The Reunion

by Suzanne Rossi

  Glory Ecklund fainted dead away in her husband’s arms. He lowered her to the stone floor, his face a mask of anger—and fear.

  ****

  The police arrived and directed everyone from the terrace into the ballroom with orders not to leave until they’d been questioned. When the forensics team and the coroner arrived, they pulled the body from the water, and a distraught Eric made the gruesome identification of his wife.

  Carl took over the care of Eileen, while Meghan helped Tom deal with a shaken Glory. They sat at the table while Glory mumbled biblical passages.

  “Shall I get her a drink?” Meghan asked Tom.

  “No, water will do for now, but I wouldn’t mind a good stiff belt. Bourbon is fine.”

  She hurried toward the bar and glanced outside the terrace doors where Zach talked with the cops. By now everybody in the room knew what had happened. The band had ceased playing and the conversation had dwindled to a muted hum in the air.

  Dave had grabbed Suzanne’s hand and whisked her through the door. The two of them sat alone, heads close together, at a table in the far corner of the room. Meghan had never seen Suzanne so subdued, or Dave so tense. Several classmates shot covert glances at the couple.

  Friends gathered around a stunned and sobbing Eric.

  She ordered Tom’s bourbon, a glass of wine for herself, and amaretto for Zach. She walked back slowly and deposited the drinks on the table.

  Tom bolted the whisky in two gulps, and then continued to comfort Glory.

  “It’s going to be all right, honey,” he said, stroking the disheveled hair from her face.

  Glory mumbled and stared straight ahead as if in a trance. It gave Meghan the creeps. She sipped the wine, waiting for Zach to return with news.

  Glory clapped a hand over her mouth and rose. “Oh dear! I’m going to be sick!”

  She turned and bolted toward the banquet hall doors, Tom running in her wake.

  Meghan was tempted to follow, but Zach and the sheriff along with several deputies walked through the terrace doors. She recognized the sheriff as Ray Armstrong. Twenty years ago, he’d been a young deputy. He walked onstage to the microphone. Zach approached the table and sat next to her.

  “Well?”

  Zach shrugged. “Forensics is sifting through every piece of gravel in the path and under every lily pad in the pond. We’ll know when they feel like telling us.”

  “May I have your attention, please?” the sheriff announced. The mike squealed and he backed away while one of the deputies adjusted the sound. “Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please. I’d like you all to take the seats you occupied earlier this evening. We’ll be around to get statements as quickly as we can. As soon as we finish, you can leave. I ask that you be patient. Thank you.”

  Several in the crowd groaned.

  “I want to go home now,” a woman whimpered.

  “This is silly. None of us killed the poor woman,” a man stated.

  “That’s right,” another man added. “Some vagrant came across her in the dark and tried to rob her.”

  “If I was Eric Peterson, I’d sue the hotel. They should have had security guards patrolling the garden,” a woman declared.

  A shaken Glory supported by Tom returned. He lowered her into a chair, seated himself next to her, and patted her hands.

  Meghan leaned forward. “Glory, are you all right?”

  She nodded and answered in a quavering voice. “I’m fine. I…I threw up.”

  “Well, of course you did. Perfectly natural,” her husband said. “Can I get you something to drink? More diet soda?”

  “No, thank you, honey. I’ll just drink water. It was all such a shock.”

  Meghan silently agreed as she sipped more wine.

  Sheriff Armstrong left the stage and pointed the three deputies to the first tables in front. He headed for theirs, wedging a chair between Tom Ecklund and Ted Kramer. Jill scooted closer to Meghan.

  “This is horrible,” Jill whispered as she wiped tears from her eyes with a napkin. “Eric is devastated. I was just talking to Annabelle a little while ago. They have four kids. The youngest is only two. She was so proud of them.”

  Dave guided a quiet Suzanne to her chair. Suzanne lit a cigarette. Dan Masterson walked up with a frown.

  “We had this discussion before, Suzanne. No smoking.”

  The redhead looked up and snapped, “Fuck off, asshole.”

  “It is against the law…”

  “Mr. Masterson, perhaps it would be better if you returned to your table,” the sheriff suggested.

  “As a former senior class president and a city councilman, I feel it’s my duty to remain visible. The people, many of them my constituents, need a calm, reassuring presence.”

  Suzanne glared. Dave curled his lip and sucked a sizable portion from his glass. Zach raised an eyebrow, giving Dan a cool look. Meghan wanted to follow Glory’s lead and throw up. A woman was dead, and Dan Masterson sounded every inch the campaigning politician.

  “My thoughts exactly, sir. Your leadership would best be served by setting a good example,” Sheriff Armstrong answered in a soothing voice.

  Dan straightened and adjusted his tie. “Yes, I see your point, Sheriff.”

  He shot Suzanne a nasty glance and walked away.

  “You know, miss, there is a law against smoking in public places, and while I can understand your need for nicotine at a moment like this, I’d appreciate it if you’d put the cigarette out.”

  Suzanne sighed, but dropped it into a water glass where the glowing tip hissed and was extinguished.

  “Satisfied?” she asked.

  “Yes, thank you.” He brought out a notebook and a pencil, and then turned his gaze on Ted Kramer. “Your name?”

  “Ted Kramer. This is my wife, Jill.”

  “Which one of you is the graduate?”

  “I am,” Jill answered in a wavering voice.

  “Where do you live?”

  Ted gave an address in St. Louis.

  Sheriff Armstrong jotted down the information in his notebook, and then questioned, “What can you tell me about tonight?”

  “To me, everything seemed perfectly normal,” Ted told him. “We had a few drinks, chatted with some of Jill’s classmates, and danced.”

  “Did you talk with Annabelle Peterson?”

  “Jill introduced us, but that’s about all. We talked to her husband for a couple of minutes, and then moved on to another table.”

  “When was this?”

  “After dinner, but before the band started. I can’t give you a specific time.”

  “How about you, Mrs. Kramer? Did you talk to either Mr. or Mrs. Peterson?”

  Jill sipped some water and nodded. “Eric and I were classmates. Annabelle graduated the year after us. They dated all through high school. I wasn’t surprised to find they’d married.”

  “So, you knew Mrs. Peterson prior to tonight,” the sheriff stated.

  “I knew her, but not well. She was on the pom-pom squad. Everybody loved her.”

  “What did the two of you talk about?”

  Jill shrugged and raised her hands palms up. “The usual—kids, where we lived, the reunion—just ordinary things.”

  “Any idea who might want her dead?”

  “None whatsoever. Annabelle got along with everybody. She chatted with a lot of people tonight. I saw her leave about half an hour or so before the screaming started.”

  “Which door did she use?”

  “The one to the terrace.”

  “Did you see anybody follow her outside?”

  “Are you kidding? It’s hotter than hell in here. People were coming and going on a regular basis.” Jill shuddered and swiped at her eyes again. “I just can’t believe this has happened.”

  “Are you staying in the hotel?”

  “Yes,” Ted answered. “Room five-twenty.”

  “Thank you. You’re free to leave.”

  Meghan watched Ted and Jill
rise, then head for the lobby. Several people from other tables did the same as the deputies finished with them. At this rate, it would take hours to question everyone.

  Sheriff Armstrong turned his attention to Tom and Glory. Meghan noted with relief that Glory appeared more in control.

  “Tom, Glory, I’ll be as quick about this as I can. Then the two of you can get home.”

  “Oh, we’re staying at the hotel,” Tom told him.

  “Why? You live two miles away.”

  Glory smiled and sipped some water. “I’m on the reunion committee and thought it would make better sense to stay overnight in case someone from out of town needed something. I suggested it to Eileen a couple of weeks ago. She thought it was a good idea.”

  “What’s your room number?”

  “Four-nineteen,” she replied.

  “Tom, describe your view of the evening. Did you talk to Annabelle?” the sheriff asked.

  “I spoke with her and Eric after we ate. It was just a quick ‘hello, how are you’ kind of thing. I don’t even remember what we talked about.”

  “How was the party going?”

  “Fine. I was having a lot of fun.”

  Ray Armstrong’s eyes shifted to Glory. “How about you, Glory? Did you talk to Annabelle?”

  “Some. I remember speaking to her just before the dancing started. I welcomed her and Eric back to Grandview. They live in Cincinnati, you know. We chatted for a few minutes about family and such, and then I moved on to another table.”

  “Was Tom with you the whole time?”

  “What do you mean, was I with her?” Tom demanded with an indignant expression.

  The sheriff raised his hand. “Relax, Tom. If the two of you were separated, then you may have seen different things.”

  “Well, you didn’t ask that of Ted and Jill.”

  “Jill would have stayed close to her husband to introduce him to her classmates, whereas you and Glory already know most of the people present.”

  Glory laid her hand on Tom’s arm. “Don’t worry, dear. I’m sure Ray doesn’t suspect us of anything. What else do you want to know?”

  “Did you see Annabelle leave the room?”

  “No, I’m afraid not.”

  “Did you leave the room at any time?”

  “Yes, I went to the ladies’ room a couple of times, and stepped onto the terrace for a moment to catch a breath of air.” She frowned. “I’m afraid we didn’t think about how hot the room might become with the dancing and all.”

  “Any idea who’d want to hurt Annabelle Peterson?”

  Glory shot a nasty glance at Suzanne before smiling at the sheriff. “No. She was the sweetest person in the whole world. Are you sure she didn’t stumble and fall, or have a stroke or something?”

  “I can’t say much right now, but we don’t think it was an accident. Glory, I understand you fainted when you discovered the body was that of Annabelle Peterson.”

  “I’m afraid I did. It was all so shocking and I’d been so worried about everyone having a good time, I didn’t eat much dinner. And it was so hot in the room. I guess it all just got to me. I feel silly about it.”

  “Are you all right?” the sheriff asked.

  “Oh, I’m fine. Maybe when we go upstairs I can order a sandwich from room service.”

  “Can we go now?” Tom challenged in a rough tone.

  “Yes, of course. I’ll keep in touch.”

  Tom shoved his chair back and helped Glory from hers. With his arm around his wife’s shoulders, he steered her out of the room.

  Zach frowned. “Why don’t you think it was just an accident? It’s dark. The path is hard to walk on, especially for a woman in high heels. Why couldn’t she have stumbled, fallen, hit her head, and tumbled into the pond?”

  The sheriff’s eyes bored into Zach. A chill raced up Meghan’s spine. Zach had been as quiet as she during the interrogation. Was he also taking mental notes?

  “I agree with Zach,” Dave interjected. “This whole thing was a silly accident. And even if it wasn’t, I say someone who shouldn’t have been on the hotel grounds was lying in wait for a guest to stroll by, knock them on the head, and rob the poor sucker. I’m sorry Annabelle’s dead, but you’re just keeping us here to play policeman.”

  Dave had a surly look on his face along with a fine sheen of sweat along his hairline. His hands trembled. Meghan wondered if it was the booze or nerves.

  Why would Dave Coryell be nervous?

  She tried to recall the last time she’d seen him. Hadn’t it been as the dancing started? He was across the room talking to some football buddies.

  “Mr. Coryell, I assure you I’m not deliberately wasting either my time or anybody else’s with foolish questions just to look official.” Ray Armstrong’s voice had a frosty tone. He looked at Zach who stared back. “We found bruising and cuts on her upper torso from the rocks around the lip of the pond. Her legs are also scraped. That’s not consistent with a fall. A thief may have attacked, held her head underwater, and then heaved her in.”

  “Oh, my God,” Meghan said with a gasp. This got worse by the minute.

  She glanced at Suzanne who, pale as a ghost, stared at the sheriff with wide eyes. The woman’s silence was out of character. She cast her eyes down and traced an invisible pattern on the tablecloth with a coral-tipped fingernail, then slid a sidelong glance toward Dave who sweated as though in a sauna, but not before Meghan caught the fear in her eyes.

  Suzanne knows this was no accident.

  Chapter Five

  I killed Annabelle Peterson? How could I make such a stupid mistake? I was so focused on Suzanne, I hadn’t given anyone else another thought. Never noticed that their dresses were similar, if not the same. And in the dark, I totally missed the hair color, especially once it was in the water.

  You goofed. Get a grip. Act horrified. The last wouldn’t be a stretch. And while I didn’t really know Annabelle Peterson, I was sorry she died. Collateral damage occurs. It can’t be helped.

  I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. As usual, no one paid any particular attention to me. All eyes were on Suzanne and that obnoxious Dave Coryell. They sat talking in the corner, heads close together.

  And Eileen Raymond was the perfect person to discover the body. Her hysterical reaction on the terrace helped fuel the fire. Then, Suzanne’s appearance and Eric Peterson’s emergence onto the patio spoiled the entire outcome. A totally wasted effort on my part. I was angry with myself.

  I studied the guests when they took their original seats as per the sheriff’s request.

  Suzanne knows. She understands. So does Meghan. I can see it in her face. Zach’s probably clued in, too. They all know it was a case of mistaken identity. Suzanne will be on guard now. I shook my head. Never mind. Think about it later. You’ll get her eventually. But for now, just answer whatever questions the sheriff asks.

  ****

  “Your turn,” the sheriff said to Zach. “Name, address, and what you do for a living.”

  Trying to hide his disgust with Dave, Zach shot a quick glance at the man sitting next to him, seemingly impatient with the repetitive questions before answering.

  “Zachary Dunbar. I live in Phoenix, and I’m the owner and CEO of Dunbar Electronics and Data Systems.”

  “Phoenix, that’s a long way to come for a high school reunion.”

  Zach shrugged. “It was a last minute decision. I didn’t e-mail my acceptance until a few weeks ago.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “You didn’t ask one,” Zach replied.

  The sheriff raised an eyebrow. “So, I didn’t. Why did you suddenly decide to come back to Grandview?”

  “Who knows? I’ve been working hard for ten years to build my company. When I came across the invitation in a stack of old mail, I thought why not.”

  “Nothing like success to motivate a person.”

  Zach gave the sheriff credit for being perceptive. Consciously, that was h
is reasoning, but Meghan had floated in his subconscious. No need for the sheriff to know that.

  “I’ve heard about Dunbar Electronics. Is the home office in Phoenix?

  “Yes, but I also have branches in Silicon Valley, Dallas, and just closed a deal to buy a small electronics outfit in Southern California.”

  The sheriff leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Do you know Paul Treadwell, the king of software?”

  Zach nodded. “Yes. He’s a nice guy and ten times smarter than me, which explains why he’s worth billions and I’m not.”

  Sheriff Armstrong laughed, and then got back to business. “Let’s see, according to my notes, you and Carl Davis found the body, is that right?”

  “No. Carl’s wife Eileen found the body. She was hysterical, so Carl and I went into the garden to see for ourselves. We thought she might be imagining things or that someone was playing a practical joke.”

  Sheriff Armstrong’s eyes cut to Dave and Suzanne. He raised an eyebrow again and made a notation in his notebook.

  Zach also spared the two a glance. Both squirmed and refused to meet anybody’s eyes. If he remembered correctly, the two of them and Tami and Eddie accounted for a fair amount of mischief during their high school years.

  “Obviously, it wasn’t a joke. Tell me about it.”

  “Excuse me, Sheriff, but don’t you already have this information?” Dave demanded.

  “I spoke very briefly to Mr. Dunbar and Mr. Davis outside. Now, I want more details. Is that all right with you, Mr. Coryell?”

  Dave bit his lip, rose, and left for the bar.

  “I’ll take another, too,” Suzanne called after him.

  “Get your own. And put it on your tab for a change,” he snapped.

  Suzanne mumbled something that sounded like ‘jackass’ under her breath and followed Dave.

  “Give me the details, Mr. Dunbar.”

  “Carl and I decided to check out the pond before calling the police. If it was a joke, we saw no need to involve you.”

  “Did you know where the pond was located?”

  “No, but Eileen had come running in from our left, so we followed the path until we saw a sign saying ‘Koi Pond’ with an arrow pointing down a smaller path.”