Wedding Bell Blues (33 page)

A
few minutes later, we stepped off the elevator. With his hand lightly
cupping my left elbow, Colton led me through the cops, suspects,
attorneys, and people simply waiting to be escorted upstairs for any
number of reasons. As we stepped out of the secured area, I smiled to
see my mother and sister waiting for us. Then, seeing how harried Mom
looked and watching the way Maryanne all but bounced where she stood, I
bit my lower lip to keep from laughing. Obviously, I'd been right
earlier when I figured Maryanne would be nothing but a fit of nerves.
What I hadn't expected was that she'd be in such a state that she'd
even wear our mother down.

I had most definitely made the right decision to come to the
station with Colton.

"Well?" Mama asked as we joined them.

"With Jessie's help, we've caught another break and made
another
arrest," Colton said and smiled at me. "She can tell you all about it."

"You're not coming with us?" Maryanne's voice cracked, and a
hint of panic flickered across her expression.

"I
can't leave just yet. But I promise I'll be on time tonight." He smiled
and reached for her hand, holding it between the two of his. There was
nothing but earnest reassurance in his expression. "Nothing will keep
me away, Maryanne. Besides," and now he looked at me and grinned
mischievously. "Jessie has already threatened serious trouble if I
leave her alone with the best man again."

"I most certainly have," I confirmed. "We'll let you get back
to
work, Colton. Call when you can and let me know what's going on."

"I will."

Before we could leave, Colton caught my hand and
pulled me close. I didn't need any encouragement to reach up and kiss
him. If he was willing to let the people he worked with know about us,
who was I to deny him? Besides, if my mother hadn't realized exactly
what we'd done in my bedroom the other day, she was slipping and that,
I knew, was so far from the truth it wasn't funny.

Of course, I couldn't hide the blush that warmed my cheeks, as
my
mother and sister both chuckled and several others clapped or hooted in
response. At least Colton didn't seem fazed by it. Until I looked in
his eyes and saw both amusement and embarrassment there. Somehow, that
made me feel better.

"If you get there in time to keep me from
having to deal with Hayden, I promise to make your wildest dreams come
true," I whispered in his ear.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Even if it involves chocolate sauce?" His eyes twinkled and
my blush deepened.

"Especially if it involves chocolate sauce."

"Then you'd best leave now, so I can get to work." He gave me
another quick kiss before turning his attention to Mom and Maryanne.
"You ladies have fun today and I'll see you later." With that, he
turned and walked off, leaving me to explain everything that had
happened since morning.

"So you think there's at least one more person involved?" Mom
asked as we walked inside the house half an hour later.

"That seems pretty obvious from what Joey said. He kept
repeating
that it wasn't supposed to happen like that. That they'd been told
Manny would think they were the same guys who've been robbing the other
liquor stores in the area." I chewed my lower lip as I thought. "I just
don't understand why anyone would want to hit Manny's. I don't think it
was just to rob him. Not when the guys were supposed to wreck the
place."

"Maybe it was one of his competitors," Maryanne suggested.

"Possible, but I don't think so. From what I've gathered from
all Colton's told me, Manny was well respected in the business."

"Does Colton have any idea why they were supposed to smash the
place up?"

"Nothing definite. It could have been an initiation of some
sort,
sheer meanness…or there could have been something specific in the stock
they were after and haven't told us yet."

"Well, he'll figure it out," Maryanne said as she glanced at
her watch.

As
she did, I grinned at Mom, who smiled in response. My little sister was
reminding us, in her almost subtle way, that it was time to concentrate
on more important things - like her wedding. Not that I blamed her. It
wouldn't be long before the rest of the bridesmaids arrived for the
last minute fittings of their dresses and to help make sure everything
was in readiness for the wedding. While it meant an influx of estrogen
and giddiness, I welcomed it. It would keep both Mom and Maryanne busy
and, hopefully, keep my mind off whatever was happening at the police
station.

Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. Even from the kitchen,
it was
easy to hear how Maryanne raced to see who was there. The answering
squeal, so like high school girls greeting each other after a long
absence, of say an hour. Another squeal joined it as someone else
arrived and I could all but see them, arm in arm, jumping up and down
in excitement.

"I'll give them a few minutes to settle down and
then get started with the dresses. Why don't you sneak upstairs and
rest while you can?" Mom suggested. "Maryanne won't need you for a bit."

"I think I will." I paused at the kitchen door. "Mom, it
really is
almost over." I knew she'd understand I wasn't talking about the
wedding.

"I know, and I'm more grateful than you know, sweetheart." She
moved
to stand before me, the fingers of her right hand lightly touching the
cut down my cheek. When I didn't flinch in pain, she nodded in
satisfaction. I hadn't realized until then that much of the soreness
around the cut seemed so much less than it had even the day before.
Unfortunately, the bruising had turned to a mass of yellows and
purples. Hopefully, by morning, it would have faded enough for some
creative makeup techniques to hide it. "Run on. I'll yell when we're
ready for you."

I didn't need to be told a second time. Knowing better than to
let
Maryanne see me, I crept up the back stairs. Maybe I'd be able to catch
a short nap before Mom needed me for my final fitting. Heaven knows, I
needed some sleep.

Of course, the moment my head touched the pillow, I knew it
wasn't
going to happen. It was as if that were the signal for my brain to go
into overdrive. I closed my eyes, and the events of the last week came
flooding back. Every detail, no matter how small and seemingly
inconsequential, flashed into sudden clarity. I gave up trying to close
out the events and sat up. If I couldn't get some rest, maybe I could
finally make some sense out of what had happened and why.

I dug in my briefcase and found my notepad and a pen. I
wouldn't
think about what I was writing, just let the pen jot down ideas and
comments as they came to me. Sort of an automatic writing, or whatever
the New Agers call it.

Of course, there was one problem. As good
as my intentions might be, my brain wasn't cooperating. It kept
demanding I pay attention to all the little details. Okay, maybe it
wasn't my brain but my inability to completely give up control.
Whatever it was, it meant I had to consider everything, no matter how
out in left field it might seem.
There was a second problem as well. I couldn't shake the feeling that
everything circled back to me, and that didn't make any sense. If
someone had a beef with me, why would they hire Joey and Underwood to
trash Manny's liquor store? Manny didn't have anything to do with the
family. We didn't know him outside of the store, didn't know any of his
family except through the store.

So I had to be wrong.

But what if I weren't? My instincts are usually pretty good.
Well,
with one exception where I let jealousy overrule common sense. But even
that might have been for the best. Whether I wanted to admit it or not,
I was beginning to wonder if Colton wasn't right and we weren't ready
for a lasting relationship. The question was, were we now?

I didn't know the answer, but was willing to go along for the
ride
to find out. Only, before I could really enjoy it, I needed to figure
out why two kids from my high school had killed Manny, burned down my
house, and all the rest of it.

From downstairs came the sounds of my sister and her friends
laughing and joking as Mom made the final alterations on their dresses.
A muffled pop was all I needed to know someone had uncorked a bottle of
champagne. I didn't know whether to laugh or not. Nothing made me
happier than knowing Maryanne was happy and excited about marrying
Brett in less than twenty four hours. But, if she and the others
started drinking now, she'd be the worse for wear come morning, and I
didn't want that for her. The last thing she should have to worry about
was a hangover on her wedding day.

But, as long as they were occupied, I had at least a few more
minutes alone. Which led again to the question of who would want to
trash Manny's store in an attempt to get at me. It simply didn't make
any sense.

The sound of a truck out front had me crossing to the window.
Parked
below was the delivery truck from Manny's. The driver's door opened,
and someone stepped out. It didn't take long for me to recognize his
oldest son, especially not when the passenger door opened and one of
his younger brothers emerged. Despite everything that had happened,
they were doing what their father would have expected. They were making
deliveries and seeing that the business carried on.

"God, you can be so dense sometimes, Jess."

I didn't slap my
hand to my forehead like they do in that commercial, but I came close.
There it was, staring me in the face. The connection between Manny and
my family. Still, it didn't make any sense. Why would someone want to
trash Manny's store just because he was supplying the liquor for my
sister's wedding? Who would want to do that?

Oh my God. The answer was all but staring me in the face. Who
had
done her best to upset my sister not once, but several times this past
week? Who'd made it clear she didn't want Maryanne to marry Brett? Who
had I gone toe to toe with because of her actions?

But to go to this extreme? Sure, she hadn't meant for the guys
to
kill Manny. But, knowing her, I'm not sure it would have bothered her
all that much either. After all, she had no qualms turning people's
lives upside down just so she could sleep with whomever she wanted. As
for Manny, unless I missed my guess, she'd justify it as his fault. He
should have simply stood back and let Joey and Underwood destroy his
stock and rob him. After all, he'd be insured so, to her way of
thinking, he wouldn't be out anything.

It made sense, in a weird, sick way. Still, I hesitated. It
was
entirely possible I was projecting my own dislike - let's be honest, my
own hatred - into the equation. Janie Bickerstaff had always been a
thorn in my side because of the way she treated my sister. Her actions
this past week had finally crossed the line and brought us into direct
conflict. I knew she'd planned to do everything she could to break up
Brett and Maryanne, just as she had so many others. But could even she
be this cold-blooded, this cruel?

Without conscious thought, I crossed once more to my briefcase
and
quickly found my cell phone. I expected to get Colton's voice mail. So,
when he actually answered, it took me by surprise.

"Hello?" he repeated.

"It's me." I heard the anger in my voice and hoped he
understood it
wasn't directed at him. Not that I could do anything about it except
hope he let me explain before jumping to conclusions.

"Jess? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Colton, ask Joey one question. Ask him if Janie Bickerstaff
is the one who hired him."

The questions I'd expected from him didn't come. Instead,
there was
silence. After a moment, I was afraid we'd been cut off or, worse, that
he thought I'd finally lost my mind. Either way, I needed to be ready
to explain to him, to convince him I was right. But was my gut feeling
enough?

"Colton?" I prompted when I couldn't stand the silence any
longer.

"I'm here." He sounded distracted and I swallowed hard. Maybe
he was
calling the men in the nice white coats to come for me. "Jessie, tell
me why you think she's involved?"
"I can't give you anything concrete. It's just a gut feeling." And I
was beginning to feel the fool. Damn it, I should have waited to call
until I was sure.

"Tell me anyway."

"Okay." I blew out a breath. Best to get it over with, even if
it
meant he'd soon be telling me how foolish I was. I told him, as
succinctly as I could.

"I have to admit, babe, that's a good piece of deduction." He
called
me babe. That had to mean he didn't think I was crazy. Didn't it? "And
confirms what Joey just told me. I was about to call you when the phone
rang."

I leaned against the wall, relief coursing through me. We
knew.
Finally, after all that had happened, we knew who was responsible. Now,
if I was lucky, Colton would tell me they'd already arrested the bitch.

"I've left word for the assistant DA assigned the case so we
can get
an arrest warrant. And I've issued a BOLO for her. If she hasn't
already figured out we've arrested these two idiots, we should be
picking her up in the next few hours."

"Will you be the one to arrest her?"

"No. I'll leave that pleasure to one of the others. I promised
your
sister I'd be there on time tonight, and I plan to keep that promise."

I grinned, more pleased than I'd expected. For him to step
aside and
let another detective make the arrest must mean he wanted to be part of
the wedding, to be part of what was a very family-oriented event. He
really had grown up these last ten years. That didn't mean he wouldn't
also be on guard, making sure nothing else happened until they managed
to arrest Janie.

"When will you get here?"

"I'll leave just as soon as I brief the ADA and my
lieutenant." He
paused and I heard someone speaking to him. "Babe, I've got to go. Tell
your sister I should be there within the hour."