Line Dancing Can Be Murder (9 page)

“All right. Thanks.” I nodded to Kim and kissed Annette on the cheek. “Happy birthday, honey. See you back in the room, Donna.”

Keith grabbed my wrist as I walked by him. “Don’t worry, Teresa. I’ll make sure Annette’s taken care of and everyone returns to the motel safely.”

Little did I know then what his idea of taking care of Annette meant.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Mama Bear

“Where’s Annette?” I asked Crystal the next morning. Donna and I pulled out some chairs and joined her, Jackie, and Kim at their table for breakfast at the Teton Steakhouse. They all had mugs of coffee and half-eaten plates of food in front of them.

“She’d just gotten up when I left the room and didn’t look so good. I think she’ll have a pretty bad hangover today.”

Everyone but me chuckled. “I was out like a light the moment my head hit the pillow. What time did you all get back to the motel?”

“The four of us got in around ten thirty,” Crystal said. “I’m not sure about Annette. I was exhausted and went right to sleep. Traveling and socializing all day zaps my energy. Plus, the night sweats are keeping me up at night. That natural remedy I’m taking isn’t worth crap.”

My head tilted, but it wasn’t Crystal’s menopausal symptoms that caused me concern. “What do you mean you don’t know about Annette? Didn’t she walk back with you from the bar?”

Donna absently moved sausage around her plate with a fork. “Keith bought her one more birthday drink as we were leaving and said he’d escort her to the motel.”

The blood in my veins caught fire and sizzled. “You weren’t supposed to leave her alone,” I hissed. Close to exploding, it took all my effort to keep my voice low so as not to attract attention from the other patrons.

“She wasn’t alone,” Kim reminded me. “Keith said he’d take care of her.”

My clenched fist banged the table. When a few people looked our way, I smiled and said, “Good morning” and unrolled my hand. Then my angry gaze raked over my friends. “I can’t believe you left her in the hands of a stranger, and drunk for the first time, too. Great friends you are.” I stood up, disgusted. “I’m going to check on her and make sure she’s all right.”

Kim stopped me with a hand on my arm. “She’s okay, Teresa. Just a little hung over. That’s all. What are you getting so worked up about, anyway? Annette’s a grown woman. Stop treating her like she’s a child.”

I inhaled a deep breath and plopped back into my chair. “You’re right, but she was vulnerable last night. As far as I know, that ass, Bruce, hasn’t called her since we left Illinois. Women can do stupid things when they’re upset and hurting, and drunk. Or when they feel they have something to prove.” I glanced at Jackie, who hadn’t yet commented. “Do you agree, Jackie?”

She shrugged her shoulders and slipped the sunglasses from on top of her head to cover her slightly puffy eyes.

“Stop worrying and eat something, Mama Bear,” Crystal advised. She pushed her plate of leftover eggs toward me. “Annette will meet us on the bus, and you’ll see she’s okay.

~ * ~

Annette was the last to board the coach. I was just about to go looking for her when she scurried past Keith without a passing glance and slid onto the seat next to Crystal. I couldn’t help but emit a small gasp. My friend was as pale as a ghost and her hands shook with a noticeable tremor.

Keith’s usual bright smile and cheerful voice came over the speakers, stopping me from darting across the aisle to ask if she felt all right. “We are
not
letting her drink again,” I whispered to my seatmate, Jackie.

“Good morning, folks!” Keith exclaimed.

“Good morning!”

Wayne maneuvered the bus out of the parking lot as Keith began his morning speech. “We have a full schedule today. Our first stop will be at the Grand Teton National Park visitor center for a little history, and where you’ll gaze upon the magnificent Grand Tetons and Snake River. After that, we’ll take you to a lovely little chapel called the Chapel of the Transfiguration. This was an Episcopal chapel built of logs in 1925 for ranchers in the isolated area to attend. Wayne and I have brought our last two tours there. People have really enjoyed the serenity of the area and the aspen groves surrounding it. Chances are, you’ll see pronghorn antelope, elk and deer springing through the meadows. Those are some great photo ops. Then we’re headed to Jenny Lake and Mount Moran, named after Thomas Moran, an artist who painted landscapes of the area. After a shopping stop, we’re on to beautiful Colter Bay, where we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch by the water. And that’s just the first half of our day!”

Although a tiny spark still burned under my skin for the way my friends had abandoned Annette the night before, I decided to stop acting like a mother hen and enjoy the day. After all, despite looking like death warmed over, she’d survived her birthday bash.

The morning was as spectacular as Keith had promised. I’d never seen such awesome beauty in my life and doubted I ever would again. The weather was perfect, as well.

As we ate our lunch on the banks of the amazingly beautiful Colter Bay, everyone was eager to share their favorite moments from that morning. Those of us who could get up and down without too many bones crackling and popping found spots on the grass while the majority of the group sat at picnic tables.

“I snapped a few good photos of some yellow-headed blackbirds who posed for us,” Bill said. He and Violet sat at one of the tables with her sister, Daisy, and Chuck.

“Wayne told us ringing the bell in that little chapel will bring good luck. I hope he’s right,” Daisy said. “At my age, I can use all the luck I can get.”

Chuck wiggled his eyebrows at her. “You’ve met me, Daisy. I’d say your luck has already changed for the better.”

“What about those trumpeter swans and white pelicans at Oxbow Bend?” Barb said from another table. “Weren’t they pretty?”

“What is that white flower I keep seeing all over the place?” Joyce inquired.

“Keith said it’s called common yarrow,” Winnie told her. “Did I show you the art I bought in the souvenir shop, Joyce? The artist is a Navajo, and he was actually there to sign the print. He told me he draws with colored pencils on ledger paper because that was the first type of paper the Indians received from the white man long ago.”

I smiled at the chatter going on around me and hoped I’d be healthy enough to take another trip like this when I was the age of my fellow travelers. Lying back in the fresh grass, I closed my eyes and savored the warm sun on my face and skin, thankful to be sharing the experience with my best friends.

Kim wasn’t far from me, also sitting on the grass. As I lay there thinking it would be so easy to nod off and take a quick nap, I heard the soft shuffle of feet and then Keith’s voice. My eyes remained closed, but my ears perked.

“Did you find anything interesting in the souvenir shop, Kim?” he asked quietly. When she didn’t answer, he said, “Maybe you found something interesting at the gift store when we were in Bryce Canyon. Did you happen to pick anything up there?”

When there was still no response from Kim, I opened my eyes and slowly turned my head in that direction. Kim’s mouth hung open, and her eyes were as wide as saucers.

“Cat got your tongue?” Keith asked, quirking that familiar grin.

My stomach rolled like a wave. The questions may have seemed innocent to someone less observant than me, but I sensed the threat in Keith’s tone and saw intimidation in his eyes. Why was he so interested in what she’d bought as souvenirs? And why did Kim look like she might faint? Or puke?

“Leave me alone, Keith,” she said softly.

He chuckled and walked away, not realizing I’d been watching and listening.

I sat up. “What was that about?” I asked Kim when he was out of earshot.

“Nothing.” She uncrossed her legs and stood up and stretched her back.

“It sounded like something to me. Something weird.”

“He was flirting. That’s all. Haven’t you noticed? He’s hitting on everyone under seventy on the bus.”

“He hasn’t hit on me,” I said, feigning disappointment.

“That’s because you give off that vibe.”

“What vibe?”

“That you aren’t interested. You don’t flirt, even unconsciously. By the way, have you contacted Phil since we’ve been away?”

I sighed. “Do you
all
know about me and Phil?”

“Of course we do, Teresa. You can’t hide your sexy business from your best friends.”

“So I’ve been told.”

She helped me up from the ground. I noticed everyone packing up and heading toward the parking lot.

“How’s Eddie?” I asked. I didn’t care for the man, but I suddenly felt like she needed me to acknowledge him. And I wanted to take the subject off of Phil and me.

She shrugged her shoulders. “You know Eddie. Nothing much changes with him. But at least he converses with me. That’s more than I can say for Bruce. Poor Annette. Do you know she takes anxiety medicine because of him? He makes her life hell.”

I was worried about Annette, especially since she’d acted depressed all day, but I had no intention of letting Kim change the topic. It was her I was thinking about at that moment. “Maybe you can take some time on this vacation to consider what or who
you
really want in your life, Kim. It’s not too late to make decisions that will make you happy.”

Her brows drew together. “Who says I’m unhappy?”

“I do. You’ve been acting different lately. I’ve seen a change in you, and it started around New Year’s Eve. What are you hiding?” I was tired of beating around the bush.

Her nostrils flared and she chewed her lower lip, probably to keep from biting my head off. “Looks like it’s about time to get back on the bus,” she snapped.

With that, she strode away, bringing our conversation to a screeching halt.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Bison, Elk and Bears, Oh My!

In 1988, 793,000 acres of Yellowstone National Park burned. It was the largest wildfire in recorded history of the park and lasted two months before the arrival of cool and moist weather in late autumn brought the fires to an end. That was only one of the many tidbits of interesting information Keith showered us with as Wayne entered the park early that afternoon and drove us past stands of dead lodgepole pines.

“The park is also home to diverse wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, bison and elk,” he said. His head turned, and he pointed out the window to a lone bison sauntering slowly down the road next to us. Those of us sitting next to windows plastered our faces to the glass while people from the opposite aisles moved to our side to catch a glimpse of the elderly beast.

“That bull was probably forced out of the herd due to his age,” Keith said.

“Poor thing. It’s the same as sticking us elderly in nursing homes,” Doris grumbled.

“Unfortunately, in nature, it’s survival of the fittest,” Keith responded with a sympathetic smile. “But you shouldn’t worry, Doris.” He grinned. “You’re still fit as a fiddle.”

Despite my suspicions that Keith was a playboy of the worst kind, there was no concrete evidence (as of yet) with which to support my theory, except that neither Annette nor Jackie would look him in the eye. Player or not, he was one heck of a tour director. His broad historical knowledge on all the places we visited was extraordinary. And his wit, charm, and enthusiasm made for a fun atmosphere, as evidenced by the fuzzy hat with plastic horns and buffalo face he wore that day. Attending to the need of every one of the travelers seemed to be his specialty. The older women adored him. The men wished they still had his looks and vitality.

His effect on my friends was a little different, and that worried me. Slowly and steadily, I began to believe that Keith symbolized the youth and dreams we were leaving behind as we turned half a century old. Instead of him inspiring my gal pals to embrace their vibrant and beautiful lives as mature women, he seemed to have a way of zeroing in on their weaknesses and taking advantage.

At the time, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Looking back, I see clearly that the man was a master at manipulation. He gave each woman what she wanted or needed at the precise moment she wanted or needed it. Like a spider, he used a variety of strategies to attract and capture his prey. Then he trapped his prey in a sick, sticky web of deceit. I had a sinking feeling that three of my friends had already gotten stuck in that web, and I didn’t know how to un-stick them.

Our first stop in Yellowstone was the West Thumb Geyser Basin. Wooden boardwalks made walking and viewing the geysers, hot springs, and mud pots easy. According to a pamphlet we were given, varying water temperatures and bacteria caused the different colors. Some of the names of the volcanic pools were a mystery to me. For instance, the Black Pool was actually a vibrant turquoise color, and the mud volcanoes were white and looked like foam. All of the springs were beautiful, and it felt like we were on another planet.

There finally came a moment when I was able to get Annette alone and interrogate her. “Are you feeling all right? You haven’t been yourself today. Not once have I seen you smile. Are you still sick from last night?”

“I’m sick, all right,” she whispered, not meeting my gaze.

I made her face me and lifted her chin up with my finger. “What is it, Annette? You can tell me. I’ll help if I can.” I placed my hand on her shoulders in a gesture of support and comfort, but she wriggled out of my grasp.

“I’m an idiot, but I’ve only myself to blame,” she hissed.

Assuming she was talking about getting drunk last night, I cocked a faint smile. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. It was your fiftieth birthday. It’s okay you went a little berserk. God knows you never let your hair down. So you got a little drunk. Big deal.”

Her lips pursed and she struggled to hold back tears. “I did more than let my hair down, Teresa.”

“What’d you do?” Although the sun was beating down on my skin, my body temperature dropped. Suddenly, I felt very cold.

Annette squeezed her eyes shut. Then she said, “I don’t want to talk about it. Please don’t ask me any more questions.” And she walked away.