at the groceries. “And I would have. You’re eleven, Tyler! I’m supposed to care for you, not the other way around.”
He sat next to her and knotted his hands together. “I wanna help. If I can do some odd jobs, you know for Mr. and Mrs. Tarpley, maybe for some other folks, too, after school and on weekends, maybe it will help make up for you having to cut your hours.”
Holly wasn’t sure whether to laugh, yell, or just cry. “But Tyler…a job?”
He blinked at her, batting his thick lashes over his big chocolaty eyes. “Come on, Holly! You know we can use the help. It’s only for a couple of hours a day.”
Holly thought about the mounting bills and the meager amount of money still in her account. The truth was it would be a help. Doc Owens mentioned she might be able to get public assistance, but Holly feared it would provide a paper trail leading Spence to them. She needed to keep as much of their finances as she could on a cash-only basis.
She blinked back tears. After a gulp or two, she whispered in a choked voice, “Okay. You’re the best brother I could ever have, Tyler. I just worry about you trying to walk home from town so much.”
He shrugged. “I’ll find a ride with somebody headed this way, like I did today. Will that make you feel better?”
Yes and no. Although she knew he should be safe with most of the people around here, they were still new to the area. “Just promise you’ll get rides from people you know, okay?” At his nod she smiled. “Beans are on the stove.”
They were having pintos for supper…again. Tyler didn’t say anything, and Holly appreciated that. She knew he was tired of them, but until her next paycheck they had few options. Now, thanks to Tyler, they had milk and cereal they could eat for breakfast. There also would be some variety to lunch and dinner.
His dark head was bent over the bowl of beans. He was a nice kid, just like Lieutenant Allred said. Plenty of cornbread and sweet tea rounded out the meal, and Tyler ate like a horse. He must be hitting another growth spurt. Halfway through his bowl, he stopped in midscoop.
“You not hungry?” he asked around a mouthful of beans.
She grimaced. “My appetite’s been off. There just isn’t much room inside anymore for anything but the baby.”
“Holly?”
She glanced up, exhaustion dragging at her. He looked so grown with his serious dark eyes, so like their mother’s. He’d tucked his longish brown hair, darker than her own, behind his ears.
“What are you going to do if the baby comes while I’m not here?”
“I’ll call 911, or your cop friend,” she joked.
“I’m serious, Holly,” Tyler said, his brows drawing together.
She smiled to reassure him. He’d gotten so protective of her. It had been that way ever since the accident that had killed Mom and Dad. Holly understood. They had only each other now.
“That’s a long way off, Ty, so don’t worry. We’ve got the phone. It’s not like we’re cut off.”
* * * *
The scarred wooden doors of the cramped brick building housing Mountain Meadow’s police force banged shut behind Jake. He frowned as he snatched off his baseball-style cap and raked his fingers through his thick hair to get rid of the hat-head look. He glanced at his aging boss. Chief Ernie Jones was just turning away from the ancient Bunn coffeemaker, stirring a spoon in a mug stating World’s Best Grandpa in big childish lettering.
“What’s got you riled, Jake?” Ernie grinned as if he already had a damn good idea.
“Someone toilet papered the nativity scene at the Baptist church. In her official capacity as head of the ladies worship committee, Betty Gatewood assures me it’s some of those folks from the Presbyterian church. She wants a full-scale investigation and seemed pissed I didn’t dust for prints. ’Course, Joe hasn’t said a word.”
The chief stirred his coffee and failed at smothering a grin. Jake narrowed his eyes. The feud between the Baptist ladies and the Presbyterian ladies was legendary. It heated up every holiday season, most often with some help from the town’s teenagers. Jake had just never expected to land smack-dab in the middle of it. But thanks to covering for one of their vacationing officers, he’d been the one to answer the call. Now embroiled in the middle of the ongoing feud, he found it hard to appreciate Ernie’s good humor.
“Come on, Jake, you grew up around here. You know they’re always feuding over something…or it’s kids burning off a little pre-Christmas excitement.”
“That’s what I tried to tell her,” Jake said.
“Well how’d you leave it?”
“Joe and I removed all the toilet paper before I assured her I’d make some inquiries.”
“Sounds good to me.” Jones sipped his coffee, sighed with pleasure and ambled toward the door to his office. “Jenny stopped by a little while ago looking for you. She mumbled something about a patient she was worried about. Wanted to see if you’d go check on her.”
“One of her elderly shut-ins?” Jake asked as he shrugged off his leather bomber jacket. Jenny was always going the extra mile for patients, but he supposed they all did in their own way—just part of life in Castle County. People had always watched out for neighbors, like that kid and his sister the other night.
Ernie’s thick brows furrowed as he drawled, “Nope. Didn’t get that impression from her. Sounded like a younger person.”
He thought of Holly Morgan. He wouldn’t mind checking on her, but he doubted she was who Jenny had in mind. Too bad.
“Well, I’ll try to give her a call before I leave. If not, I can ask while I’m at her place.”
Ernie raised his brows. “Something going on there?”
“No. Just friends. Jenny and I know too much about each other to be a couple. Besides, despite what Evan wants people to believe about he and Jenny being past history, no way would I tread on that territory. It’s the guy code. No, tonight’s a holiday party, not a date.”
Ernie laughed. “Too bad. ’Bout time you found someone to settle down with, isn’t it?”
“Don’t hold your breath.” Jake grinned and moved to the short hallway leading to his office, but as he went through the door he thought about Ernie’s comment. Jake did want a wife and family. And he guessed Sam and Evan weren’t far from the mark when they accused him of showing the signs. Problem was there didn’t seem to be a lot of candidates, and he wasn’t into the whole dating and small-talk scene. He never seemed to think of anything to talk about, and those long silences sure got awkward. Then it would turn into twenty questions with him answering yes or no. Women always wanted to talk things to death. ESPN and a beer to go with it were a whole lot less awkward.
He tilted his ancient wooden desk chair back, listening to its familiar squeak of protest. He’d put a couple of noses out of joint when he’d applied for, and gotten, the job as lieutenant after his return from Afghanistan. A chill chased down his spine. He still experienced nightmares about those last two years. That’s what had driven him back to Virginia. He needed home, roots. His parents and his brothers and sister might have left Mountain Meadow, but he knew the people here, and it gave him a place to belong. Knowledge of the area, combined with his military experience had helped him land the job. He didn’t regret it. Most of the time. Hadn’t helped the dreams much, though.
There were a few negatives. Most of his high school friends had homes and families. Except for Jenny…and Evan. He didn’t like to think about their past. Then there was him, rattling around in the huge house he’d bought. What the hell had he been thinking? The perfect woman would just drop into his lap? Even if she did, how long would she stick around with his nightmares?
Jake straightened his chair, pulling the