Deadly Reunion Read Free Page A

Jonathan is okay,” I said, a truth that might get her to offer feedback.
    She stared at numbers lighting above the door as though their movement were most important. The door pinged open.
    People fingered items for sale around gift shops. Shirts and jackets with the ship’s logo hung in the hall. I glanced around, searching for the classmates we’d found and then lost from the dining room.
    “Here’s a bar. No, it’s too full and too bright. Let’s check another one,” Sue said, stepping ahead, not slowing to look for anyone.
    The Ginger Bar was subtly lit with brown leather seating areas. Some tables. Many booths. A man in a far corner played a quiet song from the seventies on a piano. We took a table and ordered margaritas.
    “Sue, you didn’t know him before? You just met him on the Lido Deck, right?”
    She hesitated a long minute. “Right.” She exhaled. “I’m sure he’ll be okay.”
    “Me too. He seemed young to have had a heart attack. Maybe he tripped. He told me to be careful,” I said and waited for a response.
    None came. She licked salt off the rim of her frosty margarita on the rocks.
    “Sue, were you with him?”
    “I told you where I was. Getting massaged.” She took two quick swallows of her drink.
    She obviously wouldn’t say more about Jonathan now. “Do you know what Tetter’s problem is?” I asked, realizing that sounded callous. “When Jane invited me to come, she said Tetter had a major problem we would help her solve. You know everyone loves Tetter, and we sure want to help her.”
    “I haven’t kept up much with classmates. Jane told me the same thing she told you.”
    Okay, I’d work on getting her interest elsewhere. “My son Tommy and his family live in Skagway. I can’t wait to see them during this trip! He lost his job when his company folded, and they moved up here. He’s always working but took some vacation time to get to visit with me.”
    Sue peered toward a dark wall, appearing disinterested in my child.
    I would need to find out more about Tetter. But now I wondered about Sue and Jonathan Mill. Had she told us the truth?
    “Did you have a full-body massage?” I asked. “Or a facial?” I imagined Sue, who used to be Stu, wrapped in a sheet with no underwear and wondered about changes to certain body parts.
    I mentally slapped myself. I didn’t need to think of such things but often couldn’t help wayward thoughts.
    “Cealie, I know you and the others don’t believe me, but that’s what I did. I had a massage. The spa was open.” She gulped her drink.
    “I believe you. I just…wondered how your massage was.” I slipped my left hand into my right palm and pinched, reminding myself not to fib.
    “It was great. A good-looking woman rubbed me down. I didn’t get excited, but I did relax. Until now.” On her feet, she headed for the door.
    I dashed after her. “I believe you,” I said, not sure whether that was the truth.
    “Let’s just forget it. Look, there’s Tetter and Jane.”
    Both women headed toward us. Jane smiled.
    I didn’t smile back.
    “Gil,” I said to the man coming behind them.
    “Cealie,” he said, taking long strides forward.
    Hands on hips, I stared at all six-foot three inches of him. Still well-muscled, with thick steel-gray hair and firm cheekbones, he wore an ironed sports shirt and new jeans that would cover soft navy blue briefs.
    He reached for me, attempting to pull me into his arms.
    I tugged back. “I can’t believe you followed me!”
    He grinned. “This is funny.”
    His grin fueled my anger. “This is not funny. You asked me to marry you, and I didn’t agree to, so now you’re following me, even on a cruise?” I huffed, hearing classmates near me catch their breaths. “I don’t even know how you found out I was coming here.”
    He spread his hands in innocence. “I didn’t.”
    “Right.” Staring at his handsome face, recalling hot romance in his arms, I gathered all of my strength. “Gil, I