Class Reunion of Murder (11 page)

“Yeah, I’ve missed it. Nothing has been the same since high school. Those were some good times.”

“You enjoyed high school?”

“Of course. I had band and my friends, my parents paid for everything and I had no responsibility. What’s not to love?”

“The daily torment, for one,” Lacy said.

“What torment?” he asked.

She pointed to the table Jason had vacated.

“Oh, them. They were nice to me.”

Lacy blinked at him, remembering the time Brady and Reed had tried to bodily stuff him into his tuba. “Didn’t they get suspended for dangling you out a window?” she asked. Had it been him or someone else? She couldn’t remember.

“Yeah, they liked to goof off, but they were all right. Especially the girls. Summer was really great.” His eyes misted with tears.

“You think Summer was great,” she clarified.

“I always had a thing for Summer. I guess I liked her the way you liked me. We almost got together once, but it didn’t work out.”

“You and Summer almost got together once?” Lacy said.

“I can tell you don’t believe me. It was after school. She worked at the mall in the next town. I went into her store, probably just to stare at her because it was a store for girl stuff, and she sort of hit on me.”

Lacy thought there were two possibilities: either Chester really had been much different in high school, so different that Summer had also relished a crush on him, or Chester had a creative memory. The way he spoke so lovingly about high school made her think it was the latter.

“Why would anyone hurt Summer? She was perfect,” Chester wailed, and then he lunged toward her and dropped his head to her shoulder, weeping.

“Oh, oh my,” Lacy said, looking around in desperation for a rescue. A few feet away, Kimber was also crying, but with laughter. “Help me,” Lacy mouthed.

“No way,” Kimber said.

This was going to get back to Jason, Lacy was sure, and how would she explain?

“Lacy, everything okay?”

“Travis!” she had never been happier to see him in her life. She bolted to her feet so quickly that Chester toppled off his chair. She linked her arm with Travis and pulled him down to sit in Chester’s now-empty seat. “Good to see you, Chester. Take care,” she said. She was still latched on to Travis, but she didn’t want to risk losing him and regaining Chester.

Chester struggled to his hands and knees and crawled away, still weeping and murmuring Summer’s name.

“Why did you make that little boy cry?” Travis whispered.

Lacy saw the mischief twinkling in his eyes and poked his ribs. She was glad to see some hint of amusement return to his features. He had taken Riley’s marriage to Tosh hard. Riley had been his dream woman, and he had tricked himself into thinking he had a chance with her, despite their one and only nightmare of a first date. “That was some guy from my class.”

“You were his teacher? Even worse, Lacy. Poor wittle fella.”

“Hush, child. It’s good to see you. What brings you around?”

“A certain detective waylaid me while I was leaving the station. I think he’s worried about you and wanted to make sure you made it home safely. Plus, we graduated from the same school, remember? I played football.”

She didn’t often think of him as a fellow alum because he was so much younger. At twenty, he had only been out of school two years verses her eight. He picked up her soda and drained it, but she didn’t care. Travis was one of those people with whom she was completely comfortable and she hadn’t seen him much since she and Jason started dating.

“This crowd is old,” he said, scanning the interior of the restaurant.

“Most of these people are from my class,” Lacy said.

“I know.” He dodged her poke and shoved her hand away. His eyes settled on Kimber and lingered. “Who’s that?”

Kimber, who was watching them, heard his question and laughed. “You know we’re sitting two feet apart and I can hear you,” she said.

Travis’s hand went immediately to his midsection and pressed reassuringly over his stomach; Lacy swooped in for a rescue. He became nervous around attractive women. She didn’t want another pair of shoes ruined by his twitchy gut. “This is my college roommate, Kimber, who coincidentally also happens to be an alum. Kimber, this is Travis, jail guard and all-around super good guy.”

“I don’t remember you,” Kimber said.

“Travis was a few years behind us in school,” Lacy said.

“Why is he staring at me?” Kimber asked, her tone defensive.

“He thinks you’re pretty,” Lacy said.

“What’s wrong with him?” Kimber said. Travis was still staring at her, smiling so that he showed all his teeth. To someone who didn’t know him, the expression might have looked like a snarl. To Lacy, it looked like terror.

“He gets a little tongue tied around women, and his nervous system is sort of hardwired to his digestive system. He’ll warm up to you eventually. After he gets over this part, he’s really sweet and lovable.”

Travis’s eyes darted to her, but he didn’t lose the frantic grin. Kimber leaned across the table and patted his hand. “You can relax, kiddo. You’re too young for me.”

“Uh-oh,” Lacy said as Travis stood and bolted from the building. She turned in time to see him dash outside. Should she follow him? “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“All I did was pat his hand and try to reassure him.”

“I know, but he’s been worse lately. He worked himself up for a date with Riley, and it was awful. He’s been gun shy and miserable since then. He really is a sweet kid. I should go check on him.” She started to rise, but Kimber stood with a sigh.

“I’ll check on him. Maybe if I try to talk to him out there where he’s free to lose control of his bowels, he’ll stop being terrified of me.”

“Good luck, and stand back. He’s a gusher.”

“There is something seriously wrong with this town,” Kimber muttered as she made her way outside.

Kimber and Travis returned a short time later. They weren’t exactly new best friends, but neither did Travis look like he might need an IV for dehydration any time soon. Kimber must have convinced him she was harmless due to lack of interest because they returned, sat, and didn’t say another word to each other. A few minutes later, some of Travis’s friends from his class showed up, and he left to spend time with them.

“Don’t leave without telling me,” he warned Lacy, and then he was gone. Lacy tried to hang on and join the conversation swirling around her. She still hadn’t asked anyone about Summer, except Chester, but she was exhausted. The day had been too long.

“Kimber, I’m falling asleep,” Lacy said. Kimber fished in her purse and tossed Lacy the keys.

“I’m going to stay awhile. I’ll catch a ride.”

“Thanks,” Lacy mumbled, stifling a yawn. At the bar, Travis was sucking on a soda and talking animatedly to an actual female of the species. Lacy didn’t want to disturb him when he had a good thing going. She texted him, but he didn’t hear the buzz. He would get it later and know she went home.

She had only taken a few steps outside when she was roughly grabbed and tossed against the bricks. Strong arms pinned hers to the wall. Brady hovered over her smelling of alcohol and vomit.

“What are you doing?” Lacy yelled. She was too surprised to be frightened. Brady had teased her mercilessly for years, but he had never been violent.

“You set me up to fall off that bull,” he accused.

“You set yourself up by being stupid drunk. Let me go.” She tried to wriggle free of his grasp, but he wouldn’t budge.

“You owe me something, and I’m not letting go until I get it.”

Icy prickles of fear began to make their way up and down her spine. Just because she had known Brady all her life didn’t mean she really knew him. What was he capable of, and to what was he alluding? “What are you talking about?”

“You know what I’m talking about. I don’t like teases, Lacy. Ask Summer about that.”

“Summer’s dead,” she pointed out.

His smile turned evil. “Yes she is, isn’t she?”

She drew in a sharp breath. “Did you kill Summer?”

“What do you think?” he said. He leaned in to try and plant a kiss on her lips. Lacy jerked away. He gripped her wrists tighter. She brought her knee up hard, and he crumpled to the ground. She stepped over him and jogged to Kimber’s car. The restaurant was much closer, but she wasn’t thinking clearly; she could only think of escape.

She flung open the car door, slammed it closed and locked it before she fumbled for the keys. Her hands were shaking. She started the car and pulled out her phone to call Jason. It went straight to voicemail. Lacy guessed that he was still at the sheriff’s office and his phone was dead. He often forgot to charge it when he worked unforeseen overtime. She tried calling the station, but no one knew where he was. She called his home phone, but there was no answer. A quick check of her rearview mirror showed her no one was following, and she started to calm down. Brady was drunk, but that was no excuse for manhandling her. In the morning, she would find Jason and tell him what had happened. He would know best how to handle the situation, if he didn’t break Brady’s face first. In the meantime, she would get some much needed rest.

She arrived at the hotel and called the night manager, Marv, to come walk her to the door. He was a chatty guy, and she was glad to have conversation. He walked her all the way to her room. “Not that I mind helping you out, Miss Steele, but why didn’t you have that guy you came in with walk you inside?” he asked as they parted ways in front of her room.

“What guy? I didn’t come in with anyone.”

“Sure you did. He was right behind you the whole time,” Marv said. “I’m surprised he’s not here now because he stuck so close.” He turned and scanned the hallway.

“Marv, I’m about half asleep now, so forgive me for clarifying. Are you saying that someone followed me from the parking lot, into the building, and down the hall?”

“Yeah, I thought you were together. I’ve been trying to figure out what you needed me for, no offense. I guess maybe I was wrong; maybe it only looked like he was following you.”

“What did he look like?” Was Jason trying to sneak up on her?

“Average fella.”

Not Jason, then. Even another man wouldn’t describe him as average. If they could overlook his glaring good looks, they couldn’t help but notice his well-chiseled physique. Men noticed how well other men were built; it was an odd fact of life. Brady might be described as average, but would he be able to walk? Not likely.

“You go inside, Miss Steele,” Marv commanded, his tone changing to worry. “I’ll take a look around. Lock your doors up good and tight, and I’ll send some people around all through the night to make sure you’re okay.”

“Thanks, Marv,” she said. She reached out and gave his arm a pat. He smiled and waited to walk away until she was safely locked in her room. She didn’t point out to him that someone might be waiting in her room. Jason would have insisted on checking it before she entered, but Marv wasn’t a cop, and he lacked a cop’s paranoia. She checked the room and, finding it safe, plopped into bed and fell almost immediately asleep.

Sometime later, a knock roused her. She looked at the clock and groaned. Morning already. How had that happened? The knock sounded again, more urgent this time. She glanced at the other bed, afraid to wake Kimber. Years of experience had taught her that Kimber didn’t like to be woken early, something they had in common, but Kimber wasn’t there.

“Who is it?” Lacy asked with some of last night’s remembered trepidation.

“It’s me,” Jason said.

Lacy scrambled out of bed and ducked into the bathroom. “Just a sec.”

“Lacy, let me in,” he urged.

“Just a sec.” She caught sight of her tangled mass of hair and sleep crusted eyes and pushed down a cry of distress. “I’m, uh, not decent.”

“Is that supposed to deter me? Let me in faster.”

“Heh, heh, good one. Just a second.” She tried to comb her hair but lost the comb again. Instead of taking time to fish it out, she gathered it along with her mass of tangled hair and fastened it on top of her head before quickly brushing her teeth, popping in her contacts, and dusting a layer of powder on her face. As she sprinted to the door, she smeared a gloss on her lips, tossing the gloss into the corner before quickly opening the door.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hey,” Jason said. He jostled her aside as he let himself in, and then she was being swallowed in his embrace. “How do you wake up so cute?”

“Good genes,” she said, hoping he didn’t notice her suspiciously fresh breath and shiny lips.

“Where’s Kimber?” he asked.

“I have no idea, and I’m worried.” She picked up her phone and checked it, but there were no messages. She dialed Kimber’s number, but it went straight to voicemail. She left a semi-frantic message. It wasn’t like Kimber to not come home, and especially without any word.

“I’m sure she’s fine,” Jason said. “Someone would have called me if she wasn’t.”

She took some comfort in that. No news was good news when dating a cop. “Lacy, what happened to you?”

She looked down to asses herself. To which set of bruises was he referring? When one was accident prone, one learned to overlook minor abrasions. He reached for her hands and stared at her wrists. There were ugly bruises where Brady had pinned her to the wall.

“Brady,” she said, furious with him all over again for touching her that way, for making her afraid. She filled Jason in on the story. He became quieter with every second until his ominous silence equaled the calm before a thunderstorm.

“I sent Travis there to take care of you,” he said in a barely controlled tone.

“This isn’t Travis’s fault. He told me to tell him when I left, but I didn’t want to disturb him. I’m a grown woman, Jason, and I can take care of myself.”

He held up her wrist between them as an example.

“Most of the time,” she amended. “Besides, I got away and Brady is going to be walking funny for quite some time.”