Chapter Twenty-Six
Early the next morning Rhett parked the Bronco in his driveway. He killed the ignition and glanced over. Pepper drew a star on the window condensation.
“Time to go see how Kitty managed with Tuesday and J.K. Growling,” she murmured. She’d been quiet for the drive back. They both were lost in their own thoughts.
He cleared his throat. “I have to swing by Beau’s to collect the dogs and King Henry before opening the clinic. But first, Pepper—”
“Thank you.” She set her hand over his denim-clad thigh, squeezing the muscle. “Last night…you gave me something I didn’t know that I needed.”
He laced his fingers with hers. “Same.”
A rolled-up newspaper was on the floor next to her feet. “Oh no, I was supposed to ask your advice on the second clue.” She’d grabbed theExaminerfrom the service station where he’d stopped to grab gas and two black coffees on the way home.
“We have time. Shoot.”
She opened the front page and cleared her throat:“You know you’re going right when you take a left. There is a place like nowhere on earth.”
Rhett whistled between his teeth. “That’s a doozy.”
“It’s diabolical. A place like nowhere on earth?”
He frowned. The answer danced somewhere in his subconscious, teasing the tip of his tongue. “I need time to think this over.”
“Stop. If lightning strikes, I’ll be at the dog park all morning.” She leaned in for a kiss and froze halfway. “We’re being watched.”
“Dammit.” He knew without looking. “Miss Ida May?”
“That woman has a bloodhound instinct for drama. I’m going to scram before she barges over with a recorder and tries conducting an interview. I need at least two more coffees before I can face that situation.”
He waited until Pepper slipped through her front door before backing out. Yep. There stood Miss Ida May peering over the rim of her glasses, at the end of her driveway.
He gave Miss Ida May a short wave before hightailing it out of Love Street. Who knew what the Back Fence would have to say about that? Funny that the harder he tried to steer clear of town gossip, the more he steered into it headlong.
As he drove to Beau’s, he took the longer, prettier way, winding high over the river bluffs, passing Mars Rock Park. A thought struck him and he pulled onto the road’s shoulder. The medallion clue—it’s out of this world—and when you combine that with a previous reference to a river bottom.
Bingo.
He texted Pepper a quick message about his theory. The medallion was in or near Mars Rock.
The moment he stepped from the truck Fitzgerald, Faulkner, and Steinbeck tore around the side of Beau’s sprawling, two-story home.
Pepper texted back:Thanks for your help. I think you’re onto something. Tuesday is ready to run out the door this second, but you know me, I’d prefer a deliberative approach ;) Time for some additional research.
A lot of happy memories packed into that winky face emoticon.
“Not like you to be an early riser,” Beau said, the dogs bouncing around his legs.
Rhett cleared his throat. “These troublemakers behave for you?”
“Of course not.” His friend tried to look irritated to no avail. “Steinbeck attempted to steal my stash of chocolate chip cookies.” A little-known fact was that the mayor was one hell of a baker. If voters tasted Beau’s peach pie, he might have a road to the White House.
“Thanks for watching them.”
“Sure thing.” Beau passed over the bag of dog food. “But I’m concerned about rumors. You—”
“And Pepper, I know,” Rhett said.
“Al Hogg,” Beau finished at the same time.
