Pepper, the Highlander & the Dead Guy

Ian Macgregor sat across from my mom.

He was too gorgeous to be real, especially those blue sexy eyes of his, and how was it that he did such justice to jeans and a plain white, button up shirt, sleeves rolled up of course. I was annoyed with myself for having noticed, but heck, he was one good-looking man, and any woman would have to be dead not to find him attractive. Zelda and Lara sure did. I gave a brief thought to turning and hightailing it out of there, since I didn’t need any more added stress in my life, like my parents embarrassing me in front of Ian, but I’m not a coward. I walked to the booth with a smile and a stupid flutter in my stomach, which annoyed me even more.

My dad, bless him, stopped me before I reached the booth.

“What did you learn at the Birds’ View Nest? And what have I told you about interfering in my investigations?”

“Don’t blame Pepper for being like you, dear, always having to solve a mystery,” my mom said. “Good heavens, no one wanted to play that mystery game with either of you. You both were more intent on solving the crime than having fun. And if you remember correctly, Pepper won most of the time.”

“Luck, sheer, luck,” my father grumbled, sending my mom a warning look that withered most people, yet she simply ignored.

I thought it might be a good time to surrender the paper I had taken from Madge. “This was found in Robert Louis Stevenson’s room.”

“Fingerprints,” my father said, shaking the paper at me after he took it.

“You know it’s been touched by far too many people by now to make a difference. Besides, with that thick Scottish brogue the guy was more than likely from Scotland, in which case you’d have a hard time tracking down his prints, though when you find his car, you’ll get a good print off it. What I’m more curious about is why he used an alias? I mean Robert Louis Stevenson, really?”

“You should make your daughter a detective, Warren, she knows her stuff.” Zelda’s suggestion and wide grin did not please my dad.

My dad shook his finger at me as he had so often done when I was young. It didn’t do much good then and it wouldn’t do any good now.

“Stay out of this, Pepper, I mean it.” He turned and stomped off, shaking his head as he went.

“Now that that is settled, come and sit,” my mom said and pointed across from her where Ian sat.

Ian stepped out of the booth and, like a gentleman of old, waved his hand for me to enter.

“I asked Ian to join us once your father was finished talking with him, since the women, old and young,” —her eyes darted to Lara and Zelda who were still staring at him— “were salivating over him and looked about to eat him alive. I figured once you returned and sat beside him everyone would get the idea he was taken and leave him alone.”

“Mom,” I warned, feeling my face flush with embarrassment.

“I appreciated the offer,” Ian said, “besides, I would be a fool to turn down breakfast with two beautiful women.”

My mom beamed at the compliment while I looked at him and said, “Really?”

He smiled, that killer, gorgeous smile. “You dinnae think yourself beautiful?”

Naturally, my mom answered that. “Pepper never believed herself even pretty. I tried to tell her that she had been blessed with a natural beauty, but she never believed me. Boys were always after her.”

I stared at her, wondering who she was talking about. What boys?

“Unfortunately, having three older brothers had the boys admiring her from afar.”

The truth. I always knew my three brothers had limited my love life. It was good to hear Mom admit it, though not to a stranger, especially Mr. Cover Model.

Ian turned to me. “Ah dinnae fear older brothers.”

How was it that his brogue could make him even sexier than he looked?

“You might reconsider that when you meet mine,” I said.

He nudged his shoulder against mine. “Ah dinnae frighten off easily.”

His sexy eyes and confident tone had my stomach somersaulting not to mention how he bumped his shoulder against mine again, then let it linger there. The man was lethal, and I had no business anywhere near him.

What my mom said next had me wanting to strangle her.

“You two should go out to supper one night.”

7

“Your mom set you up on a date with him?” Amy asked later that evening as we sat in the living room in front of a crackling fire having a nice glass or two of merlot. “What did Ian do?”

“He agreed, the sneak, knowing I had already turned him down once. We’re going out Thursday night for supper. My mom thinks we may have a lot in common,” I said.