Read Online Death on a Deadline by Christine Lynxwiler - Free Book Online Page A

room, then collapsed onto the wooden bench across from the silver metal lockers. “Why couldn’t we have played something a little less strenuous?”
    “Like what? Golf?” Since finding out about the discovery of the murderous club last Friday night, Carly and I had made a list of every golfer we knew. After Carly’s meeting with Elliott on the day of Hank’s funeral, we weren’t sure where to put him on the list. On one hand, Carly said he was charming and attractive, but on the other, there was no rule saying a killer couldn’t be good-looking, was there?
    But Carly’s mother-tiger claws had come out when she heard what Brendan said about Zac, so the pharmacist’s name was at the top of the list, circled in red. Zac, Alex, and I were at the bottom. The in-between included the golf pro, Byron, Amelia, and a good portion of Lake View’s population.
    “Even a deadly sport like golf is better than racquetball,” Carly huffed.
    I couldn’t have asked for a better opening. “I’m glad you think so, because I have a plan.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Mercy, Jenna, how do you do it? You have more plans than Blue Cross.”
    “So you don’t want to hear it?”
    “You know I’ll bite. What did you have in mind?”
    “We’re going to play golf this Saturday at the country club.”
    “We? You and me?”
    I blushed. This part of my plan could be misconstrued as me having an ulterior motive. “You, me, and Alex.” I pulled my swimsuit from my locker and clicked the metal door shut. “Of course, we’ll need a fourth. So I’ve called the club and reserved their resident golf pro to play with us. That would be Elliott.”
    “Nancy Drew’s on the case again. I can see the wheels turning. You want to get to the bottom of Elliott’s fight with Hank and find out if he’s missing a golf club.”
    “That’s the plan in a nutshell.”
    “Works for me.” Carly picked up her towel. “Somehow I can’t see him as a killer, but I think we do need to get to know him a little better.”
    “Exactly.” I was so relieved that she wasn’t putting up a fight. But a little surprised.
    “Have you mentioned this to Alex?”
    “No, but he’ll go along with it.” I fiddled with my swimsuit strap.
    “Oh, my. One post-funeral lunch date and you’re pretty confident of your charms, aren’t you?” She gave me a wide grin.
    “Not really, but he did say to keep him up to date on my investigation.”
    Carly popped me with her towel. “Get outta here. He was okay with you playing Jenna Stafford, Girl Detective?”
    “Once he realized he couldn’t stop me, I guess he figured better to be in the loop than out of it.”
    “Smart man. When is tee time?”
    “Elliott’s supposed to meet us there at 7:00 a.m.”
    “Just thinking about getting out on the greens that early makes me look forward to a lazy sauna session right now,” Carly drawled.
    After we stretched out on benches in the empty sauna room, Carly covered her eyes with her extra towel. I did the same and allowed the quiet humidity to penetrate the sore places of my soul.
    “I needed this.”
    I raised a corner of my towel and saw Carly peering at me across the dimly lit room. “Thanks for dragging me out of the house,” she murmured and let her towel back down over her eyes.
    “I’m glad you came.”
    For several minutes, the only sound in the room was our breathing.
    Then Carly broke the silence, “You know, I haven’t been attracted to any man since Travis left.” Long pause. “Until now.”
    Shock kept me quiet.
    “But there’s something different about Elliott. And he acted like he felt the same about me.”
    Sweat trickled between my shoulder blades, and I rubbed my back against the nubby towel.
    “Wow.” I didn’t know what else to say.
    “I know. It’s weird.” I heard her shift on the boards. “And why would someone like him be interested in me? He probably makes every woman feel that way.”
    “Carly, don’t be ridiculous. Of course