Free Deadly Reunion by June Shaw

aunt.”
    “This is too strange. When did he meet her? Only when she went to his office with her hurt eye?”
    “As far as I know. And I only know that because you told me.”
    “Good grief, what does he see in her?”
    “She is a stunning woman. And he’s a single man. Divorced.” Gil seemed to take delight in this weird conversation.
    I leaned toward him. “Doesn’t he know she used to be a man?”
    “Not until I told him just now. Obviously Sue doesn’t announce it to everyone who bandages her cheek.”
    “And what did your uncle say?”
    “That information seemed to make him more intrigued.”
    I threw my arms up. “Men!”
    His grin widened.
    His uncle, the ship’s doctor, surely knew about transgendered individuals and how troubling their unique situations must make them. Either he didn’t care, or more probably Gil was teasing me, making up the whole thing.
    My classmates were rising, their plates nearly empty. Tetter glanced at me, her expression bland—the usual for this trip. I needed to be around her to try to help her become our old buddy Tetter again. Surely that fun girl was still under that troubled demeanor.
    “I need to go,” I told Gil. “My friends are leaving.”
    “I hope I’ll see you later.”
    I evaded answering by wiping my mouth with my napkin. I stood. “I don’t guess your uncle believes Sue could have hurt Jonathan.”
    “Probably not. I doubt that he’s kinky enough to want to date a killer.”
    “Oh, I don’t know. You men seem to like women, no matter what.”
    “You do have a point.”
    I shook my head and headed for my classmates, not believing for a minute that he was serious about his uncle being interested in my aunt. I caught up with the last person, Randy. He glanced at me, a little fear in his eye, probably thinking I’d hurt him again. I moved beyond him and fell into step with Tetter. Moving faster ahead, Jane kept up with Sue’s long strides.
    “Where is everybody going in such a hurry?” I asked Tetter.
    “There’s an art preview at the other end of the ship.”
    “Who’s interested in buying art?”
    “I don’t know. But you can register to win a piece. And there’s free champagne.”
    We hustled to the opposite end of the ship, signed in, and were asked if we wanted a number so we could bid for pieces. We looked at each other and shook our heads. We were only there for entertainment, art, and champagne. I would sit close to Tetter. Maybe she’d have a drink or two and then open up about her troubling situation.
    A waitress offered champagne, which we all accepted. We walked around and scanned intriguing and exotic paintings on easels grouped in the rear. An attractive woman wearing a suit asked everyone to sit so the bidding could begin.
    Jane led the way midway down steps to circular benches and sat. Sue took the next seat and Tetter went next. I tried to scoot behind her, but Randy shoved in and beat me. The only seat left was beside him. I didn’t get close. Otherwise I might need to really hurt him.
    Immediately, Tetter waved for a server and exchanged her already-empty stemmed glass for another one. The rest of us sipped our first drinks.
    A man wearing a black suit set a large painting on an easel. The scene was busy, filled with too much activity for me. People in front of us bid. So did a few others to the side. A young woman purchased the art for three hundred twenty dollars.
    As a smaller painting was carried to center stage, Tetter snapped her fingers for the attention of a server with a tray of champagne glasses, some filled but most empty. “Another one, please.” Tetter raised her index finger.
    Randy grabbed her finger. He placed her hand against his cheek and grinned.
    She smiled back at him.
    What was this? The champagne was already going to my head, making me slightly tipsy. Maybe that also happened to Tetter. I’d have to watch her so things wouldn’t get out of hand with our male classmate.
    Our group passed their