Pepper, the Highlander & the Dead Guy

“Edwina told me that William Struthers was a longtime friend of Max Macgregor and that all business dealings with Max was done in complete confidence. She wasn’t even privy to the documents. She then confessed that after William died, after years of suffering from dementia, his family asked her to go through some old files that he had kept and see if any needed legal attention. She came across an envelope marked Max Macgregor and inside was another envelop and an old key. A letter stated that it was to be given to his nephew to handle accordingly.”

A light went on in my head. “An old key.”

“I thought the same,” Amy admitted.

“I don’t suppose she took a peek in the envelope,” I said, knowing it would have been difficult for me not to do so.

“If she did, I doubt she would ever admit it,” Amy said, smiling when Lara placed two more glasses of peach tea on the table for us.

“If Struthers brought that key with him—”

“It means he came looking for what the key opened,” Amy finished.

“The bigger question is… did he come to disclose what the key revealed or bury it?”

I returned home to work but my mind wasn’t having it. The key to this whole mystery actually rested with an old key. How ironic is that? Whatever it was, had to be one heavy duty secret to be locked away all these years. And with the secret related to Ian’s Uncle Max, it meant it had something to do with the Macgregor family. Something someone didn’t want revealed.

Then there was another thing that bothered me. Why had Struthers stopped at my place and why was it he had known my name? Had he purposely been looking for me and if so, why? What connection could I possibly have to the Macgregors?

I didn’t hesitate, I called Ian to share the news and see what light, if any, he could shed on what Amy had discovered. I was disappointed when he didn’t answer.

The phone rang only a few minutes later and I hurried to answer thinking it was Ian.

“Pepper Madison,” came the commanding voice.

“That’s me,” I said a sudden anxiousness gripping me as if I was about to be reprimanded.

“I’m Edith McMarran, Mr. Ian Macgregor’s personal assistant.”

A smile replaced my anxiousness. “Ian told me you’d be calling. What can I do for you?”

“You can email me your travel schedule for the next four months and please include any holidays you have planned. Holidays here in Scotland also means vacation so keep that in mind. From what I gather of your vocation your schedule should be more flexible than Ian’s, therefore, we’ll be able to make adjustments to yours to fit with his.”

Adjustments to mine? Was she expecting me to change or drop everything to accommodate the handsome hunk?

“Mr. Macgregor is adamant about making certain you both have time together.”

My heart did a flip flop. He would miss me as much as I would miss him. The thought sent the warm fizzes through me. I shook my head. How was it this romantic stuff was filling my head?

Love.

I cast a hurried glance around expecting to see Amy behind me since it was her voice I heard.

I forced myself to return to the conversation. “Is Ian’s schedule set for the next four months?”

“Mr. Macgregor tries to keep the holiday months open as much as possible. He always spends Christmas here in Scotland with his family. Is there anything in the next four months in your schedule that cannae be changed?”

Christmas with my family, I was about to say but held my tongue. That was for Ian and me to discuss.

“No, I have nothing that can’t be changed, though after the New Year I have some events coming up that can’t be changed and ones I have yet to set a date for.”

“We’ll do four months for now and we’ll see what the new year will bring,” Edith said. “After I add your schedule to Mr. Macgregor’s I’ll send it to you, and you can see if any adjustments need to be made.”

It hit me then and naturally my tongue got going before I could stop it. “You don’t think Ian and I will be together after January, do you?”

I was surprised that I silenced her since her strong, commanding voice alone warned she was a formidable woman.

“Whether your relationship with Mr. Macgregor lasts or it doesn’t isn’t any of my business—but—it is my business to keep his schedule flowing smoothly. Therefore, I would appreciate your cooperation.”

Now I felt like a student being lectured by the principal. I had two choices here. I could let my annoyance get the best of me and respond with a snarky remark or I could take the higher road and be pleasant since it wasn’t her, I was annoyed with—I was annoyed with myself for letting her remark have me thinking that maybe this was just a fling with Ian, and it would fizzle out and be done with by the new year.