Deadly Reunion

by June Shaw

  I swung my gaze sideways. Smiling passengers filled rows that trailed upward, ever higher into what appeared a black abyss capable of swallowing them whole. People came in and nudged past, apologizing for squeezing by. I nodded and swept my head toward the opposite side of the balcony, where hundreds more people sat.

  The music livened as I stood in place.

  I chanced a glance below. People on the right filled circular cushioned seats stretching from the center of the huge area. Sectional seating took up the sides, the dark shadowed sides. If I could make out a person I knew, one of my classmates or Gil, I could probably get down there and stay around. But here…

  “Can I help you find a seat?” A blond male steward gave me a smile. “There are a few empty ones down those rows.”

  Without turning to see where he meant, I shook my head. More latecomers brushed in beside me.

  “If you’d prefer to stand back here, you might want to get to the side,” the steward said. “Then people won’t bump you.”

  I stared at him. My mind grasped what he told me. It was something I knew without hearing the words. Yet even as I realized I needed to move, I could not.

  “Ma’am, are you all right?” He peered into my panicky eyes. Was he going to offer a straightjacket? Or strap me into one without asking?

  “That’s okay. I’ve got her.” Sue stepped near and snagged my arm. Turning me around, she led me like an old woman out of the theater.

  Bright lights in the wide corridor made me relax. I released a deep sigh.

  She kept a grip on my arm. “Isn’t it time you got over it?”

  “Thanks for the help. You can let go of my arm now,” I said, grateful for her aid but not ready for chastisement.

  She let go and followed as I walked farther from the balcony. “It’s a good show. You’d like it. I could take you back inside downstairs.”

  “I know that show’s terrific. I saw it the last time I came on this trip.”

  Sue bent her head toward me, her look doubtful. I also doubted whether it was the same performance I’d seen, but did not pinch my palm in case I was telling the truth. I figured it was at least similar to one I’d viewed. Most performances on cruises were so great I couldn’t believe all of that entertainment was included in the price of the trip.

  “Then we can do something else.” Sue spoke begrudgingly.

  “You go back in. I don’t need a sitter.”

  “Sometimes you do.” She strode beside me.

  I frowned, stepping my booted foot ahead as quickly as I could.

  Her legs moved faster. “I remember when my mom kept you,” she said, making me slow and glance at her. “You could be quite a brat.”

  “I could not.”

  A slow smile spread across her lips. “We had fun playing together, didn’t we?”

  I nodded, considering Sue’s mother and those great crab cakes she made and all of those spongy angel food cakes. We’d see-sawed on their gym set many times. Of course, the person beside me had been Stu, wearing baseball caps and T-shirts. Now she wore great heels and slimming dresses over a slender woman’s curves.

  “I can go to the later performance,” she said. “Let’s get a drink.”

  Maybe Tetter hadn’t drunk in excess, I considered, realizing most cruise ships contained many bars, probably because lots of us imbibed in them more than we did at home.

  We entered the well-lit Party Tyme, holding many younger people. Rock music resounded. We sat on barstools and ordered margaritas.

  “I don’t do well with many of these,” I said once I received my frozen drink and clinked large-bowled glasses with my aunt. “And this isn’t my first tonight.”

  “Good. Then maybe you’ll be friendly.”

  “Me? You’re the one who keeps withdrawing.”

  “You’ve been apprehensive about me since the minute you walked onboard.”

  “You told me off. You said I was old and fat.” I glanced at my stomach. Maybe she wasn’t far off. And although I wasn’t young, she was the same age.

  “I was kidding. Jeez, can’t you take a joke anymore? People used to be able to kid with you.”

  And this relative of mine had been annoying and always told jokes that weren’t funny. In school, we’d normally faked smiles.

  “I didn’t kill that man.” Her tone was loud. The words flew out of her mouth the minute a song ended. Certainly she hadn’t meant to have everyone hear her, but the entire bar grew quiet. Every person stared at her.

  “I’m sure you didn’t,” I said. “Would you like to go somewhere else?”

  She nodded. Carrying our drinks, we strolled out.

  “Oh, that was great.” She swallowed big gulps of her margarita.

  “Sue, were you with him when he died?”

  “Absolutely not!”

  “Did you know him? I mean, you know.”

  “Intimately?” She grimaced.

  I started to shake my head no but decided to forge ahead. “Yes.”

  She sucked in a loud breath. “Cealie—”

  “Cealie, Sue. There y’all are.” Randy strolled to us.

  Sue flung an angry glance at me, her chin tight, maybe warning me to shut up about our discussion.

  “You weren’t going to the performance in the theater?” I asked Randy, ready to send him away. I had begun asking Sue things I really wanted to know and wasn’t ready to let her go yet. I wasn’t mildly curious—I was concerned about a dead man and hoping my blood relative hadn’t killed him.

  Since I knew of their relationship, I might be the only person who could lead authorities to her. If my fears were correct.

  I checked her through the corner of my eye. Her lips shoved out in a pout.

  “I’m going to the late performance. Y’all want to come?” Randy asked.

  I envisioned my older cousin holding seven-year-old me over the balcony ledge. A massive shiver shook my body. “I’m not going.”

  “Are you sick? Or is it your ankle?” He peered at my booted foot.

  “I need the restroom,” Sue said and spurted away from us. I figured she wouldn’t come back. In fact, she might try to avoid me for the rest of the trip.

  “I went shopping,” Randy said, his face breaking into a large smile so reminiscent of the handsome teen he’d been in school. “Look what I found for the grandkids.” He opened a bag and drew out a tiny pink dress with a cruise ship embroidered across its bodice. Pride sparkled in his eyes.

  “That’s adorable.”

  “And look at this one.” He pulled out a boy’s knit shirt, about size ten, navy with a cruise ship plastered on the left side of the chest.

  “Nice,” I said, wondering if the kid wasn’t too old to want a boat on his shirt.

  “And I got them some other things. Some headband thingies for her and a huge ship puzzle for him.”

  I smiled, for the first time on this cruise seeing him in a new light. He was a grandparent. Just like me, some time after he left school he became blessed with the wonderful gift of becoming a parent. After that, he was chosen with the joyful task of becoming a grandparent.

  “You did a great job of shopping,” I said.

  He beamed, closing his bag almost reverently. “They’re my joy.”

  “I understand. We can love them and send them home without all of the responsibility we had when their parents were little.”

  He nodded and glanced around. “Have you seen Tetter? Or Jane?”

  “I guess they’re watching the performance unless they decided to see it later.”

  His brow creased. He took on a pensive look, like he was trying to decide where to go. And search for Tetter, I imagined.

  “I was heading for the Lido Deck,” I said, slipping my left fingernails into my right palm and pinching. Lies like this came too easily. I had no idea where I’d been heading. “How about joining me?”

  His creases deepened, definitely not a sign that he wanted to come with me.

  But I wanted t
o question him. What in the hell was he doing with Tetter during this trip? Had he created her major problem?

  “I could use some help getting around up there.” My lie slipped out as effortlessly as hair spray from an aerosol can. The only positive about these fibs was I was sorry I told them. Darn, I wished I could be flawless.

  Randy appeared deeper in thought. He needed a nudge to keep him with me.

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if Tetter was up there.” I pinched the hell out of my palm for that downright lie. The Lido Deck was the last place she might be. “Jane, too,” I added so he wouldn’t surmise I suspected him of having the hots for Tetter.

  “I guess I could go with you.” He glanced at the boot on my foot and clasped my elbow in an old-lady grip.

  Gritting my teeth, I allowed his assistance as we walked.

  “Oh, but we forgot Sue.” He peered backward. “You think she’s all right?”

  I was not going to spit out another lie. “She wanted to go somewhere else. I’m not sure where, but she was anxious to go.” She definitely was anxious to get away from my grilling.

  But here was someone else I wanted to question. Tetter needed help with a problem. The man leading me like a guard dog could be its cause.

  We waited for the elevator, exchanging pleasantries with people gathering to wait. Randy avoided looking at me. He gave pleasant smiles, like I did, to people riding up with us.

  We stepped out into brisk air, much colder than earlier in the day. The late evening wasn’t dark but carried in a hazy dusk. Snow-dappled mountains in the distance made me breathless from their beauty.

  “It’s cold out here. Would you mind going inside near the pool? We can look at sights through the glass,” I said.

  “Sure. I guess it’s colder since we’re heading toward Glacier Bay.” He turned his head in a circular motion as though wanting to check out every person on this open deck. Many lined the sides of the ship, staring into the sea and at gorgeous terrain. Most people wore fleece or heavy jackets. Many men snuggled against their women.

  I wanted to snuggle with Gil.

  “I’m going to catch a drink,” Randy said, glancing at the pool bar. “You’re having frozen margaritas, right?”

  “Right.” I took the opportunity to stare at passengers in this area, hoping I’d find one I really wanted to see.

  Gil.

  But maybe I didn’t only want to see him. Maybe I wanted him.

  Yep, that’s what it was, I decided, finishing off my second drink. Or was it my third? Or…well, those frozen things added to my chill and need for warmth.

  Randy returned with a frosty glass for me and a beer for himself. “Wine probably would have warmed you up more,” he said, glancing at my shaking arms.

  “So would sex.”

  His eyes brightened. His mouth formed the slightest grin.

  “Oh. I don’t mean with you.”

  He chuckled. “It might not be so bad. At least that’s what they tell me.” He pulled the door open, and we stepped inside a humid room with the fantastic swimming pool. The odor of bleach permeated the air. Children’s laughter rang out from the water.

  “Tell me about those people,” I said, brushing a section of thick salt aside on my glass’s rim. I swallowed a sip.

  Randy laughed self-consciously. “What do you want me to say—I’m good in bed? That would be kind of bragging.” He sipped his beer.

  “Okay.” I located a spot to stand near the window. “Who would tell me how good you are in bed?”

  He choked on his beer. “What’s the deal, Cealie? Are you going to write a column for the school paper? Why do you want to know about that?”

  “You and sex?” I swallowed a sip of my margarita. Thoughts swam around my head. Exactly how would I ask whether he and Tetter were having an affair? Maybe I didn’t need this last drink.

  “Are you okay?” Randy said.

  Did he think I was going bonkers? Getting early dementia?

  “Nope, I am jusst fine.” I slurred a pinch and pressed my finger into his chest to accentuate my statement. “How many people are you having sex with?”

  “Huh?” he said, nose wrinkled.

  “I didn’t exactly mean people. I don’t think you’re messing around with any guys, but how about our friend?”

  He chugged half of his beer. I drank from my glass, getting a mouthful of bitter coarse salt along with sweet tequila. He stared out of the glass wall. I did, too, noticing we passed more white-tipped mountains. Lovely.

  “Are you asking me about anyone in particular? Or do you think I’m taking advantage of all the women with us? Or maybe you’re thinking of some back home? There were a lot of girls in our class.”

  “Nope. I mean besides your wife, who you’ve said you’re happy with. How about one of the women with us for our little reunion?”

  He turned away. Randy placed his empty hand and the one holding his beer glass against the window. He stared outside. I did not think he noticed the water or mountains.

  I watched and waited, angry with him, sympathy shoving that emotion aside. This was a husband, a father, a grandpa. He appeared lost. Empty. Wanting.

  Wanting who? Or whom? I thought, unwillingly correcting my own grammar.

  I couldn’t hold my tongue any longer. “I know what I see. You want Tetter.”

  He drew his head back, arms stiff toward the window where his eyes continued to aim, although they gazed lower than before.

  “You want her. Or maybe you’ve already had her.” Words bubbling across my tongue as fast as tequila could slide into my mouth. “I saw you trying to get her attention ever since we came onboard,” I blurted, adding a chuckle. “All of the pictures of our group together are so funny, or horrible actually, with you frowning at me because I stuck myself between you and her.”

  “You have no idea.” He spoke in a quiet tone.

  “Sure, I do. You had a crush on her in junior high and then she started going out with Ted Engle, and he was five years older and you thought you didn’t stand a chance so you never asked her to go out.”

  Clattering silverware drew our attention. A steward dumped used silverware onto a cart.

  “Let’s go back outside,” Randy suggested. He indicated we should go to the opposite side of the ship, where there was only a slim outer walkway. He opened the door, and we stepped into icy air.

  Empty tables and chairs stood along the shiny teak floor. Beyond lifeboats farther along, a young man polished windows. A naturalist spoke over the loudspeaker, telling about sights. He mentioned whales breeching on the starboard, where we stood. I peered into the distance and spied a small waterspout. A tail flipped atop the water. Without binoculars, I could have sworn I looked at a porpoise instead of a whale. But I had seen many of both. Besides, my friend Tetter was much more important.

  Standing near the outer rail, I nudged Randy’s arm, shivered, and took a small sip of my drink. “At first on this ship, Tetter seemed unhappy about your advances,” I said, picking up on what I was determined to pry out of him. “But lately she seems to enjoy the attraction. I believe it’s just now that she’s gotten older, she likes the attention of a man. But that’s it. She’s flattered because a guy still finds her attractive.”

  Randy’s face tensed. He stared beyond me.

  The naturalist announced puffins and sea lions in view on icebergs close by.

  Ooos and ahs carried from people on higher decks.

  I peered at white chunks far below, able to see only small brownish figures. With a strange feeling of apprehension, I set down my glass, reached into my purse, and slid on my bifocals. I stared at nearby water and grinned at three sea lions lying on their backs on ice with their chins up, as though they slept on pillows. I also spied colorful sea birds with thick beaks and felt my eyeglasses slipping. They reached the tip of my nose. I grabbed them before they fell into the water.

  “You almost had a tragedy there,” Randy said. “It seems like you really need thos
e glasses.”

  “You don’t wear any?”

  “I have contacts.”

  Was he still so concerned about his looks? A moment after I considered that question, I envisioned my sexy outfits. Touché.

  Without bending over the side this time, I glanced at receding icebergs, tiny since this massive ship whizzed past them. I spied a puffin sliding off one and wished I could see the bird up close. But the main thing I needed to do was keep Randy involved in conversation. I had to find out if he had created Tetter’s problem, and if he had, I’d do everything in my power to keep him away from her.

  “It seems like we’re rushing to Glacier Bay, I guess because of the change of schedule,” I said. “We must have picked up whatever parts were needed from Sitka.” I considered what they needed to fix—mainly the morgue—and hoped they did it immediately. Jonathan was probably still in there.

  Randy peered into the distance ahead, apparently not concerned about ship repairs or puffins or whales. “I love my kids and grandkids.”

  “I love mine, too.” Tommy’s face sprang to mind, along with others in my family. I wanted to say how much I’d screwed up by not spending time with my son when I had the chance. Instead, I’d judged him and the man he was with. I could have tried to accept what my son told me—he was with someone else now—and then I could have spent time with them and also scheduled time later to visit my daughter-in-law and their children.

  I was ready to pour out those woes and glanced at Randy.

  Eyes harsh, he gave me an angry stare. “You just don’t know.”

  “Then tell me. You’re in love with Tetter. Or in lust with her. She has this major problem I’d hoped to help her with, but she won’t tell any of us about her trouble, so we can’t help until she does. I imagine it could be gambling or maybe drinking. Or you.”

  “Me?” he asked with a snicker.

  “Yes. You’re a happily married man, and she’s a happily married woman, and now you’re pressing her to have an affair.”

  He snorted. “Where do you get your information?”