Matrimony, Money and Murder

by Cindy Bell

  “I’ll still look into it,” he nodded. “But we need to give the police as many suspects as possible.”

  “But how?” Wendy shook her head. “I've been thinking about it, but I can't figure out who it could be.”

  “You're so tense with all of this, you're probably blocking out the obvious,” Brian suggested. “Just lean back on the couch and get comfortable.”

  Wendy didn't want to tell him that he was adding to her tension by sliding closer to her on the couch.

  “Now just try to relax,” he instructed as Wendy sat back against the couch. “Listen to the sound of my voice,” he added, and his voice became smooth and soothing. “There's a lot going on in your mind,” he continued. “We need to get past all of that, to what happened in the days before Camilla's death.”

  “Okay,” Wendy murmured. With her eyes closed, her mind was spinning. It was filled with the fear of handcuffs, thoughts of Brenda's wedding, moments of Camilla's laughter, the glass of white wine in Veronica's hand, and Marcia's expression when Camilla fired her. All of it was a jumble, and she didn't see how she would ever get through it. Then she felt Brian's hand come to rest gently on the back of hers. She tensed for a moment at the physical connection. His hand was a lot softer than she had expected it to be, and he didn't rest the full weight of it against her, just a soft anchoring touch.

  “Take a slow breath,” he instructed. “And relax,” he continued as she drew in her breath. “I want you to think about last week. Was there anything happening last week that had you concerned? Any arguments? Any confrontations with Camilla?”

  “Just the usual,” Wendy replied in a softened voice.

  “What usual?” Brian pressed and leaned a little closer.

  “Anything that went wrong in Camilla's life, she came to me to solve,” Wendy explained. “So, last week she lost one of her favorite shoes, needed her sandwich returned because it had too many seeds on the crust, wanted her hairstylist fired because of a mishap with a bobby pin, and of course there were the clients that were specifically requesting me over her,” she explained. “It was nothing out of the ordinary. I think I'd remember if something truly threatening occurred.”

  Brian sighed and rubbed a hand across his eyes before glancing at his watch.

  “Here's the situation. We only have so much time before the police are going to take a shot at arresting you. Even if we can think of other suspects that we can throw out as a possibility, you'd have a better chance of avoiding handcuffs.”

  Wendy stared down at her hands which had begun to tremble again. “I'm trying,” she murmured. “I really am.”

  Brian frowned and laid one hand over one of hers. “I know you are. I'm not trying to scare you, I just want you to be prepared.”

  “Thanks,” she sighed. Before she could speak again her cell phone rang again. She saw that it was Brenda.

  “Wendy, we need to stay focused on this…” Brian began to say, but Wendy had already answered the phone.

  “What's happening, Brenda?” she asked.

  “I just called to confirm the roses for tomorrow, and the florist said they didn't get their delivery, and if we don't have the roses by tomorrow then nothing will be decorated, and if nothing is decorated it's not really a wedding, is it? Not a real wedding…” she continued to gush, her anxiety clear in her voice.

  “Brenda, everything's going to be fine,” Wendy promised her. “I'll take care of the flowers, you get a glass of wine and snuggle up with John, okay?”

  “Are you sure?” Brenda asked with a sniffle in her voice. “I mean there's still so much to do!”

  “It's all under control,” Wendy assured her. “Nothing is going to stop you from having the wedding of your dreams.”

  “Oh, thank you so much, Wendy, thank you,” Brenda sighed into the phone before hanging up.

  Wendy hung up her cell phone and quickly began a web search to find local florists that could provide the roses that Brenda was looking for. She would be able to get a refund from the original florist which would offset the cost of the new roses.

  “Wendy,” Brian said impatiently as she sorted through the results.

  “Just a minute,” she said and held up one finger before scrolling. She was familiar with most of the florists but Camilla had a contract with many of them. She had to find one that wasn't involved with Camilla before her death so there wouldn't be any issues getting the roses.

  “Wendy,” Brian said again more impatiently, his voice rising slightly. “Do you know how important it is that we find out what really happened to Camilla? There might already be an arrest warrant out for you!”

  “I know, I know,” Wendy said with a slight nod and then smiled as she found the florist she was looking for. She touched the button to dial the number immediately and then glanced over at Brian.

  “It's okay, just let me make this one call,” she said with a small smile.

  “Unbelievable,” Brian shook his head. “Isn't your freedom more important than a wedding?” he asked.

  “No,” she replied simply.

  “How can you say that?” he gasped and stared at her with wide eyes.

  “Hold on,” she shushed him and began ordering the roses. “I need them by tomorrow morning. Yes, I understand, I'll cover the fee. Just make sure they are pink, okay? Great, thank you,” she said swiftly before hanging up the phone.

  “Wendy,” Brian reached for her phone. “You need to turn that over until we get this situation straightened out. You could be in handcuffs at any time.”

  “But I'm not,” she pointed out as she swiftly tucked the phone back into her purse and out of his reach. “And until I am I'm going to make sure that Brenda has the wedding of her dreams.”

  “That just doesn't make any sense,” he complained with a slight shake of his head. “If you really wanted to save yourself from this mess you wouldn't be distracting yourself with this wedding.”

  “It's not a distraction,” Wendy said firmly.

  “How can you say that? You're in a dire situation, Wendy, and you're stopping to take calls and call florists,” his tone was more urgent than angry, but Wendy noticed the ripple of his jaw. “I'm fighting hard to get you out of this, Wendy, I expect you to do the same,” he pointed out gruffly.

  “I am doing the same,” Wendy assured him. “But Brenda only gets one day, you know?” she smiled faintly. “It's one day that she and her husband will look back on for the rest of their lives.”

  Brian stared at her thoughtfully. “I guess I never looked at it that way.”

  “That's okay, not everyone does,” Wendy said with a shrug. “Most people see my job as just that, a job. I see it as an opportunity to create that perfect moment for a couple.”

  “Isn't all that fluff and sparkle just an illusion though?” Brian asked as he looked into her eyes. “Aren't you setting them up for a let down after all the fanfare dies down?”

  “I don't think so,” Wendy said with a shake of her head. “I can't create what isn't there. No amount of doves, lace, or violins will force love into a wedding. The love has to be there to begin with, everything else is just an expression of it.”

  Brian seemed to be mildly enchanted by her words, though he still had a skeptical gleam in his eyes. Noting this, she continued with her explanation.

  “They will tell their kids about this day. The way they felt on the day might even impact the way they feel during their marriage, do you understand that?” she looked up at him curiously and searched his eyes. “Doesn't that seem important to you?”

  “I guess, I never really thought about it too much,” he admitted with a slight smile. “The way you describe it makes it sound so special. I've always thought of marriage as one of those things you have to do,” he shrugged a little.

  “Wow,” Wendy said as she looked at him. It always surprised her how cynical some people are about the idea of marriage. “Have you done it?” Wendy asked as he leaned forward on the couch to box up his Chinese foo
d.

  “Marriage?” he asked with slightly widened eyes. “No, I can't say I have. I've done my best to avoid it.”

  “Really?” Wendy asked and was surprised when she felt a slight sense of disappointment. Was she connecting with Brian a little too much? Was she expecting something more from him?

  “Well, it's not for everyone,” he pointed out and shook his head. “I guess I've never thought of myself as husband material.”

  “I don't think there's any right husband,” Wendy replied in a soft whimsical tone. “I should say, any right way to be a husband. The man you fall in love with, is the right man for you, and life kind of forms around it.”

  “Well, tell that to the divorce statistics,” he chuckled a little as he stood up from the couch.

  “It's true, it's rare for a couple to stay together these days,” she said quietly and glanced wistfully over her apartment.

  “Oh, I'm sorry,” he mumbled and flushed as he realized his mistake. “That was a little insensitive, considering.”

  “No, it's fine,” Wendy shrugged and smiled to reassure him. “The truth is I do believe that if you wait for the right person, you get the magic,” she smiled a little at that. “The hard part is waiting, and knowing when to face the fact that the person you're with isn't the right one for you.”

  “I guess I've never felt that way about anyone I've been with,” Brian admitted with a frown. “I suppose my romantic nature is stunted,” he laughed at that.

  “Sounds like it,” Wendy grinned, and felt a quick rush at being amused. Despite the tension of the situation, she was glad that Brian was able to keep things light. “Then of course there are the ones who con you,” she rolled her eyes at that.

  “Like Aaron?” Brian asked without taking his eyes off her. “Did he con you?” There was a spark of curiosity in his eyes.

  “No, not like Aaron,” Wendy shook her head and brushed a few of her curls back behind her ear. “Aaron never really led me on. I just saw what I wanted to see in him instead of recognizing what was there,” she sighed. “There was this man, a client. A serial bachelor, a real con artist,” she pursed her lips with disgust.

  “What do you mean a serial bachelor?” Brian asked.

  “He's been married more than three times already, Camilla and I planned his two previous weddings. He hooks up with women who are well off, gets them to marry him, then divorces them within months so he can get some of their fortune, and turns around and does it again.”

  “Sounds like a terrible person,” Brian remarked.

  “He is,” Wendy nodded. “When I saw him show up for the third time, I knew exactly what he was up to. So, I looked into it a little more and it seemed pretty obvious that he was just marrying his new fiancée for her money. There were other marriages before he used our services as well as some information on investments he arranged that fell through. Investors lost all their money and accused him of deceiving them but from what I could tell they couldn’t prove any wrong doing and it hasn’t been taken any further. “

  “You must be quite the detective,” Brian arched an eyebrow as if he was impressed. “So, what did you do with what you found?”

  “I gave it to Camilla,” Wendy replied thoughtfully. “She said she would handle it, come to think of it, I don't know if she ever actually did.”

  “Wait,” Brian looked at her “Are you saying that you found evidence against this guy, and Camilla was going to confront him with it?”

  “Well, I'm not sure what she was going to do with it. Maybe just tell the bride-to-be to warn her,” Wendy nodded as she slowly began to put the pieces together. “Are you thinking that he might somehow be involved?”

  “If he was trying to make himself another million and Camilla threatened to steal that chance, I think it makes him a pretty good suspect,” Brian said with growing confidence.

  “I don't know,” Wendy said with a frown. “He's not a good guy, but a murderer? I guess it's hard for me to believe that anyone would do something so extreme.”

  “They do,” Brian said as he picked up his leftover Chinese. “Let's pick this up in the morning, first thing? Okay?”

  “Sure,” Wendy nodded as she stood up as well.

  “Can you text me the name of that serial bachelor?” Brian requested as she walked him to the door. “I want to do a little digging on him.”

  “Sure, no problem,” Wendy nodded quickly. “And there’s Veronica as well. She sure is carrying a lot of anger and resentment for Camilla.”

  “Yep,” Brian nodded. “I am going to do some digging on her, too,” he hesitated in the doorway and turned back to look at her. “Try and get some rest, okay?”

  “I will,” Wendy promised and then smiled at him as he turned to leave. When she closed the door she rested her forehead against it. She could still feel him standing just outside. Or maybe, like everything she was feeling growing between herself and Brian it was only her imagination. As she turned to put her food away, she felt a new wave of tension flood through her. She didn't have time to be thinking about what Brian might be feeling, he certainly wasn't going to be interested in a felon.

  It was impossible for her to even think about sleeping so she settled down on the couch with her computer and began going over the details of Brenda's wedding. She didn't want anything too extravagant but the things she did want had sentimental meaning to her. Wendy was determined to make the wedding a special occasion, even if it meant she had to do it from behind bars.

  Chapter Six

  Early the next morning Wendy met up with Brenda and John at the resort where they planned to be married. It was the day before the wedding, and Wendy knew that Brenda was on edge.

  “Oh, Wendy, the flowers were delivered, thank you so much,” Brenda said as she hugged her.

  “No problem,” Wendy managed a genuine smile despite the fact that she knew at any second Officer Polson could burst through the door to arrest her. “Is everything else going smoothly?”

  “Yes, so far so good,” Brenda nodded.

  “I've double checked with the caterer and also confirmed the time for the delivery of the cake,” Wendy said swiftly. “I don't think there's anything to worry about. So now, the two of you can enjoy your rehearsal dinner tonight. But don't stay up too late!”

  “We won't,” John chuckled. “Not with a wedding at noon to prepare for.”

  “It's going to be so perfect,” Brenda sighed happily. “I don't know how you do it, Wendy, but thank you for all of your help.”

  “I don't do it,” Wendy said with an affectionate smile. “The two of you are creating this day, don't forget that. You two just relax and enjoy each other’s company today, okay? Go for a stroll on the beach, get a little time alone together.”

  “That sounds wonderful,” John murmured and kissed Brenda lovingly on the cheek.

  “We'll do that,” Brenda nodded and hugged John warmly.

  As Wendy was turning away from the couple she nearly walked right into Brian. When she looked up at him, he had a slight scowl.

  “I thought we were meeting first thing?” he reminded her. “I went by your condo, but you weren't there.”

  “How did you find me?” Wendy asked with surprise and nervousness.

  “I am an investigator,” he reminded her and guided her towards the door of the resort. “I heard you say everything was set up for the wedding, so now can we focus on keeping you out of jail?”

  “Yes, I'd like that very much,” Wendy grinned, but her grin faded with Brian's serious expression.

  “I just heard from Polson. I bought you some time, Wendy, but the time is going to run out eventually,” his hazel eyes were hard as they studied her. “It might be hard to face this, but this is not a game, and it can't be swept under the rug.”

  “Okay,” Wendy breathed and closed her eyes briefly. “So, what can we do?”

  “Well, I looked a little deeper into Veronica, and she has an alibi for the time of Camilla's death. She was in the
hotel bar until closing,” he frowned.

  “Oh,” Wendy winced. “I guess that doesn't look too good for me.”

  “We need another person we can point to as a possible killer,” Brian explained through gritted teeth. “The more possible suspects the better.”

  “I can only think of Giuseppe,” Wendy shook her head as they walked through the parking lot of the resort.

  “Yes, I did some digging on him and he certainly has a colorful past. We do need to speak to him and maybe some of your other clients as well,” Brian suggested as he ran his hand across his face and sighed. “Maybe if we interview them we can find something that we're missing.”

  “We could except that I don't have any of my old contact information,” Wendy explained with a frown. “It was all on my cell phone, which was given to Veronica,” she stepped out onto the sand that stretched out towards the water.

  “And she might not exactly be willing to cooperate with us,” Brian nodded a little as he dug one foot a little deeper into the sand. “Wait, did you say that everything was on the cell phone?” he asked.

  “Yes,” Wendy nodded. “I just thought it was easier to keep it all on the phone because the phone was always on me.”

  “Perfect!” he snapped his fingers. “Most cell phone companies have begun storing data on the internet for their customers to access in case their phone has a problem. I think we can get you in there,” he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back towards the parking lot. “We need to get back to your condo, I'll meet you there.”

  Wendy was relieved that she might be able to access the information, but she also couldn't ignore the very real sensation of sparks carrying from where Brian's hand was touching her skin, straight up to the top of her head in a sudden wave.

  She tried to focus on driving as she followed behind his car, but the memory of his sudden touch was hard to ignore. When she parked he was already standing beside the door of her condo. She unlocked it and opened the door to let him step inside.

  As she crossed the threshold behind him, she caught sight of his shadow on her wall. Something about it made her stomach flip.