Friday, September 12, 2014

Reunion

When did I first thinking about killing someone from my class at the high school reunion?

I must admit I had the idea for some time.

I attended my 40th and it was my very first time. There were no murders.

I knew then that my next reunion would include a murder.

I just didn't know who, where, when, who or how.

I just knew it would happen.

I would give them something to talk about at their reunion.

And they would never stop talking about it--for the rest of their lives.

****************

I woke up that Monday following my first Reunion with a migraine. Once I had suffered with these cluster headaches, but that seemed long ago.

There was an authoritative knock at the door.

"New York City Police!"

Police?

Was this a joke.

Upon opening the door, I had no sense this was a joke.

"We want to talk with you about a murder."

Apparently, my story had begun without me writing a single word.

What just happened?

What had I done in the past 24 hours?

********************
The police left after an hour. Apparently, there had been a murder last night at the Reunion Hotel.

I called my friend Harry and arranged to meet him for dinner.

All seemed well until he paused and offered:

"Should I be scared?"

Now, I knew Harry was hiding something. He might have been kidding , but he was only half kidding . I wasn't a suspect, yet. But how had this happened? Was I blacking out again?

**********************

When I returned home, I walked upstairs to my desk and a single white sheet of paper demanded my attention.

A list of questions.

1. How many reunions have you been to?

2. Which ones (10th, 25th, 40th)

3. Describe your experience. Did any thing in particular surprise you?

4. Did you have a former boyfriend/girlfriend come to the Reunion?

5. What was that like?

6. Why did you go or why would you have gone if you had the opportunity?

7. Were you popular in high school?

8. How have you changed since graduation?

9. Did you have a great class? What would be the highs and lows of those who were your classmates.

10. Would you attend one more?

*****************
And one final question

Bonus: Would you still attend if you knew that someone would be murdered before the Reunion was over?

**************************
Before I could sense the meaning of this mysterious list, my cell rang.

It was Swifty, my literary agent. If he was going to continue to read me the riot act for my failed Casey's Church Tour, I was prepared to hang up on him.

Instead, he had the tone of my new best friend. What was going on here?

"Have you read any of the texts I have been sending you?" Swifty shouted.

I didn't bother telling him that I don't read texts. I didn't have to. Swifty was like a locomotive. Once he got started--there was little hope to slow him down.

"Are you sitting down?"

I remained silent.

"Bushwick Books wants to give you a 3 million dollar advance for High School Reunion Murders. What do you think of that?

I think at that moment--I did sit down and might have even passed out.

3 Million dollars?

A book?

What book?

And then my head began to swim.

I woke up in a hospital bed and Swifty was still talking. Had he ever stopped?

************************************

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