A Hero For Holly

by Kristy K. James

  He turned on the faucet to rinse the can, then reached over to sit it on the counter. And froze. What he saw made his blood run cold.

  A single sheet of paper with an envelope bearing no return address lying across it sat there for all the world to see. Someone had meticulously cut letters and words from a magazine, or glossy sale ad, and glued them to the paper. That, alone, clued him into the fact that this couldn’t be good. After all, he’d seen his share of police dramas and every time there was a letter like this, it was always a threat.

  He glanced over his shoulder and listened. The shower was still running so, wrong as it might be to read someone else’s mail, he picked it up and read it anyway.

  ‘How are you sleeping Ed? I’m still here. I’m still watching. And waiting. It might be tonight. It might be in six months. When I decide you’ve suffered enough, you will die, cop.’

  The last four words were formed with the largest letters the sender could fit on the page. Sam’s hand trembled as he laid it down. Someone was threatening the coach.

  He walked back into the living room, crossing over to stand by the picture window, looking to see if someone was out there, watching. Knowing that this couldn’t be the first letter he’d received, based on the wording. Still watching. How long had whoever it was been stalking Ed?

  Since this past spring? Could this be tied to the shooting? Or were they unrelated? Sam ran a nervous hand through his hair. Was this just a coincidence? Should he confront Ed about it? It seemed like a million questions were going through his mind, and he didn’t know what to do.

  He needed to talk to the guys, that much was sure. Now he was sorry he’d made the dinner plans. Not that he didn’t want to see Holly, because he did. But Ed was family, and the guys needed to know what he’d found. He wasn’t sure whether they’d be as scared as he was or if they’d think he was blowing it out of proportion.

  “Okay, I’m ready. And I’m starving,” Ed announced from behind him. He’d been so deep in thought that he whirled around, fist raised and ready to strike out. Laughing, Ed backed up a couple of steps. “Whoa. Sorry I startled you.”

  “It’s okay,” Sam breathed, slowly lowering his arm. “I was just-thinking about Holly.” Not the entire truth, but she had crossed his mind.

  “Man, you have got it bad.” Sam managed a smile.

  “I sure do.”

  “Well, let’s get this show on the road. Think Jenna will be impressed with my fashion sense?” He did a quick pirouette, one hand behind his head. Sam had to chuckle.

  “If she’s there, which I doubt, she might be impressed with your fashion sense. But I’m not sure how she’ll take to your feminine side.”

  CHAPTER 7

  While Holly was pleased to see Sam and Ed Winslow arrive in the midst of the dinner rush, she found that she was growing more worried as their meal progressed. Ed seemed to be a little down in the dumps and trying to hide it. Sam, on the other hand, seemed very anxious – and trying to hide it.

  Initially she wondered if it might have something to do with Jenna, but eliminated that as the cause of the problem almost immediately. If Ed wasn’t interested in her friend, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. She also knew Sam wouldn’t be overly concerned about it, yet there was no question he was concerned about something.

  “Can I interest either one of you in dessert?” Holly asked, holding a coffee pot out for refills. Both men shook their heads.

  “I’m so stuffed Sam’ll have to roll me up the stairs,” Ed groaned, rubbing his flat stomach.

  “Uh- I don’t think so. If you’re that bad off, I’m afraid I’m just going to shove you out in the parking lot,” Sam threatened. “You’ll have to crawl to your car and sleep there tonight.”

  “That’s gratitude for you,” Ed grumbled. “All those summers sweating my butt off teaching you boys to play a passable game of ball, and this is the thanks I get?”

  “I’m not rolling you up the stairs, old man.” He was trying, and maybe even succeeding as far as Ed was concerned, to be lighthearted. Holly wasn’t buying it though.

  “I don’t suppose you’d run upstairs for a pillow and blanket?” Ed suggested, continuing the fun.

  “Nope. After our date is over, I have another one with Jon.”

  “Two dates in one night?” Holly gasped, feigning offense. Since he was trying so hard, she figured she could help. “Should I be jealous?”

  “Of course you should,” Sam said, puffing out his chest. “I’m just too cool for words.” All three of them laughed at that. “Seriously, though. Jon needs some help at the house he’s refurbishing and I’m heading out there after I take the coach back home.”

  “Well, I’d offer,” Ed sighed, “but my other date is with Supernatural.” Holly shivered. That show gave her nightmares and she shuddered at the thought of anyone watching it.

  “Just as well,” Sam teased. “Old people aren’t too steady on their feet. We’d worry about you hurting yourself with all the sharp tools lying around.”

  “Ha! Catch me on a Saturday and I’ll run circles around you whippersnappers.” Sam looked bored and shrugged his shoulders.

  “So you’ll get dizzy while we’re working. Sounds about right to me.”

  “Aren’t we the comedian tonight?”

  “That’s enough, boys,” Holly said with a smile. “Behave yourselves or I’ll have to put you in time out.”

  “You never let us have any fun,” Ed groused, then grinned. “It was good seeing you again, Holly.”

  “I enjoyed it, Ed.”

  “Here,” Sam said, handing his keys over. “Want to get the car started and the air conditioner going while I take care of the bill?”

  “Sure. I’ll get the tip.” He tossed a ten on the table, got to his feet and kissed Holly on the cheek on his way out.

  “So do you want to tell me what’s wrong?” Holly asked quietly, escorting Sam to the cash register.

  “What?”

  “Something’s bothering you. I could tell the moment you walked in.” She rang the bill up and handed Sam his change. He reached out and caressed her cheek.

  “You’re right. I’ll tell you about it after your mom leaves tomorrow.”

  “She’ll be in bed by ten. Want me to call you?”

  “I don’t know if I’ll be home by then,” he sighed. “You’re right, though. Something is wrong. I’m meeting the guys out at Jon’s so we can discuss it.” Holly was starting to get scared. “Just call me after you see your mother off and I’ll explain it to you then. Okay?”

  “Okay. I’m going to worry until you do, though,” she promised.

  “Try not to. Something is up with Ed. It may be nothing.” She could see he didn’t really believe the words coming out of his mouth, but he wanted to. “Holly, I’ve got to go. I love you.”

  “I love you.”

  ~~~~~

  As soon as the security door closed behind Ed, Sam whipped out his cell phone and hit speed dial for Dan. He answered on the second ring.

  “It’s me,” he said unnecessarily, knowing full well that Dan and Jess had caller I.D.

  “What’s up?”

  “I need you to call Cal and meet me out at Jon’s. As soon as you can.”

  “Sam, it’s almost eight o’clock.”

  “I know. But it’s urgent. I think Ed’s in danger.”

  ~~~~~

  “His home address was on the envelope?” Jon asked as soon as Sam told them about the letter. Sam nodded. “That’s not good.”

  “Ya think?”

  “You don’t suppose this has any connection to the shooting do you?” Cal asked the next question on all of their minds.

  “I don’t know. That’s what I thought of as soon as I read it. The shooter never was caught.”

  Dan wasn’t asking anything at all. He only got up and began to pace. Sam knew he was mulling over all the information, and trying to come up with answers. The
y all watched him, like a big brother, waiting for him to come up with a solution. Finally he glanced at Sam.

  “Do you know if there are any more letters?”

  “No. I didn’t want to let on that I knew anything until I’d talked it over with you guys.”

  “I’d ask,” Chris said matter-of-factly. He’d been there when everyone else arrived, helping to hang some drywall. “I’d also try to find out if he’s reported it to the police. Knowing him, I’d bet a week’s pay that he didn‘t.”

  “Wouldn’t surprise me,” Jon sighed, shaking his head. “He thinks he’s pretty tough.”

  “Let’s do that,” Dan decided, leaning back to perch against a sawhorse. “Ask him, I mean. Can we all meet there tomorrow around five-thirty?” There were nods around the room. “We need to find out how long this has been going on. If there’s more than one letter… And if he hasn’t reported it, we need to get him to do that.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Sam agreed.

  “And if it’s looking bad, I’m thinking we need to hire someone. A few someones. Maybe a private detective and-” He seemed at a loss for words, then asked, “Can you hire bodyguards without the person knowing they have them? Because sure as shooting, Ed would have a problem with that.”

  “If we’re paying for it, we can just tell them to make sure they stay hidden,” Cal said firmly.

  “Can you check into that tomorrow, Sam” Jon wanted to know. “Get some prices for long term surveillance. Get some references.”

  “I’m on it. You think we’ll need it long term then?”

  “I hope we don’t need it at all. But that’s not what my gut is telling me.”

  “Mine either,” Dan said with a deep sigh. “All I know is this. If I have anything to say about it, nothing’s going to happen to Ed.” Again there were nods all around the room. Even Chris, who offered,

  “I wouldn’t be opposed to camping out some nights in the parking lot.”

  “We all could,” Dan agreed. “Except if we hire professionals, they’re trained to deal with the bad guys. We’re not. And I know for a fact that Jess would freak out if I tried it.”

  “Yeah, she probably would,” Cal murmured, and Sam knew they were all recalling that her first husband had been murdered in the parking lot of their apartment, by Dan’s brother of all people.

  “No, if it‘s necessary, we’ll just get someone who knows what they’re doing,” Dan decided, running his hands through his hair. “I’ve always been afraid something like this would happen.”

  “Me, too,” Sam sighed. “I’m just glad we’re in a position to help.”

  ~~~~~

  Holly felt guilty, but she could hardly contain her relief as her mother’s train pulled out of the station. She was beside herself with worry over Sam, and whatever was going on with Ed that had shaken him up so badly. She could hardly wait to get home and call him.

  As quickly as she could, she herded the boys into the car, made sure they were buckled and headed for Charlotte, via the freeway. Normally she would have taken the highway, but it was slower and that just wouldn’t do right now.

  Once back in town, she decided to swing into a fast food restaurant, something she rarely allowed. She made an exception today. The boys would be so thrilled over the treat that she’d have a good fifteen or twenty minutes to talk to Sam, without an audience.

  “Don’t forget the toy,” Billy reminded her. Of course the toy was the main attraction for those meals, but that was fine, too. Today anyway.

  “Burgers or nuggets, guys?”

  “Cheeseburger with just catsup,” Zack piped up. “And a Coke, please.”

  “Nuggets and a Coke,” Billy ordered.

  Holly placed the order then drove to the window to pay. And waited a couple of minutes before being asked to pull ahead because it would be a few more minutes. So much for that idea, she grumbled, turning the car off to wait some more. Whatever happened to the concept of ‘fast food?’

  “Do you think Grandma really will call us when she gets home?” Zack asked unexpectedly. Holly turned so she could look at him.

  “Of course she will, sweetheart” she assured him quickly. “Didn’t she promise before she left?”

  “But-” He didn’t seem to want to say whatever was on his mind, and Holly reached back for his hand.

  “What is it, Zack? You know you can tell or ask me anything.” He hung his head, unable to meet her eyes.

  “You don’t think she’ll forget about us again, do you? Like she did before?” Holly’s heart constricted painfully.

  “Oh, Zack, no. I promise you that Grandma won’t forget about you.”

  An employee knocked on the window, holding their order out. Holly nearly jumped out of her skin, but thanked the young man. Laying the bag and drink carrier on the seat beside her, she looked back at her son.

  “Grandma never forgot about any of us. She didn’t call, or visit, or write because your grandfather and I had a disagreement. He’s still mad at me, but Grandma decided she loved us too much to stay away anymore.”

  “Really?” he asked hopefully, finally able to look her in the eye. He’d grown very attached to her mother over the week she’d been here.

  “Really. She promised to call as soon as she got home. That’ll be around supper time. And I know we’ll be talking to her every week, at least once a week, from now on. And she did promise to come up for Thanksgiving, remember?”

  “Do you think our grandfather will come with her?”

  “Honey, I don’t know,” she murmured, glancing away from him.

  “Why is he mad at you?”

  “Zack, I don’t think you’d understand.”

  “Because I’m too young?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m not,” he muttered so quietly that if she hadn’t been paying such close attention, she might not have heard him.

  “He didn’t think I should marry your father.”

  “He was right. Our father is a jerk.”

  “He was wrong, Zack. If I hadn’t married him, I wouldn’t have you and your brother. And I wouldn’t trade either one of you for anything in the world.” Before he could see the tears in her eyes, she turned around and started the car. “Unless you want to eat cold, greasy food for lunch, we should get home.”

  “Mom? I didn’t mean to make you feel bad,” came the softly spoken apology.

  “You didn’t make me feel bad at all. I just didn’t want to make you feel bad about your dad or your grandfather.”

  “My father, you mean. I don’t have a dad.”

  Holly sighed. Kids today were too smart for their own good. She’d have never known the difference between a dad and a father at nine years old. Probably not at fifteen. She wished her son didn’t have to make that distinction.

  At home, before settling them at the table, she hugged both of her boys’ close, her heart so filled with love she thought it might burst.

  “I’m going to call Sam while you eat, okay?”

  “Tell him I said hi,” Billy commanded, pulling away from her and climbing into his chair. He wasn’t worried about anything except the toy in his meal, she thought with amusement.

  “Can he come for supper tonight?” Zack asked.

  “I’ll ask. And I’ll tell him hi from you, too,” she said with a laugh, ruffling his hair. “Be good.”

  ~~~~~

  Sam groaned when the phone rang, irritated at the thought of having to talk to someone else. Then he noticed the time. It had to be Holly. If not, he was hanging up. He’d spent more hours on the telephone this morning than he usually did in a week. Probably two. But at least he had a list a mile long to go over with the guys to show for it.

  “Hi.” Holly’s voice over the line was a welcome relief from talking threats and murder with private investigators and body guards.

  “Hi, yourself. Did you get your mother off okay?” he asked, seating himself on a stool at
the kitchen counter.

  “Yes. The train left right on schedule.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, Sam,” she assured him, but something in her tone didn’t sound so fine.

  “Are you sure?” he pressed. “Because it doesn’t sound that way to me.”

  “It’s just some things Zack said on the way home. It’s not important right now.”

  “Tell me.”

  And so she did. He decided then and there that he’d have to make sure that the boys saw their grandmother often enough so that they felt secure in her love. It bothered him that either one of them might doubt that. But some of the other things Zack said really troubled him even more. The parts about his father and grandfather struck him as a little too mature for a kid his age.

  “So how does it feel to know that your son agrees with your dad?” he finally asked, not sure what else to say. That made her laugh a little.

  “I’m not sure he agrees with the way Daddy handled it, but he does as far as thinking Mike was a jerk.”

  “Well, I’m sorry to say it, but I agree with both of them as far as that goes.” No matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t imagine anyone being stupid enough to give Holly up. And especially not for a younger woman. She wasn’t very old when he left her. Or even now, for that matter.

  “Well I agree with all of you, but that’s not why I called, Sam,” she said gently. “I’ve been worrying myself sick since you left the restaurant last night. What’s wrong?”

  He thought about trying to whitewash it, but decided the truth would be the best. So he told her about the letter, his suspicions, the talk with his friends the night before, and their plans for seeing Ed after work.

  “Oh my.” Holly exhaled slowly. “I hope nothing happens to him. He’s a nice man.”

  “If we have anything to say, or do, about it, no one is going to get anywhere near him,” Sam said fiercely. He’d move heaven and earth to keep him safe.