Digging Up Trouble Read Online Free PDF Page A

Tam okay?"
    I thought about her Oscarworthy performance in the car. "She's fine."
    I followed the nurse down the red-lined hallway and stopped in my tracks when I stepped into Tam's room. She was hooked up to all sorts of monitors, including one tortuous looking belt-thingy wrapped around her stomach.
    The nurse said to Tam, "I contacted Mr. Phillips. He's on his way." She closed the door behind her.
    "Ian? Ian's coming here?" I asked.
    The father of Tam's baby was her first husband, a marriage that had been declared null and void after she discovered he already had a wife. He'd been in jail when Tam found out she was pregnant, and I didn't know if he knew about the baby. Knowing Tam, probably not. And since he'd be serving time for a few more years, I wondered if he'd ever know about the baby.
    But if Ian was coming, something serious must be wrong. He and Tam had been dating hot and heavy for about a month now. Were head over heels despite the fact that Ian was an FBI agent and Tam had a thing against people who wore badges. I rushed over to the bed. "Tam, what's wrong?"
    She sniffled. "How's Riley?"
    "Fine. Just fine."
    A grin spread across her face. "I told you so."
    I smiled in spite of the knot of worry twisting my stomach. "What's wrong?"
    "I have to stay here."
    "What! Why?"
    "It seems I'm not such a good liar after all. I'm having contractions. Looks like the baby wants to come early."

Four

    I'd barely slept at all last night between worrying about Tam and trying to figure out what I was going to do without her at TBS.
    Shading my eyes against the early morning sun, I surveyed the Lockharts' backyard and wondered if it was too early to call the hospital.
    All my other calls had resulted in the same outcome: No change in Ms. Oliver's condition.
    A truck rumbled in the distance. I hoped it was Kit with the skid loader. The yard was going to take a while to clear out, but luckily the first dump truck had arrived on time, so we were all ready to begin when Kit showed.
    The doctors put Tam on some sort of medication to stop the contractions until they had time to give her steroids to help the baby's lungs develop.
    She could be in the hospital for days, possibly weeks.
    I just prayed that the baby would be okay.
    "Nina, you're here!" Lindsey said. "This is so exciting."
    Even with my Tam worries, I was excited too. I loved the buzz of the actual makeover day. The adrenaline, the challenges, the fast pace. This yard would definitely be a challenge, but the end result would be a job well done.
    Bright sunshine highlighted every flaw of the yard. Thank God the Lockharts had finally called someone for help, even though it had taken a lawsuit to provoke them. I looked at Lindsey. "Bill make it out okay this morning?"
    "What? Oh! The fishing. Yes, yes."
    I noticed she wrung her hands. My eyebrow quivered. What was going on? "Is there anything you need to tell me?"
    "What? No. Nothing at all."
    Overall, I loved surprises. It's one of the reasons I loved my job so much. However, I didn't like feeling as though Lindsey was keeping something from me. Especially if it might be something that put my reputation or company at risk.
    "There's a big truck out front towing a trailer with a Bobcat on it," she said.
    That had to be Kit. "We'll be using the skid loader most of the morning, clearing all this out." I gestured to the quarter acre of overgrown grass and weeds and a couple of rotting trees. (Okay, I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised to not find a rusting car resting on four cinder blocks amidst the weeds. Yes, it was that bad.)
    I looked to my left, over a small picket fence. The house next door had a beautifully kept lawn, a trimmed boxwood hedge, nice planting beds, and an adorable little greenhouse.
    To my right, the neighbor's yard was enclosed with a sixfoot wrought-iron fence. Tall fountain grasses provided privacy all along its perimeter. There was no seeing in, and no seeing out.
    It was easy to imagine why. No