“Now that sounds like a plan,” Holly said with a happy smile on her face.
*****
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HOLLY & THE FOOD PANTRY
PROLOGUE
They were struggling with themselves as they walked to the church. It wasn’t like they didn’t know what they were doing was wrong. They did. But sometimes you don’t have a whole lot of choices left. When you don’t have any money, and you aren’t sure where your next meal is coming from, at some point you have to do things you don’t want to do. Isn’t that what the story books always taught about surviving?
They would swear that their heart skipped a bit the day they first saw all that food in the back room of the church. It had been a long time since they’d seen that much food, and to think it was just sitting there in the church made them hungry.
They hadn’t planned it. It was just a fluke that had caused them to stumble across the back room in the first place. It’s funny how a little thing like opening the wrong door can change a person’s day, even their life. After they’d stumbled across the food, that was all they could think about.
It had been so long since they’d had one of those meals where you can eat until you’re completely full. And eating good food, on top of that. They were tired of eating the same old thing all the time. You know, the stuff that is the absolute cheapest, so they could at least get something in their stomach.
Shortly after closing the door on all that food, they’d found what they were looking for. When they’d come out of the room, they’d tried their best to forget what they’d seen, food, rows and rows of it stacked on the shelves in the back room of the church, but it wouldn’t do any good to dwell on it.
But now, as their feet carried them closer to the church, all that food, just sitting in that room waiting for someone to eat it, was the only thing they could think about. Although they’d eaten today, the truth was, they weren’t sure when their next meal would be. Money was tight, so tight.
Because of that, their brain couldn’t stop thinking about all of the food in the back room of the church. So much food, that, hopefully, a few things wouldn’t be missed. They knew stealing was wrong, but they still couldn’t stop themselves.
All they could do was listen to the one sentence that kept running through their mind, No one will ever know it’s gone.
Because no one would really know, would they? It hadn’t looked like it had been inventoried or anything. More than likely it was all just donated food that had been stored back there. They had no plans of taking more than they absolutely needed to get by for a couple days.
Just enough so they could remember what it was like not to have to worry about where their next meal was coming from. Just enough to take the weight off their shoulders long enough so they could breathe a little easier. To go to sleep without that burden on their shoulders. Then, one day, when they could, they’d repay everything they’d taken and then some.
Climbing the stairs to the church doors, they wondered if either Jordan, the church pastor, or Missy, his wife, would be in the chapel. Often they were there just in case someone needed them. If they were, what would they say to Missy or Jordan? Could they possibly come up with a good enough excuse to justify why they were there? They pulled the door open, and decided they’d hope for the best. With any luck, they wouldn’t need an excuse.
It looked like luck was on their side. The chapel area was empty, so they carefully made their way to where they’d seen the food when they were here before. Creeping as quietly as possible, they opened the door that led to the back of the church. Somewhere, they heard a television playing the news. A pang of guilt swept through their chest as they thought about what they were doing, but once again they pushed it down.
It was too late for second guessing. This was about survival. They needed more than what they’d been getting. They were already planning on repaying it as soon as possible. There was no need to add to their guilt. Tip toeing to the door, they began to wonder how much they could fit in their backpack and how much they could take without it being noticed. They didn’t need a whole lot. Just enough to get them by for now.
Finding the door and knowing what was on the other side made their stomach growl. It seemed very loud in the silence of the hall. Their hands flew to their belly as if they could quiet the sound. Quickly, before they had a chance to think twice about it, they pushed open the door and slipped inside.
It was dark in the room with the door closed behind them. Searching the wall, they finally found the light switch and flipped it on. As the lights buzzed to life overhead, they were again shocked by the amount of food in the room. They were overwhelmed and didn’t know where to begin. Looking at it, they thought about what they needed to do. It was important to get the most useful items first, just in case they had to make a run for it.
They decided to start with the refrigerators, and hurried over to them, pulling open the door of the first one. It was full of drinks. Half gallons of milk, bottles of juice, and even a few different kinds of soda down at the bottom. They slipped off their backpack and pulled a half gallon of milk from the back and tucked it in the backpack. Milk was good for you, and with so many bottles of milk in there, surely one wouldn’t be missed. Before they closed the door, they grabbed a can of soda and popped the top on it. They paused a moment to take a long drink, savoring the flavor before they opened the next refrigerator.
This one was full of different kinds of meat. Chicken, packs of hamburger, a roast, and even eggs. They remembered the box meals over on the shelf that called for hamburger and pulled out a package. Tucking it in their backpack, they closed the refrigerator door and headed over to the shelves.
They continued to sip their soda as they picked up another box dinner and a box of instant mashed potatoes. Next, they put in some boxes of macaroni and cheese. Their backpack was already starting to get full. They pulled a couple cans of tuna and a can of beans from the shelf and tucked them in the free space, noticing that the backpack was almost full. That was when they saw the reusable grocery bags on the bottom shelf. If they took one of those, they could carry even more food.
They pulled one out and unfolded it, adding a bag of rice and another can of beans. They dropped them in the bag before taking a few potatoes from a plastic tote. The potatoes still had dirt on them and they wondered if one of the church members had grown them.
That was something they hadn’t thought of. Perhaps they could start a garden at home. Just something small to help out. They vowed to look into it when they went to the library and then moved on. That was when they spotted the desserts.
They’d been trying hard to ignore them, but now that they’d collected a decent amount of food, they couldn’t help themselves. They pulled down a package of cookies and stuffed them in the bag before also grabbing a box of snack cakes. They told themself they wouldn’t be greedy, but they spied a stack of candy bars on the end shelf and picked up two before they even realized what they were doing.
They drank the rest of their soda, put the empty can in the bag, and hurried back over to the refrigerator. This time they got one of the lemon lime sodas. They knew they should probably stop. If they took much more, it was bound to be noticed.
After taking another drink, they zipped up their backpack and slung it on their back before picking up the grocery bag. There was so much more they wanted, but they made a point to walk away. With the candy bars tucked in their pocket and the grocery bag slung over one shoulder, they turned off the lights and listened for noises. When they were sure no one was walking around outside, they carefully opened the door.
Peeking out, they checked the hallway. Not seeing or hearing anyone, they stepped out. Afraid they might be heard if they went back the way they’d come, they walked away from the front of the church. They knew there was a back door in that direction. The church wasn’t that big, so it had to be fairly close to whe
re they were.
They heard a voice and hurried around a corner. That’s when they saw the glowing red exit sign. It was hard to move quickly with so much weight on their back. It wasn’t as if they were really strong and healthy, but a little determination could take them a long way. That’s what had brought them here today.
They gingerly pushed the metal door open and heard the slight squeak. They opened it just wide enough so they could squeeze out, and hurried outside into the cool evening air. Moving as fast as their feet would take them, they tried to put as much distance as they could between them and the church.
The grocery store was a few blocks away and they were afraid it might look suspicious if someone saw them loaded down with groceries walking towards the store. When they got to the other side of the grocery store, no one would give them and their grocery supplies a second look. When they’d rounded the corner and slipped down the alley, they heard the back door of the church squeak open.
“Hello?” Missy called out. “Is someone there?”
They didn’t even turn around to look. Instead, they picked up the pace in fear she might come out and spot them. The shadows were growing long, but that didn’t mean they wouldn't be spotted. The longer summer days didn’t make things easy when you were trying to escape unnoticed.
Soon they were walking past the grocery store and their shoulders relaxed a bit. If anyone spotted them now, it wouldn’t look suspicious. They were just returning from a trip to the grocery store, that’s all. They’d worried about being seen heading towards the store loaded down with food, but now, nobody would think twice about what they were carrying.
Remembering the candy bars in their pocket, they pulled one out and opened it. As they walked towards home, they savored every bite. It had been so long since they’d had a treat like this. Feeling the texture of the chocolate and the crunch of the peanuts as they chewed it took them back to better days. Days when it wasn’t such a big deal to get a weekly treat at the gas station. A candy bar or a long skinny taffy. Those had been their favorite things.
Now they’d take anything they could get. It was more than just a candy bar. It was the feelings that went with it. Tasting it caused memories to spring up like a ghost from the past. Slowly, their feet carried them towards home and the sadness that awaited them there. With any luck, the food could lift some of it away, even if only temporarily. It’s hard to be positive and happy when the cabinets are bare and your stomach’s growling.
Their mind was occupied the rest of their walk home with the different dishes they could make with the food they’d gotten. They’d gotten rid of the soda cans and candy bar wrapper in a neighbor’s trash can before they walked up the steps to their house. No need to have that sort of thing in the trash at home. Sighing, they pushed open the door and stepped into their house.
CHAPTER 1
It was finally summer vacation for Holly. The bright, late June sun was shining through a crack in her curtains, and when it moved to her face, it caused her to wake up. It was just a sliver between the curtains, but with it shining right in her eyes, she stirred.
“Ugh,” she said as she rolled over. Lucky, her little dog, squirmed to get away from her. He seemed to be enjoying the lazy morning curled up in bed with her. “Sorry, Lucky,” Holly muttered when she realized she’d almost rolled on top of him. She reached over and began to lightly scratch the dog’s cheek. He leaned into her fingers and closed his eyes as if it was the best scratch he’d ever had. When she stopped and let her hand flop down on the bed, he began to nuzzle it as if he wasn’t quite ready for her to stop petting him.
Holly giggled as Lucky began to lick her hand to try to encourage her to pet him just a little bit more. “Stop. You do realize that never makes me want to pet you more, right?” she said playfully as she rolled over to face him. When he drew closer, she made a liar out of herself and began to pet him some more. “You’re just lucky you’re so stinkin’ cute, Lucky.”
After lying in bed just a little longer with her four-legged friend, she finally resigned herself to the fact she had to get out of bed. She had to work today, but not until later that afternoon. Then again, she thought she might head in a little earlier so she could play with her little cousin, Aiden.
It was hard to believe he was almost six months old. She’d heard people say that time flies when you’re around little kids, but she’d always thought they were crazy. Now she knew they were right. It seemed like just yesterday they were eagerly waiting for the little guy to be born. Now he was a giggling, drooling bucket of love she couldn’t seem to get enough of.
She tossed her blankets back and heaved a long and deep sigh that seemed to clear the stagnant air from her body. She’d never been a fan of getting out of bed, although once she was up, it wasn’t so bad. It was the time in between that was the worst.
As she got out of bed and walked over to her closet, she realized it had been just roughly six months since she’d been adopted by Linc and Brigid. She wasn’t going to call them “mom” or “dad,” and she knew they didn’t expect her to. But the official document that legally made them all a family had eased her mind in ways she didn’t realize would happen. It was as if she’d been walking around in a fog and had never known it. Now that she was adopted and officially had parents, that fog had lifted.
For the first time in possibly her whole life, she felt as though she had people who would take care of her. Yeah, she’d obviously had her mother when she was a baby, and Brigid had taken her into her home so she wouldn’t have to move to another state, but this was different. She was old enough at age 15 to understand that they’d really gone out of their way to do this for her. Words simply couldn’t express how that made her feel.
After getting dressed, she and Lucky left her room. They went directly to the back door where she let him out to take care of his early morning business before she headed to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee.
“Good morning,” Linc said. “I was wondering when you were going to get up.” He was kicked back on the couch with a newspaper in his hands.
“If it hadn’t been for the sun trying to burn my retinas, I’d still be out cold,” Holly grumbled as she poured herself a cup. “Where’s Brigid?”
“She had to go talk with Sheriff Davis this morning about some case they’ve been working on,” he said without lowering his paper.
“Ah,” Holly said as she joined him on the couch. “Ever since she’s become an official consultant to the sheriff’s department, she sure seems to stay busy.”
“I think she likes it that way,” he said as he folded the paper. “Even if it’s something simple, she enjoys being involved.”
Holly nodded. “I think you’re right, and it seems to be good for her. When she has a lot going on, she’s happier.”
“What’s your schedule for today?” Linc asked. “Lots of fun summer teenage stuff?”
“Not really. I have to work today, and I was thinking about going into work early so I can play with Aiden,” she said as she sipped her coffee. She was starting to feel much more awake and ready for the day now that she’d moved her body around and gotten a little caffeine in her. She never had been a morning person.
“Sounds like you’ve got it all planned out,” he said nodding. “Are you looking forward to the Fourth of July this year?”
“A little bit,” Holly nodded. “You know how I like to see the fireworks, and I’m one of those people who even enjoys the noise they make.”
Linc chuckled. “Yes, I do remember. You want to buy plenty of firecrackers and smoke balls when the firework stands go up. Would I be right?”
“You got it. I also like those strobe things. Those are fun after dark,” she said with a grin.
“As I recall, I think you about drove Brigid nuts with those last year,” Linc said. “That was amusing to watch.”
“I know,” Holly said remembering. “At one point I thought she was going to throw her flip flop at me.” They both laughe
d over the memory of Brigid getting frustrated. She hadn’t been truly angry. It was more a playful frustration with Holly over the strobe flashers. Brigid had made it known last year that she wasn’t fond of them, but they’d bought quite a few anyway.
“And then you know what’s after the Fourth of July, don’t you?” Holly asked with a grin.
“The beginning of school?” Linc asked.
“No, my birthday,” Holly said as she tossed her head back. “I told you this a week ago.”
“Oh, yeah. That’s right,” he said nodding. “Why can I just not seem to remember that?”
“I don’t know,” Holly said. “Maybe we need to get you some ginkgo biloba or whatever it is that helps with memory. Should I put notes around the house, so you won’t forget?” she teased.
“Nah, I’m sure Brigid will keep me straight. Besides, you’re almost old enough to start throwing your own party, right?” he teased back. As usual, they couldn’t help but poke fun at one another.
“I sure hope not,” Holly said as she shook her head. “That wouldn’t be any fun.”
“Well, I have to get started on work,” Linc sighed. “I’ve already put it off long enough, and I have a lot to do. Let me know if there’s anything you need. You know where I’ll be,” he said as he tossed the paper he’d been reading on the table and stood up. “I can give you a ride to the bookstore later, if you want.”
Holly nodded. “I may, I don’t know. It looks like it’s going to be a nice day, so I may just ride my bike to work. I like these partly cloudy summer days for riding. It seems to be the perfect time to relax and breathe in the fresh air.”
“That’s fine,” he said nodding. “I can’t say that I blame you. Let me know if you change your mind.” He gave her a little smile before heading down the hall to the office that he and Brigid shared.
Holly looked around the house and tried to decide what she wanted to do until it was time to leave for work. The openness of the house allowed her to see over the counter into the kitchen. Everything seemed fairly clean, so she didn’t need to help there. Lucky and Jett were playing in the backyard, so they didn’t need her.
Holly Lewis Mystery series Box Set Page 26
