Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Amy grinned. “If you insist.” She shook her head. “Not really. You need to apply for the board seat. Aunt Effie would want you to.”
“We’ll see,” I said, thinking how full my plate already was and wondering if I’d have any time for such an important position. I saw my mom waving to us and we hurried to her. “What did you find out.”
“Melvin Waters, the late board president, is the culprit. He made the choice without consulting the board and we will never know why since he suffered a heart attack and died just prior to the release of the book.”
“Are you telling me the president’s seat is empty?” I asked.
“Yes, Melvin died leaving the seat vacant, and I think you, Pepper, would fill the position as honorably as your aunt did.”
I had no time to protest. My mom went right on talking as she glanced at Charlie.
“What did you say to Charlie? He’s smiling from ear to ear and he’s talking with other people, something he rarely does.”
“Amy and I are going to take him to see the Willow Mansion, though it’s the grounds he’s most interested in.”
“Oh, that is wonderful, Pepper, and so thoughtful of you. Was Charlie able to help you in any way?”
“He was very helpful,” I said, and told her all he had said.
“Oh, my goodness,” my mom said, resting her hand against her chest. “If the rest of Verbena’s dowry is somewhere in the mansion and we can find it, we could sell some of the jewels to help maintain the mansion and the historical society. Your aunt sold the ruby to finish the last of the restoration. You need to find the rest of those jewels, Pepper.”
I was excited to attend the lecture Reading People Like An Open Book. Though with my dad in law enforcement, he had taught me a lot about observing people. But I embraced the idea that there was always more to learn, especially when trying to solve a mystery.
I don’t think my dad felt the same since I could feel him fidgeting in his seat behind me in one of the middle rows. Ian sat to my right as excited as I was to attend, and Amy was to my left with Beau next to her. I was surprised to see my brother Josh enter with Kate from Yesterday’s Treasures and join my parents sitting behind Amy and Beau.
Greetings were exchanged, Kate having already met my parents. They both had been to her shop several times since it opened.
The room filled quickly, leaving barely any empty seats by the time Professor Swatcher entered and not alone. I could almost feel my dad tense behind me seeing Professor Anderson with him. The two exchanged a few words, then Professor Anderson found himself an empty seat in the back.
Professor Anderson was a good-looking man, tall and slim, and with hair as white as my dad’s. I imagined he got a lot of attention from many of the females at the college. Professor Swatcher was shorter in contrast, though not that short, average looks, brown hair that brushed his shoulders and a slight paunch to his stomach though otherwise slim body.
He went to the podium and didn’t waste any time getting started.
“Imagine walking into a room full of strangers and, within moments, understanding their motives, desires, and insecurities as if you’d read the first few chapters of their life story. Sounds like magic, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not magic—it’s psychology.
“Welcome, everyone. This evening, we’re going to unlock the fascinating world of human behavior—a world where every glance, every shift in posture, and every offhand comment is a line in a story waiting to be read. People, after all, are the most complex, multi-genre novels you’ll ever encounter—thrillers, comedies, and dramas all rolled into one. But unlike books, they don’t come with a table of contents or a helpful blurb on the back. You have to figure it out as you go.
“Here’s the good news, every one of us is already a reader. From the moment we’re born, we start observing faces, tone of voice, and body language. The bad news? Most of us stop paying close attention. We skim people the way we skim social media—fast, shallow, and often full of assumptions.
“But tonight, we’re going to slow down. We’re going to crack the spine of human behavior, turn the pages with care, and learn how to spot the plot twists before they happen. We’ll explore the subtle language of body movement, the hidden chapters of tone and word choice, and the foreshadowing that people give away without even realizing it.
“By the end of this lecture, you’ll walk away with more than just insight—you’ll have tools. Tools to spot honesty from deceit, confidence from insecurity, and truth from polite fiction. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your personal relationships, boost your professional intuition, or simply satisfy your inner Sherlock Holmes, you’re in the right place.