Line Dancing Can Be Murder Read Free

understood. “I’m telling you,” she continued, “your life would change if you were to get nailed by a man like that. Change ,” she stressed again.
    Rolling my eyes, I stood up and said it was time for me to go. My life was fine, thank you, and no change to it was required. Although I never spoke of Phil, I was pretty sure Jackie knew about him and me, but I guess she didn’t consider him any match for Chris Stevens when it came to physical prowess.
    I’m far from a prude, but her husband was upstairs crippled, breathing and peeing through tubes. If Milton was going to hand over to her what he’d worked a lifetime to achieve, I felt she should at least wait until he’d kicked the bucket before finding another dog to breed with. Her lack of commitment to her marriage vows ticked me off.
    Thank goodness she’d had her tubes tied years ago and was no longer of the age where she could procreate with Chris, or whomever else found their way into her bed. The three children she has barely speak to her. I reminded her that without Milton, she’d still be living in the trailer park. In my mind, she owed him . And I told her so before striding through the big front door and slamming it hard behind me.
    Our little dispute didn’t last long. Although I didn’t agree with what she was doing, it wasn’t my business, and Jackie always has a way of drawing you back to her, like a bee to its hive.
    We stopped to window shop at one of the hotel’s boutiques.
    “That beaded purse is three hundred and fifty dollars!” Kim squawked. “It’s so pretty, but Eddie would kill me if I spent that kind of money on a purse. He thinks Walmart has the best prices, and people are stupid for paying more for anything somewhere else.”
    “Who cares what Eddie thinks,” Annette said. “You’re not even married to the man. You own your own beauty shop. Can’t you spend your money the way you want?”
    Kim’s head snapped around. “At least Eddie’s at home every night.”
    I could see the comment stung Annette. Her lips twisted into what my mother would have called an ugly mouth. I eased Kim away from the boutique window and a possible punch in the arm from Annette. “Look! It’s Elvis!” I exclaimed.
    We all strolled by a large statue of Elvis Presley playing a guitar and then rounded the corner and saw the sign: NATIONAL PARKS WONDERS TOUR CHECK-IN . When we entered a small banquet room, it looked like we were the last to arrive. A swarm of people (nearly all were elderly, I noticed immediately) greeted each other shaking hands and introducing themselves. A bald black man with a friendly smile sat behind a table. As we gave him our names, he marked them off a list and handed each of us a nametag.
    “Welcome to the National Parks Wonders Tour, ladies. I’m Wayne, and I’ll be your bus driver for the trip. Please wear these nametags at least for the first few days, until everyone gets to know each other.” He directed our attention to a table laden with soft drinks and cookies. “Help yourselves to refreshments and mingle with your fellow travelers. In a few minutes, your tour director will give a short introduction.”
    We were so excited to be in Las Vegas and to start this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Fortunately, the tension between Annette and Kim from moments before disappeared, and all of us tittered like children.
    “I think everyone in this room is over sixty-five,” Annette whispered, as we gazed around.
    Kim elbowed Jackie in the rib. “Maybe you’ll meet your next husband here.”
    “Very funny,” Jackie deadpanned.
    “We’re the spring chickens in the group.” I noticed two old men across the room waving their hands off. One raised his plastic glass in the air. Both started sauntering toward us.
    “Oh, no. Here come Romeo and Casanova,” Donna chuckled.
    The gentlemen said hello. The one wearing a plaid golf cap was clearly extroverted while the other seemed pretty shy. He wore a Cincinnati Reds