A Killer Retreat by Tracy Weber Page B

made of wool. If Kyle had his way, the entire resort would be vegan. To me, it’s important that our facilities are fair trade, eco-sensitive, and upscale. I get his point about the wool, but I love the idea of supporting Iranian women, and no animals were harmed.”
    â€œWell, the whole house is magnificent, Emmy.”
    â€œI think so, too. Our older cabins still need work, but we’ll get there. The new construction is meant to show investors what we’re capable of doing. Tonight’s our first event, and so far, it’s going wonderfully.”
    She continued talking about the house with obvious pride. “The Retreat House has a large living space that can host family reunions and small corporate events. It even has a commercial grade kitchen.”
    â€œIt looks huge.”
    â€œIt is. Almost three thousand square feet. It can sleep up to sixteen. We’re only using two of the bedrooms this week, though. I decided to let Mom and Aunt Toni have the whole house, as long as they were willing to host a few gatherings. Mom needs all the personal space she can get with Monica here.” Emmy grinned. “I may snag a third bedroom the night before the wedding, though. Josh needs to miss me a little before the honeymoon.”
    She pointed toward a table overflowing with breads, fruits, spreads, and desserts. “Help yourself if you’re hungry. Mom put out enough food to feed an army.”
    I patted my stomach. “Thanks, but no. I’m stuffed. Dinner was amazing.”
    â€œWell, you at least have to try one of Dad’s Manhattans. He stopped drinking years ago, but he bartended his way through college, and his Manhattans are out of this world. He’s making them in the kitchen now, if you’re interested.”
    â€œYou don’t have to ask me twice,” Michael replied.
    â€œGet me one, too,” I yelled to his retreating, well-muscled behind.
    While Sam and Michael went off in search of libations, Emmy introduced me to the guests. Many looked familiar. Several had been at the restaurant, and a few were staff members I’d seen zipping around on golf carts. Kyle even made an appearance, minus his apron but still sporting that crazy Bob Marley hat.
    We eventually made our way to the two women I had assumed were Emmy’s mother and her friend. “Mom, this is Kate. She’s the yoga teacher I told you about. Kate, this is my Mom, Helen, and my Aunt Toni.”
    Aunt? So they were related, after all. “Nice to meet you. Are you two sisters?”
    Emmy smiled. “No, but they may as well be. Toni and Mom have been friends forever. I practically think of her as my second mother.” The two women exchanged a strange look, but Emmy didn’t seem to notice. Perhaps it was my imagination.
    She turned to her mother. “I’m trying to get Kate to teach a private yoga class for the wedding party, maybe even here at the Retreat House. What do you think?”
    Helen opened her mouth to answer but stopped, distracted. The room’s energy shifted—from warm and inviting to tense, almost frigid. Helen’s shoulders stiffened. Her jaw clenched.
    â€œMom?”
    â€œI suppose …”
    As Helen’s voice trailed off, Emmy and I followed her gaze. Straight to the eyes of the Devil herself. Monica completed her grand entrance by removing her fur stole and blithely tossing it over the back of Kyle’s chair.
    The air suddenly felt thick, unbreatheable. Kyle cringed as if slapped and scrambled away from the dead animal’s skin. Monica and Helen made eye contact and froze, not even breathing, poised like she-wolves about to attack. The rest of the room continued making benign conversation, blissfully unaware of the drama unfolding before them.
    I told myself that someone needed to diffuse the mounting tension—that the mean-spirited joke I was about to tell was actually a kindness. But truthfully, I wanted to poke fun