DEADLY REUNION: Class of '87

By Charlotte Lewis

The High School Class of '87 met for its thirty-fifth reunion mid-summer. There was a good dance band, great food, an open bar, and stories of the past. While there were no major altercation at the reunion, within a few weeks three members of the Class of '87 were dead. All deaths were classified as murder. All three were prominent business people in town. Is there a connection between them?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9798369404171

Charlotte Lewis

Charlotte Lewis, a retired accountant, lives in Southeast Kansas. Charlotte graduated from University of Southern California with a major in elementary education and a minor in music. Since retirement, she has self-published several novels and has published in Reminisce Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Hackathon Short Stories, Readers Digest Online, and Mused – an online journal. There's more to learn at charlottelewisonline.com

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Copyright © 2023 by Charlotte Lewis.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 07/26/2023

Xlibris

844-714-8691

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CONTENTS

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Epilogue

Dedicated to Friends,

Old Friends, New Friends,

Friends I haven’t met yet.

PROLOGUE

My sister and I were raised by our grandmother in a little town in Central Kansas. We were eleven and thirteen when our parents died. Granny was the logical choice. Our uncles on both sides of the family had children of their own - except for one who was not married and had no children. No one really had room to take us. Of course, we believed no one wanted to take us. Our uncles who married had all married wisely – family belief. We felt that wasn’t true. Our aunts were not friendly people. At least, we didn’t think so. Our uncles were henpecked. These were our own conclusions – at eleven and thirteen. Looking back, now that we’re forty years older – we were right. Right that no one had room; right that no one wanted us anyhow; right that our aunts are not friendly people.

When Lynn and I came to Granny we were okay with it. We loved her and it was quite obvious she loved us. She truly wanted us. We had spent time, as a family, with her and Gramps through the years so were fairly well acquainted with the town. Our Mom was raised here. It wasn’t, and still isn’t, much of a town. Lynn and I call it Podunk, Kansas. Never in Granny’s hearing, she was born and raised in this little town. She was proud of it. We were smart enough to know we would hurt her feelings. But it will always be Podunk to us.

School was – well, school. Though the classes were smaller, by a whole lot, the structure was the familiar to us. I guess, for a small town, the schools are quite progressive – up to date. There are all the clubs, athletic teams of various sports, marching bands, choirs, Latin class, everything we had in the City, in another state. FFA was a new organization to us; as was 4H. But the theater clubs, chess clubs, all those odd ball groups kids join in school were there. We may be in Podunk but we would be getting a good education.

Lynn went to college in Pittsburg, Kansas. I went to California to go to college. Not that it was a better education but I applied for several scholarships. The one full-ride scholarship was in California. I came home to Podunk for year-end holidays and summers. Lynn got a degree in secondary education and came back to Podunk to teach. Granny insisted she continue living with her and so she did. I came back for one year after I had my degree in archaeology. More to satisfy Granny than anything. During that year I worked for a couple different places in town, sales clerk, secretary, receptionist. Meanwhile, I made some serious applications for a position in an archaeology environment. All of which has little bearing on this story but I feel I know the town pretty well.

After Granny died, Lynn stayed in the house. Granny left it to us jointly – to the consternation of Uncles Frank and Howard. Guess they expected to inherit it along with our unmarried Uncle George. At the reading of the will, both uncles huffed and puffed quite a bit. It was unseemly that their mother would leave just about everything to only two of her grandchildren – Lynn and Suzanne certainly should not have inherited their mother’s (our grandmother) estate in toto. The attorney pointed out that we hadn’t inherited everything – just the house, the car, a bit of cash, and some stocks. It sounded like everything to us, at the time, but there were several bequests so I guess it couldn’t have been. However, none of her other grandchildren inherited anything. My Uncles fumed and my Aunts – well, they never were very nice to us. Anyhow. -

We weren’t children when Granny died. So it wasn’t as though we were too young to appreciate what we’d been given. I think we were right at thirty. We both had established careers but still considered the house, especially, the greatest windfall of our lives. I travel(ed) a lot in my job and having a home base is a treasure.

Even so, at this point in time I haven’t been back to Podunk in four years. Finally I took a couple months vacation. I could have taken six months paid but that’s a long time to not work. Lynn said, Come home and spend the summer with me. You can be my date for my high school class reunion. Doesn’t that sound exciting?

CHAPTER ONE

She was being facetious, of course. But I came home for the summer. I arrived a few days before Lynn’s high school senior class reunion. I had maintained a correspondence over the years with friends I met in the fifth grade. They insisted the town hadn’t changed since I was there last - four years ago. That seemed unbelievable so I got my bike down off the hook in the garage, cleaned it up, oiled the chain and put air in the tires. For two days I tootled around town renewing friendships and checking out Podunk. They were right. Nothing had changed, much. Florence, a longtime friend, had moved her shop onto Main Street. Sarah was still teaching first grade. There were two new businesses – at least, I don’t remember them at all. At least five small stores were gone – pet shop, toy store, shoe store, men’s ware, ladies fine clothing. I had two days of fresh air and lots of talk. It was great.

And I did attend Lynn’s high school class reunion as her guest. There had been seventy-one graduating seniors the year Lynn graduated. I was surprised at how many of them I knew or remembered. It was definitely old home night for me. Guess it was for Lynn as well even though she sees many of these people almost daily.

The principal had retired shortly after I graduated high school but he was at the reunion. The fact I had joined a choral group while in Ireland was exciting news to my old choir director – he had also retired since. Prior to this conversation, I did not know that his maternal grandmother had been born in Ireland. I spent nearly a decade there. It’s the one place I’d like to return to for work. The marching band director asked if I was still stuck on glockenspiel. Of course. I am not but I told him it was still the best brass in the marching band. As usual, he corrected me to the best percussion instrument. I smiled. Gotcha. I cannot recall how many times we played this little game of correction to my satisfaction over the years.

A small group of us were standing a few feet from the bar. It is seldom I drink alcohol when I’m out. I’ve seen too many friends have a miserable evening. But I was definitely thirsty. I’m going to the bar. Anyone need anything? No one did. So I was in line alone.

The bartender is an old friend and he said, Let me guess. Pepsi? Of course I laughed. While it’s nice being that well known, it’s also embarrassing.

As I waited, a man came up behind me and put his arms around me. I started to protest when he whispered in my ear. Still on the wagon. That’s my girl. It was Jason Gregory; the only guy I ever dated seriously. In fact, he’s the only guy I dated in high school...period.

My gawd, Jason. What a surprise. I didn’t expect you to be here.

I didn’t expect class of ’89 to be here either. How are you? How have you been? He took my Pepsi from the bartender. Come tell me what you’ve been doing for most of my life. There was a small vacant alcove a few feet away. It wasn’t really private, just out of the way. He hugged me tightly and kissed me. You look as I remember. Beautiful.

Just then dinner was announced. There was no assigned seating so I suggested we sit together. The tables were set for eight. It surprised us both when two couples at the table commented on how nice it was to see Jason and Suzanne still together. They were from out-of-town and had no clue we had just bumped into each other ten minutes earlier. Jason laughed. Why would you expect anything else? Every one laughed. My sister was also at this table and she managed to hide her smile. I believe she was surprised to see Jason; he’s never attended a class reunion before this.

Dinner was a little better than I expected – food wise. Not that we don’t have great restaurants in Podunk but crowd food always seems lacking something. The meal was great. The conversation was too. Jason lives and works in Boston. Someone asked how I liked Boston and I said, I’ve never been to Boston. Right now I live and work in France. Puzzled looks but no comment. I would have explained if anyone had asked. No one did.

The band was a great dance band. Instead of hiring a group from the school music program, as has been done many years, the band was made up of talented long-time-ago graduates who have formed a side-line band. I knew a trombone player and a sax player. We had been in school band together.

Jason and I danced a few times...old tunes. Most of the guys I knew asked for a dance and it was a great evening. I didn’t wander too much between dances. For quite a while I was sitting near three ladies that I think I know. Bill Wheatly came and asked one of them to dance. She said, How dare you? He reddened and said, Janice, please. She turned her back on him and he left. I didn’t recognize any of them by name but believe that two live locally and the indignant one is no longer in Kansas. The three of them whispered together quite a bit before Bill had come over but even more now. I tried to not listen but they weren’t overly quiet sometimes. And comments like ‘which is the more offensive – Bill Wheatly or Dick Rucker." came up more than once. Wow. I finally got up and found another empty chair. I was having too good a time for this sort of eavesdropping.

Jason asked for my phone number. He said he’d call in the morning before he left to catch his flight home. I truly enjoyed the evening. Decent food, great music, and an open bar. And reconnecting with an old flame. Can you believe it? It was a fun evening for me. I was glad Lynn invited me.

It was after one in the morning by the time Lynn and I got home. Lynn was still wound up and asked if I wanted a cup of tea before we went to bed. What I would really like is a bowl of rocky road ice cream, Lynn.

I know there’s none in the freezer, Suzanne. Tell you what. My hair and clothes smell like tobacco smoke. I hate it. Why don’t I take a quick shower and wash my hair and you go up to Casey’s and get some ice cream?

I laughed. Reminds me of when we were kids. I do the running while you get pretty. It’s late. Is Casey’s open at this hour?

They are 24/7. Well, not for pizza but for anything on the shelves or in the coolers.

I shrugged off my party dress and put on jeans and a sweater. This was definitely how things played out when we were teenagers. I got to do all the running. Honest, I’m not complaining though I did back then.

Take the car, Suzanne.

Lynn, it’s four blocks. I’ll run. Better yet, I’ll just take my bike.

I had been home less than a week. We really hadn’t had time to catch up fully. And the reunion revived so many old memories. We sat on the back porch, ate large bowls of ice cream, and watched the sun come up. My sister and I had actually talked all night. It was like old times. I half expected Granny to come to the porch door and ask if we wanted pancakes or waffles for breakfast.

It was a wonderful homecoming for me. Lynn and I were like teenagers. Yep, we took apart every bachelor that had been at the reunion...and a couple married guys. We critiqued every woman’s costume. Surprisingly, not every woman wore a gown, or even a dress. There were three pant suits and one slacks and blazer and two in palazzos and blouses/shirts. Everyone was very festive however. Of the seventy-one, fifty-two graduates were present. The reunion committee announced that was the highest percentage of graduates at a reunion in twenty-three years. Yea Class of ’87!!

Of the fifty-two, surprisingly, thirty-seven still live and/or work in the Podunk area. Can you believe that? It was rather interesting seeing the fifteen that were no longer residents. Some Lynn and I both knew before their graduation that they wouldn’t stick around for long. Some people had to see new places; do new things and always had. Lynn confessed that she hadn’t even realized some of them had moved away. So we discussed the fifteen – some in broad strokes because we never really knew them; some in detail as we think we knew why they left.

Okay. So we didn’t talk all night; we did a lot of gossiping. It was so good to be home. Lynn went to bed about seven. I took a shower and was getting dressed when my phone rang. It was Jason. Would I meet him for breakfast? I told him I was just getting dressed. Give me ten minutes. I didn’t bother to tell him I had been up all night talking with my sister.

We met at Bonnie’s Restaurant – where we used to meet sometimes for breakfast; a long time ago. He asked how he could reach me in France and I wrote my address on a paper napkin. This says Chicago, Suzanne.

The Institute is in Chicago. They’ll forward mail I don’t have a mailing address at the dig where I work and live. Lynn’s mail takes about a week to reach me. They’re sending me stuff regularly for work so the Institute just includes mail in the pouch. Someone goes into Bordeaux to pick up mail and supplies daily.

Last night I wanted to ask if you’re married. I don’t see a ring.

Nope, not yet. You?

Nope, not yet. Guess I’ve been waiting for you all these years. Why, do you suppose, we never got married?

Probably because you never asked me. The look on his face was incredible. He apparently hadn’t thought of that little detail.

CHAPTER TWO

It was kind of fun sleeping in – at least that first week I was home. Lynn had a special study group on Thursday afternoons. Other than that, she was off for the summer. Actually, she was off for the summer. This study group sprang up when she realized she had four kids with the same problem and they all agreed to meet one day a week to work on it. Other then that, she worked on lesson plans for next semester and was available to kids that needed to talk. But she wasn’t in school teaching. I admire her for giving so much personal time to the kids. Boyfriend trouble, Mom problems, best friend gone for the summer – Lynn invited them in. Often they ended up baking cookies and then sitting on the back porch talking. Surprisingly, I wasn’t considered an intruder. If I was okay with Lynn, the kids didn’t seem to mind. Several were curious about their teacher’s younger sister. Some asked what I did for a living. Archaeology