With a sigh, Regan lay back down, turned on her side, and watched the gray light filter through the small window in the corner. She and Kit had arrived the night before to celebrate the tenth reunion of their Junior Year Program at St. Polycarp’s in Oxford. And they were just in time to greet another dreary day in England. I hope it cheers up by this afternoon, Regan thought as she pulled the paper-thin blanket around her clammy skin. A lot has changed but the weather certainly hasn’t. It’s what Athena hated most about this place.

Athena. It was disconcerting to think about her. It’s hard to believe that I shared this very room with her, Regan thought. Until she took off to go to London for the weekend at the end of April ten years ago and never came back. And no one had heard from her by the time the term ended in June.

Athena hadn’t been the easiest person to live with, always complaining and wishing she were back in Greece. Getting into her bathrobe after her 10 A.M. English class on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and staying in the room all day. Blowing her nose constantly and never allowing Regan to open the tiny window for a breath of fresh air. Refusing Regan’s early offers to join the crowd for a beer down at the local pub. So when Athena turned twenty-one and inherited money from her grandmother, Regan hadn’t been surprised that she never came back from her weekend jaunt. “I’ve learned enough Eeenglesh,” she was always telling Regan, “no matter what my parents say.”

Well, it’s for sure she won’t want to come back for this reunion even if she does hear about it, Regan thought. I almost didn’t come myself.

It was Kit who had urged Regan to make the trip. “Look, I know you’re free. You were even written up in last week’s issue of People for solving your big case. I think we should go to Europe and celebrate. Take a couple of weeks off. It will be fun to see the old gang again.”

Originally Regan had planned on going to law school, but sometime during her senior year of college she had finally opted for investigative work. After graduation she had taken a job working for an older detective in Los Angeles who had taken her under his wing. A couple of years ago she had finally struck out on her own. But her career choice worried her parents, Luke and Nora Reilly.