Free High School Reunion by Mallory Kane

take it.”
    She blinked slowly and touched her finger to the corner of her lip, as if smoothing her lipstick. “Of course.”
    “Thanks, Kathy. Send in Ralph.”
    Kathy eyed Cade. “Well, aren’t we all Law & Order? ” She turned.
    “Kathy,” Laurel said, pulling a business card out of her purse. “There’s my cell phone number. Let me know if you think of anything that might help us.”
    Kathy took the card between two fingers as if it were tainted. She stuck it in her purse without looking at it or at Laurel, then she swept out the door.
    “She’s been drinking,” Laurel whispered to Cade.
    He arched a brow at her. “You just figured that out?”
    “No. I figured it out last night.” Laurel wanted to stick out her tongue at him or give him some other rude adolescent gesture but she restrained herself. “But drinking in the morning? She’s a mess.”

    A wrinkle appeared between Cade’s brows. “Sometimes I wonder if she’s as big a mess as she likes to appear. I have a feeling it suits her to be underestimated.”
    “Well, she’s obviously an alcoholic.”
    “What do you think about her alibi for yesterday evening? Taking a nap—alone?”
    “I don’t believe it. You know her. She’s hardly charitable about her husband. Could she be having an affair?”
    Cade shook his head. “More likely she was passed out.”
    The door opened and Ralph Langston blustered in.
    Laurel was surprised. Skinny, nerdy Ralph from high school had changed—a lot. Here was one classmate she would not have recognized. She studied him as he shook Cade’s hand and then hers. He’d had some kind of plastic surgery. His jaw looked more square. He had more hair than he’d had in school, too, and the pullover shirt and khaki pants he wore revealed muscular arms and abs and thighs. He must have gained sixty pounds since she’d last seen him—and it looked like it was all muscle.
    He sat at the head of the table and glared at Cade and her like a boss about to reprimand his employees.
    “So, Cade. What can I do for you?”
    “When did you get into town?”
    Ralph sat back in his chair and smiled. “Come on, Cade. I’ve been in and out of town for weeks, supervising the building of my convention center. Just cut to the chase. Where was I last night? I’d be happy to tell you, if I’m being charged with anything. Otherwise, I’ll keep my mouth shut. To do otherwise would compromise a nice woman.”
    “You’re saying you were with a woman last night? For how long? Give me the specifics.”
    Ralph certainly had the young executive act down. He had the suit, the body and the hair weave. But he was creeping her out. He was too smooth, too coy.
    “We met at eight, had dinner, and then—” He glanced at Laurel. “Let’s just say I left after midnight.”
    “You were at her house?”
    Ralph waved a hand. “Again, no comment.”
    “Will your lady friend verify that you were there?”
    Ralph shook his head. “No. Absolutely not.”
    “Tell me about the meeting at Misty’s house.”
    “The meeting? You mean Monday? What about it? Misty’s house was dark and musty, but the meeting was productive.”
    “Do you recall Misty getting a phone call while you were there?” Cade asked.
    Ralph’s gaze flickered to Laurel. “I went to the bathroom and when I came back into the dining room Misty was talking on the phone. I didn’t pay much attention to the conversation.”
    “So you don’t know who she was talking to?”
    “Sure.” He smiled at Laurel. “She told us all after she hung up.”
    “What else did she tell you?”
    “Nothing. Just that Laurel was going to stay with her this weekend.”
    Cade stood and walked behind Ralph. “Okay. If you can’t give me something to prove to me that you weren’t anywhere near Misty’s house last night, I’ll have to ask to search your hotel room.”
    Ralph obviously didn’t like Cade standing behind him. He smoothed the back of his hair nervously and struggled not to