Lean on Me Read Free Page B

everything out there in the nursery—any of this sound familiar?”
    “I’ll take that as a yes to the bet.” Spence pointed at Travis. “You’re my witness.”
    “I’m trying to figure out if Mitch wants to win the beer or not,” Travis said.
    Mitch was wondering the same thing.
    * * *
    Hours later, Cassidy stood in front of the nursery’s locked gate dressed in dark-colored clothing with her hair tucked into a hat like some sort of bad movie Peeping Tom. Or maybe Peeping Tanya, in her case. She watched the last set of taillights leave the nursery parking lot and bit back a sigh at what came next. Breaking and entering or burglary or whatever the criminal name was for what she was about to do was not her usual nightly activity. Not that anything qualified as “usual” any more.
    She’d grown up with food and shelter and took it for granted just like most other kids on the planet. Now, with her luck dropping faster than her remaining cash, she knew desperation. She’d spent last night on the far side of the nursery property, away from the lights and activity and sleeping in a tent, one of the few items she still owned and a holdover from her climbing days. That wasn’t her first choice, but it was fine, but tonight she had a bigger problem—no food. Like, none. Not even a stray peanut or unused ketchup packet.
    She’d eaten her last breakfast bar this morning. More than twelve hours later she needed something—anything—which put her right here, right now. When she was inside the nursery earlier, a door opened and she’d gotten a peek at a refrigerator. That had to mean food. Possibly jail time if she got caught, but at least she wouldn’t be starving during fingerprinting.
    The twinge of guilt that settled in right after the idea hit her brain kicked up to an unrelenting throb. She’d never stolen in her life. Never picked a lock. Every part of this was wrong, but she vowed to make it up to Mitch and the Thomas family somehow.
    A brief glance at the three-story farmhouse at the top of the hill showed lights on by the front door and in most of the windows on the middle floor. She knew from the town’s rumblings Spence lived there and used the bottom floor for offices he shared with his brother Austin. She hadn’t seen either of them in years, but everyone for miles knew the Thomas brothers. She doubted the years had done much to change their hard-working, fun-loving ways. She really hoped not to find out firsthand if Spence still spent most of his time grumbling. If he caught her, she’d be wearing prison orange in no time.
    With its big porch and the huge pots filled with flowers, the farmhouse looked inviting. She’d bet it had heat and running water. She was starting to wonder if she’d ever have either again. That would teach her to trust the wrong guy with her life savings.
    Refusing to walk down memory lane, which she generally thought of as nightmare alley, she eyed the lock and started devising a plan to get around it. It wasn’t as if the place had barbed wire or fighting dogs outside. This was Holloway, filled with the ultimate don’t-lock-the-doors neighborhoods and people expecting low crime. That had practically guaranteed her entrance onto the three hundred-plus acre property without incident. Getting inside a building would be tougher.
    She threw the smaller of her two bags over the nine foot chain-link fence, the other one being with her rolled-up tent out on the property, then slipped her sneakers in the holes. It was the easiest climb of her career. A few pulls and she was up and over. All went fine until she bent over to grab the bag and a light above the door snapped on.
    Her shoes slid across the dirt with a scraping sound as she ducked behind a huge pot. Her heart thudded hard enough to thump in her ears as she tried to breathe. The air wouldn’t pull into her lungs. She knew her internal organs hadn’t shut down at the scare, but it sure felt like it.
    After a few minutes