“Of course. It’s the least I could do,” Cindy said.
“Can I talk to her?”
“In a few minutes. The doctor’s checking her over again now that she’s awake. Hopefully he’ll release her in the morning.”
“Whatever they need to do, make sure they do it.”
“I will.”
“Okay. Call me the minute I can talk to her.”
“I will,” she promised before ending the call.
Poor Joseph. He had been through so much. She remembered when he had told her he was thinking of proposing to Geanie but he had been afraid to because he felt that danger had been stalking him because of all the things that had happened. Cindy had reassured him that if anyone was cursed it was her and not him.
If it was someone coming after Geanie trying to get at him then maybe all his fears had been justified. She couldn’t let herself think like that, though. She couldn’t let him think like it either. For all they knew at this point it really could be coincidence. Or maybe someone had a grudge against the bridal shop and Geanie just happened to get in the way.
She wanted to call Mark and find out if the police knew anything yet about the driver of the car that had nearly hit them. She knew he and Jeremiah were with Joseph, though, so it would be best just to let them get their business done.
A minute later the doctor stepped into the hallway. “We’re going to keep her overnight for observation. At this point, though, I don’t see any reason why we can’t release her in the morning.”
“That’s good news, thank you.”
He shrugged. “We’ll see what the morning brings.”
He left and Cindy went back into the room just as Liam was stepping out. “I’m going to call Mark and see if he wants to post officers outside the door tonight,” he told her.
She nodded. She had a feeling the answer was going to be ‘yes’ unless the detective had learned something new.
“They won’t let me leave until the morning,” Geanie said, looking distressed as Cindy walked up to her.
“So I heard. It’s a good thing, though. You need the rest and they can keep an eye on you and make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine. I don’t see what all the fuss is about. How did I hit my head anyway?”
“What do you remember?”
“I came out of the shop to get the slip from you. I was at the car and there was some kind of noise and then I woke up here.”
Cindy picked up Geanie’s hand. “There was an explosion in the bridal shop. It threw you against the car. I think that’s when you hit your head.”
“An explosion?” Geanie asked, turning pale. “What kind?”
“I don’t know what set it off.”
“It had to be big to knock me into the car.”
“Very big.”
Geanie blinked. “The owner and the seamstress?”
Cindy shook her head. “There’s no way they could have survived the blast.”
Geanie stared at her for a moment in shock and then began to cry. Cindy wrapped her arms around her and held her close.
“I never liked either of them,” Geanie sobbed after a moment.
“I know, neither did I,” Cindy confessed through tears of her own.
“But I never would have wished them dead.”
“Me either,” Cindy said, hugging her tighter.
“If it hadn’t been for forgetting my slip, and you not being able to get parking, I would be dead to.”
“I believe that God has a plan for each of us. It wasn’t your time and He was going to do whatever He needed to make sure you weren’t in that store when it happened.”
When they had both stopped crying Cindy handed her phone to Geanie. “Joseph wanted to talk as soon as you were able.”
Geanie took the phone gratefully and Cindy walked back outside where she joined Liam in the hallway.
“Figured you ladies could use some privacy,” he said sheepishly.
She smiled gratefully. “So, what did Mark say?”
“He’s called for an overnight protective watch, handpicked the men. As soon as the first shift gets here we’re free to leave.”
Cindy nodded, realizing just how tired she was.
“He also said that once she’s released in the morning he wants her staying at Joseph’s because of his enhanced security system.”
“She’s not going to like that,” Cindy warned. “She’s got a lot left to do for the wedding and some things she’s trying to keep as a surprise from Joseph. Plus, if it gets out she’s staying there I’m sure tongues will wag.”
“Not if members of the bridal party are staying there, too,” Liam said.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, Mark suggested that you and Jeremiah should stay there as well plus whoever else is closely involved.”
Cindy raised an eyebrow. “Then I guess when I get home I have to skip passing out in favor of packing.”
Liam shrugged. “I think Mark wants everyone where he can keep close tabs on them, just in case.”
“Of course, that also makes the whole bridal party one big target,” she muttered.
“If it turns out this is an attack against her and Joseph, Mark’s going to order round the clock security as well.”
Cindy couldn’t help but smile. “Okay, Royal Wedding it is.”
Jeremiah was at home just about finished with his packing when Cindy called. “Hey, long day,” he said. “How are you holding up?”
“Probably better than can be expected,” she said. “You?”
“Irritated. Trying to figure out what I’m missing that I need to take to Joseph’s.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
There was a hesitation in her voice that gave him pause. There was something she wasn’t saying.
“What’s wrong?”
“I have to admit, I’m feeling a bit jumpy being here by myself. They’re not releasing Geanie until the morning.”
“Maybe you should head on over to Joseph’s tonight,” he suggested. “It would be safer.”
“I don’t know,” she said.
For some reason she was struggling with the decision although he wasn’t sure why. He sighed and went to his dresser to add another pair of socks to his bag. “Tell you what, how about I pick you up in half an hour and we both head over there?”
“Really?” she said, sounding tremendously relieved.
“Sure,” he said. “After all, Captain’s still over there. I figured he’d just get in the way of the packing and he was having fun with Joseph’s dogs. He’ll miss me if I’m not there tonight, though.”
He didn’t want to have to go over early, but clearly Cindy needed him to do this. That was fine.
“Okay. I’ve got a lot of stuff, though. I’m having to pack for both of us over here.”
“All the more reason you need help hauling it,” he said, putting a smile into his voice.
“Thank you. I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay, bye.”
He ended the call and zipped up his suitcase. He’d said he’d go over in half an hour, but he’d head over now. He was ready and there was no reason to leave her alone and feeling jumpy any longer than he had to.
He locked up the house, threw his bag in the trunk and headed out. Back in November he had been ready to leave because the relationship with Cindy was growing too close which was dangerous for both of them. Then Mark had begged for their help finding out the truth about Paul. He had reluctantly agreed, telling himself that once they found out the truth he would go.
Maybe that was why he hadn’t worked very hard to actually help out with that. He knew he didn’t want to go, but staying was becoming less of an option. Staying meant telling Cindy the truth and that was something he couldn’t bring himself to do. It would shatter her. He’d spent the last couple of months trying to distance himself from her, but that hadn’t worked either. Somehow they seemed to be closer than ever. Wedding planning had thrown them even more
and more together and for the next ten days they would be nearly inseparable. The thought gave him a deep sense of joy while at the same time it frustrated the logical side of him that knew that much togetherness was a mistake.
Five minutes later Cindy was opening the door. She threw her arms around him and hugged him so tightly he thought she might never let go. She finally did and he followed her into her house.
There was a massive pile of luggage next to the door and he felt his eyes bulge as he stared at it.
“I warned you there was a lot,” she said.
“Yes, you did,” he conceded.
“To be honest, I’ve run out of suitcases and I’ve had to resort to a couple of boxes and a trash bag. Not exactly dignified or up to the standards of a Royal Wedding.”
He chuckled. “I’m sure Joseph has a few loose diamonds you can glue on them that will class them up in no time.”
She stared at him for a moment and then burst out laughing so hard she sat down on the floor. After a moment he started laughing, too.
“It will be the world’s first million dollar trash bag,” he said.
“I’d pay to see that,” she gasped. “Not a million dollars, but I’d still pay.”
“And then Geanie’s mother will demand to know how come the trash bag is wearing more diamonds than her daughter.”
“Stop, please,” Cindy said, clutching her side. “It hurts to laugh.”
And just like that she had lifted his dark mood and destroyed his resolve to keep his distance. That was the magic of Cindy. It was also the danger.
“Okay, how about I start hauling some of this stuff out to the car.”
“That’s a good idea,” she said, slowly getting up from the floor. “I’ve only got a few more things to pack...I hope.”
“You know there will be something Geanie will have to come back here for,” he said.
“That’s what I’m afraid of, and trying so hard to avoid. Oh!” she said, suddenly startled. She darted into the dining room and returned with an enormous box. “I nearly forgot the supplies for the wedding favors. We were supposed to assemble these tonight. I don’t know when we’re going to have time now, but it’s got to be done.”
“Is that all of it?” Jeremiah asked.
“No, there’s five more boxes like this and then two giant boxes.”
“That’s a lot of wedding favors.”
“Have you seen the size of the guest list?” she asked.
“I confess I haven’t.”
“I have. I had to go with Geanie to the post office the day she mailed out all the invitations. All fifteen hundred of them.”
He stared, amazed. “And presumably a lot of those were going to homes with more than one person.”
“Yup.”
“So, how many people RSVPd to say they were coming?”
“So far? All of them.”
“That’s not possible.”
“That’s what Geanie said after the first two hundred all came back yes.”
“For the first time I understand people who choose to elope,” he said with a shake of his head.
“I know, right?” Cindy asked as she went to get another box.
It turned out to be the world’s biggest puzzle trying to fit everything into Jeremiah’s car so they wouldn’t have to make more than one trip. Jeremiah finally accomplished it even though it meant Cindy had to carry one of the larger boxes on her lap. The box was so large she couldn’t see over it or around it and by the time they made it to Joseph’s she was a bit carsick.
Joseph opened her door and took the box from her. “I thought Geanie wasn’t moving all of her stuff here until after the honeymoon,” he said, sounding bewildered.
Cindy got out of the car and took a deep breath of the cold air which made her feel better. “Dear, sweet, delusional Joseph. That’s going to take an army to move that stuff. This is just the wedding stuff. And no peeking at any of it or she’ll have my hide.”
“She’s serious about that,” Jeremiah said as he got out of the car and popped the trunk.
“Understood. So, let’s find a place where we can put all of this.”
It took about an hour but they finally got everything sorted into the appropriate rooms. Cindy and Geanie were sharing guest rooms next to each other while Jeremiah was in a room across the hall. A formal sitting room Joseph never used became the repository for the boxes of wedding favor supplies and a few other things.
It was all Cindy could do not to laugh when Joseph was carrying the trash bag into the house. Jeremiah didn’t help by miming putting little sparkling diamonds on the bag. Fortunately Joseph was too distracted to notice.
When everything was done Cindy stood in the sitting room surveying the boxes. She and Geanie were going to have to work on assembling the favors tomorrow, but they were running out of time and she wasn’t sure how much Geanie would actually be able to do. It was time to call in reinforcements, even if they didn’t want to help.
Neither Melissa nor Veronica wanted to help assemble all the favors and were pretty blunt about it on the phone when Cindy called each of them. She in turn was blunt with them and gave them a raking over the coals for abandoning Geanie in her hour of need and disgracing the name “bridesmaid”. In the end she had guilted both of them into promising to be there the next day to help.
With that taken care of she said goodnight to the guys, went to her room, and promptly fell asleep.
Cindy waited in Geanie’s hospital room the next morning and found herself chafing at the delay as much as the other woman was. It was ten o’clock and she still hadn’t been released. Cindy felt a bit guilty thinking of how she should have just gone in to work and waited for the call. For that matter, Joseph could have picked Geanie up.
Finally she called Sylvia. “Geanie hasn’t been released yet. I’m not going to be there before lunch at this rate.”
“You know what? Don’t worry about it. I had a feeling something like this was going to happen. I got Dave to draft one of the high school girls into helping design and print Sunday’s bulletin. He’s covering the phones for you and seems to be enjoying himself a little too much. I think people keep thinking it’s April Fools around here. Monday is Martin Luther King Day and the office is closed so why don’t you just take the rest of today and tomorrow.”
“Are you sure? I don’t know how much sick time I have left.”
“Don’t worry about it. The Royal Wedding needs you. We’ve got things more than covered here.”
“I feel bad-”
“Look, you’re taking care of another staff member and a church member who just happens to be our biggest financial supporter. As far as I’m concerned this is work adjacent. Besides, talking to grownups for a while is good for Dave. He forgets how you know.”
“Thank you,” Cindy said.
Half an hour later they finally released Geanie. Once they were in the car and on their way she launched into a laundry list of the things that had to be done. She ended with “I don’t know how we’re going to get all those favors assembled.”
“Don’t worry,” Cindy said. “Melissa and Veronica will be over today after work to help with all of that.”
Geanie leaned her head back with a sigh. “I don’t know how you pulled that off but I have five words for you. Best. Maid. Of. Honor. Ever.”
“I’ll take it,” Cindy said with a grin.
Mark’s day had not been nearly as productive as he would have liked. The car that had nearly run down Geanie and Cindy the day before turned out to have been stolen before the incident. He wasn’t sure if that made it more or less likely that they were being targeted. It was possible the driver had just spooked and they happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
The thief had abandoned the car a few blocks from the minimart and had left behind no fingerprints to help them. Bomb squad and arson investigation officers were still going over the scene at the bridal shop to determine the cause of the explosion. Unfortu
nately, the bodies of the two ladies who had been helping Geanie had been recovered inside.
All-in-all he felt like nothing was accomplished by the time five o’clock rolled around. With nothing left to do but wait for some word on the cause of the explosion he called Traci and let her know he’d be home on time for once. She sounded thrilled and he had a flash of guilt. There’d been a lot of late nights lately.
As he drove home his thoughts returned to Paul and the mysterious note he’d received the day before. He had forensics testing the note and the envelope but he didn’t anticipate that they would actually find anything.
When he finally pulled up outside the house he shook himself mentally. He needed to learn to leave this kind of stuff at work. His wife deserved more of his undivided attention than she’d gotten in a long time.
He was halfway to the front door when it opened and Traci emerged, locking it behind her. She was wearing a long, red dress that he hadn’t seen her wear in a long time. It hugged her curves in a very attention-getting way.
Traci looked beautiful, more beautiful than he could ever remember seeing her, and he stared, transfixed. She smiled at him and he was reminded again of how much he didn’t deserve her.
“What’s the occasion?” he finally managed to stammer. He knew it wasn’t a birthday or anniversary.
“It isn’t everyday my husband’s actually home for dinner,” she said, smiling slyly. “I thought we’d celebrate.”
“I can’t argue with that,” he said.
“Nor should you even try.”
They got into the car and he glanced at her again. “So, where are we going?”
“Rue de Main.”
He whistled. It was a French restaurant and one of the nicest places in town. When Traci wanted to celebrate something, she went all out.
Twenty minutes later they were being seated at a table for two that was adorned with a white tablecloth and candles. After they had ordered their food Mark picked up her hand and kissed the back of it.
“Now, how about you tell me what’s really going on Mrs. Walters.”
“Always the detective, aren’t you?” she teased.