Special Delivery. Laura Browning

She no doubt figured the Dilbys could pressure anyone with all the money they had backing them, protective order or not. If so, they hadn’t ever been to Mountain Meadow. Folks in this part of Virginia didn’t take to people who flashed their cash.

      * * * *

      Just as Holly suspected, the phone company cut service Wednesday. They’d told her the last time she’d called a partial payment wouldn’t be enough. She rubbed her back as she returned to the couch from her latest trip to the bathroom. She had the radio tuned to one of the local stations for some background noise because, with no satellite and no cable, they got almost no television reception in the hollow where they were, even with the box to convert the digital signal.

      Her forced inactivity drove her bananas. Used to working, she made a list of baby items she still needed, but all she did was frustrate herself when she realized she had neither the time nor the money to be ready for her daughter’s arrival.

      Jake stopped by Thursday with another box of food in hand. Without Tyler as a buffer, he swallowed, and after he handed the box to her, he took his cap off and slapped it against his leg a couple of times. She was relieved when he mumbled something again about chopping wood and hurried outside.

      The window gave her a great view while he worked. He made it look so effortless, and for him it no doubt was. There wasn’t an ounce of flab anywhere on him. Holly bit her lip and let the curtain fall into place. He was handsome, but she had no business looking at him. She had no business looking at anyone. Still, she twitched the corner of the curtain again, drawing some comfort from the smooth swing of the ax. She was disappointed when he just stuck his head in the door and mumbled a good-bye.

      What did she expect? She’d been pretty bitchy to him. Holly bit her lower lip. This wasn’t who she was or what she was like, but after the mistake she’d made about Spence, trusting anyone else was nearly impossible, even someone like Jake.

      Jim Tarpley brought Tyler home most of the week. On Saturday, he stepped into the house for a minute to say hello.

      “Susie had me bring this box of baby clothes and whatnot. We kept items around when our grandchildren were tiny, but most of them are in their teens now, and she thought you might could use it.”

      Holly smiled in genuine pleasure. “Thank you, and please thank Mrs. Tarpley, too. You’ve been such a help.”

      His eyes twinkled when he smiled. “Anything we can do, you just let us know. Tyler’s a hard worker, and we’re real fortunate to have him with the holidays coming. You let us know if you need anything, you hear?”

      Holly smiled. Tarpley waved his good-bye and shut the door behind him.

      While Tyler did his homework, Holly went through the clothing, blankets and small toys. In addition, several items appeared brand new. Baby wipes and powder, diapers, a bulb syringe, and a couple of bibs. She blinked back tears.

      They had met some nice people since they came to Mountain Meadow. Folks like the Tarpleys, Doc, even Jake. Maybe things here were different. Jake called it being neighborly. Until Spence, Holly had trusted in the basic goodness of people. Then he opened her eyes to reality, but maybe that was Spence’s version of reality. Her eyes drifted to the full wood box. Somehow, she bet Jake’s reality was a lot different. And given a choice, she wanted Jake’s version.

      After Tyler went off to bed, Holly doused the living room lamp and settled on the couch. She now slept half-propped just to find some comfort and still be able to breathe. Even so, she was getting far less sleep than she needed. By Tuesday morning when Tyler set off for school, she was achy and lethargic.

      “Pay attention to the weather, Tyler,” she told him as he started out the door. “They keep calling for snow.”

      He waved at her. “I will.”

      Just after noon, Holly realized the weather wasn’t her biggest problem. Her labor had started. The first hard pains hit about the same time the snow began to cascade in thick, fluffy flakes. As the contraction rippled through her, Holly clutched the edge of the kitchen counter and tried to regulate her breathing. She stared at the phone in frustration. She had no way to call anyone. Stupid.

      Well, it would be hours before she needed to worry. Weren’t first labors generally long? And someone would bring Tyler home. She could get a ride into the hospital then. In the meantime, she would pack a bag for her and the baby.

      * * * *

      Spence tapped his finger on the manila envelope in front of him and smirked. The detective hadn’t brought much, but it might be enough. Tyler was enrolled in the Castle County Schools, a fifth grader at Mountain Meadow Elementary. He’d made some other phone calls, but had so far come up empty. His information didn’t include a physical address, just a PO box.

      Maybe it was time for a ski trip. He and Seely could go through there, giving him the perfect excuse to stop and nose around just a little. Holly’s baby should be born any time. A Dilby. That was all his parents cared about. So if he could deliver, they’d quit pestering him.

      Yep. Time to head to the mountains.

      * * * *

      Snow blanketed the town square, and Jake thought of the additional box of food he had for Tyler and Holly. He had to let Jenny know not to say anything. He told Holly the boxes were gifts from Doc, but aside from the first one, Jake had packed them. He hated to think the grief she would give him if she found out. Hell, Evan was already calling him Father Teresa. Yeah, he hated the way he smirked when he did it, too, like he thought Jake was going all moony over Holly. He was just being neighborly, like his parents had taught him.

      He called the general store and talked to Susie Tarpley, letting her know he’d run Tyler home in a couple of hours. In the meantime, he finished the paperwork on his desk. It included a proposal to the town council for an expansion to the building and the force. Right now they had just six sworn offices. Jake hoped to add two more. Ernie had shuffled more and more of the administrative work on him. About four-thirty he grabbed his coat and cap and checked in with the chief.

      “I’m gonna get out of here early. I told Jim and Susie I’d run the Morgan kid home, so I’ll be in my truck. I’ll have my cell phone with me, though.”

      “Careful. Scanners are starting to light up with a lot of traffic problems north of here along the interstate. Looks like this is switching over to freezing rain.”

      Jake frowned. All they needed was an ice storm. Snow was one thing, but when things iced up, nobody moved no matter what they drove. He stopped by his house and grabbed the food he’d forgotten, tossing the box onto the backseat of the four-door truck. A half hour later he halted in front of Tarpley’s.

      The snow indeed switched over to thick drops of freezing rain. They plopped like syrup on the windshield before the wipers whisked them away. Why was he doing this? Holly didn’t even live in Mountain Meadow, and she hadn’t given him any come-hither looks. Hell, maybe that was it. She was so determined to do everything on her own… Tyler slipped and slid his way to the passenger door and climbed in. Jake waved to Jim and Susie across the seat.

      “Buckle up. This could be an interesting ride home.”

      “Yes, sir.”

      “Have you talked to your sister to let her know you’re on the way?” Jake put the truck in gear. When Tyler didn’t respond, he glanced over and saw the boy shift. “Tyler? Did you call her?”

      “Our phone’s shut off.”

      Jake started to swear, remembered the boy sitting next to him, and bit his tongue, smacking his palm against the steering wheel instead. “You mean to tell me your stubborn sister is all alone out there on bed rest with no way to call anyone?”

      “Yes.” Tyler’s voice shook. “We couldn’t pay it, so they cut it off last week.”

      Last week? Why hadn’t she said anything? He’d been by several times. Did she mistrust him so much? Jake pressed his lips together. “Okay, okay. We’ll get you home, then