Page 19 of The Plan

Hiller was going to be a daddy. How about that? Shouldn’t Hiller be busy picking out mobiles and pacifiers instead of digging into Holland’s life?

He was preoccupied all of his meal. Then, when he finally made it back to the courthouse—Ward was waiting. “Heard Hiller’s going to be a daddy. I didn’t know he and the girl were even involved. Everyone in the courthouse is talking about it. Seems they heard Hiller’s clerk has him by the balls, considering.”

That clerk had been in the courtroom countless times, taking Hiller’s notes and giving him whatever he needed. Holland had watched her before. Sometimes it got damned boring on the bench, and a man needed distractions. He’d always enjoyed when she’d be in the courtroom. The hair was almost a pureyellow—it was eye-catching. He’d had to watch her when he could.

Looked like Hiller had taken it a step further. Hiller apparently didn’t understand the ‘look but don’t touch’ concept. That was a sexual harassment suit waiting to happen. Or get a man caught in a trap he wasn’t ready for. Well, it looked like Hiller was trapped now.

“Nobody did. But now it’s all anyone’s talking about. And if the good ladies over there have anything to say about it, Gayle Hiller’s gonna be throwing baby showers before the month’s out. Little blonde bitch of Hiller’s got expensive taste, apparently. Thought she was too good for the rest of us.”

And there was a look of hatred in the man’s eyes. A look that told him he’d asked that girl out and been turned down or something, too. Well, the girl wasn’t a fool, that was obvious. “Don’t get distracted by that law clerk. She’s Hiller’s. Leave her alone. Don’t piss him off.”

“Hiller’s not going to let the Tolben thing go.”

“Probably not. Unless someone makes him. That girl is a good place to start.”

“I can’t make him stop. He’s already too deep. Made it a personal mission, I think.”

Ward leaned in again. “You don’t have to make him stop. You just have to make him... reconsider taking this any further.”

Holland’s head snapped up. Was Ward implying what he thought he was? “No.”

“It’s just a little pressure. People like Hiller, they crack when the right buttons are pushed. He’s got something to lose now.”

Holland shook his head again, more firmly this time. “I said no. No one gets hurt in this. It’ll bring too much damned attention. Then your entire scheme will come tumbling down.”

“Suit yourself, Judge. Just remember—if Hiller keeps digging, it won’t just be your job on the line.” Ward walked at hisside, until they reached the side entrance to the Barratt County courthouse—busiest building in Barratt County. “It’ll be your whole damn life. Say good-bye to little wifey and the pretty kind of life.”

Holland just watched the deputy walk away, hoping like hell the man’s words weren’t going to turn prophetic after all.

15

Camden Lake wasa source of constant humor. It was enough to drive any woman insane. Murdoch Lake was the exact opposite—Murdoch the Grouch through and through. He hadn’t always been so cross with life—losing Celia had changed him. Before, Murdoch had been her most mischievous big brother. Anthony, the youngest of the Lake brothers—by seventeen minutes, as Murdoch liked to point out—was a quiet blend of both of them. Anthony was just shy and lovable mostly.

They were big, beautiful muscle-bound behemoths. With wild blond barbarian hair on the eldest, and TSP-regulation short for Murdoch, and an even shorter military buzz for Anthony.

Ronnie adored her brothers completely. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for one of her boys. But the last thing she had expected today when she’d opened the door to her apartment the day after George had commandeered her and instilled her back as his clerk was to find the triple threat staring down at her.

With questions in eyes the same shape as her own.

Cam came in first—no surprise, her eldest brother did everything first. Nothing really scared that man. Except losing someone he loved again.

He’d been searching for Celia forever. He would never stop.

Murdoch was the one who’d changed the most after they’d lost their sister. He’d blamed himself—he’d been told to go home to babysit her as soon as he could. She’d only been supposed to be alone for a few minutes. She’d been twelve. She should have been okay. She hadn’t been. Now Murdoch had a bit of a wall around himself at times. She hugged him.

It wasn’t his fault.

It was the fault of whoever had taken their sister, and that was it.

She knew the odds—if someone had wanted Celia enough, they’d have gone right through Murdoch to get to her. And then Ronnie would have lost her big brother, too.

Anthony was their quiet one. Their heart, really. He was her most soft-hearted, sensitive brother. The one who liked to fuss over his sisters when he could.

He’d recently married his long-time girlfriend.

Ronnie wasn’t too thrilled with that. She didn’t exactly care for Olivia that much. Or at all, really. But she’d never tell her brother that.

“What are you three doing here?”

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