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Authors: Elisabeth Crabtree
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across a row of trophy cases.
“And last on our tour,” Grace said, pointing out a large trophy case set inside the wall.
“Ah, very beautiful.” Kyle noticed Grace was rhythmically tapping on one portion of the glass, trying and failing to look innocent. To the right of the case was a rather large first place trophy with Grace’s name etched at the bottom. “You were a runner?”
“Yep,” Grace watched as Kyle examined the lock on the trophy case with far too much interest. “Oh no you don’t,” she said, pulling at his arm.
“Oh come on . I want to see it. It’ll only take a few minutes to pick the lock. I won’t break anything,” he promised, sticking a hand in his pocket and pulling out a small black case.
Grace laughed as she took the case out of his hand. “No, leave it alone. That trophy is going to stay in there forever, you know. Fastest in the county. So far, no one has beaten my record.”
“I doubt anyone ever will.”
Grace and Kyle turned around to see Tom Lake strolling up to them. “Hello , Tom.”
“Hello , Tom? That's it. No hug for your old friend,” he said, clumsily spilling the drink in his hand.
“Do you expect me to greet you with open arms? After what you did to my sister?”
“Speaking of your sister, why is she back here?”
“It's our reunion. This is our home. We haven't seen our friends in ten years.” Grace felt there were plenty of explanations for her and her sister to come to their high school reunion.
Tom shook his head , as though none of the reasons Grace were giving were good enough. “Why don't you do her a favor and take her home?”
Kyle straightened his back. “Listen, I don't know what's going on, but Ms. Holliday and her sister has just as much right to be here as you do, so why don't you go back to the party?” He smiled at the other man. “Have a few more drinks.”
“Are you implying that I'm drunk? I'm far from drunk. I haven't —” Tom stopped himself and looked up towards the staircase. They all heard the sound of high heels click-clacking across the ceiling.
“T homas? Thomas Anthony Lake, where are you?” Crystal called from upstairs.
“I'm down here Crystal. Next to the trophy case.” Tom downed the rest of his drink.
“Her name’s Crystal Lake? Really?” Kyle whispered in Grace’s ear.
“I think that’s one of the reasons she married him,” she whispered back.
“Would you get up here? They’re going to start counting the votes soon, and I want you—” Crystal immediately stopped speaking when she reached the bottom of the stairs and saw that Tom wasn't alone. She stood staring at Kyle for several seconds, before rushing forward and pulling Grace into an awkward hug.
“I’m so glad you’re still here. I was afraid you had left. I hope you know , I was only kidding upstairs. I never doubted that you were a detective. Not one minute. Steve is such an idiot.”
Crystal released Grace when she accidentally dropped the binder she was carrying.
“H ow clumsy,” Crystal said, somehow making it sound like it was Grace’s fault Crystal dropped the binder. Stooping to pick it up, she said, “I am so sorry, I didn't get a chance to properly apologize to you sooner. You know what happens when your sister and I get in the same room. She just causes me to lose all my manners. I hope that this unpleasantness between Hope and me hasn't spoiled our friendship. It hasn’t, has it?” she asked, turning to gaze up at Kyle.
“Hello , Crystal.” Grace said, redirecting the other woman’s attention.
Crystal spared a glance at Grace before turning back to Kyle. “So, you and our Grace are detectives? That's so exciting. You seem a bit young to be a detective.”
“Lo oks can be deceiving, Crystal.” Grace said before Kyle could answer. Realizing she was approaching dangerous waters, Grace quickly changed the subject. “Did I hear correctly? You're thinking of having children?”
Crystal's smile faltered
“And last on our tour,” Grace said, pointing out a large trophy case set inside the wall.
“Ah, very beautiful.” Kyle noticed Grace was rhythmically tapping on one portion of the glass, trying and failing to look innocent. To the right of the case was a rather large first place trophy with Grace’s name etched at the bottom. “You were a runner?”
“Yep,” Grace watched as Kyle examined the lock on the trophy case with far too much interest. “Oh no you don’t,” she said, pulling at his arm.
“Oh come on . I want to see it. It’ll only take a few minutes to pick the lock. I won’t break anything,” he promised, sticking a hand in his pocket and pulling out a small black case.
Grace laughed as she took the case out of his hand. “No, leave it alone. That trophy is going to stay in there forever, you know. Fastest in the county. So far, no one has beaten my record.”
“I doubt anyone ever will.”
Grace and Kyle turned around to see Tom Lake strolling up to them. “Hello , Tom.”
“Hello , Tom? That's it. No hug for your old friend,” he said, clumsily spilling the drink in his hand.
“Do you expect me to greet you with open arms? After what you did to my sister?”
“Speaking of your sister, why is she back here?”
“It's our reunion. This is our home. We haven't seen our friends in ten years.” Grace felt there were plenty of explanations for her and her sister to come to their high school reunion.
Tom shook his head , as though none of the reasons Grace were giving were good enough. “Why don't you do her a favor and take her home?”
Kyle straightened his back. “Listen, I don't know what's going on, but Ms. Holliday and her sister has just as much right to be here as you do, so why don't you go back to the party?” He smiled at the other man. “Have a few more drinks.”
“Are you implying that I'm drunk? I'm far from drunk. I haven't —” Tom stopped himself and looked up towards the staircase. They all heard the sound of high heels click-clacking across the ceiling.
“T homas? Thomas Anthony Lake, where are you?” Crystal called from upstairs.
“I'm down here Crystal. Next to the trophy case.” Tom downed the rest of his drink.
“Her name’s Crystal Lake? Really?” Kyle whispered in Grace’s ear.
“I think that’s one of the reasons she married him,” she whispered back.
“Would you get up here? They’re going to start counting the votes soon, and I want you—” Crystal immediately stopped speaking when she reached the bottom of the stairs and saw that Tom wasn't alone. She stood staring at Kyle for several seconds, before rushing forward and pulling Grace into an awkward hug.
“I’m so glad you’re still here. I was afraid you had left. I hope you know , I was only kidding upstairs. I never doubted that you were a detective. Not one minute. Steve is such an idiot.”
Crystal released Grace when she accidentally dropped the binder she was carrying.
“H ow clumsy,” Crystal said, somehow making it sound like it was Grace’s fault Crystal dropped the binder. Stooping to pick it up, she said, “I am so sorry, I didn't get a chance to properly apologize to you sooner. You know what happens when your sister and I get in the same room. She just causes me to lose all my manners. I hope that this unpleasantness between Hope and me hasn't spoiled our friendship. It hasn’t, has it?” she asked, turning to gaze up at Kyle.
“Hello , Crystal.” Grace said, redirecting the other woman’s attention.
Crystal spared a glance at Grace before turning back to Kyle. “So, you and our Grace are detectives? That's so exciting. You seem a bit young to be a detective.”
“Lo oks can be deceiving, Crystal.” Grace said before Kyle could answer. Realizing she was approaching dangerous waters, Grace quickly changed the subject. “Did I hear correctly? You're thinking of having children?”
Crystal's smile faltered
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