Free 21 Dares: A Florida Suspense Mystery by JC Gatlin Page A

leave the past exactly where
it is, in the past.” Rocky’s expression stilled and grew serious, possibly
sensing how uncomfortable Abbie had become.  
    Abbie
pushed McKenzie’s hand away. “That was a cruel joke. It wasn’t funny then and
it’s not funny today.”
    “Oh,
I swear Abbie. You were the life of the party.” McKenzie could barely speak through her laughter. Her
eyes teared and she dabbed at the corners with a cloth napkin. Finally, she
sighed as her breathing returned to normal.
      Rocky let
out a half-hearted chuckle, but Abbie detected something more. Almost as if he were judging McKenzie. Perhaps everything wasn’t as
simpatico between them as McKenzie believed. Abbie wondered again if he was
actually the guy she saw in Dr. Wachowski’s waiting room. What if her
imagination was working overtime again?
    The table fell silent.  
    “ Well, I’ve got classes coming up at one.” Abbie
got up from her seat. “I’d better get back. It was really good catching up.”
    “Don’t
be mad, Bookworm. It’s your birthday.” McKenzie picked up the bottle of sake
and reached over the table toward Abbie’s glass. “Here, have some more wine.”
    “Yeah, Abbie. We’ve got a surprise
for you.” Rocky patted his mouth
and leaned back in his chair.
    Abbie
grabbed her purse. “McKenzie already showed me the surprise. The ring is
beautiful. Congratulations.”
    “No, not the ring.” McKenzie finished
filling Abbie’s glass and leaned forward across the table. She looked up, smiled,
and handed Abbie a red envelope. “I got you something for your birthday.”
    “You
got me a card?”
    McKenzie
waved the envelope until Abbie finally took it. Then McKenzie tilted her head
and said, “Of course, it’s your birthday. It’s your twenty-first birthday,
nonetheless.”
    My twenty-first
birthday, nonetheless? Abbie thought and opened
the card. It read, “A girl turns 21 only
once in her life time… but 29 again and again. Happy
Birthday!” She pulled out a sheet of paper. “One
free ticket to a market seminar for Vitamin Ritamin in your area.”
    “It’s
not just a present, it’s an opportunity,” Rocky said then drained the final drop from his glass.
    “It’s
an opportunity, Abbie. And I want you to come as my guest.” McKenzie made
gentle strokes across her empty plate, flicking up the last of the shoyu with
her index finger. She popped her finger in her mouth, sucking on it while
staring at Rocky. He didn’t seem to pick-up on her gesture. He
turned to Abbie, moving his hand as he spoke.
    “You
see, Abbie.” Rocky removed his glasses and set them on the table beside his
plate. He squinted his eyes. “Do you mind if I call
you Abbie?”
    Abbie
nodded skeptically. “Sure. That’s fine.”
    “I’m
sure you pay your electric bill, your phone bill and your cable bill every
single month.” The tone in Rocky’s voice changed and it reminded her of the announcer
on the infomercial she saw the other night. As Rocky continued talking, t he waiter returned and set the bill on
the table.
    McKenzie took her wallet from her purse and withdrew
two twenties. Glancing at the total, she dropped the money on the waiter’s
change tray and nodded him away.
    Rocky waited until the waiter was out of
earshot, then leaned forward to continue. “ Those bills are nothing
but an ongoing stream of residual income for these companies. Now, the
advantage of Vitamin Ritamin is that it gives you an opportunity to enjoy
residual income just like your cable company.”
    Abbie
looked puzzled. “You’re introducing me to a multi-level marketing company for
my birthday?”
    “Not
a multi-level marketing company.” McKenzie held up her hand and wagged her
index finger. “It’s an opportunity.”
    The waiter returned with a cash receipt,
which McKenzie took, and five dollars in change, which she handed back as gratuity.
Bowing slightly, the efficient young man thanked her and departed. Rocky
grabbed the receipt from