Murder List by Julie Garwood Page B

Regan asked, “What happened to Mary?”
    “She killed herself. At least that’s what everyone believes.”
    “Everyone but you?”
    She nodded. She put her napkin down and excused herself. “I’ll explain when I come back.” Sophie headed for the ladies’ room, leaving Regan hanging. Regan noticed the men at the table were all watching her friend pass by. Sophie knew it too, which was why she was walking with such an exaggerated stride. It’s all in the hips, she used to tell Cordie and Regan. If you wanted to get a man’s attention, move the hips. And heavens, was she moving them now. It certainly worked for her, Regan thought. She picked up the papers to look them over and happened to glance toward the entrance just as Cordie walked in.
    Everything about Cordie was a contradiction. Men found her quite sexy because she had an hourglass shape, long dark hair, and moved with the grace of a feline, but she was totally oblivious of any stares of admiration—the men at the table were now gawking at her—and she was far more comfortable underneath a car than inside it. Like Sophie, she was an only child and had lost her mother at an early age. Her father owned an extremely lucrative chain of auto repair shops all through the Midwest. Though he’d become a very wealthy man, in his heart he was still a mechanic, and as a way of bonding with his daughter, had taught her everything he knew about cars. He’d given her an old Ford a couple of years ago, and since then, she had rebuilt the engine and replaced everything but the muffler and the windshield.
    One night a week Cordie taught an auto mechanics class. She also taught chemistry at a local high school and at the same time was working on her PhD at the university. If she stayed on schedule, she’d be finished with her dissertation in another year.
    She was dressed in a black suit and a pale silk blouse. She looked quite chic. If Cordie had any flaws, it was her terrible taste in men.
    Sophie bumped into her on her way back from the ladies’ room. They both stopped to talk to Kevin.
    Regan watched them, smiling. Sophie was waving her hands around as she explained something.
    Kevin looked enraptured by whatever she was telling him, while Cordie stood there with her arms folded, nodding every so often.
    Sophie had the most energy of the three friends. Taller than Regan and Cordie, and almost a full year older than the two of them, she believed that since she was the oldest, she should always be in charge. In high school she was labeled a troublemaker—a title she worked hard to earn—and because she dragged Regan and Cordie into her schemes, they landed in detention on a regular basis. Sophie was still bossy, but nowadays, Cordie and Regan rarely went along with any of her plans.
    Regan had a feeling that this weekend might turn out to be an exception.
    Cordie gave a quick wave as she walked down the aisle and slid into the booth across from Regan.
    Sophie was still talking to Kevin. His boss, Mr. Laggia, had joined the conversation.
    “I’m starving,” Cordie said. “And no wonder. It’s one o’clock. Are you ready to order? Sophie said she already did.”
    “I’m ready. What’s she talking to Kevin and Mr. Laggia about?”
    “She thinks it would be a nice idea to feature the restaurant again and is going to talk to the food editor about it.”
    Cordie motioned to the waiter, and after the two of them had ordered their lunch, she nodded to the folded papers. “Are those copies of Mary Coolidge’s diary?”
    “Yes,” Regan answered. “You’ve read it?”
    “I have. It’s heartbreaking.”
    “Why didn’t you mention any of this when you called?”
    “I knew Sophie would want to tell you. It’s her plan after all.”
    “I haven’t heard the plan yet.”
    Cordie smiled. “You will,” she said. “Besides, she already made me promise I’d attend the reception and the weekend seminar, and I knew she was going to rope you into going too. She’s