“So how is the murder investigation going?” Beau asked.
I was surprised at his interest. “Is that a conversation starter or are you really curious?”
“With all that’s gone on at the lodge and in the woods, it’s more than curiosity. Everyone is talking about it, including Sands when he was here.”
“Has he left?” I asked.
“He’s at a hotel a town over and in battle with the new agency that’s representing me,” Ian said. “And he’s no’ happy.”
“He needs to clear out. He’s finished,” Beau said.
Ian raised his wine glass. “It does look promising.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” I said and clinked my glass with his.
“What about the murder?” Beau asked again.
Amy was wise enough not to mention the information she discovered, knowing I’d want to discuss it with Ian first and I probably would need to tell my dad. For now, I went with something that was already known and that I might get a new prospective on.
“One would venture to guess that since Struthers was found on Ian’s property that he was there to see Ian and, therefore, Ian is somehow connected to the case even though he doesn’t know Struthers. The one thing that has me wondering, though, is why he stopped at my place and pretended he took a wrong turn? He knew where he was which means he had to have stopped for a reason.”
“Then you’re somehow involved with this murder as well?” Beau asked.
“Ah dinnae like that assumption,” Ian said turning to me. “It could mean you’re in danger, Pep.”
“But why? What connects us?” We all spoke at the same time. “The property.”
“It does literally connect us, but that’s all it does and if something happened to me, my family inherits the property.” I looked to Amy. “That includes you.”
“Are you trying to bump her off, honey,” Beau teased, reaching out to wrap an arm around Amy.
She jabbed him in the chest. “Listen up, big guy, anyone hurts her, and they’ll pray to die by the time I get done with them.”
“Gorgeous and fearless, I knew you were the perfect woman for me.” Beau planted a hot kiss on Amy’s lips and got more than a few stares from the women around them.
We got called for our table and conversation about the murder was left behind. It was late by the time the evening ended and with an early business meeting the next morning Ian reluctantly saw me into the house, shared a lingering kiss with me, and was gone to my disappointment.
I wanted to talk to him about the key and the letter Amy had found out about, but I knew if he came in and we started talking we’d be up late, and I didn’t want to do that to him. They’d be time enough tomorrow to discuss it with him.
Not sleepy, my mind on Ian, I slipped into my flannels and made myself a cup of tea and sat on the couch. With Mo sleeping, I dared to switch off his animal program and sit in the blessed silence.
That’s when Mo’s head popped up and he began to howl just before howling sirens joined him.
24
I grabbed my cell and hurried outside, knowing exactly where they were going. And as soon as my eyes caught the flashing lights through the trees, I called Ian.
My stomach plummeted in relief when he answered. “What happened?”
“Someone ransacked my private quarters,” he said.
“The key,” I said.
“What? I have to go your dad’s here.”
“I’m on my way. I know what the person was looking for.” I hung up and hurried into jeans, shoes and a jacket that covered my flannel pajama top and got in the truck and made it to Ian’s in no time.
Josh met me in the main room of the lodge. “You don’t need to be here. Dad says to go home.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” I said.
“Don’t make me stop you,” he warned.
I laughed at his glare that was meant to intimidate and he got angry just as he had done when we were kids, and I got the better of him. He went to grab me and like always I ducked and got past him with ease. You think he’d known that maneuver by now.
“Pepper,” my dad said, shaking his head when I entered Ian’s private quarters. “Where’s your brother?”
“Probably sucking wind behind me since he’s not as fast as I am,” I said with pride and caught the smile on Ian’s face before he looked away.
“You don’t need to be here,” my dad said.
“She got passed me,” Josh said, his breath a bit winded.
“Will you never learn that I’m faster than you?” I challenged.
“You are not,” Josh argued.
“Am so and I just proved it,” I said with a chuckle
“Enough you two,” my dad warned and looked to Josh. “You’re a deputy, act like one.”