Borrowed Time

by Elizabeth Spann Craig

  After I ate, I pulled out an overnight bag and looked at my closet. Nothing seemed to leap out at me as appropriate for a house party. I decided to start with the easy stuff and opened my drawers instead, pulling out PJs and underwear. Definitely a swimsuit and a towel, since we’d be on the lake. I got those out and then reluctantly looked at my closet again. There was a black dress I could wear in case it was a fancier party than I’d been led to believe. Although I couldn’t really see Luna choosing to go to anything very fancy—or, if she did, she’d likely not dress like everyone else, anyway.

  I pulled out a couple more things, knowing I was over-packing, but figuring it was better to have the right clothes with me. I glanced over and saw Fitz in the overnight bag, wide-eyed and peering mischievously out as if he was preparing to leap on me. I reached out my hand and he bumped his face against it and then resumed his play in the bag.

  A few minutes later, I climbed into the bed and Fitz jumped in with me. I had my Agatha Christie book with me, And Then There Were None, which I was reading for the third or fourth time. But my mind was too busy and I couldn’t seem to calm it down enough to focus on the story. I was wishing, illogically, that Grayson could have been one of the guests for the weekend. I thought again how tough it was to know exactly where he was coming from. I was either totally misreading his signals or he was totally not sending them out. I wasn’t sure which was worse.

  Finally, after a few minutes of hashing things out in my head, I was ready to hop back into the story. I realized, after I put the book down for the night and turned the light off, that a mystery about a house party with a murderer in attendance was possibly not the best choice under the circumstances.

  The next morning, I drove Fitz back to the library and let him in the building and then hurried back home to finish getting packed. I got a text from Luna saying she’d come pick me up—quite possibly to ensure I showed up at all.

  I gobbled down a quick breakfast, packed my toiletries up, and then heard a cheerful toot of a horn and locked up the house to join Luna.

  She beamed at me and I saw that her hair was a different color than it had been the day before. She put a hand up to it. “Like it?” she asked.

  The purple and green stripes wouldn’t have suited everyone, but strangely, they looked really good on Luna. Or at least, they looked right on her. “You look amazing,” I said, completely genuinely.

  “Thanks. You do, too.” She gave me a critical once-over before giving me a thumbs-up. “You always look beautiful, you know, but at the library you’re pretty buttoned-up looking. I’m glad you’re wearing something more casual.”

  I’d spent a lot of time figuring out what to wear, so I appreciated Luna’s feedback. I ended up with a brown knit dress.

  I’d never ridden with Luna before and winced as she took off at a fast clip. “Don’t worry,” she said in a cheery voice as I clutched at the door, “I’m a great driver.”

  I wasn’t sure about great, but she was definitely a speedy driver and minutes later we were pulling into the driveway of a massive house on the lake. Luna finally came to a complete stop. “Just look at that view,” she breathed.

  It was pretty spectacular. The leaves were changing and creating a red and orange backdrop to the serene quiet of the lake. The house was tremendous, but somehow managed to pull off not being ostentatious. It had a nice, cabin-y feel to it, even though it was more of a mansion than a cabin. Somehow, I hadn’t expected something this huge. The house was made of a dark wood with floor to ceiling windows to take in the view. The yard was scattered with hammocks and wooden benches and small flower beds to invite guests to have quiet moments outside. The mountains were right past the trees bordering the lake and looked so close that it almost looked as though you could touch them.

  Luna grinned at me. “This is gonna be fun. Thanks for coming with me.”

  She drove to the bottom of the long driveway. Although we were right on time, it looked from the number of cars there as if everyone else had already arrived. There was lots of room to park, though, without blocking anyone.

  I clutched the bottle of wine that I’d brought as a hostess gift and took a calming breath as I climbed out of the car. Luna bounced out and hustled me toward the front door, which was ajar.

  “We’ll go right on in then,” said Luna beaming as she pushed the door further open. I shut it on the other side and followed Luna into the brightly-lit space.

  It was just as beautiful on the inside as it had been on the outside. Grace had opted for lots of wooden furniture mixed with warm-colored fabrics. And I was pleased to see there were bookshelves everywhere. Naturally, I thought books made for the perfect décor.

  A woman in her late thirties with blonde hair and wearing an elegant caftan sort of coverup came toward us. Luna gave her an enthusiastic hug and then introduced me. “Grace, this is Ann. Ann, Grace.”

  Grace gave me a two-handed handshake and said warmly, “Hi, Ann. I’m so glad you could make it out this weekend.”

  The last lingering feelings of possibly intruding on the group quickly disappeared and I gave a sigh of relief. Grace was clearly completely genuine about her welcome.

  “I’m happy to be here,” I said, feeling pretty genuine myself. “You have a beautiful home.”

  She beamed at me and glanced around. “Thank you. I’m finally really happy with the way it turned out. But I promised myself I’d never have another house built as long as I lived! I knew on one level that it would mean a lot of decisions, but I don’t think I really realized exactly how many decisions it would take. I mean, even trying to decide between a hundred different faucets. I’m just relieved it didn’t end up being a total disaster.”

  I said, “You must have really good instincts.”

  Grace laughed. “No, I think I just had a really good designer. She made sure to show me only options that would work. But it was still a lot of options. Come on in and I’ll get you a drink and introduce you to everybody else.”

  Luna said, “Everybody sure got here super early. We’re right on time.” Luna was pretty sensitive about being on time because it used to be a thing at the library where Wilson noticed she was coming in a few minutes tardy each day. His displeasure had definitely made her more punctual.

  Grace grinned at her. “I guess everyone wanted to start their weekend earlier.”

  We followed her into a tremendous kitchen with several eating areas which somehow managed to retain the cabin-like feel of the house while having all the latest gadgets. She walked up to a large island in the center of the space where she’d set up a makeshift bar.

  Grace said ruefully, “I hope you won’t think badly of us that we’ve started drinking. In our defense, the drinks are Bloody Marys and mimosas.”

  “Totally respectable drinks for the morning,” agreed Luna stoutly.

  Grace added, “We also have soft drinks, ice tea, and water. So whatever you feel like. I thought we’d go out on the boat in a few minutes since everyone’s here. I had my favorite deli cater a brunch for us and I thought it might be fun if we had it out on the boat.”

  “That sounds amazing,” I said with a smile. And it did. It beat weeding books out of the library collection, which was what I’d have been doing if I was at work.

  Luna went boldly for a Bloody Mary. I wasn’t sure exactly how much alcohol was in the Bloody Marys or the mimosas, so I decided to pour myself a small glass of white wine. A little bit of Dutch courage would be good for me, and at least I’d know exactly how much alcohol I was consuming.

  We followed Grace into a huge living room with vaulted ceilings. There was a massive stone fireplace at one end. The furniture looked cushy and comfortable and a single piece likely cost more than most of my den furniture put together. There were four men and women in there and they called out a greeting as we came closer.

  “Okay, ready for the introductions?” asked Grace.

  “I’ll quiz you later,” said Roz mischievously.

&
nbsp; A handsome man in his late 30s waved at me. “Let’s introduce ourselves,” he said. “I always think it’s easier to remember that way than with someone pointing and giving a whole bunch of names at once. I’m Scott Haynsworth.”

  The blonde woman next to him grinned. “And I’m Kelly, Scott’s girlfriend.”

  A serious-looking man wearing black-framed glasses looked around and then spoke. “Kyle Hubbard.” He hesitated. “Good to meet you.”

  “And lastly, Felicity Patton,” said a thin woman with long, dark hair.

  Grace clasped her hands together. “Now that little administrative task is done, let’s head out on the boat.”

  Kelly asked, “Is it going to be warm out there? Or should I bring a sweater with me?”

  “I’ll keep you warm,” said Scott with a wink, gallantly putting his arm around her.

  I noticed that Kyle only seemed to have eyes for Felicity. When she glanced his way, though, he looked flustered and turned away.

  We all helped Grace carry the coolers and assorted food containers out of the house and down a brick pathway to the boat. Somehow, in my mind, I’d been expecting a run-of-the-mill pontoon boat. This boat was anything but, and I wasn’t sure why I’d been thinking a pontoon would go with the property it belonged to. This wasn’t a boat . . . it was a yacht. It had an enclosed downstairs and an upper deck that was open. It looked like a house on the water. Luna and I exchanged a quick look.

  Grace saw the look and said, “Don’t worry, I don’t usually have a boat like this here. It would be way too big for just me. In the dock is a ski boat and another boat. I rented this one for the weekend. It even came with a captain.”

  Sure enough, I saw there was a man wearing a captain’s hat ready to assist everyone getting on the boat. I thought that was overkill until I noticed some of the party actually seemed to have already had a couple of drinks and were a little unsteady on their feet. He also helped get the coolers and food on the boat.

  “Music, I think,” said Grace with a grin. “I got a preview of where everything was earlier.” She took out her phone, which had already been synched with the ship’s stereo system, and soon classic rock was playing through the speakers.

  “Alcohol, I think,” said Scott with a wink. “I’ll play bartender.”

  I noticed that the captain’s brow crinkled and he studied Scott with a frown for a moment before leaving to start piloting the boat.

  Scott created a bar on one of the tables scattered across the bottom level of the boat.

  Grace said, “We should probably have some drinks upstairs, too, since that’s where most of us will probably end up hanging out.”

  Felicity asked, “It won’t be cold up there?”

  “Maybe on the way out. But the captain is going to put down an anchor at a scenic part of the lake and we’ll be there for a while to enjoy the view and eat and all. It shouldn’t be cold then,” said Grace.

  We stayed on the bottom level while the boat made its way out. Luna and I helped Grace unpack the food. There was a lot of food and it looked delicious. There were containers of every kind of sandwich spread imaginable: chicken salad, tuna salad, a veggie spread, egg salad, deli hams and turkeys and sliced turkeys and fancy mustards and mayos to go with them. The bread was fresh and clearly from a bakery and there were all different types. She’d also brought in all various fruits and chips and sides to go along with them. It was enough food to feed an army and I wasn’t at all sure I would be hungry for supper.

  Grace said, “Let’s go ahead and eat. Somebody has to go first.”

  There was a moment of hesitation as there so frequently is when it’s time for people to start eating and nobody wanted to look greedy or pushy. Scott said, “Oh, come on, people. I’ll go first, okay. But someone has to go second.”

  “Me!” said Luna enthusiastically.

  Scott strode over and fixed himself a couple of sandwiches and loaded his plate with potato salad and deviled eggs with Luna right behind him. After that, everyone followed suit and soon the atmosphere was more relaxed.

  I sat down next to Luna and she smiled at me. “So, what do you think so far? This boat is crazy, isn’t it?”

  I nodded, mouth full of sandwich. I had the feeling that it wasn’t just the boat that was crazy.

  Luna followed my gaze and chuckled as Scott gulped down a shot of vodka and whooped loudly. “Yeah, I agree with you. Scott’s a little crazy, too.”

  Chapter Three

  “What do you know about him?” I asked after taking a sip of water.

  She shrugged. “I know him a little, like I know them all a little. Roz has talked about them through the years and I guess that makes me feel like I know them better than I do. I’m older than everybody, of course.”

  I watched as Scott grabbed a bottle of beer and took a couple of slugs. He plopped a bit unsteadily next to Felicity, who inched pointedly away.

  “You’re looking great.” Scott gave Felicity a leering, boozy grin. “Do you work out?”

  She gave him a cold glare in return. “I run.”

  Scott snorted. “Running. Of course you do. Hey, do you remember when we were in high school?”

  “Vaguely.”

  “I always had sort of a crush on you back then.” He grinned again at her over his beer, then quickly downed it.

  Kelly shot them daggers with her eyes, although Scott seemed totally oblivious to this fact. Kelly, in turn, struck up a conversation with Kyle, who was miserably watching Scott and Felicity together.

  Felicity stood up in a single, fluid motion. “Good thing for you that you ended up with Kelly instead. She’s much better for you than I’d have been.” She walked off to get herself a drink.

  “Looks like a set-up for drama,” drawled Luna. “And Grace doesn’t look too pleased, either.”

  Sure enough, Grace’s eyes were cold as she looked at Scott, then became shuttered.

  Luna said, “I’m just glad Grace brought some vegan options. I mean, that was super sweet, wasn’t it? She’d sent out an email to see what kind of food preferences and allergies and stuff that people had. What a thoughtful hostess.”

  Roz sat down next to them and heard the last bit of what Luna said. “If only she hadn’t invited Scott, then it would be the perfect day.” She rolled her eyes.

  “Yeah, what is up with him?” asked Luna. “The times I’ve met him, he’s been a little obnoxious, but never that obnoxious. He needs to stop flirting with Felicity.”

  “Who knows? I guess it’s the alcohol, although he should be used to it. He’s not exactly a teetotaler. Anyway, the booze isn’t helping,” said Roz. “I wish those two would just break up.”

  Luna said dryly, “Well, you might get your wish, Roz. Kelly sure didn’t seem happy about Scott chatting up Felicity.”

  Roz said, “I know I’m a mean friend, but it’s the best thing that could happen to Kelly. She wastes so much energy trying to make that relationship work when anyone can see it’s doomed. There’s so much else she could do with her time if she didn’t have to worry about Scott.”

  Roz stopped talking abruptly as Grace came up. “The captain is throwing down the anchor. Want to head upstairs and hang out for a while?”

  “Absolutely,” said Luna, beaming. “Can’t wait.”

  “Who wants a frosé?” asked Kelly.

  There were a lot of enthusiastic affirmations. I hated to sound like the rube in the group, but I had to ask, “What’s a frosé?”

  “it’s wonderful,” said Grace. “You’ll want one.”

  I felt a little dubious on that point.

  Luna said, “It’s a frozen rosé with sugar and strawberry syrup added to it. Really good, especially when it’s a warm day.”

  And it was. It felt light and refreshing when she poured one for me, although I knew I was going to have to counter it with some water at some point.

  The top deck was warm and the sun felt fantastic. I could feel my spirits lifting. There were comfy chais
e lounges everywhere with pillows and fluffy towels. Scott had brought drinks up to accompany the frosés (mostly beer) and Grace had light snacks and water upstairs. The view was spectacular. The leaves were at their peak and sported bright yellows, rich reds, and golden-oranges. The mountains seemed to spring up from the lake. For the first time since arriving, I actually relaxed.

  Grace changed the station on her phone and the music was more low-key with acoustic songs and softer folk music. Everyone was chatting together for the first few minutes. Kyle came to sit next to me and ask me about work. It was a subject I could warm to, although I had to always be careful not to go on and on about it until I sounded like an advertisement for the Whitby Library. But Kyle was interested in the programs and I was happy to talk about them.

  “That’s really cool,” he said finally. “I’m over there a lot, but I’m usually just running in to pick up a book and then running back out again. I remember seeing you over there, though.”

  “I remember you, too,” I said. “What is it you mostly like to read?”

  We talked a few more minutes together, although I could see his attention wavering sometimes and his gaze was pulled over to where Felicity was sitting. Scott was no longer sitting next to her, but he was still trying to engage her in conversation from a couple of seats away. Grace gave us a thoughtful look and smiled when she saw me glance her way.

  Kyle moved on to speak with Grace and Luna plopped down next to me.

  “I want a nap,” she said in a drowsy voice. “And it’s still early afternoon.”

  “It’s probably the food,” I said. “We all ate plenty of it.”

  Luna snorted. “It’s probably the alcohol. Maybe the food a little bit.”

  A few minutes later, she was sound asleep, mouth slightly agape as the conversation continued in the background.

  Scott said, “I’m going to swim. Anybody want to go with me?”

  Kyle shook his head and said a little stiffly, “I didn’t bring a suit.”