Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
I was drawn to a picture in a gilded frame on a side table. It was Kate dressed in eighty-style clothing, her hair teased to a good height and a beautiful smile on her gorgeous face. She must have been going to an eighties-themed party. It fit perfectly with the décor in the room.
I turned my head quick, expecting to see someone behind me having thought I heard a voice. It took me a minute to realize where the voice had come from and I went to the far wall with the two tall, narrow windows and saw that one sat slightly ajar. The windows were old and opened out vertically. I pushed the one farther open to listen.
“Just remember to keep quiet like you did then, and we’ll be fine.”
I couldn’t make out the reply, but I recognized the voice… Mayor Barrett.
“No one needs to know. It won’t make a difference,” Mayor Barrett said.
I opened the window farther, scrunching my face in hopes it wouldn’t creak and thankfully it didn’t. I leaned out a bit hoping to catch a glimpse of who he was speaking to but couldn’t see.
“Because I’m telling you it won’t make a difference that’s why,” Mayor Barrett insisted.
The mayor’s snappish, angry reply had me thinking the person had disagreed with him.
I had to know who he was talking to since it sounded like they were covering up something that could very well have something to do with the murder case. I spotted the back of the mayor’s head but couldn’t see the other person. I leaned out a bit more and that’s when the window gave way.
I had no chance of stopping my fall. I was going down and the window was going with me. Instinct kicked in. I had to let someone know I was in trouble, so naturally I screamed, “IAN!”
10
My dad arrived at Yesterday’s Treasures before the ambulance, which I insisted I didn’t need. I knew as soon as he saw me and all the blood, I was going to hear about his white hair turning even whiter. He stopped and stared at me, and guilt poked at me seeing how worried he looked, especially since he made no mention of me turning his already white hair whiter.
I went to stand and assure my dad that I was fine when, of course, I got dizzy, and blood poured more heavily from my nose.
Ian’s hands instantly grabbed hold of my shoulders, easing me back down on the porch step and replacing the blood-soaked paper towels with a fresh batch as he kept me leaning against him.
“Did you pinch her nose to get it to stop?” my dad asked.
“Twice but it didn’t help so I had Kate call the ambulance and now she’s dizzy.”
“I’m fine,” I insisted. “The snowdrift cushioned my fall. There’s nothing broken.”
“Except maybe your nose,” I heard my brother Josh say, “and those are two nice shiners you’re getting there. Looks like someone gave you a good punch in the nose.”
“Exactly what happened,” Ian said.
“Traitor,” I whispered.
Ian explained. “When she leaned too far out the window, it gave way, and she and the window went down together. To keep herself from being injured by the glass she flung the window away from her, then brought her hand back fast to protect her face from any possible flying glass.”
Josh laughed. “She punched herself?”
“Not funny, Josh,” my dad reprimanded.
Josh kept laughing. “Come on, Dad, admit it. You know she’s got a strong punch. She’s lucky she didn’t knock herself out.” He looked quick to Ian. “Or did she?”
“Not quite,” Ian said. “She was dazed but not unconscious.”
The ambulance was approaching with sirens blaring.
Kate came out on the porch, and I caught the surprise and interest on Josh’s face when he got a look at her.
“I am so sorry, Kate. I will pay for all repairs. I’ll call a friend in construction, and he’ll see that the window is replaced.”
“No worries, Pepper. I have already hired Strathmore Builders to replace many of the windows, including that one.”
“Well, I’ll be paying for the one I broke,” I insisted and noticed that Kate looked a little fuzzy.
“Pepper, are you all right?”
I thought Kate said something but couldn’t quite make it out and with my head suddenly feeling heavy, I dropped it back on Ian’s shoulder, then everything went black.
I heard bickering voices and felt something soft under me.
“I’m not leaving her. I’m going with her, Sheriff.”
That was Ian’s voice, and I was glad he wasn’t leaving me, but why would he be leaving me?
“I don’t care who goes with her, but we need to get her to the hospital.”
That voice I didn’t recognize.
“Dad, let Ian go with her. We’ll meet them there.”
That was Josh and for once he was on my side. I managed to speak though it was more a croak. “Ian.”