Page 22 of The Fear (The Hillers of Barratt County #7)

After Deputy Ryce left, Hala spent a few minutes arranging her classroom for the next day. She wiped the kids’ desks down every evening, just to help prevent the spread of germs, and emptied her trashcans. Kindergarteners generated a lot of paper, that was for sure.

Deputy Ryce was weighing on her mind. No denying that.

He had been so fervent, for lack of a better word. He cared about his children, and had reminded her of Hudson, really. Or Gene Hiller and his Calvin. He had been so attuned to his children’s needs, too.

And his frustration with Jessica, the children’s mother, had come through loud and clear.

Hala had had run-ins with that woman before. Deputy Ryce seemed too nice to have ever been involved with that woman, but Hala would keep that opinion to herself. All that mattered to her was that Jessica and the deputy took care of their daughter and son. She had her private opinions on that, too.

And…concerns.

Wynnie spoke openly about her father in a way Hala felt was a healthy manner. She was always telling stories about what she and her brother did with their father. And she made excuses for her mother in a way that was sending up real red flags.

Wynnie was a loving, affectionate, bold and adventurous child, but when her mother was mentioned—she closed down. In a way that was starting to be really noticeable.

Nothing in Mrs. Johnson’s notes from before Hala had taken over mentioned anything specific about problems with Wynnie’s parents. Hala had only been her teacher for not even two months. There had been no physical signs of anything concerning but…things were starting to concern her. Big time.

This was the kind of situation every teacher dreaded. All Hala wanted for her students was that they be safe, happy, loved and taken care of.

She was going to have to talk to Luis. See what the school would have to do next.

Because…something just wasn’t right. Hala just knew it.