Chapter 14
14
Holland pushed through the heavy glass doors of the Value Diner, blinking against the glare of the summer sun. The place was busy, too busy for his liking, but it was the only place in town where he could get a meal without drawing too much attention—most days, anyway. He was in there four out of five days a week—and had been for years. He couldn’t deviate too much now. Or there would be questions.
The familiar sounds of the diner made him sick to his stomach today.
There was a man in the back booth. Waiting. For Holland.
Deputy Wyatt Ward. The epitome of scum. He wasn’t going to sit with that bastard today. He rarely did at all—and only when no other seats were available. Holland always made certain Atkins or someone else from the courthouse sat there, too. Just to be on the safe side. Judicial impropriety and all. It was all about appearances now.
Not that that mattered much around here. Not really. Not when money could grease the wheels.
Holland shook his head slightly. And turned. He wasn’t going to sit with Ward today.
Then he saw Hiller.
And damn it all, the day got worse. Instantly.
George Hiller sat in a booth near the window, looking like everyone’s poster boy for perfection. Slick, sophisticated, young, and successful. Perfect. Eyes were drawn in his direction, no denying that. He had that presence that got him attention everywhere he went.
There was a woman with him. That blonde clerk of his. Holland never remembered her name, but she’d been the clerk to stick around the longest, he thought. Smart girl, not a pushover, either.
Holland tried not to be obvious as he watched them. A beautiful girl—blonde, taller, a trim, curvy body, and a beautiful smile. She looked good next to Hiller. But she was far too young for Hiller—Holland wouldn’t put her much past twenty-one or so.
Hiller had been playing with his clerk—Holland would bet on it.
Sanctimonious, hypocritical bastard. Acting all noble and perfect—when Hiller had been screwing his own law clerk all along. Talk about a cliché.
Not that he blamed Hiller. Not at all. A pretty young thing in a man’s bed—well, Holland understood the appeal.
The girl sat across from Hiller, leaning in slightly, as she sassed the man across from her. That asshole looked at her like she was the only thing that mattered in the room. And for a man like George Hiller, that said a lot. Holland gave his regular Tuesday order to the waitress, then listened to the chatter around him. Especially when he heard Hiller’s name.
“I heard Gayle’s over the moon,” Jane Fields said at the booth behind Holland.
Gayle. That was Hiller’s mother’s name.
Holland looked over his shoulder briefly, making it appear he was looking for the waitress.
It was Lettie Giles at the table with Mrs. Fields. He’d thought so. Lettie had been the town gossip for decades. “Of course Gayle is. She’s going to be grandma now. She’s been after George for years—and now he has finally come up to the task, apparently. I wonder how long they’ve been together? They are very beautiful together—and that baby is going to be a pretty one. Gayle and Max will spoil that child rotten, mark my words.”
“Of course they will,” Mrs. Fields said. “Grandbabies are wonderful. I do wish Charlie had had more than one, but… my Jaden is a good boy. Very bright. I suspect he’ll go into medicine, Lettie. He’s fascinated by it. Just like his Uncle Chad.”
“Chantal and Chad have plenty of time to give you more grandbabies, Jane.”
“Hard not to be impatient, though. I’ll call Gayle and get more details. Has anyone said when the baby’s due yet?” Mrs. Fields asked.
Baby .
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 pure yellow—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 his side, 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.