Around ten o’clock, the guests started to drift toward the door. Britt held court at her table with Kelly, Darcy, and others. But there was no Anastasia in sight. I wonder if the gals are still feuding over the spilled drink. Any grievance seems to generate big drama with this crowd. Not much has changed since high school.

  Cassidy did a walk-through of the downstairs area as the DJ carried off the last of his bags and boxes. She locked the back door and flipped the kitchen lights off. Annie and Austin had already left with all their gear. She checked the loft and the hallways that led to the bathrooms.

  “All clear in the bathrooms,” Ruthanne called out as she turned off the lights in the back. “I think we get to call it a night.” She met Cassidy midway in the back hall.

  “Thanks for all your help. I think we’re done here until tomorrow.” Cassidy set the alarm and pulled the main doors closed behind them.

  The pair stepped out into the cool night air and quickly moved out of the puddle of light from the overhead floodlights. Cassidy had to blink several times to allow her eyes to adjust to the darkness. In Ivy Springs, the ambient light that cities generated didn’t exist, so the stars were brighter, and the darkness was inky.

  Cassidy pulled out her phone and clicked on the flashlight app. Ruthanne froze and grabbed Cassidy’s forearm. “Did you hear that? It didn’t sound like the normal night woodsy noises. I think I heard footsteps,” she whispered.

  “I saw something move over there,” Cassidy replied, taking a few steps toward the tree line. Before she could continue, a woman in a flowing blouse or a cape of some sort and a tall man in a suit rounded the corner of the barn. The pair, backlit by the lights, hugged and kissed for what seemed like forever, and then they walked off in separate directions.

  In several seconds, the man closed the distance between the barn and where Cassidy and Ruthanne stood. When he crossed their path, the man, who turned out to be Vince, said, “Good evening, ladies. Nice place you have here,” so casually that the little rendezvous by the barn seemed not to have happened.

  “Enjoy your evening,” Cassidy managed to say as he headed toward the parking lot.

  Ruthanne poked her in the side when the man climbed into his large Mercedes and roared out of the main entrance. “That was Britt’s husband. And I’m pretty sure that wasn’t his wife with him out by the barn.”

  4

  THURSDAY MORNING

  The alarm buzzed, and Cassidy rolled over after she turned the noise off. Hours later, she woke up to Elvis licking her nose. “What, puppy? You need to go out?”

  She glanced at her phone and gasped. “I must have fallen back asleep. We need to get a move on!”

  After a quick shower, she threw on jeans and a long-sleeved polo branded with her company’s logo. She fluffed her curls and added a couple of swipes of lipstick and mascara. “There. That’ll have to do in a rush. I should never have turned off the alarm.”

  She picked up her messenger bag and slid a yogurt and banana in the side pocket. “Let’s go for a quick walk and then see what the Pearly Girls are up to.”

  At the mention of the “W” word, the chihuahua bounded down the steps and waited impatiently at the back door for Cassidy to catch up.

  The walk around the patio and the serenity garden did nothing to calm Elvis. He was high-energy when she opened the door to the office, and he bolted over to greet Ruthanne, who was knitting at the table. Kate sat nearby, scrolling through something on her phone. Ruthanne’s pile of yarn and what looked like an unfinished scarf sat nearby.

  “Good morning, all.” Cassidy dumped her things on her desk and headed for the coffeemaker.

  “Hello, Sleeping Beauty,” Roxie said as she breezed in from the front. “I even beat you in here this morning. That’s not normal. Please tell us you had a hot date. Did he sneak out the back?”

  Thoughts of the cute bartender flashed across her mind, but she decided not to make up a story about having a date. “Nope. I was super-tired after the exciting first night of the reunion. What’s going on around here? Ruthanne, is that a scarf?” Cassidy pointed to the long brown creation that spilled from the accountant’s lap and looked like a small pile of laundry on the floor.

  “She got a little carried away,” Kate said.

  “This project was so much fun. It started out as a place mat. Then it became a scarf,” Ruthanne added. “Now, I’ve got other plans for it.”

  “It’s a twelve-foot monstrosity,” Roxie said, rolling her eyes.

  “I’ll find a use for it,” Ruthanne said with a mischievous grin. Aileen and Kate giggled like schoolgirls as Ruthanne stood and folded the python-sized scarf and stuffed it into her satchel.

  Cassidy booted her laptop up and settled in at her desk to check her business’s social media sites.

  “Oh, Cassidy,” Kate said. “We ran into Ahni Rao at our last knit-in. She wants you to contact her about a bookfest she’d like to bring to the area.”

  “Sounds like fun. A Novel Idea is such a cute store. We’ve needed a bookstore here for so long.” Cassidy whipped out her phone and fired off an email before she forgot about the lead.

  “Soooo, Roxie, tell us about your latest fling. We all saw you chatting him up in the barn last night. And he didn’t look like a race-car driver,” Aileen said in a sing-song voice.

  “I haven’t seen Martin in years. It was good to run into him again. You all remember Martin Ellis. He used to teach History and Poli Sci at the high school. He retired and moved to Florida,” Roxie said, pulling a mug from the cabinet.

  “It was nice of some of the teachers to come back for the reunion. And it worked out for you.” Ruthanne wiggled her eyebrows.

  “We were chatting. Catching up. We’re going to have drinks tonight before the big shindig,” Roxie replied.

  “Oooh, so you have a plus-one for the dance,” Aileen said.

  “No. Just a friendly meetup. Not sure how long I’ll stay at the dance unless Cassidy needs me. I’m not too keen on music after the ’90s,” Roxie said.

  “Tonight’s supposed to be the hits of 2009 from the class’s senior year,” Cassidy added.

  Roxie wrinkled her nose. “Not my cup of tea. I’ll stay as long as I can stand it.”

  At around four o’clock, when all the Pearly Girls had headed off for other activities, Cassidy packed up and took Elvis for a walk around the property. I wonder if we’ll have more drama tonight. Roxie and the retired teacher. Vince and the mystery woman. And the general cattiness of the planning committee. Mixed together, it could make for a lively night.

  Cassidy’s thoughts bounced to Austin, and a little charge jolted through her. It would be nice to see him again. She chided herself for looking forward to running into him. He was just being attentive, good for his business.

  Elvis and Cassidy strolled through the serenity garden, enjoying the quiet place next to the rocky grotto wall near the cave with the view of the valley on the other side. Her glance settled on the flower bed near the koi pond. The plaque honoring the memory of Johnny Storm looked good in the middle of Levi’s irises and lilies. She shook off the dark thoughts of the tragic murder and looked out at the view that reminded her of why she loved this place. Life after college in the big city was fun, but the mountains would always be home.

  Cassidy’s eyes flicked toward the cave, by far the most interesting and unusual feature on the property. What other twenty-something has her own cave? I really need to do something with it. All kinds of ideas for the space bounced around her head. What if she turned it into an underground music venue or a spot for parties? “Elvis, maybe I should pursue this. If the construction to make it doable is reasonable, then I should think about it. It’s not doing anything for us in its current state. I could create something that celebrates the history of the property and brings in its own revenue stream. A win-win.”

  Not interested in the ways to use the cave, Elvis decided he was ready for dinner. Cassidy hustled home, fed him, found some leftover pizza to heat up for herself, and changed outfits a couple of times. She finally settled on a rust-colored cardigan with a cream camisole and black leggings that paired with her low-heeled Peter Pan boots. Tonight was all about comfort.

  “Okay, pup. I’m headed out in a few.” She slipped the little dog two miniature treats and patted his head. “You’re in charge of security here.”

  Pocketing her phone and keys, she headed toward the barn, where DJ Magic Mike’s white SUV, covered in an advertising wrap, and the two vans from Annie’s Eats sat in the grass near the back door. She eased in through the open door and paused for her eyes to adjust to the dim interior.

  “Hey, there,” boomed a male voice from the other side of the kitchen, and Cassidy let out a squeak.

  Austin laughed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I thought you saw me over here. You ready for another night of fun?”

  “Always,” Cassidy said, trying to will her heart rate to slow down. “Do you need anything?”

  “Nope, we’re good. It’s a rinse and repeat from last night with a different menu. Let me know if you want to sample anything or you need a drink.”

  Cassidy smiled. “Thanks. I’m going to check on the reunion committee. Hopefully, tonight will go off without a hitch.” She glanced over her shoulder. The DJ station looked lonely in the corner without all the pulsating lights from last night. No Magic Mike in sight.

  Movement near the main doors caught Cassidy’s eye, and she threaded her way through the tables and chairs to the registration area. “Hi, Anastasia. How are things?”

  The woman turned her head and zipped toward the restrooms. That was odd. I’m sure she heard me.

  Cassidy looked around. No Britt, Kelly, or Darcy. Glancing at the time on her phone, she wondered where everyone was.

  A shrill “Excuse me. Can I have a gin and tonic, light on the ice?” broke the silence and interrupted Cassidy’s thoughts. Anastasia. She’s too close this time to pretend she didn’t hear me. She sidled up to the bar next to the brassy blonde, who was scrolling through something on her phone.

  “Hi, there. Are you the only one here from the planning team?” Cassidy asked.

  “Here you go,” Austin said, setting the glass in front of the woman who hadn’t looked up from her phone. “What can I get you?”

  “Ginger ale, please,” Cassidy said.

  “Neither of these drinks is a challenge, but okay. I brought some of my fancy gear with me and everything. Y’all are going to have to come up with something else later to test my mixology skills.” Austin winked.

  Cassidy smiled as he put the glass in front of her with a plastic sword full of cherries and pineapple chunks and returned to his bar prep. She glanced at her own phone to make sure she hadn’t gotten any last-minute emergency messages from her clients. The reunion gals are cutting it kinda close this evening.

  “I always get stuck doing the crap work,” Anastasia said. “When will I learn? I guess they’ll be here any minute, especially now that all the heavy lifting is done.” She reached for her drink and took a long swig.

  “Heyyyyyyy there,” echoed through the seating area. “Anybodyeeeee here?”

  “We’re over here,” Anastasia said without turning around.

  “Where’s Britt and Darcy?” a breathless Kelly asked. “I need Britt to try this on. She wanted my red sequined outfit for tonight. She must want to make an entrance as usual.” She draped a dry-cleaning bag over the nearest chair. “Hey, barkeep. Could you make me a hurricane?”

  “Coming right up, ma’am,” Austin said, wiping his hands on a dish towel.

  “I’m not old enough for ‘ma’am,’” Kelly said with a coy smile and wink. “Hey, Anastasia. What happened to your face? It’s puffier than usual.”

  The other blonde bit back her reply and stared at Kelly for a couple of heartbeats that created an awkward pause.

  Austin tried to break the glarefest with “Can I get any of you ladies a refill?”

  “No, we’re good,” Anastasia said. “We need to be on our game. You know Britt will be here any minute to bark out orders for things we need to change at the last minute. And for your information, everything is fine. My face is a little swollen on this side. It’s allergies. I think it’s all the hay in this place.”

  “There’s no hay in the barn,” Austin said before Cassidy could offer a retort.

  “I meant all the tall grass around the property. It makes me sneeze and wheeze.” She slugged the last few drops of her drink down and then set the glass down on the counter with more force than needed. “I’ll be back before Britt gets here.”

  Cassidy looked up to see Britt pushing her way through the guests streaming in through the door, blowing in like a thunderstorm coming over the mountain ridge. “Kelly, where are you? I finally found the matching shoes. Where’s the outfit? Help.” She skidded to a stop in her tennis shoes and snapped her fingers for Kelly to follow her.

  “Let me know if I can help,” said Anastasia, who looked torn between making her escape and cozying up to her fearless leader.

  “Thanks. I think I’ve got it with Kelly’s help,” Britt called from the back. “She’s always a lifesaver.”

  As more guests poured in, Cassidy found herself a quiet corner near the bar to people-watch. Singles and couples arrived and filled most of the seats near the dance floor.

  When the DJ played “Party in the USA,” Britt and Kelly made their entrance like royalty. They had matching sparkly outfits. Britt’s was red, and Kelly’s was a shimmery white. They should have had Anastasia in blue for the full patriotic effect.

  After greeting all her friends, Britt took the microphone from Magic Mike and tapped on it with her giant ring. The thunks echoed through the room, and the audience groaned. “Sorry about that,” Britt said quickly. “I was trying to get your attention for a big announcement. Kelly Mason Todd and me, Britt Rogers Mahoney, have news you’re going to want to celebrate. Where is the famous Darcy? If you’re in the building, please come up here.” She paused and shaded her eyes with several oversized index cards as she scanned the crowd. “Oh, well. We’ll catch her up later.”

  “We want to thank our generous donors from the amazing class of 2009, Mac Gibson, Darcy Branch, Keith Emerson, and Britt and Vince Mahoney,” she said with a giggle. “With all the contributions and the golf tournament, we raised fifteen thousand dollars for the Ivy Springs Athletic Fund. We’ll do the official presentation at the school, but I wanted you all to hear it here first. We rock!”

  The audience clapped and drowned out Britt. When it started to die down, she whispered, “Thank you. Thank you all so much. The class of 2009 is and always will be amazing. Go, Springers!” She dabbed her eyes and followed Kelly to the bar.

  About an hour later, Cassidy cruised by Austin’s station for a Coke, and a flash of red caught her eye. Britt waved her spangled arms around. “I am fine,” she said to Vince, pulling away from him. “I’m stressed out. Darcy and Anastasia have skipped out, leaving Kelly and moi to do all the work as usual. Sometimes I have to do everything and be the one in charge,” she whined.

  Vince leaned over and whispered something to Kelly, who then said to Britt, “Come on. I have some CBD goodies in my purse. Maybe that will make you feel better. Let’s take a little break, and we’ll look for the gals later.” She took Britt’s elbow and led her through the crowd to the restrooms.

  “What can I get you?” Austin asked after pouring shots for a group of guys at the bar.

  “Coke, please. It’s a lively evening.” Cassidy glanced toward the dance floor.

  Austin nodded and set a drink with a pink flamingo stir stick in front of her. “Great tips. I’ll take it over the alternative any day. Enjoy.” He winked as he turned his attention to a group of women vying for his attention. A tingle of excitement surged through her. He definitely knows how to cater to his audience.

  Trying to stay awake and hoping the caffeine from her drink would kick in, Cassidy walked the perimeter of the room and then stepped outside for some fresh air. A small crowd had gathered near the path to the parking lot. Cassidy trotted over to see if she needed to put out any embers before they flared up into bigger problems. Kelly and Mac, Britt’s first husband, were trying to ease Britt into the back seat of a gray Honda. “Come on, Britt. You’ve had too much to drink. Let the Uber guy take you home.”

  “I need to talk to Vince,” Britt whined. “First Darcy, and now Anastasia. Ha. Anastasia. You remember her, she’s the one I stole you from. And it wasn’t that hard.” She waggled her finger at Mac, who looked down at his shoes. “Mac, you remember the good old days. We were hot. We had it all. What happened to us?” she sniffed.

  Britt wiped her heavily mascaraed eyes on her sparkly sleeve. “Ow. Okay. Just take me home. Kelly-poo, promise me you’ll take care of everything here. And don’t tell folks I couldn’t find Darcy and Vince. You know how people talk. They’ll spread rumors,” she slurred. “He can’t do that to me again. Just like you, Mac,” she hissed through her clenched teeth.

  Mac didn’t reply and used the pause in the conversation to shut the car door and tap on the roof for the driver. He and Kelly returned to the barn, and the onlookers dispersed and headed to their own vehicles.

  That was interesting, Cassidy thought. There is definitely something brewing behind the scenes with these folks. We’ve got only one more weekend of this. We’ve endured worse. We’ll make it. She let out a sigh and headed back to the barn.

  5

  FRIDAY MORNING

  Cassidy willed the office coffeemaker to finish sputtering and fill her mug. Maybe the caffeine from a second cup would ward off the headache that was building behind her eyes. Last night, Britt had sent her a string of texts that went on until two in the morning. At first, they were requests for today’s activities and ideas for next week. Then the tone turned whiney when Vince hadn’t returned home. Cassidy finally muted her phone and tried to get some sleep. Let’s see what Britt comes up with today. Hopefully, she and Vince have worked things out.