Page 60 of Pepper, the Biker & the Vanishing Body

“Okay, keep that in mind when I tell you the rake whacked me in the face when I chased after the guy who I told you I spotted by the building, and I assumed was the squatter.”

My dad clamped his hand over his mouth to keep a lecture from spilling out and shook his head.

“I barely got a look when the rake hit me, the first time?—”

“First time?” my dad asked with disbelief. “It hit you twice?”

“I was disoriented from the first hit when I stood and my foot caught the rake again, but I did see, the first time, that he was wearing jeans and a hoodie, and a quick thought went through my head that he just might be the vanishing guy. Have you found out anything about the man in the hospital?”

“No luck with fingerprints and finding no identification on him could prove difficult in identifying him. Because of the brain swelling, the doctor has no indication of how long he will be unconscious. Only time will tell.”

“Are you going to release a photo of him?” I asked.

“He’s got so many tubes in him I don’t think anyone would recognize him. I’m having the sketch that you both helped provide updated and we’ll see if anyone can recognize him from that. I’m keeping an officer on him for now since I don’t know if he’s in danger or not, or if he’s guilty of a crime or a victim of a crime. There isn’t much evidence to help us identify who might have been squatting in that building but we’re going to continue to look there and the surrounding area. You and Ian spending time together today.”

Ian’s arm shot around me. “I’m not letting her out of my sight and Mo is joining us.”

“Good, then I’ll have a worry-free day. Enjoy,” he said and waved before turning to get back in his vehicle.

“Dad!” I called out to stop him and hurried to him and kissed his cheek. “It won’t happen again.”

He laughed. “I’d like to believe that.”

We followed my dad down my long driveway and pulled onto the roadway when my phone rang. With Ian driving, I was free to answer it and grabbed it out of the console tray, seeing it was my mom, my dad no doubt failing to tell her everything. I put her on speaker and barely got out, “Hi Mom.”

“Your father says you are good, but I wanted to make sure for myself. You’ve had enough black eyes to know how to care for them.”

“She has?” Ian asked surprised.

“Oh my, yes, Ian. If she wasn’t fighting a boy for picking on someone, it was getting hit by a ball at any given sport or whacking herself accidentally with a tennis racket?—”

“Enough, Mom,” I said. “I’m good and Ian doesn’t need to hear all that.”

“Aye, I do,” Ian said with a teasing grin.

“I’ll tell you more when I see you next, Ian. Your dad said you both are off to enjoy the day. Have fun. Toodles.”

Thankfully, she hung up.

“I wondered why so many cold packs were in your freezer,” he said laughing.

“Very funny, but sadly true.”

“I will do my best to save you from getting black eyes,” he said heroically.

“You might want to wear full knight gear for that quest, Sir Lancelot.”

I lovethe Barn Book Store. It is a true gem for book lovers and a favorite haunt of mine and has become a favorite of Ian’s as well. Once a rustic barn, it was transformed into a vast, welcoming bookstore while retaining its rustic feel and updated appeal. Expansive windows were installed to flood the interior with natural light, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The original loft was reimagined and expanded into a spacious second floor, offering even more room to browse and it is where the mystery section is housed.

The store boasts an impressive collection of new and used books and magazines, ensuring there’s something for every reader. I never leave the place without buying something.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted from the well-stocked coffee bar after taking only a few steps into the store. But it was their array of teas that Ian and I enjoyed, and we would get as soon as we finished perusing the shelves. For those who preferred to soak in the sunshine, picnic tables were available outside during pleasant weather. That was where Mo parked himself with Ettie, Dottie and Sam, the owners’ twelve-year-old daughter who was thrilled to see him. They adore each other and Ettie pointed out that we were not to rush that she would take good care of Mo.

Most of the comfortable sofas and chairs, perfect for sinking into a book or taking a leisurely break that were scattered throughout, were occupied by readers who didn’t appear in a hurry to vacate them anytime soon. And I couldn’t blame them. It was a reader’s paradise.

Ian and I made our way to the second floor and were soon lost amongst the shelves of mysteries. Our pile of books grew rapidly. An hour had nearly gone by when Dottie appeared looking guilty.

“I am so sorry to disturb you Ian, but several women have asked if you would sign their romance books where you are on the cover. I see you have quite a pile of books there. I can give you a generous discount if you could take a few moments to do an impromptu signing. I wouldn’t ask but they are avid readers who are here often.”

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