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)
“Who was it?” Ian asked.
“The vanishing guy.”
Ian shook his head again. “And you thought it a brilliant idea to follow when the guy just warned you of danger?”
“It made sense at the time,” I mumbled. “Besides, you would have done the same.”
“You’ve got me there,” he agreed as he wrapped his arm around my waist, smiling softly.
“I don’t need my hair turning white just yet, Pep.”
I laughed softly at his reference to my dad constantly complaining that all my antics, mishaps, and stubbornness had caused his hair to turn white.
“You’d look distinguished in white hair,” I teased, though meant it.
“Not yet.” His reply was interrupted by raised voices from the living room.
We hurried to finish and rushed to see what was going on.
We found Dad nose-to-nose with Stone.
“I don’t have to stay here,” Stone said, crossing his arms over his chest like a petulant child.
“Actually, you do,” I said. “Mo let you go on the condition that you answer my question. What were you doing following that guy and while you’re at it, how do you know him?”
Stone looked nothing like a hardcore biker in sweats and a sweatshirt and I thought how looks could deceive just as a smile could if one wasn’t aware how to distinguish the difference between a genuine one and a false one. Not that Stone was smiling. It was clear that he was annoyed.
“I don’t know the guy,” Stone said. “I came by to talk to you, and I spotted him lurking around. He took off when I came around the corner of your cabin and saw him plastered against your door. I figured I’d follow him and find out what he was doing here.”
My dad didn’t miss a beat. “What if it was the other way around? What if the guy you chased had come here to talk with Pepper, saw you lurking, and once you spotted him, you chased after him?”
“That’s not what happened, and like I said, I don’t know the guy,” Stone argued and turned to me. “I wanted to talk to you about that professor. I don’t think you should trust him.”
“Because?” I prompted.
“He’s out for himself.”
“You mean he’s out for your treasure,” I corrected.
“Yeah, I believe he is, and if he’s not truthful about that, then how do you trust him? I’m not here to hurt anybody, Pepper. I came to get what’s mine and that’s all.”
“Professor Anderson told you that even if there is Willow treasure to be found, you have no claim to it. The mansion and everything in it became the property of the town once taxes were failed to be paid, then the Willow Lake Historical Society bought it and is now the rightful owner. You have no claim on any Willow holdings,” I said.
“We’ll see about that,” Stone threatened.
Ian took a quick step towards him. “Is that a threat?”
Stone drew his shoulders back. “I came here to get what’s mine and I’m not leaving until I get it.”
“I can promise you are definitely going to get what you deserve before you leave here,” Ian said, his tone alone threatening.
Stone smirked as he took a sudden step at Ian.
It happened so fast it was like a blip on a screen. Ian didn’t back down, he moved forward, and so did my dad, but Mo beat them all to it. He launched himself over the couch like being sprung from a catapult and Damian found himself sprawled out on the floor Mo’s large paws keeping him pinned there just like in the woods. This time, however, Mo planted his face close to Stone’s, growling so fiercely that saliva dripped from his mouth onto his face.
“Pepper!” Fear shivered Stone’s shout.
“Mo, release,” I ordered, and Mo moved off him and came to my side and sat.
Stone bounced up on his feet and glared at Ian. “I don’t need a dog to defend me.”
I nudged myself against Ian to prevent him from stepping forward and refreshing the whole ordeal, though it wasn’t necessary. My dad used his I’m-in-charge sheriff’s tone to end it.
“A lawyer would serve you better, Mr. Stone, since my deputy here,” —my dad nodded at Josh— “is going to take you to the police station for further questioning.”
“You can’t. I haven’t done anything wrong,” Stone protested.
“That has yet to be determined,” my dad said with another nod to Josh who shoved the plastic bag that held Damian’s wet clothes at him, then took him by the arm and walked him out of the house.
Naturally, Stone had to yell, “We’re not finished yet, pretty boy.”
He shouldn’t have spoken in an angry tone. Mo took off, Stone hearing his rapid approach urged Josh to hurry.
“Get me out of here now!”
Mo didn’t stop. He followed Josh and Stone out the door and rammed his head into Stone’s backside, knocking him free of Josh’s hold and sending him into a rather large rain puddle, yet again.