Chapter 29
Edna’s grip on the gun was firm, but she wasn’t expecting me to make the first move.
I shoved Kelly behind me and lunged, throwing my full weight, as slim as I am, into Edna. Kelly let out a startled cry as I got a hold of Edna’s wrist and twisted it fast and hard, knocking the gun upward out of her hand. A shot rang out, echoing through the mansion, the bullet embedding itself harmlessly into the ceiling.
I didn’t wait. Balling my fist, I threw a punch, catching Edna’s jaw and sending her tumbling back onto the floor. We had no time to spare. We needed to get away from her since she was already moving.
Grabbing Kelly’s arm, I hauled her toward the grand staircase, my pulse hammering in my ears.
“Move, move, move!” I hissed.
Kelly was gasping, struggling to keep up, but we had no choice. Edna wasn’t out of the fight, and she wasn’t about to leave us to be found.
We reached the second floor, and I cast a quick glance around frantically searching for an escape route or the best place to hide until help arrived. I scanned from one end of the corridor to the other.
My eyes shot wide as realization struck. “That’s what it is!”
“What is?” Kelly asked, her voice breathless and hopeful.
“I’ll tell you later,” I said and recalled the armory, a place where I could get a weapon.
I yanked Kelly to the right, leading her down the corridor to the end to make another right straight into the armory.
Numerous weapons common to the period when the house was built and up until Ignatius’s death hung on the walls and a display case held antique weapons—some real, some replicas—but I wasn’t interested in an exhibit right now. I needed a weapon I could handle with some confidence.
I grabbed a sword.
“Do you know how to use that thing?” Kelly asked as we stumbled toward the library entrance.
“I swing it,” I said, doing just that and hoping confidence would make up for my lack of skill.
Kelly suddenly gripped her stomach. “The baby!”
Panic surged through me, but I grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to meet my gaze. “I’m going to get you out of here and to the hospital.”
She nodded frantically, her eyes wild with fear yet desperate with hope.
I yanked open the library door, pulling her inside just as I heard Edna’s footsteps on the stairs.
Slamming the door behind us, I shoved a chair under the handle, knowing it wouldn’t hold long but hoping it would buy us a few seconds.
“You won’t stop me!” Edna’s voice rang out from the other side.
She got that right. But I could slow her down.
I turned to Kelly, who was leaning heavily against one of the massive bookshelves that lined the walls, sweat glistening on her forehead, her hands trembling. I needed to get her out before she collapsed, not able to take another step.
My mom’s voice echoed in my memory.
The upstairs library connects with the downstairs one.
I grabbed Kelly’s hand. “There’s a way down to the first-floor library. We get down there and then outside.”
She nodded, the shred of hope making her determined to tackle the task.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket, grateful I hadn’t left it in the truck. “Hit ‘superhero’ in my contacts and tell my dad to hurry and bring the entire police force with him.”
Kelly moaned but fought against the pain to do what I said.
A sharp cracking sound made me whirl around.
Wood splintered as Edna hacked through the door. My stomach twisted as I realized she must have grabbed one of the axes from the armory. We had seconds, maybe less.
I spun around and spotted the top of the spiral staircase.
“There!” I pointed. “Take the stairs, get outside!”
Kelly gripped my arm, shaking her head, tears in her eyes. “I—I don’t think I can make it down by myself—too much pain.”
I looked back just as Edna burst through the ruined door, eyes gleaming with malice.
I had no choice. I had to hold her off.
I pushed Kelly toward the stairs. “GO! Just start moving! I’ll be right behind you to help!”
Kelly headed to the staircase.
Edna raised the gun.
I raised my sword.
Edna let out a short, cruel laugh. “What are you going to do with that, Pepper? Give me a history lesson?”
I didn’t think. I reacted. With everything I had, I flung the sword at her, and pure luck—not skill—caught the gun and sent it flying out of her hand.
Edna let out a furious shriek and lunged for me.
I had seconds to react.
I grabbed the first thing I could find—a thick oversized tome so heavy it nearly slipped from my grasp.
I didn’t hesitate. I swung.
The book slammed into the side of Edna’s head with a sickening thud. She staggered, eyes unfocused, then crumpled to the floor in a heap.
For a split second, I couldn’t help but think that the book really was mightier than the sword.
Breathing hard, I dropped the book and turned to Kelly.
She was gripping the railing, her body trembling, her eyes wide with fright.
“I got you,” I said, looping my arm around her waist.
We descended the spiral staircase, moving as fast as Kelly’s body would allow. Each step felt like an eternity, every breath an effort, but we made it to the first floor.
We reached the main library, and I hurried her through it, then through the foyer to the kitchen and out the back door. I preferred to go out the front door to my truck, but I heard Edna groan as I went down the stairs, which meant she wouldn’t be far behind, and I worried we wouldn’t have enough time to get the front double doors open before she caught up with us.
A blast of cool spring air hit us as we stumbled into the backyard.
I turned back toward the house, expecting to see Edna chasing us, but not yet.
But we weren’t yet safe.
I gripped Kelly’s arm. “We can chance going around the mansion to my truck or into the woods and hide until the police get here.” I left the decision to Kelly.
She took a shallow breath. “Your dad can’t be far off. We hide.”
We barely made it to the edge of the woods when a gunshot rang out, the bullet kicking up dirt far too close to Kelly’s feet.
We spun around.
Edna stood in the distance gun in hand and a lump on the side of her head the size of a lemon.
“That was a warning shot,” Edna said, her voice sharp and cold. “Move and the next bullet goes through her belly.” She pointed the gun at Kelly and started walking toward us.
Kelly let out a strangled sob, clutching her stomach as if she could somehow protect her unborn son.
I barely thought before stepping in front of her.
“Pepper, what are you doing?” Kelly said, panic lacing her voice.
I squared my shoulders making sure I kept my voice steady. “Making sure my brother Danny doesn’t lose you or the baby.”
And that’s when I saw him.
Mo.
He peeked around the corner of the mansion, his massive frame on alert, waiting for my signal.
I could have shouted Geronimo, the command that would send him charging at Edna.
But I didn’t.
If she saw him coming, she’d fire before he reached her.
Instead, Mo disappeared. A second later, I heard it—the unmistakable sound of motorcycles.
Edna’s expression flickered with confusion just before Mo came barreling around the corner again, this time leading a pack of bikers straight toward her.
Her face twisted with rage as she raised the gun, aiming it at me.
I felt a sting in my shoulder, and I didn’t hesitate, I let out a roar.
“GERONIMO!”
Mo hit Edna with full force, sending her sprawling. She didn’t have a chance against him. He had her pinned to the ground snarling and baring his teeth, saliva dripping in her face.
“Call him off, Pepper,” Stone called out, approaching Mo, who was not about to give up his prey.
“Release, Mo!” I shouted as Ian ran to me.
“You’ve been shot,” he said with a mixture of horror and fright.
I looked down at my shoulder, my brain trying to register that it was covered in blood.
Kelly let out a loud moan.
I stepped aside. “She’s in labor. We need to get her to the hospital.”
That’s when we heard a roar of sirens; police, ambulance, and was that a fire truck’s horn blaring?
I smiled, looking at Kelly. “We did it.”
I wondered why she looked so fuzzy. Then as everything darkened, I heard?—
“Grab her, Ian.”
It was two days since the frightening event at Willow Mansion. Two days since Kelly gave birth and was now home with her husband and healthy, newborn son. Her doctor was shocked by how fast she delivered. While Kelly was sure the shock of what happened had the baby popping out in record speed and with little effort, which she did not mind at all.
Two days that Ian would not leave my side, clearing his schedule to be with me and making sure I followed the doctor’s instructions.
“Ah dinnae know what I’d do without you,” he said multiple times to me.
“The bullet only grazed me,” I reminded.
“All that blood had me fearing otherwise,” he said and kissed me softly.
It made me realize how deep his love ran for me and made me love him even more.
Though he was not too pleased when I told him I needed to return to Willow Mansion.
“You can’t be serious,” he said, buttoning my tan, cotton blouse for me, my wounded shoulder limiting certain tasks.
I smiled. “I am pretty sure I know where the Willow treasure is.”
His handsome face lit with a smile. “Really?”
“I can’t wait to see,” I said, impatiently. “I have to know if I’m right.”
“I can’t wait myself but are you sure you feel up to it?” he asked with concern.
“I know my limits. Besides, I have you to do any necessary heavy lifting.” I leaned against him. “You lift me with no effort at all.”
“That’s because you’re a wee bit of thing,” he said his arms going around me as he planted another gentle kiss on my lips. “And it’s good that you are with all the times I’ve had to scoop you up. But no worries, Pep, I’ll scoop you up no matter how old we get.”
I tapped one of his arms. “Then you better keep those muscles in good shape since I intend to grow very old with you.”
“Wait. Is this you being romantic?” he teased.
“Pretty good, don’t you think,” I said, praising myself.
He kissed me. “Perfect, mo ghràdh, perfect.”
Several people gathered on the second floor of the Willow Mansion. I had Amy and Beau meet Ian and me, knowing they wouldn’t want to miss this. Mom was already there, deep in conversation with Agent Stone—who, to my surprise, actually was named Stone. However, my mom, making friends as effortlessly as she did, had already started calling him by his given name. Jedidiah.
“Call me Jed, Mrs. Madison,” I heard him correct her several times.
Her response put a smile on my face—and my dad’s as well.
“Nonsense. Jedidiah is too lovely a name to shorten, and it’s Sally for you, Jedidiah.”
So, Jedidiah joined us on the second floor, along with my mom, dad, and Josh.
When Ian and I arrived at the mansion, my dad informed me that Guy had finally regained consciousness. Unfortunately, interrogating him wasn’t going to be easy. Edna had already retained legal counsel for both herself and her son. Naturally, the attorney had ordered Guy to keep his mouth shut.
“They’re high-powered attorneys,” Stone added as he joined the conversation. “We’re going to need you and Kelly to testify if we want to make this case stick.”
I couldn’t get over the transformation in Stone. Gone was the biker disguise—along with the tattoos. He now wore a dark suit, crisp white shirt, and a neatly knotted tie, and his hair had been cut in a style more befitting an FBI agent. However, the change didn’t at all affect his appeal. He was still one good-looking guy.
“All right, Pepper, we’re all here, so get to it,” Josh ordered.
I could tell he was waiting for me to make a fool of myself, and I hoped that wouldn’t be the case.
Ian gave me a quick wink of encouragement and his unwavering support made me smile.
“Willow Mansion was built with perfect symmetry. There is balance to everything in this house. It fascinated me how precise Ignatius was in everything he did. But something about the second floor was off, and I couldn’t put my finger on it until Kelly and I rushed up here, fleeing Edna. That’s when I knew what it was.
“‘That’s what it is,’” I had said.
“Which I replied, ‘What is?’”
Everyone turned, seeing Kelly, looking radiant, step off the top step and Danny right behind her, their newborn son cradled in his arms.
“I couldn’t miss this,” Kelly said, giving me a gentle hug.
“We got a name, people,” Danny boasted proudly.
Kelly glanced at me smiling as she announced, “Michael.”
A cheer went up and the baby slept through it like a champ.
“Okay, Pepper, continue,” Josh said impatiently.
I gestured around. “Look carefully, Josh. All of you look. Keep symmetry in mind and tell me what you see.”
Everyone looked around, scanning the hallway. Some shook their heads, unsure what I meant. It was Ian who spotted it first.
“The end of the hallway isn’t balanced. One section sits out further than the other end.”
“Right,” I said, so proud of him. “Which means?—”
“A secret room,” Amy blurted out, her eyes wide with excitement.
Amy quickly cleared off the half-table sitting against the wall at the one end of the hall. Josh stepping forward, joined Ian and Beau, as they ran their hands along the panel, searching for a release switch.
A click sounded.
“I got it,” Josh called as if he couldn’t believe it himself.
With some effort, Ian helped him pry open the hidden panel, the hinges creaking with age and rust.
When they finally got it open all the way, Josh handed me his flashlight. “Your find, sis.”
My hand trembled slightly as I switched on the flashlight and stepped inside, pushing aside cobwebs.
Wooden shelves lined two walls, filled with stacks of ledgers, books, and a few dusty-covered bottles of whiskey. But it was the large metal box sitting on the bottom shelf that caught my eye.
“Ian,” I called, motioning him over.
He stepped inside and easily lifted the box, carrying it out into the hallway before setting it on the half-table.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the skeleton key. The lock looked like a perfect match, and everyone seemed to hold their breath when I slid the key into place.
It turned easily.
The box let out a groan of protest as I lifted the lid. Inside, over two dozen dark blue velvet sacks lay nestled together. I grabbed one, untied the string, and tipped its contents into my palm.
A diamond and pearl necklace tumbled into my hand, the same one rumored to have been buried with Verbena.
“If it wasn’t buried with Verbena, what was?” Amy asked. “Charlie did say Verbena requested something be buried with her.”
I already knew the answer. “What do you think a young girl would take with her if she was going on a journey alone?”
With a tender smile, and her eyes misty, my mom said, “Her doll to keep her company. The one she’s holding in the portrait.”
More gems and jewelry spilled from each velvet pouch, each piece a dazzling testament to the wealth Sarah’s grandmother had left her—the wealth that had allowed Shamus and Sarah to start a new life in a new world.
My mom’s eyes remained misty, overwhelmed by the discovery.
“This could keep the Willow Lake Historical Society financially sound for years,” she said. “Though the personal jewelry should be kept and displayed.”
“We’ll have to discuss that,” Amy chimed in. “Those pieces are priceless to the historical society, but they are worth a fortune on the open market. We’ll need to consider insurance, having a special security system installed, and go through all those ledgers.”
“That’s why the historical society is so glad to have you,” my mom said.
“I know the perfect person to help with the ledgers,” I said, and Amy’s eyes pleaded with me for the name. “Millie, the church secretary.”
Amy’s face lit up with relief. “Perfect.”
Before I could say anything else, Stone stepped beside me and whispered, “A moment, Spicy.”
I glanced at Ian, who was watching us closely, before stepping aside with Stone.
“Did you pay up on the bet you lost to my dad?” I asked.
“I did and I admit that I never expected to lose that bet. That you would figure this out before the FBI did. I misjudged your ability and talent.”
“You could say the same for the Willow Lake Police Department. You should have been upfront with them.”
“That wasn’t my call, and I regret it since your dad was more than helpful when I confided in him that I was FBI. But I must say that you made this case the most interesting and exciting I’ve worked on for a long while.” He grinned. “You’re talented, Spicy. And not bad on the eyes either.”
I held up my hand. “Slow it down, Jedidiah, I’m taken and very much in love.”
“If that should ever change—” He handed me his card, winked, and walked away.
Ian walked over to me, and I handed him Stone’s card, and he smiled.
But to make sure he got my message, I said, “I’m all yours and I always will be.”
Amy and Beau joined us, practically buzzing with excitement.
“This is so exciting,” Amy said. “We have a ton of work to do here. I’m so glad you hired an assistant, Pepper. Sherman Howard sounds perfect, being a prepper himself.”
“Hey, that’s great,” Beau said. “With Ian’s new personal assistant, you’ll both have more time to solve mysteries.”
I looked at Ian. “Edith in Scotland, finally found her counterpart for you here in the States?”
“You didn’t tell her?” Beau asked, and Amy winced.
I tilted my head at Ian, waiting.
“Edith insists she’s perfect for the position, much like herself. She will keep things running smoothly and handle tasks I’ve been stuck doing. And Beau is right, it will free me to spend more time with you solving mysteries, among other things.”
“Who is this perfect person?” I asked, suspiciously since he avoided mentioning her name.
Beau grinned. “You know her.”
Amy winced again.
It struck me then. “No. No. You didn’t hire her.”
Ian slipped his arms around my waist and held me as if he worried, I’d slip away.
I shook my head. “Tell me you didn’t hire her.”
“I didn’t hire her.”
I sighed with relief, a short-lived one.
“Edith hired her,” Ian said.
Beau laughed. “She’s not going to let you near the buffet table at the lodge.”
“Say it,” I said. “I want to hear you say it and know it’s real.”
“I love you, Pep,” Ian said.
“Good save, mate,” Beau said, laughing and Amy elbowed him in the side.
“Ian,” I said impatiently.
“She may not work out,” Ian hedged.
“Edith says she’s a gem,” Beau reminded and got another elbow in the side.
“Who is your new personal assistant, Ian?” I asked, leaving him no choice but to finally confirm what I suspected.
“Winifred Dickens.”
We all turned our heads, hearing Mo let out a long, mournful howl from outside where he waited, expressing my sentiments exactly.
The End