Killer Calories

in the ribs with her elbow. “Just think of Dirk and me as being like Marshal Dillon and Miss Kitty. Maybe they do; maybe they don’t. It’s sort of a mystery-“ Marshall who?”
    Savannah groaned. “Oh, God. I feel so old.”
    “At least you aren’t old and crippled, like you were this morning. Boy, talk about a cheap trick just to get out of some exercises.”
    “I needed to talk to Dr. Ross.”
    “You could have made an appointment after exercise class.”
    “Golly gee, I didn’t think of that. Oh, well...”
    They followed the trail that Dion had led Savannah on the day before. But it was much hotter today, and without Dion jogging along before her, Savannah didn’t feel the need to run. A simple walk or even meander would do.
    Tammy looked a bit out of place on the hike, wearing her bathing attire, but she didn’t seem to care. She stared at the ground as they trudged along, seemingly lost in thought. “So, why did you need to talk to Dr. Ross?” she asked.
    “I wanted to ask him about what we found in Kat’s file last night.”
    “My God! You didn’t tell him that we—”
    “No, of course not. I told him there was a rumor going around that it was a suicide.”
    “You told him that outright?”
    “ Yeap . Sometimes that’s the best way.”
    “And what did he say?”
    “He believes it. Of course, he didn’t actually admit it, but it was obvious.”
    “What do you mean, it was obvious?”
    “He looked about like you did at the autopsy the other day.”
    Tammy flushed with humiliation at the recollection , ” Oh... that bad?”
    “Maybe a little worse. I think he really cared about Kat. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for him to lose her that way.”
    Stopping in the middle of the path, Tammy lowered herself onto a rock. For a long time, she sat with her hands covering her face. Then she said, “I called the American Cancer Society today, Savannah . I talked to a nice lady on the phone for quite a while. You know, if they catch breast cancer in time, there’s a really good chance of curing it. Kat probably didn’t have to die.”
    Savannah sat on the rock next to her and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. “I know. I’m sorry, Tammy.”
    Tears flooded her eyes. “Why do you suppose she didn’t take care of herself?”
    “I don’t know. The file said that her mother and sister both died of breast cancer. Maybe she thought there was no hope.”
    “There’s always hope. I never would have given up like that.”
    She broke down and began to sob. Savannah pulled her closer and let her bury her face against her shoulder. Patting her glossy blond hair, she said, “I know you wouldn’t have. But maybe you’re a stronger person than Kat was.”
    “Me? Stronger than Kat?” Tammy pulled back and looked up at her with eyes filled with wonder at the very idea.
    “Sure. I wouldn’t be at all surprised. From what I’ve heard about Kat, she had more bravado than courage. And I know you well enough to say that you’re a very strong woman.” Tammy wiped her eyes with the corner of her towel and sniffed. “Thanks for saying that. But sometimes I don’t even feel like a woman. I feel like a kid.”
    “Well, join the club. We all feel that way once in a while. Sometimes, when I’m getting ready to go out, putting on makeup, a nice dinner dress, and high heels, I half expect my granny Reid to barge through the door and scold me for playing dress-up with her stuff.”
    Tammy grinned and nodded. “I felt that way when I got my own apartment. I kept expecting my mom and dad to come home unexpectedly and bust me for pretending to be a grown-up.”
    They laughed, then shared a companionable moment of silence together. In the distance, a pair of doves cooed to each other, and a dragonfly floated by on lacy, iridescent wings. A slight breeze stirred the daisies and spread their wild scent.
    “It’s nice up here,” Tammy said. “It’s nice talking to you, Savannah . You’re sorta like the big sister I never had.”
    “Big sister... yeah, that’s me all right.” She felt a pang of longing for her eight younger siblings in Georgia . But the sadness was short-lived, followed by a sense of relief that they were all adults now and on their own... at least in theory.
    She pulled the phone out of her pocket again and punched some buttons. “Time to check in with Dirk and see what he’s got for us, if anything.”
    It took five rings before the familiar, grumpy male voice mumbled,