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“Still working on them. At least with Travis we had evidence that pointed to a possible identity. The only thing we know with the other set of bones is that they belonged to a young woman, late teens.”
“Nothing more was found in the grave that may help identify her?” Ian asked.
“No, and they dug a bit more after all the bones were found but to no avail. They have other cases that need their immediate attention. A thirty-five-year-old case does not get top priority. I offered to work on the unidentified bones on my own time, but space is limited. Normally, I would doubt we’d ever learn who the bones belong to, but with your dad on the case, I have hope.” He gave a quick look at his watch. “I’ve got to go. Have a doctor’s appointment.”
“Everything okay?” I asked, the man appeared fit and healthy, unfortunately his heart wasn’t.
“Regular checkup.” Stan grinned. “My daughter, Barbara, will be there as well to hear what the doctor tells me. The miracle of modern technology, though I will admit, it’s nice to have her there even if it’s not in person.”
Kate was too busy to spare even a moment to talk, customers waiting with questions and others waiting to pay. I paid for the pin, and we left promising to return.
As soon as we stepped outside, I turned to Ian, unable to mention the obvious. “Everyone was staring at you more than usual.”
He laughed. “They were not staring at me.”
I went to disagree and gasped. “Stan just reminded me, and yet I forgot again how I look.”
Ian hugged me against him. “You are as beautiful as ever, Pep.”
“To you, to others I’m a fright and they are probably wondering where I got the bruises.”
“This is a small town, Pep, news spreads fast,” Ian reminded.
“True. Everyone knows I have a penchant for investigating things.”
He laughed again. “Gossip says you are well-known for sticking your nose into other peoples’ business.”
“Who said that?” I demanded as we walked to his vehicle, then answered my own question before Ian could. “My brothers! Which one or was it all of them?”
My cell rang saving Ian from answering.
“He told me he was going back to the B&B, but he just pulled up in front of Amy’s house,” Beau said.
“We’ll be right there,” I said and turned to Ian. “Amy’s house.”
Beau let us know that he was parked several houses down from Amy’s house and to pull in behind him. As soon as we did, he called my cell phone and I put it on speaker.
“I didn’t want him to see me since he asked me if I was seeing Amy today, and I told him later that I had some things to see to. He told me he was off to do the same but as you can see he lied. He had only one thing to see to and I wondered if he purposely asked me what I was up to, to see if Amy was going to be home alone. Yet he’s done nothing since arriving here but sit and stare at the house.”
“You don’t think he spotted you?” Ian asked.
“I don’t believe so. I waited when he left the diner, watched what direction he took and knew right away he was headed here. He was already parked when I pulled up. Now that you’re here I’m going to confront him, then you can follow him when I chase him off and you can see where he goes.”
“Not going to happen,” I said. “Amy just stepped out of the house.”
Ian and I pulled in behind Amy’s car in the driveway as Noah got out of his car. Beau stayed behind determined to follow the man to see where he would go since he trusted him as much as I did, which was to say not at all.
“What are you doing here, Dad?” Amy asked.
“I really want us to talk, Amy,” he said. “Please give me a chance.”
I stepped right in front of Amy. “You come back after years of not seeing her and want to make amends and then you disappear again on her for two days. That really screams how much you want to make amends.”
“It was unavoidable,” Noah said, tilting his head to look at Amy behind me. “But I should have explained and I’m sorry for that. I won’t let it happen again. Please, just talk with me, that’s all I ask. Breakfast at the diner tomorrow, Pepper can join us.”
His invitation took me by surprise.
“If after we talk, you don’t want me in your life I will leave and never bother you again. You have my word on it.”
I heard the small gasp from behind me. His words were meant to leave a mark and they did.
I turned to Amy. She was pale. He had visibly upset her. “What do you say we meet with him and get this over?”
