her?â Mandy stared at Clay like heâd admitted to kicking puppies. âI thought you were kidding earlier.â
âOf course, heâs charging me,â Rene snapped. âI already said this was a business deal.â
âYes, but I thoughtââ Mandy stopped right there.
Rene decided the young woman had realized she should stop while she was ahead, and then Rene heard the gasp that followed.
She looked over Mandyâs head and caught Clayâs eye.
âIâm going as fast as I can,â he assured her quickly before turning back to the road. âWe canât be more than five minutes away.â
Clay had his hat pulled low over his face and he was leaning forward like he could urge his truck through the snow faster. The headlights cut through the night and showed the tracks they had made on the way here.
âWhen we get there, pull right up to the church door,â Rene said to him. âTheyâll still be there praying, and we can find out where to take her.â
Rene wondered where pregnant women went in Dry Creek. She didnât know if they had a doctor around. Her aunt might know something about childbirth, but Rene had never asked her. It wasnât the sort of thing that came up in their phone conversations.
Everyone was quiet until they saw the first house that marked the entrance into Dry Creek.
âWeâre here.â Rene felt a relief she hadnât since the first time they pulled into the town. Now, a dozen or so houses looked like lots of civilization. It was certainly better than being stuck out in the middle of nowhere with a pregnant woman and a man who sounded as bewildered about the whole process of giving birth as she was.
âThere are still lights in the church,â Clay added, his voice sounding as relieved as her own.
The church door opened almost as soon as they pulled the truck to a stop next to the front steps. Rene walked behind Clay as he and her uncle helped Mandy into the church. The temperature was still cold outside, but the wind had died down some so the snow wasnât blowing around. Aunt Glory stood at the open door, the light behind her streaming out into the darkness.
Rene closed the door behind them. Mandyâs face was pinched from the strain of walking, even with the two men helping her. Rene unwound the scarf around Mandyâs head.
âIs there someplace she can lie down?â Clay asked. He was still holding Mandy up on one side.
It didnât take them more than a couple of minutes to get Mandy stretched out on the sofa in the pastorâs study with her shoes on the floor and a cup of warm cocoa on a stand next to her.
Clay could feel the young womanâs eyes on him as she lay on the sofa.
âI havenât forgotten,â he said quietly as he stood up from where heâd knelt to take her shoes off. âIâm going to get some dry gloves and some rope. Then Iâll go back.â
âWeâll want a thermos of coffee this time,â Rene said as she headed to the door. âOr maybe tea. Iâll fix something up.â
Clay followed her out of the room. They were in the back hallway of the church and the light was dim.
âNo,â Clay said as he reached out to touch Rene on the shoulder. âIâve got this one.â
She turned around to face him. âWeâve already been through that. You canât go alone. Itâs not safe.â
She was one stubborn woman, but Clay decided now was not the time to point that out to her. âIâve got it covered.â
The minister walked out of the door behind them and then closed it. âConrad Nelson is coming over. He should be here any minute. You need someone who knows the area.â
âIf he can pinpoint the houses, that would help,â Clay admitted. He had wondered if there was a way to get a more complete map. Davy wouldnât have had a chance to walk far, but he obviously
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