Page 40 of The Chase
“Janie’s taking custody for now. The three of us have already discussed it. Until…Brenton is back on his feet. Brenton should agree to that. He doesn’t really have anyone else, you know. And Janie keeps the kids for him all the time when it’s his turn to have them. If he’ll even let us have anything to do with thekids after this. He…those kids would have been so much better off with him from the beginning. I don’t know why Judge King didn’t see that. Except…King’s friends with my dad. Maybe he thought he was helping my dad out or something. I don’t know. I just…want my family to be okay. Maybe…with Jessica in jail they’ll have a chance, and they could be.”
The look on his face just broke her heart. Families could be complicated and broken. That was something Greer could never forget.
She knew how incredibly blessed she actually was. To have had the family she was given. So many people…didn’t have anyone at all.
Just like the man standing there, watching her from afar.
She…really could use his arms around her right now.
But Greer stayed right where she was.
32
It waslate before word came on Garth’s wife. Kurt was still trying to wrap his head around what had happened, what would make a woman turn on her own mother that way. Garth’s daughter Janie was sitting there with a stunned look on her beautiful face. He’d always liked Janie—and her older brother Jackson—when they’d come around the ranch to see their father.
Janie had moved in with the Glasses back when Garth had had a mild stroke three years ago. They had a house on the corner of Kurt’s own property—the Glasses had raised their three children in that houselongbefore Kurt had bought the ranch before it could be foreclosed on six years ago. It was their home. They were good people.
People he cared about, and he hated to see themhurting.
He called the 800 number for the insurance company he used to provide insurance for his employees. He made it clear that anything the policy wouldn’t cover for Marie’s care, he would cover himself. That was the last thing Garth and his kids needed to worry about right now.
Marie was in critical condition. The Glasses’ former son-in-law was in guarded. Or something like that, Kurt wasn’t too clearon the distinctions and levels. All he knew was that Brenton Ryce was expected to recover eventually. But Marie…they still didn’t know her prognosis.
Kurt just waited.
And tried not to stare at the damned Hillers surrounding everyone.
Well, he made no bones about checking on the Hiller he wanted, whenever he could. She stayed with her family as they waited for news about her brother. Someone from social services had arrived to officially take over for Greer.
Now, she was free to be with her family.
He had never really seen them all together like this. Even at that barbecue they’d been spread out in various places.
Greer’s mother hovered, over all of them. Especially Greer and Greer’s little curly-haired friend. Hanan’s baby sister. That poor woman had bandages all up and down her arms—and nightmares in her eyes. Greer was hovering over her, too.
Jackson, Garth’s son, a man a few years younger than Kurt, was sitting next to the Hillers now. Next to Greer. They’d speak to one another occasionally.
Kurt wanted to be the one next to her. He could hold her. Protect her from as much ofthisas he could. Garth was just sitting next to Kurt now, holding Janie’s hand. That poor kid. She was a quieter woman, sweet in a shy way. Now, she had a look of determination in her blue eyes that Kurt did understand. Janie was hovering over her dad, and watching over her niece and nephew, too.
The sheriff came in. And came to Garth. “Any word on how she is? How Brenton is?”
Brenton Ryce worked for Clay. Clay had been called back out to the scene an hour ago. Kurt just shook his head. “No change yet.”
Brenton Ryce didn’t really have anyone except Jessica’s family and Clay. Someone had said he’d grown up in foster care around Barratt and Finley Creek counties.
Hell, Kurt knew exactly how that felt. And he had two kids dependent on him now, too. If something happened to him…what would happen to the girls? To the baby he shared with Greer?
He had updated his will after getting the girls, but…it wasn’t quite the same. Who would love the girls the most?
Jackson came to his dad’s side. “Dad, let’s go for a walk. I need to clear my head.”
“But…”
“I’ll stay right here,” Janie said. She had her nephew in her arms, his little curly hair shot out everywhere on his head. “I’ll text if anything?—”
Garth stood.
Kurt stayed where he was. He really didn’t know what he was supposed to do now. He just…Garth was one of his closest friends on the planet. And he needed Kurt now. And Greer…Kurt wasn’t going to be too far away from her. Not as long as she needed him.
