Pepper, the Highlander & the Dead Guy

I turned and could tell from my dad’s stern look that he wasn’t happy, which meant the guy had gotten away. His question confirmed it.

“Did you get a good look at the guy?” my dad asked, stopping next to the couch.

“He went down hard when I whacked him with a plank and his arm went to his face so I couldn’t see it. I’m not sure where I hit him, but he was groaning. I could tell he was a fair-sized man and dressed in black from top to bottom. I guess he was dressed for snooping. When I saw the knife in his hand, I took off.”

My dad glared at me. “You had no idea who was down there with you, but you decided to stop and confront the man with a plank.” He pointed to his white hair beneath his sheriff’s hat. “What were you doing in Ian’s cellar this time at night in the first place?”

“Looking to see if we could find what that old key opened.” I pointed to the box on the table. “I think we just may have found it.” I turned a questioning look on my dad. “I wonder why the guy was there? What was he looking for?”

My dad had his own thought. “Or did he follow you?”

“You do have your men hunting the woods for him, don’t you?” I asked and got a warning glare from him. My dad didn’t need me to tell him how to do his job.

“I saw that you have security cameras, Ian,” my dad said.

“I do and I can pull the recording for you,” Ian offered. “But there are no cameras on the back of the lodge, only the sides and front, nothing by the cellar yet, since I dinnae even know I had a cellar.”

“If he approached from the back of the lodge, that means he was aware of your cameras and avoided them. It also means he’s at least somewhat familiar with the lodge,” I said excited for the scrap of evidence.

“Thank you, Detective Pepper,” my dad said, his glare not improving.

Amy chimed in always sensing when my dad’s frustration with me was at the point of boiling over and she would find a way to redirect it.

“Maybe the contents of the box would reveal something important.” Amy turned a sweet but sincere smile on my dad. “Would you have the key with you, Mr. M?”

“In the vehicle,” my dad said and sent one of his men to get it.

“Anything else you might recall about the guy, Pep?” Ian asked.

“Come to think of it, I got a quick look at his shoes. They were hiking boots, and they were new, like out of the box new,” I said, the image only a flash but vivid. “He’d been prepared for the woods.”

“But he hadn’t been until tonight, so it’s likely he’s new to the area,” Ian said.

“If that’s the case, how would he know anything about the lodge or his way through the woods?” Amy asked.

“Maybe that was the reason for the knife,” Beau suggested. “He was afraid of what he might encounter in the woods. And knives can’t be heard like a gun can.”

“Maybe I should make you all detectives since you continue to work on this case.”

I recognized my dad’s sarcasm, Beau didn’t.

“That would be great, Sheriff,” Beau said with the thrill of a kid getting un unexpected treat.

My dad ran his hand over his face and shook his head.

Beau grinned realizing his mistake and tucked himself back against the couch, pulling a smiling Amy along with him.

My dad handed me the key as soon as he got it. “You found it. You open it.”

“What about fingerprints?” Beau asked.

My dad shook his head again.

I nodded at the box. “Years of dust was on the box when Amy and I found it. Someone placed it down in the cellar years ago and more than likely it was probably Max. It was either unimportant to him or he hid it down there for a reason. The contents might tell us or give us a hint as to which it might be.”

“This mystery stuff is exciting,” Beau said and leaned forward with Amy to get a closer look at the reveal.

Ian sat close to me on the leather couch as I leaned forward and inserted the key in the lock. It didn’t fit.

I didn’t have to look around to see everyone’s disappointment, I felt it along with my own.

“Now what?” Beau asked.

My dad responded. “The box belongs to Ian. He can do what he wants with it.”

I shook the box. “Something is in there.”

“Let’s break it open,” Ian said and fetched a screwdriver.

A couple of pries with the tool in the right places and the box opened.

We all stared as Amy announced, “Another old key.”

I picked up the old metal key, a faded pink ribbon tied to it.