Four Minutes of Darkness: (The Texas Hill Country Murders, Book 1) by Kady Hinojosa

Author:Kady Hinojosa [Hinojosa, Kady]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 25

Christmas day was quiet. Grace and Jo had a long-standing tradition where Grace would turn on Johnny Mathis as soon as she woke up and increase the volume enough to rouse Jo out of bed. They would open one gift then make their favorite breakfast together—French toast, bacon, and hash browns. Instead of eating at the dining table, their Christmas breakfast was enjoyed while sitting on the floor in the living room in front of a roaring fire—or as much as an electric fire allowed—and the Christmas tree.

Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Grace studied her daughter. Jo was relaxed and singing along with Johnny in between bites. It warmed her heart.

Jo glanced at her mom, bacon halfway to her mouth. “What?”

“You look happy.”

Jo rolled her eyes and popped the bacon into her mouth.

“Do you miss Houston, Jo Jo?”

“I thought I would but I’m actually glad we moved here.” She smiled at the look of surprise on her mom’s face. “I’ve made some good friends and I love helping those kids.”

Grace reached over and squeezed Jo’s hand. “That makes me happy.” She paused. “And Chase?”

“What about him?”

“Well, you two seem to be getting very close.”

“It’s not like that, Mom. We’re friends, that’s all. Not like you and Ethan.”

When her mom’s jaw dropped open, Jo smiled. Turning her head, she eyed the two full stockings sitting by the fireplace. Jo’s was a traditional red stocking with white fur trim at the top sporting her name. Max’s stocking was also traditional with his name and an appliqué of a cat silhouette wearing a red bow. “So can Max and I open the gifts in our stockings?” She grinning and waited.

“JoAnn Strong, bite your tongue. You know we clean up first before you and Max open your gifts.” She grinned at the conversation they had every year.

“I know, I know…” Jo began.

“Tradition.” They said it simultaneously and both laughed.

Later that day, they enjoyed Christmas dinner with Gary and Jerry and they ended the night watching “The Sound of Music.”

Grace loved their Christmas traditions.

The new year rolled in without much fanfare. School had resumed after the break and Jo was working on an English report. Grace was finishing up some testing of new functionality for one of her clients before starting dinner when her phone vibrated. She typically didn’t answer the phone during testing because she didn’t like losing focus. So she ignored the call. A minute later, it rang again. Wrinkling her nose in irritation, she picked it up to see who was calling.

“Hey Jerry, what’s up?”

“Grace, Gary’s in the hospital. He’s been beaten up pretty bad.” Jerry’s voice was shaking and thick with tears.

Grace sat up. “What? Where are you? We’re coming right now.” She saved her work and stood.

“Methodist ER, it’s on Menger Springs.”

“We’ll be there in fifteen.”

She rushed down the hall and rapped on Jo’s door before opening it. “Gary’s in the hospital. Grab a coat and meet me downstairs. Bring your homework with you. I’m not sure how long we’ll be there.

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