Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
I stepped up on my porch just as Stone pulled up my driveway.
As soon as he took off his helmet, I demanded, “What are you doing here?”
“And here I thought we got off to a good start,” he said with a smile that could easily tempt a woman.
Not so me. Ian was the only one who tempted me.
“Start of what?”
“Friendship,” he said.
I wasn’t that gullible. “Come on, Stone, what is it you really want?”
“With the short time I’ve been here, I heard how good you are at solving mysteries. I thought you could help me solve my mystery.”
“Which is?” I asked but knew what he would say.
“Proving I am a descendent of the Willow family.”
“Why is that so important to you?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it’s the stories I’ve heard through the years and want to know if they’re true or not.”
“I don’t buy it,” I said. “There’s more to it than that.”
He grinned. “Why? Because I’m a biker?”
“Tell me, Stone, is one of your club members missing?” I asked.
“Missing?”
“Yeah, missing, like not around, haven’t seen him.”
He shook his head. “No, all club members are accounted for, that I can assure you.”
If only I could believe him.
“Will you help me?”
A sudden barking growl had Stone taking a step back and when Mo burst past the trees snarling as he ran toward me, Stone hurried to step around the side of his motorcycle as if it could stop the large dog.
“Easy, Mo, I’m safe,” I said firmly, and Mo sat in front of me, one side of his mouth curled up in a snarl.
“PEP!”
“Looks like you’re well protected,” Stone said, just as Ian appeared on the path we had carved out between here and the lodge.
Ian was at my side in a flash, his arm going around my waist.
“Something you want here, mate?” Ian more demanded than asked.
“That’s up to, Pep,” Stone said brazenly.
“The name’s Pepper,” I corrected him. “Ian calls me Pep, no one else.”
“Got it,” Stone said, though looked none too happy. “Keep in mind what I said, Pepper. We’ll talk again.”
He mounted his motorcycle and took off.
“You are getting a big bone today, Mo,” Ian said with a quick glance at the dog. “He cannot only smell bacon at a distance, he can also detect when you might be in danger. He took off like a fired bullet and scared me near to death especially when I couldn’t keep up with him. Though that might have been because I was trying to access your security camera on my cell.”
“He probably heard the motorcycle and remembered the incident at the cemetery,” I said and hunched down to give Mo a big hug. “Thanks for being there for me, Mo.”
Mo barked and looked at the front door. “You think you deserve a treat?”
Mo barked again and walked to the door, letting me know I was right.
“I am really glad you’ve got Mo, Pep,” Ian said. “Sorry, but I need to get back.”
“Thanks for coming to my non-rescue,” I said with a chuckle.
“I will always come to your rescue, Pep,” he said and kissed me before taking off.
I turned to go in the house and heard him shout, “STAY AWAY FROM THE BIKER, PEP.”
I grinned and couldn’t help but shout back, “WHICH ONE?”
“VERY FUNNY!” came his reply.
I spotted my mom speaking with a tall, slim woman with short white hair. I waved, not wanting to bother her, but she waved me over.
My mom made the introduction. “Pepper, this is Edna Wilson. She is on the board of the Willow Lake Historical Society.”
“Pepper the prepper,” Edna said with a smile. “I am delighted to finally meet you. I’m a bit of a prepper myself. It really pays to be, as you say, prepped and prepared. We could use someone like you in the historical society.”
“Recruiting younger people, that’s brilliant, Edna, and just what the historical society needs,” my mom said, enthusiastic about the idea.
“I will leave you two to discuss recruitment. I have loads of plants to get,” I said and looked to Edna. “It was nice meeting you, Edna.”
I hurried off, not wishing to get stuck in the conversation and headed into the gift shop section of the garden center to spare a minute and see how my pregnant sister-in-law was doing.
“Your brother is going to drive me crazy,” Kelly said, arranging a display of lake décor items on a shelf. “He expects me to remain home for the entire summer after our son is born. Like that will ever happen. I have too much to do here and our son will do just fine here with us. I have a whole room set up where I can nurse him, change him, and he can sleep, and I can watch him every minute on my phone when he does. Of course, I won’t begin that routine for at least four to six weeks until after the baby is born, but I will introduce him to the new schedule little by little.”