Midnight Shimmer: A Toni Diamond Mystery (Toni Diamond Mysteries Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

unproductive, but if we have let’s say two thousand people sign up to sell Lady Bianca cosmetics by the end of the cruise, then you’ll get credit for a thousand and I’ll get credit for a thousand.”
    “Two thousand new recruits. Can you just imagine?”
    “Of course I can, and I always believe that every person I talk to will eventually sign up to sell Lady Bianca.”
    Linda shook her head admiringly. “It’s a gift you have. That’s what it is. A true gift.”
    Toni was having trouble deciding between the blue striped T-shirt with white cotton slacks or the lilac cotton sweater and a jean skirt. In the end she went with the lilac cotton, as it was the Lady Bianca signature color.
    “Oh, I almost forgot,” she said, digging in her big bag. “I brought us all lanyards so we can hang our key cards around our necks.” The ship issued the cards not only to let them into their staterooms, but also to function as ID and to allow them purchase drinks or items easily aboard ship.
    The lanyards were from the last Lady Bianca sales convention and they were mauve. Imprinted in gold on the pale purple ribbon were the words,
Proud to represent Lady Bianca Cosmetics.
“This way, we won’t lose our cards or misplace them somewhere.”
    “Plus, it’s a little bit of soft selling,” Linda said, accepting her lanyard, slipping her key card into it and hanging it around her neck. She’d been flipping through the daily newsletter outlining the day’s events. Suddenly, she put a hand to her chest and cried out, “Oh, look at this! A shopping seminar. And it’s about diamonds and jewelry.” She gasped. “And they’re giving out prizes.”
    “Perfect. Women who love diamonds—and who doesn’t?—will love Lady Bianca. And by the time they’ve finished an hour-long seminar on shopping, they’ll be pumped to buy. This is a golden opportunity.”
    “Or a diamond one,” Linda said, and the pair of them started giggling.
    “Okay, Betty and Wilma, I’m heading for the gym,” Tiff said, grabbing her card. She was already in shorts and an athletic shirt, her hair tied back in a ponytail. “I’ll catch up with you both later.”
    “Wow. Aren’t you committed to fitness,” Linda said admiringly.
    Toni watched as her daughter mumbled something and headed for the door. Toni wasn’t sure it was a commitment to fitness so much as a desire to bump into the cute young guy from yesterday.
    She noticed that Tiffany hadn’t taken advantage of the Lady Bianca lanyard.
    “Let’s start with the Zumba class,” Linda suggested. “Lots of great women who care about their appearances will be there. Plus we’ll get a workout.”
    “Deal.”
    She abandoned the lilac sweater and jean skirt for workout gear and headed for the nightclub where the class was scheduled. The teacher had set up on the stage and by night, the class gym would be the disco dance floor.
    While they waited for the class to start, they checked out their fellow classmates for potential Lady Bianca clients. Toni immediately picked out a few likely candidates.
    She smiled and moved close to one of them. An older woman, maybe late fifties, with diamonds at her ears, her throat, and on her fingers. Big, gorgeous diamonds. She had a sad look to her and Toni thought maybe she needed a lift—like, say, a free makeover.
    “I’ve never done Zumba before. Mind if I follow you?” she asked the woman.
    “I’ll try not to lead you astray.” She had a New York accent. She was attractive, with frosted hair cut in a sleek bob, and a lean figure.
    The music began to boom out of the speakers while the instructor shouted instructions into her mic. Toni had no time to focus on anything but where her feet were supposed to go. It was a fun workout, with pumping music, stepping this way, jiggling that way, and trying not to crash into anyone.
    After the class, when the women were all glowing and feeling good about themselves for choosing to exercise off a few calories