Killer Body

Prologue

“They killed Lisa, those people at Killer Body.”

“Of course they didn’t.” I step back from the harsh words, so rancorous I can almost smell them, like alcohol on my aunt’s breath. “I don’t even know why Lisa insisted on joining Killer Body. She didn’t need to lose weight.”

“She wanted to, for the wedding, and those bastards gave her supplements, bad food.” Her blurred blue eyes bore into mine, begging me to believe her fantasy, assuage her grief.

“That’s not what did this to her. Heart disease runs in the family. It killed Mom, remember?”

“I remember, all right.” Her face goes pink, as if someone just pinched her cheeks. “Nan’s illness was her lifestyle,” she says. “Lisa didn’t smoke or drink.”

“No, she didn’t.” My mother did, and we both know it.

“You’ve got to help me, honey.” Aunt Carey grasps my wrist tighter. The blind pain in her eyes makes me want to turn away, but I don’t. “For Lisa. You’re a journalist. This is what you write about, what you win awards for.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Get that man. Get Killer Body.”

“… more than enough suspense to keep the reader intrigued … [a] page-turner.” —Publishers Weekly on Intern