Secret of the Stone Lion

“Do you think you could solve another mystery? I mean…maybe you got lucky with the mystery on Spirit Mountain. What makes you think you could solve another one?” There was something in Kay’s tone that made Gwyn wonder if he was going to tell her what was bothering him without her having to cajole him into talking about it. She shot him a sidelong glance and noticed his jaw had tightened and he looked worried. “No, I don’t think I just got lucky.” Gwyn considered what it had taken to get to the bottom of the mystery on the mountain. In her mind’s eye the most important quality a detective could possess was tenacity. “And yes, I do think I could solve another mystery.” She was on the verge of asking Kay if he had a mystery that needed solving when he changed the subject once again with an adroitness which disturbed her. “My advice to you, Gwyn, is to live a while longer with all those dreams inside you. See as much of the world as you can, that will help you more than anything to make up your mind what to do with your life. As soon as you get out of school you ought to see the world.” “Everyone expects me to go to college when I graduate from high school. All my friends and my brother are planning to go to college.” “Travel—see the world first—you have plenty of time to make up your mind what you want to do with your life once you’ve experienced firsthand some of what’s out there. It’s kind of like deciding what you like best to eat when you’ve only ever tasted one or two things. You don’t even know what’s out there to be tried…yet.” Gwyn was silent. The things Kay said to her, the way he spoke to her, seemed to narrow the gap in their ages. He made her feel more grown up than she had ever felt with anyone else. She thought fleetingly of how Alec always made her feel like a naughty little kid who had to be watched constantly to make sure she didn’t run out to play in the street or something equally dangerous. And then she knew what it was she liked so much about the handsome German, he didn’t strike her as the type of guy to fuss at her for taking risks. She felt pretty sure he would give her credit for being able to take care of herself. Maybe Kay gives me such an impression because he’s sure of himself and where he’s going in life. Alec’s in such turmoil right now because he’s got a lot of pressure on him to choose a college to attend in the fall. She knew Alec probably wouldn’t be so uptight if his father wasn’t overly anxious about his son’s plans for the future. Gwyn was so absorbed with her thoughts she started in surprise when Kay unexpectedly brushed her cheek with a finger, the touch sending a tingle of excitement up her spine. “Sorry.” The apology was instantaneous. “I didn’t mean to scare you, I just—I—wondered if you would like something to drink. I’m going to stop here and get myself another cup of coffee. I want to stay ahead of the game since I’m the designated driver.” Gwyn looked out the window; they were on the outskirts of another small town and Kay was pulling off the road in the direction of a twenty-four hour convenience store-gas station. “Yeah. Sure, I’d love a cup of cappuccino.” The store was empty save for the clerk, a young guy with a ponytail and an earring who was busy stocking shelves. Gwyn headed for the bathrooms at the rear of the store while Kay meandered in the direction of the coffee counter. When she returned her eyes went in search of Kay. He was standing where she had last seen him, grasping two Styrofoam cups in one hand, staring toward the front of the store. Gwyn could see at once the hunted look had returned to Kay’s eyes and she followed the direction of his gaze to the counter where the clerk was talking to a tall, gray haired man. Kay turned his head stiffly until he caught Gwyn’s eye then he motioned to her. “Gwyn, I need your help. I can’t let that man see me,” he whispered hoarsely when she reached his side. “Can you do something to get their attention so I can get out of here without being seen? Here’s some money for the coffee.” He handed her several dollar bills. Gwyn took in the expression of fear tightening Kay’s features and a frown puckered her brow. “Kay, what’s going on?” “Not now,” he hissed. “I’ll tell you later…now I need to get out of here without that man seeing me. Bitte…please, Gwyn!” Faced with the urgency in Kay’s request, Gwyn nodded and took the money as well as the coffee and cappuccino, before giving her attention to the man who had caused such a transformation in Kay Lowenstein. The man was tall, at least as tall as Kay, with gray hair and a handsomely trimmed beard. It hit Gwyn as she headed toward the older man that maybe Kay wasn’t as calm and self- assured as she had first thought, but then, she admitted, there was a whole lot she didn’t know about Kay Lowenstein. And that was what she found so fascinating about him—that subtle air of mystery. Gwyn’s gaze flickered momentarily in Kay’s direction. He was waiting, nearly concealed behind a snack display, for her to make some kind of move which would create the diversion he needed to escape the store without being caught. There was no doubt in Gwyn’s mind he was in serious trouble and needed her help. A sudden sensation of excitement flooded her, bringing inspiration. Her eyes focused steadfastly on the two men near the front of the store, Gwyn let the cup of hot coffee slip through her fingers and cascade to the floor. “Oh—no!” She tried to put as much dismay into her tone as possible under the circumstances. “What a klutz!” The high-pitched whine served to draw immediate attention to her unfortunate plight. The young clerk started toward Gwyn, standing in puddle of brownish liquid looking about helplessly. “I’m sorry,” she said as soon as she saw the look of disgust on his face. “I’m afraid I was holding it by the lid and it just popped off. Do you have a towel—maybe a mop would be better.” After surveying the mess the clerk retreated toward a door at the rear of the store, giving Gwyn a chance to look around for the man who had caused such turmoil in her traveling companion. He remained at the cashier’s counter as though unsure what to do and Gwyn knew her plan to draw him away from the entrance so Kay could escape had failed. Okay, Lorne! You’re going to have to do something else…what’s it going to be? Gwyn felt a sharp stab of fear as she took in the man searching the store for a glimpse of his quarry. Nothing she had ever done before prepared her for this moment and she was at a loss as to how to proceed. She made her way toward the man while the cashier returned with a mop and attempted to corral the unruly coffee, which was making headway in the direction of a candy display. Gwyn fought down her natural shyness, as well as an instinctive fear, and forced herself to make eye contact with the man. He met her gaze and she found herself looking into piercing eyes, one bright blue and the other a cloudy gray. Screwing up her courage, Gwyn said in a higher-than-normal voice, “Can you believe these silly cups they have for coffee, these days! I don’t know why they make them so flimsy. I could feel it slipping—the lid, I mean—but there wasn’t anything I could do about it since my other hand was full.” To Gwyn’s relief, the man turned his attention on the spectacle she was making. While he stood with his back to the door Gwyn saw Kay slip furtively along the front of the store until he was close enough to make a dash for freedom. Determined the man be kept distracted until Kay had a chance to disappear completely, Gwyn addressed him again. “I don’t know if I left enough coffee for you, I assume you stopped for coffee at this time of night. I’m sorry if I took all of it. Maybe you should go check.”