Page 40 of The Fear
“He’s still at the scene.” Grady held up one hand. “First, everybody just listen. The fire was at Hudson’s house tonight, and Gia was there with him. They are both going to be fine, though.”
Hala’s breath caught.
She just…reached out. For him. He stepped back, one hand wrapping around her wrist. To hold her back.
“I need a shower, first, honey. I smell like smoke. Hudson’s bedroom took some damage, but it’ll be reasonably easily fixed. His house is still standing, and usable, too. A bit of smoke damage in Ryan’s room, but the fire didn’t make it that far. Just Hudson’s bedroom, and part of the utility room and master bath. He used a fire extinguisher and that helped keep it from spreading. It’s going to beokay.”
“Where are they now?” Hala asked. “Where’s my brother?”
She would probablyalwayspanic over Hudson. Hala understood that, and why. The fear of losing her family—her biggest nightmare. And italwayswould be. Because she’d lived it before.
“I took them both to the hospital in my truck and gave them over to Guthrie. They have glass in their feet, and Gia has some probably minor burns. I think Hudson, too. But when I left, he was arguing with her about who was getting treated first. And…he was actually winning. No one ever wins an argument with her, so…good luck to him now.”
“How…? What exactly happened, Grady?” Gene asked. Hala was shaking as she imagined it. Hudson’s house was new—he’d built it only two years ago. What if this had happened whenRyanhad been there. Or they’d been sleeping.
“Someone threw some kind of liquid accelerant through Hudson’s bedroom window. It landed about a foot away from where Gia was sitting. On the foot of the bed. I guess those two nerds had law books on the bed with them and the books caught fire. The accelerant splashed on them both a bit. Gia stepped on more of the glass from the window, until Hudson could get her out of there before the room fully ignited. But they are both going to be just fine. Guthrie’s driving them out here, after they talk to Sheriff Addy about who could have done it.”
“Someone did it on purpose?” Chantal asked. “Does anyone know who?”
Hala’s blood froze as the words sank in. Someone had set her brother’s house on fire onpurpose? Why would someone do that? She just looked at Grady and waited. None of this made sense.
“Hudson suspects it was someone he’s angered in court. Addy’s looking into it now. Charlie was pulling in as we were pulling out to go the hospital.”
That…kind of thing had happened before. Gia and Hudson had both told her that. But no one had ever set Hudson’s home on fire before. Hala just couldn’t stop shaking. She just couldn’t.
“Law books. On the bed?” Gene asked. “Wasn’t she going there to work? And isn’t his damned house big enough for them to have worked in a morenormalspot than his bedroom? Like the kitchen or an office? Why the hell was she in his bed? I’m going to kick his ass tomorrow.”
What did that really matter? Someone could have killed them. Hala was fighting real panic. She wanted to see herbrother, and Gia. Make sure they were okay. She just needed to see them. All she could do was stand there and shake.
“Gene, don’t be an idiot,” Greer said. “Why do you think they were in his bed? They’d probably…just ended up there…after…doing other things.”
“Someone set my brother’s house on fire? Who would do this?”
“I don’t know. I just know that they are both going to be okay. We’ll figure out who did it next. I promise.”
Then Grady was gone, to take a shower. And Hala just sat there on the couch, fighting panic.
Gunn came in, looking exhausted. He smelled like smoke, too. Even though he still wore the sling. Where he’d beenshota few days ago. By someone who’d wanted to kill him.
Why was this kind of thing stillhappeningto the people she cared about?
Hala just kept pacing. She was really…about to lose it here.
“Fire’s completely out now, how are Gia and Hudson?” Gunn asked, rubbing his free hand over his face, as Ayla came down the hallway on her crutches to meet him in the kitchen.
“Guthrie called. Gia’s getting stitches now. None of Hudson’s injuries required more than butterfly bandages. She’s not going to be walking much for a few days. She also has some cuts to her legs from flying glass and some burns from splashes of accelerant. She was on the side of the bed closer to the window. Hudson was on the other. She was splashed more and her clothing ignited in a few places.” Chantal told him, quietly. She’d spoken to Guthrie when he’d called. “I think she was pretty close to where it landed.”
Gia could have died. So could Hudson. And if Ryan had been there… Hala couldn’t stop shaking as she imagined.
“Do they know who did it yet?” Gunn asked.
“Not that we’ve heard,” Gene said.
“I’m going to head to the hospital now. Make sure they get back here okay. And wait if they need anything. After I shower.” Then Gunn headed down the hall.
And Grady was back. He was back, and he was right there. Hala forced herself to pull in a deep breath. To try to make the panic just go away.
He looked right at Hala. “Ah, don’t look like that, honey. I promise the big doofus is okay. Come here. It’s okay now. I promise.”
