Dolled Up for Murder - By Deb Baker Page 0,63

to Boston in a few days. She can’t sign up for a year.”

“She can transfer her membership to Boston. That’s the beauty of Curves. They’re everywhere,” April said, checking Nina out. “You could use a year, too.”

Nina narrowed her eyes while Olivia Newton John belted “Let’s Get Physical” from a boom box on an overhead shelf. She opened her mouth to respond, but she caught Gretchen’s eye and the slight shake of her head. She closed her mouth.

“Stations are opening up,” Bonnie called out, her red flip shellacked stiffly around her face.

Gretchen leaped onto the stepper, jostling for a position next to Bonnie, her prey of the moment. She ignored the pain radiating from within her running shoes.

“You sure did burn your face,” April said. “Fall asleep in the sun?”

“No,” Nina said. “Her boyfriend cheated on her with a coworker, and I found her wallowing in self-pity by the pool.”

Everyone gasped, and Gretchen sent Nina a menacing glance. So much for personal privacy. Wallowing in self-pity? Well, Nina was right. She had too much on her mind right now to worry about Steve and Courtney.

She worked harder, running in place faster, increasing her concentration. Focusing on the workout.

“Men are all alike,” April said, huffing through the shoulder press. “Bad behavior runs in their genes.”

“Not my Matt,” Bonnie said, running in place. “Matty’s wife was the one who cheated on him. He’s going through a nasty divorce right now. Faithful as they come, my Matty.”

Probably married to his job more than to his wife, Gretchen thought. Although the job didn’t stop Steve.

“At least they didn’t have children,” Rita said. “Children complicate divorce.”

“What’s nasty about the divorce?” Nina asked. “Without children and child support or a custody battle, the divorce should be smooth sailing.”

“She stalks him. She wants him back, and she’s not above making scenes,” Bonnie said. “The closer they get to the divorce hearing, the more desperate she becomes. Poor Matty’s hiding in the streets. Lucky for him, he has a mobile job.”

Gretchen, preoccupied earlier with her own problems, wondered what had happened to her shadow. For all she knew, he was outside right this minute, waiting to follow her.

“Radio says more rain later today,” April said. “Just what we need.”

Nina bent over and placed her palms on the floor.

“Show-off,” April said.

“That’s amazing, Aunt Nina,” Gretchen said, skipping the shoulder press. Working out with a broken wrist proved a unique challenge.

“It’s the yoga,” Nina said. “I’m limber as a tree monkey, but my cardiovascular activity is limited to walking back and forth from the car. I guess you can’t have everything.”

“Run in place on the platforms,” April advised. “That’ll get your heart rate up. Mine’s always at the top end of what’s safe.” She pulled a hanky from her pocket and mopped her forehead.

“Gretchen’s cheating boyfriend is a divorce attorney,” Nina said. Gretchen thought about a direct frontal tackle. She could take Aunt Nina down in two moves.

“That makes it worse,” April said. “He should know better.”

“What are you going to do about it?” Rita said.

Get ready for a ten-second count.

Gretchen’s pulse rate went off the chart hanging on the wall. “I don’t know,” she said, after the count, when she noticed Rita still looking at her and waiting for her answer. “I really don’t know.”

And she didn’t know. That had been the recurring question in her mind since Courtney’s call last night. How to handle it. What to say. How to react.

Steve had assured her that it would never happen again, and she had wanted so badly to believe him. What if Courtney was lying?

After two circuits, Nina’s face turned the same color as Gretchen’s burned face.

“I need to take a break,” Nina said.

“Me, too,” huffed April.

The two women moved away from the workout area, and Gretchen glanced at Bonnie. The hydraulic machines hissed around her. Rita turned and said something to the woman ahead of her.

“I saw you, too,” Gretchen leaned over and whispered to Bonnie, taking a wild shot.

Bonnie smiled at Gretchen, bending to the side, stretching, one arm high and wide overhead. “You saw me?”

“At the Rescue Mission.”

“Change stations now.”

Bonnie’s smile died, and her face closed up.

“Look,” Gretchen said, “your hair is hard to miss.”

Bonnie’s hand jumped to her red hair.

“Your hair is beautiful, don’t get me wrong,” Gretchen said hastily. “It’s unique; that’s why I know it was you.”

Bonnie smiled with her teeth, gums showing. “Sorry to disappoint, but you are mistaken.” She nudged Rita. “We must be almost done.”

Rita turned back. “Done,” she agreed.

“Never