Page 23 of The Fear (The Hillers of Barratt County #7)

Eleven days after the barbecue and Hala still hadn’t figured out what she was going to do about that man. For one thing…everything had been so crazy since the barbecue. Aubrey’s birthday celebration later that night had been the last normal event that she could remember.

Everything had just kept happening to the Hillers, from Ronnie, George and Greer getting into a wreck with a hit-and-run two days after the barbecue, Ronnie going into early labor with two beautiful, amazing Hiller babies, to what had happened to Aubrey at the hospital just two days after that.

Aubrey could have been killed, and that was what that monster who had attacked her wanted.

Everything had just been horrible. And Hala had been helpless to stop any of it.

She’d done her best to be there to help where she could, but she didn’t feel like it was really enough.

All of the Hillers were exhausted, now. And hurting so much.

It was what had happened to Ayla and Gunn that sickened her to her very soul now.

She had had nightmares about Ayla drowning ever since the attack three days ago.

That someone had tried to hurt someone as sweet and kind and wonderful as Ayla just because she was in his way when he was going after Gunn…

And why would someone want to kill Gunn ? None of it made any sense.

Hala would never understand how so much evil crept into souls. Children weren’t born evil; she’d stake her very life on that. She saw that every day. Here, in this room, was where it was so innocent and good.

She fought tears again. She was going to go find Ayla tonight. Check on her for herself. Make sure Ayla was healing. Her friend would be sore for a while, but she was alive.

Because of luck. Because Ayla could swim and her attacker couldn’t. Just one random fact had made all the difference.

Evil. There was real evil in the world, and she would never understand it.

Hala was putting the caps on fifteen newly refilled bottles of paste an hour after dismissal, when someone said her name from the door to her classroom.

She checked the corner where Ryan and his best friend in the world were putting the books back on the shelf like she’d asked them.

They were good helpers, they’d said. And they really wanted to help her be a good teacher.

Calvin’s ride—his aunt Gia—was running late.

As was Ryan’s. The preschool aid from the preschool across the parking lot had walked them over to her classroom together.

Usually, it was just Ryan she drove home when Hudson couldn’t get there, but today they had a Mr. Calvin Hiller, as well.

Something had happened at the courthouse.

They’d been able to see the ambulances from the playground at the last recess.

Worry for her brother and Gia was real. But she wasn’t going to let the boys see.

Luis stood in the door. “Hey, I have a message for you. And for…the boys.”

“What’s going on?”

“One of the Hillers is coming to get Calvin. His father took his fiancée to the doctor and their appointment ran over. Calvin’s to go home with whichever of his aunts or uncles show up. They were still figuring out who when Gayle Hiller called.”

“And for me?” Hala asked, checking the boys again. They hadn’t heard and were battling plastic dinosaurs instead of putting them on the shelves. Of course, they were just fine—Hala taught at the ‘big school’, the coolest place in the entire world. “What’s going on?”

Hudson should have been there by now to get her and Ryan. Her own car was acting stupid—her brother had given her a ride in that morning.

“ You are also to go back to the Hiller Ranch with whoever gets Calvin. Your brother will get you there when he can and explain why.”

“What? What’s happened?”

Another man entered before Luis could answer. Hala’s breath caught, seeing Grady. Of course it would be the one Hiller she wasn’t quite ready to see just yet. Hala was still conflicted about what to do about Grady.

“Hey, honey. I’m your ride home.”

“But what happened?” Hala asked quietly, so the boys couldn’t hear. “Where is my brother?”

Grady came right to her, and his hand wrapped around her elbow. “He’s still at the hospital with Gia. There was some trouble in court today.”

“Is he okay? Is Gia?” Her hand pressed against Grady’s rock-hard chest. Something had happened, she just felt it. “Tell me right now. What happened?”

“I guess some defendant attacked Gia in the courtroom today,” he said in a low tone. His anger was in those beautiful eyes of his. “Your brother punched the guy a few times and tossed him into a table. Hudson’s getting a new cast now. He broke his old cast on the guy’s face.”

“How badly is Gia hurt?”

He shook his head. “From what Genny told me when she called to tell me to come here, Gia is going to be getting out in a few hours. Her shoulder was dislocated, she broke a few ribs, and the bas—jerk—choked her a little. Gia skidded, George told Genny, and hit the jury box. She’s going to be really sore for a while, but she’ll be okay. ”

“He choked her? She has to be terrified right now.” She almost asked if Jason Clarke had been there. Gia’s ex had returned a few weeks ago, and Gia was…panicking and freaking and just scared completely. After what that man had done to her…

Hala kept her mouth shut. Hala had already let things slip to Hudson when she’d realized the man who had attacked Gia almost three years ago was back in town. She wasn’t going to betray Gia’s secret any more than she already had.

“Well, she has George and Genny and Chad and Guthrie and Aubrey with her right now. And your brother. And I suspect my mom will show up at the ranch as soon as they get her there. I’m here to get you and Calvin and Ryan.

I’m going to order pizza for everybody, too.

I think Gunn is getting Greer and Ayla from wherever the two of them are now, too.

How much longer do you need to stay here? ”

She just stood there like an idiot, shaking in his arms. Gia had to have been so terrified today. Tears filled her eyes and spilled over. Why was all of this happening to the people she cared about now ?

“Hey, hey, none of that. Everyone is okay. I promise.”

Then strong male arms were around her and Grady was promising her everyone was going to be okay. That he would make it that way, if she just didn’t cry on him. That he was too much of a wimp for a woman’s tears.

Especially hers.

She was too special to cry.

She’d looked up when he’d walked in. He’d wished she’d smiled at him.

It would have made him feel like the world was a little brighter.

Hala looked adorable as a kindergarten teacher, with the little chairs and desks surrounding her and smiling cartoon faces on her bulletin board.

She wore a pretty sundress with a denim vest on top.

So…kindergarten-teacher-ish. He could imagine her surrounded by happy kids.

Now she stood there, hurt in her big eyes nearly destroying him. He didn’t think, he just acted.

Grady lifted the woman closer and just held her. The boys noticed and came running, ready to slay dragons for her. Of course they would. She was the kind of woman a guy slayed dragons for without hesitation.

“Aunt Hala, what’s the matter?” the little boy who looked a great deal like her asked. He even had the same curly hair and big brown eyes. He looked just like his aunt had as a kid. “Where’s Daddy?”

“Your daddy took Gia to the doctor. She was hurt at work today. I’m here to get you three and take you back to the ranch.

We’re going to eat pizza and wait for them to come home, okay?

” Grady said. He hated seeing the fear in the kid’s eyes, just as much as he’d hated seeing the worry in the woman’s.

He kissed Hala on the top of her head and just held her close.

She felt like she belonged right there. It had been a crappy day all around, and now…

it felt a little more right again. “Do you boys have your stuff?”

“Yep,” his own nephew said, patting Hala on the back softly. “Why is she crying like that? Is my Aunt Gia okay?”

He’d always been a perceptive kid. Grady nodded. “Hala is just worried, buddy. Aunt Gia hurt her shoulder and she’s pretty bruised. But she’ll be okay. She’s not even staying at the hospital all night.”

“Not hurt as bad as Aunt Genny was when the bad man hurt her? Or…like Miss Ayla was? Miss Ayla is going to help me learn to swim really, really, really good soon. She said when I asked. Aunt Gia is okay? You promise?” Of course.

Calvin would have questions, considering everything that had happened to Genny, and Aubrey, Gunn and Ayla, and Chantal and Gene over the last month.

Grady barely understood and he was a full-grown man.

“Is my daddy hurt, too? Did the bad guys at the court get him?” Ryan asked next.

Grady set Hala back a little. He kissed her forehead quickly. The big wet eyes were all it took.

Then he knelt down in front of the boys.

He opened his arms, and both came to him.

Poor little guys. Of course they didn’t understand this.

“Your daddy’s cast broke, and he had to get a new one, that’s all.

And it takes a while for the cast stuff to dry.

The bad guy at court was really mad that he was getting in trouble and he pushed Aunt Gia.

Then Ryan’s daddy grabbed the bad guy and threw him through the air so he couldn’t hurt anybody again.

I heard the bad guy landed on a table and it broke into a thousand pieces.

Then your daddy went with Gia to the hospital so she wouldn’t be afraid. ”

“Daddy saved Gia from the bad guy? He took good care of her? You’re sure?

” Ryan asked, like it was the most important question in the world.

He really liked Grady’s sister—Grady had noticed that before.

Kids always had. His sister would be a wonderful mother someday, when she was ready.

Just like his own had always been. Grady knew how lucky he had been to get the parents he’d been given.

“Yep. And everyone is going to be okay, but they had to wait for your Daddy’s cast to dry, so they couldn’t come get you and Aunt Hala as soon as he promised.

So I’m here to get her instead. And you guys, since I had to come get Calvin, too.

Calvin’s daddy took Chantal to her doctor’s appointment today and the doctor was really late.

That’s all. I promise. Everybody is going to be okay. ”

He stood back up and slipped his arm around Hala. “Get your stuff, honey. We’ll get out of here, so good old Luie can lock up.”

He shot Luis a look of challenge. Luis smirked at him. Luis wanted Hala. It was in the way the man was looking at her. Of course he did. Why wouldn’t he?

Well, Grady decided in that very moment, Luis Sandoval wasn’t going to get her. Grady pulled her closer, and kissed her on the forehead. Luis could go find another woman of his own out there.

He wasn’t getting this one.

She felt too perfect right where she was for Grady to lose her now.