Murder on the Bucket List (25 page)

thirty-seven

Francine floated in the
deep end of Alice's pool. Like the time two months previous, it was after midnight, it was dark, and Alice had citronella candles lit everywhere. Larry was gone. He wasn't living in the house anymore, part of a trial separation, but Francine thought it wouldn't last. She was predicting a reconciliation, and soon.

Charlotte, clad in a white bathrobe, hobbled over to the edge of the pool near where Francine was treading water. “I just checked the pool shed. No bodies.” She sounded disappointed.

Francine laughed. “I'm glad, even if you're not. I don't need another mystery to solve, and frankly, neither do you.”

Charlotte looked around. “If there's any mystery, it's how long it's going to take Alice to forgive Larry and take him back. I think she will eventually.”

“So do I. She's getting used to the idea that Jake is Larry's son, and I think she actually likes it. You know her secret number-one bucket list item? Joy and I figured it out, and we've confirmed it with Alice. Alice wants desperately to be a mother. She's becoming convinced that maybe having Jake as a stepson is God's answer to her prayers. But don't say anything to her.”

Charlotte looked around. “Speaking of Alice, where is she?”

“She's inside with Joy and Mary Ruth.” Francine floated to edge of the pool. She was naked in the water. “You should come in, Charlotte. We all agreed that this time we'd go skinny-dipping. Alice even hired a pool boy to make sure the water chemicals had been added.”

“In a minute,” Charlotte said.

Francine decided not to push. She knew Charlotte would get in. The September night was warm, much like the July night when they'd first tried the skinny-dipping adventure. The mood was different this time, though. Much more upbeat. The water felt good, and she splashed her shoulders with it.

Joy and Alice came out of the house.

“Could we have your attention, please?” Joy called. Her tone was somewhere between her announcer voice and a whisper.

“You're not making a video out of this, are you?” Charlotte said. “I mean, I'm happy you're a big-shot correspondent for ABC, but I don't want to be on
Good Morning America
ever again.”

“You don't see a camera, do you? I'm only here to present to you the new Mary Ruth Burrows.”

With that, the French doors to the house opened and the remaining member of the Summer Ridge Bridge Club appeared. She was naked, and she was smiling.

“Oh, my!” Francine said. “How much have you lost?”

“Forty pounds exactly,” said Mary Ruth, delighted. She twirled around so her weight loss could be seen.

They all applauded her. Francine took particular pleasure in her happy face, since she was the one who'd hooked up Mary Ruth with Brady Prather, the trainer.

“I don't know if I'll ever get skinny,” said Mary Ruth, “but I don't need it to be happy. I look good and I feel better than I have in years. I used to think that if my catering business boomed like it has, that I wouldn't have the energy for it. But not now.”

“I'm getting in the water,” said Joy, peeling off her robe. “This time I'm checking skinny-dipping off my list.”

“Look at how much progress we've all made, Francine,” Charlotte said. “You said what happened two months ago was a disaster. It was anything
but
that. Mary Ruth lost weight, Alice gained a step-child, and you appeared on the
Dr. Oz Show
and encouraged senior citizens to get fit. Joy not only got on the front page of the
Indianapolis Star
, she now regularly reports for
GMA
. And she finally skinny-dipped for the first time.”

“And you solved a mystery, Charlotte. Don't forget about that.”

“Oh, I haven't forgotten, Francine. In fact, in light of all this success, I think what we need are
more
mysteries, not fewer.”

Francine's eyes got wide. “Don't even joke about that, Charlotte.”

But from the look in Charlotte's eyes, Francine suspected Charlotte was doing anything but joking.

t h e e n d

About the Authors

Elizabeth Perona is the father/daughter writing team of Tony Perona and Liz Dombrosky. Tony is the author of the Nick Bertetto mystery series, the standalone thriller
The Final Mayan Prophecy
(with Paul Skorich), and co-editor and contributor to the anthologies
Racing Can Be Murder
and
Hoosier Hoops and Hijinks
. Tony is a member of Mystery Writers of America and has served the organization as a member of the Board of Directors and as Treasurer. He is also a member of Sisters in Crime.

Liz Dombrosky graduated from Ball State University in the Honors College with a degree in teaching. She is currently a stay-at-home mom.
Murder on the Bucket List
is her first novel.