me.” There was nothing she wouldn’t do for Gayle Hiller. That woman was her hero, and always would be. Her son right next to her hadhis mother’s eyes, but there was tension in them. It made her overprotective side kind of kick in, actually. This was not going to be easy for him. This Gorgeous Hiller boy didnotdo crowds very well at all. “You going to be okay? I know there will be a lot of people. I will gladly protect you. If you need me to.”
He was shy. Hala had seen that a time and a million before. This time it made her want to protect him. He washerHiller man now, after all. Maybe. They really hadn’t had much time together lately to figure that out. Considering. Murderous madmen after his sister had kind of gotten in the way of that. Grady and all of his brothers had been at the courthouse that day. They’d helped search for their sister.
She’d been worried about Grady ever since.
Well, that…and life had gotten in the way for both of them. He’d had some problems on the ranch, and she’d had Early Birds all week, with Elanna Parker, the other kindergarten teacher, out with a ruptured appendix. Hala had helped the substitute—Leya, Luis’s youngest sister—with lesson plans, and had covered Early Birds for Elanna. They had beenbusy.
Grady hadn’t even kissed her since the night of the fire, when he’d actually carried her to her bed and…tucked her in all tight and cozy. Without anyone in the house even noticing.
Well, except maybe Gene, who they had passed sneaking out of Chantal’s room and everything. Gene had just kind of smirked at them. Hala had told him he had better be behaving himself, too. He had always been a bit more of a butthead than Grady.
“I’m good. Gunn needed me to help, so I’ll do it.”
And that was all it took for him. His brother needed him, and that was what mattered. “You’re a good brother.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because. I’ve watched you. All your brothers or sisters have to do is ask, and you are right there.” Dependable, helpful, and…adorable. He had such a confused look on his face as he pulled into the parking lot of the church.
Hala had completely figured this Hiller brother out now.
Her decision had been made the moment he’d told her what had happened at the courthouse with her brother and his sister. She had looked up, across her empty classroom. And Grady had been there, arms open, waiting for her to go to him. She’d walked right into those arms without thinking. Thelookin his eyes had been all it had taken.
His fear, his love for his sister had been hard for her to miss.
This man…loveddeeply.
There was nothing more beautiful thanlove.
She looked around the parking lot. She’d been to this church hundreds, if not thousands, of times in her life. Before. Now, it had a sinister kind of aura about it. But things had changed now.
One of her closest friends in the world had almost died in that water right there. This place, where someone should ultimately always be welcomed and loved…looked dark and almost…evil. It was going to take a long time for that stain to be erased. If ever.
Memories…lived long into the night, after all.
