Pepper, the Highlander & the Dead Guy

“The feeling is mutual, Pep.”

We lingered in a mutual kiss and after I yawned again, he ordered me to bed, but first I had to ask, “What do you think about that old key I found that Struthers had in his possession. My dad doesn’t think it means much, but I can’t help but wonder what he was doing with such an old key.”

We got to talking about it and the next thing I knew it was morning and we were waking up wrapped around each other on the couch.

22

A few days later and that old key still haunted me. Why would Struthers bring an old key with him unless he was searching for the lock it fit? That key had more of a meaning to this case than my dad thought. Then there was that piece of a written letter from the town where Struthers had his law office, that someone didn’t want found badly enough for me to suffer a bump on the head. And what had Struthers been doing walking in the woods between me and Ian’s place when he’d been murdered? Had he been looking for something? Or had he planned to meet someone?

My dad was right when he’d said things kept pointing to Ian, but Ian wasn’t the only one at the lodge, though he was the only one from Scotland. Ian swore he didn’t know Struthers and I believed him, but I continued to believe that somehow they were connected, and Ian didn’t know it. How? How could they be connected?

I glanced at the time on my computer and shook my head. The last time I looked I had three hours until I met Amy for lunch. I wasted one hour already, I couldn’t waste anymore. I had a multitude of things that I needed to get done.

A section of my website has info as well as videos on creating first aid kits for preppers. I update it on a regular basis to make sure it has the most pertinent information. I’m of the mind that there are three types of first aid kits for preppers. The first type is a good start for anyone, prepper or non-prepper, who’d like to keep one on hand. It’s the basic kind that contains different size Band-Aids, gauze, tape, gauze pads, antibiotic cream, alcohol pads, etc. The second is more for a prepper with specific needs in mind and the third is a more elaborate one for the off-the-grid prepper.

Not all preppers are doomsday, end of the world, preppers. To me it’s more about preparedness, hence my slogan—prepped and prepared. You never know what’s going to come your way and being prepped and prepared can take a lot of heavy worries off your shoulders.

I looked over the first aid kit section, made some changes, added some new links for first aid kits that were already available from various companies. They could be easily purchased and with a few additions of one’s own could work well and might even save a person money. However, I like to know the quality of the items that go into my first aid kits, so I purchase all the things I want to go in it on my own and create my own first aid kit.

When I finished that, I realized I still hadn’t selected prepper conferences to attend and, like the last time, Ian came to mind, and I hesitated picking any. This really had to stop. I couldn’t plan my life around Ian. He certainly wasn’t thinking like that. He had that modeling gig that would take him away, and visits to his family in Scotland. Still, though, I didn’t choose what conferences to attend, and it annoyed me.

With little time to spare to meet Amy, I grabbed my purse and camera bag before heading out the door. I wanted to get some shots of the fall foliage around town to use on my website. My phone rang as I was getting in my truck.

“Are you sure you’re well enough to be going out and why don’t you take your SUV instead of that old truck?” my dad asked.

He’d had the outside cameras installed around my house right quick and every time I stepped out of the house, I’d gotten a phone call. I could see this was going to be a problem. I really should have thought twice about allowing him access to the cameras.

“Dad,” I said firmly but nicely. “I don’t want to live in a fishbowl. You have to stop stalking me on the cameras.”

I could hear the annoyance in his response. “I’m not stalking you.”

“Okay maybe stalking is the wrong word”—though it wasn’t—"but please don’t make me sorry I agreed to this, or I’ll have no alternative but to remove the cameras.” I rushed to add. “And I say that with much love.”