Page 18 of Pepper, the Biker & the Vanishing Body

“Ian and I are going to the lecture. She can come with us,” I offered. “Although you might want to consider that Mom might learn something you don’t know and use it on you.”

“Damn,” he muttered beneath his breath, then warned me not to tell my mom.

Mom made sure our mouths remained pure of cuss words even when she wasn’t around. My brothers and I, and even Dad, worried if we slipped and someone heard us that they would rat us out to Mom.

“Up to you, Dad. Mom can come with Ian and me if you want, and I will talk with her about beautifying the police station, but you well know that you are going to have to make compromises when it comes to that.”

“I suppose a larger and more diverse refreshment area might do well for morale.”

“And a plant here and there wouldn’t hurt,” I suggested. “They do brighten a place and add some calm.” I pointed to the basket of ivy hanging in front of my kitchen window along with a pothos that I had taken cuttings from a larger pothos in the library. “And the police station could use some calm.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know what I’m going to do if she becomes mayor. She will be my boss.”

“I rested my hand on his back. “I hate to tell you this, Dad, but she already is your boss.”

“That isn’t humorous, Pepper,” he admonished.

“If you want to survive this, Dad, look at it as humorous. There’s one other thing you should consider.”

“What’s that?”

“Mom has always been fair with you, and she has always had your back. You might want to do the same for her when it comes to the mayor’s race. She is really excited about winning and doing what’s best for the town.”

“I think that’s the most difficult part. I know she would make a terrific and fair mayor.” He cringed. “Still, I would be answerable to her.”

“Again, Dad, you already are just as she is answerable to you, so not much is going to change,” I said and didn’t let him see me cross my fingers.

I remained outside after seeing my dad off to take stock of what annual flowers I wanted to plant in the front flowerbeds this year when I heard the roar of a motorcycle. I gave a quick glance around for Mo and remembered he wasn’t here.

I stepped up on my porch just as Stone pulled up my driveway.

As soon as he took off his helmet, I demanded, “What are you doing here?”

“And here I thought we got off to a good start,” he said with a smile that could easily tempt a woman.

Not so me. Ian was the only one who tempted me.

“Start of what?”

“Friendship,” he said.

I wasn’t that gullible. “Come on, Stone, what is it you really want?”

“With the short time I’ve been here, I heard how good you are at solving mysteries. I thought you could help me solve my mystery.”

“Which is?” I asked but knew what he would say.

“Proving I am a descendent of the Willow family.”

“Why is that so important to you?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it’s the stories I’ve heard through the years and want to know if they’re true or not.”

“I don’t buy it,” I said. “There’s more to it than that.”

He grinned. “Why? Because I’m a biker?”

“Tell me, Stone, is one of your club members missing?” I asked.

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