A Hero For Holly Read online

  “I think you’re right,” Sam agreed, lifting one hand to stroke the baby fine hair.

  “Do you want me to take him?”

  “Na. He’s fine right here. And he won’t be sleeping for long. Not once the fireworks start anyway.”

  “That’s true,” Holly chuckled. “Even if he could sleep through them, he’d never forgive us if we didn’t wake him.”

  “Then we’d best see that we do.” He smiled at her, then turned to check on the other boys, who sat a short distance away telling ghost stories.

  Us and we. Nice words when they were in reference to the two of them.

  “Think they’ll be able to sleep tonight?” he asked.

  “I’m amazed that they sleep at all considering some of the stuff they see and hear these days,” Holly sighed. “Have you been listening to them at all?”

  “Not really,” he admitted sheepishly. “I’ve just been sitting here counting my blessings that Tommy hasn’t run over to complain about something else.” Holly laughed at that.

  “Gosh I know what you mean. I’ve never heard such negativity from a child in my life.”

  “You’re telling me. Can you imagine what it would be like if he were around every day?”

  “Now I’m going to have nightmares, Sam.” They both laughed then. “He’s the kind of child who makes your own children look like angels.”

  “Compared to him, Zack and Billy are angels.” He was only half kidding, but said seriously, “They’re terrific kids, Holly. The highlight of this whole scouting experience is working with those two.”

  “Thank you for saying that. I know that spending Thursday evenings with you is the best part of their week.” She hesitated for a moment, then lowered her lashes and said shyly, “I don’t know if I’ve ever really thanked you for letting Billy come along with Zack. I know he’s too young, but it means an awful lot to him.”

  “Hey, don’t thank me, Holly. I meant it when I said they’re the highlight of my week. Especially Billy.”

  “Well, I just want you to know how much I appreciate the time you take with them. I don’t know if Zack has mentioned it to you, but he hasn’t seen his father in over five years. And Billy has never met him. Mike left a few months before he was born.”

  “I knew he hadn’t been around in a while,” Sam admitted, anger settling like a fist in his stomach. Holly’s husband had left her with a three or four year old while she was pregnant? What kind of man would do that?

  “I didn’t tell you so you’d feel sorry for us,” Holly was quick to say, making him wonder if his tone gave away any of his feelings. “I just thought I should tell you what it means to them to have you in their life. Except for Lyle, you’re really about the only male influence they have right now.” Sam was sorry that the boys had lacked male companionship in the past, but he fully intended to be there for them in the future.

  “Holly, I’m honored that you felt comfortable enough to tell me this. And I want you to know that there isn’t anything in the world I wouldn’t do for those boys.” For her, too, but he didn’t think she was quite ready to hear that.

  “Oh!” A loud boom, the signal for the beginning of the spectacular fireworks display, startled Holly, who called out, “Boys, it’s starting. Come over to the blankets.”

  “Billy. Come on, son. Wake up,” Sam said, gently rousing the boy as his mother rounded up the rest of the crew.

  Yep. Perfect.

  ~~~~~

  “I’ll help you get them in the house,” Sam said, stifling a yawn as they pulled into her driveway.

  It was just after midnight, and Holly had insisted on riding along while he dropped the other boys off. He’d actually hoped to have everyone home by ten-thirty or so, but hadn’t counted on one of the biggest traffic jams he’d ever been stuck in after a fireworks display.

  “I can just wake them up,” Holly sighed, a hand covering yet another yawn. She’d confessed that her usual bedtime was several hours earlier, so it was kind of a miracle that she was still awake.

  “You could. But after sleeping all the way from Battle Creek, you might not get them settled down for a while.” He smiled when she grimaced at the thought.

  “Then I’ll thank you kindly, in advance, for your generous assistance.”

  “After your assistance all day long, it’s the least I can do, Ma’am.”

  “Oh, please. Don’t call me Ma’am. It makes me feel old.” She laughed softly. “But I have to admit, I am feeling pretty old right now”

  “Isn’t that the normal state for someone of your obviously advanced years?” he teased.

  “Ha-ha.” She yawned again as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “I’m really glad that Lyle insisted on opening in the morning. I’m going to sleep until seven.”

  “You do like to pamper yourself, don’t you?”

  “Absolutely. Seven is a lot later than four-thirty.”

  “P.M.?”

  “I wish.”

  “You mean to tell me that there’s actually a four-thirty a.m.?” They both laughed at that.

  “Yes, I do. And I generally see it five or six mornings a week.”

  “Hmm. Well, let’s get these little guys in the house so that sleeping in until seven will really be sleeping in for you.” Except he knew it wouldn’t be. Not really. She’d stayed up too late to get any extra rest.

  Sam lifted Zack into his arms as if he weighed no more than an infant, while Holly carried Billy inside the darkened house. She led the way up the stairs and into a room lit only by a soft night light.

  “Do you want them undressed?” he whispered, wondering why he was being so quiet, considering that they’d been speaking in normal tones as they talked in the van.

  “No. Just their shoes. I’ll change the sheets in the morning.”

  It wasn’t long before the boys were tucked in, and then Holly accompanied him back downstairs. They stood in the kitchen for a moment, and Sam sincerely wished that he could kiss her. Instead he simply said,

  “Thanks again for coming with us today. All the kids had a great time. So did I.”

  “You’re welcome. I enjoyed myself a lot, too.”

  “Goodnight, Holly.”

  “Night, Sam.”

  CHAPTER 2

  “You’re time is coming, pig. You sent me to hell and you’re going to pay. And when I’ve decided you’ve suffered enough, then you’re going to die. The bullet was only the beginning.”

  Ed hadn’t been especially concerned over his shooting, other than the fact that he really wasn’t keen on dying anytime in the near future. Or the distant future, for that matter. He figured he’d just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Of course he couldn’t imagine there ever being a right time or place to get shot.

  But apparently he’d been way off base about it having been a random act of violence. Not a comforting realization. That meant the odds of there being any fingerprints on the letters that had been pasted on the sheet of white paper were slim to none. Anyone who was sly enough to shoot a cop in a police parking lot, and not get caught, was probably smart enough to wear gloves.

  As he opened a kitchen drawer and stuffed the letter and envelope inside, he thought that working in law enforcement sure could have its drawbacks.

  ~~~~~

  Gazing into an eyeball a fraction of an inch from her own was not the most pleasant way to start a morning. However, thanks to the small thumb pulling her lid open, that’s exactly what Holly found herself looking at.

  “Is it time to get up already, Billy?” she mumbled, trying in vain to close her eye.

  “I’m starvin’, Mama,” came the pitiful response. From the tone of his voice, a stranger might have assumed the poor neglected child hadn’t eaten a meal in days.

  “What time is it?” The eyeball darted a look at the digital clock on her night stand, then returned immediately to hers.

  “The numbers are six, one, and three.” Six
-thirteen. Slightly less than six hours sleep. Yay.

  “Maybe you could get a bowl of dry cereal and eat it while you watch cartoons?” she suggested hopefully. “Then I could make breakfast in a little while.”

  “Waffles, Mama.” Almost impossibly, the eye pressed closer, nearly touching hers now. “And bacon. Please?” Holly groaned in resignation, wondering how many years it had been since she'd been able to sleep much past dawn.

  “Is your brother up?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Zack’s starvin’, too.”

  “I guess I can’t let my boys starve,” she sighed, reaching up to tickle Billy’s neck. He shrieked with laughter, finally releasing her aching eyelid. “You have to let me up before I can go downstairs and make breakfast, you little turkey.”

  While Billy bounced on the edge of her bed, waiting for her to get out of bed, Holly stretched, then forced herself to stand up and put her robe on.

  “I’m thinking we need a change,” she said, taking hold of her son’s chubby little hand and heading for the stairs. “We always have waffles and bacon on Saturday mornings so why don’t we try something different today?”

  “What?”

  “Hmm. I think liver, onion rings, and fried mushrooms sounds absolutely delicious.”

  “Oh yucky, Mama,” Billy said, his nose wrinkled in disgust. Holly laughed, and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

  “Waffles and bacon coming right up, young man.” At the foot of the stairs she called, “Good morning, Zack.”

  “’Morning, Mom,” he replied from the living room. He sounded distracted, and she guessed that he must have a Pokemon movie in the DVD player. Pokemon was the love of his life at the moment, and the only cartoon that could hold his interest…to the exclusion of everything around him.

  “Why don’t you go watch TV with your brother, Billy. I’ll call you when it’s almost ready.”

  “Okay.” He scampered off to join his brother, while Holly continued on through the dining room and out to the kitchen.

  Sometimes she regretted having started this early Saturday morning tradition, especially after staying out half the night because of the holiday. But mostly she loved it, knowing her sons could depend on this one special meal each week.

  Yawning, she reached into the cupboard for a mixing bowl and measuring cups to make the homemade batter they all loved. A mix might be easier, but the flavor sacrificed just really wasn’t worth it. Flour, baking powder, and salt joined the growing island on the counter. It didn’t take long before all the ingredients were mixed to a smooth, just right consistency. She was just turning the bacon when Billy came hustling out to check on her progress.

  “Not done?”

  “Nope,” Holly said, tousling his already mussed hair. “I’ll let you know when it’s time to set the table.”

  “Juice?”

  “In a minute.”

  “Okay.” He ran out of the room with the boundless energy kids always seemed to have.

  She sure could use some of that today, she thought, extracting a thawed can of orange juice concentrate from the refrigerator and mixing it up. It was going to be a long day.

  Once the crisp bacon was draining on paper towels and the waffle iron heated, she called the boys to the kitchen. Zack pulled a step stool over from the corner and took three place settings from the upper cupboard then, while his brother made a couple of trips to carry them to the table, he got out the silverware and napkins. Together they set a very passable table, and Holly couldn’t help but be proud.

  “Do you want me to pour the juice, Mom?” Zack asked when they were finished.

  “Yes please. Thanks, sweetheart.” She pulled the first waffle from the iron and, keeping a watchful eye on him, started the second one. “Billy, you can get the butter from the fridge if you’d like.”

  “Okay.”

  “Are we doing anything special today?” Zack wanted to know, sitting down at his place.

  “Well, I’d planned on mowing the lawn and weeding the garden, why?”

  “I wondered if I could go to Tyler’s later. He’s got a new water gun that’s so cool, Mom. He told me how much it cost, and I have more than that in my piggy bank so I could get one, too.” he explained, his blue eyes flashing with excitement.

  “Well… Why don’t you let me think about it, and I’ll give Tyler’s mom a call later to make sure it’s all right with her, okay? But your chores will have to be done before I make the call.”

  “I know. I was going to help clean up after breakfast, and then do my room after that. I could even help you with the weeding if you want me to.”

  He was such a thoughtful boy she hated to disappoint him. But the plain and simple fact was, Holly didn’t like Tyler Mason. He was a sort of modern day Eddie Haskell…with touches of Jesse James. Unfortunately, Zack thought he was a pretty cool kid. Hopefully she could figure out something to do that would interest him more, and not drain her of too much energy. Oh, a nap would be a welcome luxury right now.

  “We’ll see, Zack. We had a pretty busy day yesterday so let’s just see how it goes.”

  “Okay.” Holly felt her heart sink at the disappointment in his eyes. She was going to wind up giving in and she knew it. Why was it that some males were born with eyes that could just melt your heart? Life was not fair sometimes.

  ~~~~~

  “So how did it go yesterday?” Dan demanded as soon as Sam answered the door. He should have apologized for waking him but, since he was usually up with the birds, who could have known.

  “Fine. It went fine,” Sam mumbled, holding open the screen door and covering his mouth when he yawned. “I need coffee.”

  “Got it, buddy.” Dan held up a drink carrier from a local fast food establishment. It contained two large cups. He also held up the bag filled with two breakfast meals.

  “I love you,” Sam groaned, carefully taking a cup and inhaling the aroma that promised some quick energy. “What time is it?”

  “It’s seven, and I think we’ll keep that little secret from my wife. She tends to get a little jealous, you know.” He watched and grinned as Sam removed the lid and cautiously took a sip. “I think I’d put a shirt on if I were you.”

  “Ha-ha. Why? If I spill it, it’ll be just as hot, and then I’ll have a stained shirt to deal with, too. Why aren’t you home with Jess?” he asked, leading the way to the kitchen, where they sat and divvied up breakfast.

  “She, Mom and Emma headed out a little while ago for some baby outlet store across the border in Indiana. I guess I‘m not supposed to expect them till lunch time.”

  “So Kate’s home alone?” Sam teased, surprised that his sense of humor was so easily found, given how tired he was.

  “Oh no!” Dan gasped, shooting to his feet. Alarmed, Sam jumped up, too, his chair falling to the floor with a crash. When Dan burst out laughing, Sam smacked his arm irritably.

  “That wasn‘t even close to funny,” he snapped, righting his chair and resuming his seat.

  “You know I’d never make that kind of mistake. Kate’s with Jess. Can’t you take a joke?

  “After spending fourteen hours with nine kids yesterday, I guess not.”

  “Yeah, but you got to spend most of that time with Holly, so what are you complaining about?”

  “That’s true.” Dan watched as Sam zoned out, probably dreaming about the only thing he’d dreamed about for more than a year now.

  “So, I repeat, how did it go?” He bit into an English muffin filled with egg, sausage and cheese. Not his customary breakfast, but it would do.

  “It went really well,” Sam said, unwrapping his sandwich. He passed the potato patty to Dan, who had been hoping he would. “It was kind of uncomfortable for a while. Well, maybe not uncomfortable, but not… comfortable, if you know what I mean.”

  “Hey, you know how things were between Jess and me in the beginning. I could write a book on that particular subject.”

&
nbsp; “That‘s true. Anyway, after a while, especially after we got to the fair, it was almost like we were parents with our kids.”

  “Nine kids.”

  “Yeah, nine kids. It was fun.” He described how the rest of the evening had gone, the talk on the blankets, the teasing in her driveway, helping put the boys to bed like parents would. For a moment he looked so wistful Dan’s heart constricted. He knew that feeling, too. “I really love her and those boys.”

  “I know you do.”

  “Do you know what I did?”

  “When?”

  “Last night.”

  “Not if you haven’t already told me.”

  “I hid Zack’s jacket under the backseat so I’d have an excuse to call her today.” Dan saw his cheeks flush a little bit. Sam wasn’t much into deception.

  “Pretty creative idea, pal. It’s not illegal and it’s not really immoral. I’d have done it in your place. If I’d thought about it.”

  “Well- I didn’t really want to wait until the meeting next week to see her again. I’ll call her a little later this morning. She’s probably exhausted.” He zoned out again for a minute then said, “She was hoping to sleep in until seven. If she got her way, she’s just now getting up.”

  Dan’s eyes narrowed as an idea began to form. Taking another bite of his sandwich, he took a few moments to think about it.

  “Hmm. You know I think you’re probably right,” he finally said. “Holly is probably going to be pretty whipped today. Didn’t you say she worked yesterday morning, too?”

  “Yeah. She had an even longer day than I did.”

  “If it was me, and I was in love with a woman who gave up the majority of her holiday to help me out, I’d definitely call about returning the jacket I’d filched. I’d also invite her and the boys over for a cook out or something. Just as a way to thank her for all of her help. You know, because she’s bound to be tired out today and all.”

  Dan grinned like the Cheshire cat when Sam grasped what he was suggesting. Maybe it was a holdover from their childhood, but Sam was the youngest…the ‘baby’ of the group…and Dan had always tried to look out for him, even more so than he did with the other guys. And like any baby of the family, when he was happy, it gave everyone else a good feeling.