and forget about Dave, Glory, Annabelle, and that horse’s ass, Dan Masterson. She especially wanted to forget about Tami and Eddie.
More people wandered onto the terrace, into the gardens, and back again. Small snatches of conversation drifted her way, but Suzanne shut them out. The booze made her groggy, and she slipped into that realm of twilight sleep—not awake, but not asleep either.
She had no idea how long she dozed. A loud bark of laughter brought her back to full consciousness. She sat upright and peered around the screen of greenery. The band had resumed and music drifted out into the night. On the far side of the terrace, she noticed a couple dancing in the shadows. Five or six people stood near the doors.
“Laugh all you want, but I can feel my hips growing. The food was fantastic, but I need to walk it off.” Eileen Raymond said. “Anyone care to join me in the garden?”
“Are you kidding? Those pathways are crushed stone. I’ll break a heel,” a woman responded.
“Not me. I’m afraid of the dark,” a man replied with a chuckle.
Eileen waved at their jokes and sauntered down the steps, then turned left.
Suzanne sipped her second cranberry juice, and then dumped it into the plant.
She pulled another cigarette from her purse, and lit up. About to leave, the conversation stopped her cold.
“Did you see Suzanne Wayland? She was alone almost all night,” one of the women said.
“Yeah, Dave Coryell practically ignored her,” another female voice chimed in. “Wonder how she likes being on the outside looking in for a change. Serves her right.”
“I feel kind of sorry for her,” a man answered. “I heard her husband died.”
“And left her pots of money,” one of the women added in a scornful tone. “Must have taken her down a peg to see Annabelle Peterson in the same dress.”
“How come women are so catty? So it was the same dress? So what?”
“Men just don’t get it.”
“Come on, let’s go back inside. I’m ready to dance again.”
Suzanne gulped the anger burning at her throat.
“Jealous bunch of bitches. How many of them are wearing designer originals? How many of them are sporting fifty thousand dollars worth of diamonds tonight?” she muttered in distain.
She wanted to run over and kick all of them in the ass with her Jimmy Choos.
The laughter still echoed when a scream ripped the night air.
Chapter Four
Meghan jerked away from Zach as the scream was repeated, closer this time. Stumbling footsteps accompanied by ragged breathing emanated from the graveled pathway to her left.
“What the hell?” Zach said.
The high-pitched shriek turned into a wail as Eileen Raymond staggered up the terrace steps. The toe of her shoe caught the last one, and she fell to her hands and knees.
Zach and Meghan, along with several other people, ran to help her.
“Eileen, what’s wrong?” Zach asked. He and another man lifted her.
“Honey, what’s the matter?” the man questioned.
Meghan assumed he was Eileen’s husband.
Eileen’s teeth chattered. Hair straggled from the elegant French twist, hanging around her cheeks and bulging eyes, while she continued to sob. Her face was ashen beneath the tear-streaked make-up.
“Eileen, get a hold of yourself,” her husband demanded.
Meghan doubted that would happen. The woman trembled from head to foot like a tree in a storm. Her eyes rolled back into her head.
“Keep her standing,” Meghan ordered the men. She stepped in front of her hysterical classmate, and then slapped her hard across the cheek. “Eileen, calm down.”
Eileen hiccupped, swallowed, but stopped the noise, even though she continued to gasp.
“What’s wrong?” Zach asked again.
“Did someone attack you?” The husband’s angry gaze swept the darkened foliage. “I knew you shouldn’t have gone into the garden by yourself. Did you see who it was? Can you identify the man?”
The band still played, but a sizable crowd now pressed onto the
More people wandered onto the terrace, into the gardens, and back again. Small snatches of conversation drifted her way, but Suzanne shut them out. The booze made her groggy, and she slipped into that realm of twilight sleep—not awake, but not asleep either.
She had no idea how long she dozed. A loud bark of laughter brought her back to full consciousness. She sat upright and peered around the screen of greenery. The band had resumed and music drifted out into the night. On the far side of the terrace, she noticed a couple dancing in the shadows. Five or six people stood near the doors.
“Laugh all you want, but I can feel my hips growing. The food was fantastic, but I need to walk it off.” Eileen Raymond said. “Anyone care to join me in the garden?”
“Are you kidding? Those pathways are crushed stone. I’ll break a heel,” a woman responded.
“Not me. I’m afraid of the dark,” a man replied with a chuckle.
Eileen waved at their jokes and sauntered down the steps, then turned left.
Suzanne sipped her second cranberry juice, and then dumped it into the plant.
She pulled another cigarette from her purse, and lit up. About to leave, the conversation stopped her cold.
“Did you see Suzanne Wayland? She was alone almost all night,” one of the women said.
“Yeah, Dave Coryell practically ignored her,” another female voice chimed in. “Wonder how she likes being on the outside looking in for a change. Serves her right.”
“I feel kind of sorry for her,” a man answered. “I heard her husband died.”
“And left her pots of money,” one of the women added in a scornful tone. “Must have taken her down a peg to see Annabelle Peterson in the same dress.”
“How come women are so catty? So it was the same dress? So what?”
“Men just don’t get it.”
“Come on, let’s go back inside. I’m ready to dance again.”
Suzanne gulped the anger burning at her throat.
“Jealous bunch of bitches. How many of them are wearing designer originals? How many of them are sporting fifty thousand dollars worth of diamonds tonight?” she muttered in distain.
She wanted to run over and kick all of them in the ass with her Jimmy Choos.
The laughter still echoed when a scream ripped the night air.
Chapter Four
Meghan jerked away from Zach as the scream was repeated, closer this time. Stumbling footsteps accompanied by ragged breathing emanated from the graveled pathway to her left.
“What the hell?” Zach said.
The high-pitched shriek turned into a wail as Eileen Raymond staggered up the terrace steps. The toe of her shoe caught the last one, and she fell to her hands and knees.
Zach and Meghan, along with several other people, ran to help her.
“Eileen, what’s wrong?” Zach asked. He and another man lifted her.
“Honey, what’s the matter?” the man questioned.
Meghan assumed he was Eileen’s husband.
Eileen’s teeth chattered. Hair straggled from the elegant French twist, hanging around her cheeks and bulging eyes, while she continued to sob. Her face was ashen beneath the tear-streaked make-up.
“Eileen, get a hold of yourself,” her husband demanded.
Meghan doubted that would happen. The woman trembled from head to foot like a tree in a storm. Her eyes rolled back into her head.
“Keep her standing,” Meghan ordered the men. She stepped in front of her hysterical classmate, and then slapped her hard across the cheek. “Eileen, calm down.”
Eileen hiccupped, swallowed, but stopped the noise, even though she continued to gasp.
“What’s wrong?” Zach asked again.
“Did someone attack you?” The husband’s angry gaze swept the darkened foliage. “I knew you shouldn’t have gone into the garden by yourself. Did you see who it was? Can you identify the man?”
The band still played, but a sizable crowd now pressed onto the
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