by Paige Sleuth
Kat got the hint. Diana didn’t care to talk about Ellie.
They turned the corner, passing the mirrored rooms used for aerobics and other group classes. The closer they got to the large workout area filled with every exercise machine known to man, the louder the music became. Over the past six weeks, Kat had developed an almost Pavlovian reaction to dance music. It made her instantly crave doughnuts.
Diana let out a yelp before pitching forward. She managed to break her fall using her hands, but as soon as she sat up, the pinched look on her face gave away the fact that she was in pain.
Kat’s stomach lurched, and she crouched down beside Diana. “Are you okay?”
“I slipped and landed on my knee.” Diana had her eyes squeezed shut, but she opened them to probe her right kneecap with her fingertips. “It doesn’t feel broken.”
“You might want to have a professional look at it. Do you want me to get help?”
“No. I have some pain pills in my purse. That should take care of it.”
Kat glanced back the way they’d come. “I’ll go see if the locker room’s open yet.”
Diana stopped her with a hand on her arm. “No, it’s okay. I’ll do it after we get you a towel.”
“You sure? It will only take a minute.”
“Stop worrying. I’m fine.” Diana slowly straightened up before shooting Kat a triumphant grin. “See?”
Kat wasn’t convinced, but what could she do? Diana obviously didn’t want her help.
Kat looked up to see a twenty-something woman with a body to envy headed in their direction. It was Mikaela, the raven-haired personal trainer and aerobics instructor who had signed her in that morning.
“Mikaela!” Diana said, her face lighting up.
Mikaela halted next to them. “Hi, guys.”
“Sorry I missed your aerobics class this morning,” Kat said. “Is another one starting soon?”
“Nope. But if you want to stick around, I’ve got a spinning class in a couple hours.”
Kat hoped to be long gone in a couple hours.
Diana jerked her thumb sideways. “Kat here forgot her towel at home. You have any spares lying around?”
“Hit up Fred,” Mikaela advised. “He’s always got extras.”
Diana craned her neck toward the workout area. “You know where I can find him?”
“Nope, sorry. I’d look for him myself, but I’ve got a one-on-one in two minutes.”
Diana waved her off. “Go on, then. Thanks for your help.”
“You betcha.”
As Mikaela scooted around them, Diana grabbed Kat’s arm. “I didn’t see Fred in the fitness center. Let’s check the pool.”
Kat let Diana lead her down a short hallway that protruded off the main corridor. Not being much of a swimmer, she had yet to use the gym’s indoor pool. The idea of parading around in a bathing suit around women with bodies like Mikaela’s didn’t appeal much either.
Diana pushed open the glass door at the end of the corridor. “Fred?” she called out. A second later she let out an ear-piercing scream and dropped Kat’s arm like a hot potato.
Kat jumped back, startled by Diana’s behavior. Then she saw the reason for Diana’s reaction, and her stomach dropped to her feet.
A woman was floating facedown in the pool, her long, blond hair fanning around her head as she bobbed near the surface of the water.
* * *
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Books in the Cozy Cat Caper Mystery series:
Book 1: Murder in Cherry Hills
Book 2: Framed in Cherry Hills
Book 3: Poisoned in Cherry Hills
Book 4: Vanished in Cherry Hills
Book 5: Shot in Cherry Hills
Book 6: Strangled in Cherry Hills
Book 7: Halloween in Cherry Hills
Book 8: Stabbed in Cherry Hills
Book 9: Thanksgiving in Cherry Hills
Book 10: Frozen in Cherry Hills
Book 11: Hit & Run in Cherry Hills
Book 12: Christmas in Cherry Hills
Book 13: Choked in Cherry Hills
Book 14: Dropped Dead in Cherry Hills
Book 15: Valentine’s in Cherry Hills
Book 16: Drowned in Cherry Hills
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paige Sleuth is a pseudonym for mystery author Marla Bradeen. She plots murder during the day and fights for mattress space with her two rescue cats at night. When not attending to her cats’ demands, she writes. She loves to hear from readers, and welcomes emails at [email protected].
