The Undercover Bridesmaid

by Kimberley Montpetit

  “I did, but he went away to school this fall.” Katey sighed. “We FaceTime and talk every night, but it’s not so fun to stay stuck at home without a date on Saturday night. The wedding has been a wonderful distraction.”

  “Yes, it has,” Chloe agreed. “A grand distraction.”

  “Chloe Romano,” a nurse spoke from the doorway, holding a wheelchair for transport. “We’re ready for you in X-ray.”

  An hour later, Chloe and the doctor were discussing the results. Doctor Gaspar said, “Your X-ray shows improvement from last night. Excellent news. Very little to no sign of lung damage. But you need to rest the next week. Take it easy, Chloe. No marathons or swimming. Tell your boss that you need some medical leave for a week or so.”

  Chloe gave him a tentative smile. “What if I’m my own boss and I have a very important job to finish tonight?”

  “I’m serious. I don’t want to see you back here tomorrow. Go home and take a nap. Watch television. Eat your favorite foods.”

  “Katey, can you pack my things?” Chloe asked, sitting up higher on the bed.

  “Chloe,” Doctor Gaspar said sternly. “Your body has gone through trauma. If your friends and family weren’t on-site to help you, they’d be planning a funeral today. Take care of yourself.”

  She nodded, sobered by his words. “I will, doctor, I promise.”

  He signed the release papers, and Katey went to round up the car while Chloe gathered the bag of toiletries the hospital had given her, plus her damp evening gown. Katey was at the curb of the exit when the nurse wheeled her out and helped her into the car.

  “If you have any more coughing or chest pain, come back and get it checked out,” the nurse told her before shutting the car door.

  Twenty minutes later, Katey pulled up to the Romano mansion. Chloe breathed a sigh of relief while at the same time her stomach was in knots. She had to get into the safe and verify that the stones were still the genuine diamonds.

  Twisting her neck, she gazed at a white work truck pulled onto the access road between the Romano residence and the adjoining neighbor. The local power company logo was on the side of the vehicle. What had they discovered about the power going off—accidental, or part of a plot to incapacitate her last night?

  When she got through the front door, the house was insanely crazy. The catering company was already on the premises in full force, chefs in white jackets cooking in the large restaurant-style kitchen.

  The smells wafting through the closed doors were heavenly. Chloe’s stomach growled. That must be a good sign.

  Even so, she had moments when her head was fuzzy and heavy, as if she needed to hold it up with her hands.

  Memories of the plunge into the swimming pool remained elusive. She was forgetting something, but what? She’d been dancing with a romantic and excellent partner in Brett Sorenson, the blackout happened, and she twirled straight into the pool, sinking to the bottom before she could comprehend what had happened.

  Through the rear french doors, Chloe spotted Suze Perry in full wedding planner mode, ordering tables and chairs moved, decorating the wedding bower and trellis where the nuptials would be officially performed.

  A grizzled, bearded man was cleaning the swimming pool to get it ready to place the floating water lilies. The final touches on the dance floor were also in progress. Two men were on their hands and knees, polishing the wood to a bright sheen.

  Suze Perry’s employees were currently laying dramatic centerpieces on the dinner tables. Three vases of varying heights were filled with white and burgundy roses, adorned by a floating candle just above the flowers. When the sun went down, the candles would glow with a soft radiance.

  Several others were hanging white fairy lights in all the trees. Mercedes’s dream wedding was definitely going to be magical.

  “Isn’t it going to be gorgeous?” Mercedes said, coming down the patio steps. She embraced Chloe hard and wouldn’t let her go for several long moments. “How are you? My gosh, you gave everyone a scare. I’m so sorry, Chloe. I feel horrible that such a terrible accident happened at my wedding.”

  “It’s not your fault, and I’m much better, just a little tired.”

  “I order you to take a nap. I slept until almost eleven, had brunch, and feel terrific.”

  “That’s good! It’s an exciting day, Mercedes, and I’m so happy for you. In case I don’t get a chance to tell you this, I hope you and Mark have a wonderful life together.”

  “Thank you, Chloe; that means a lot to me. Did they feed you at the hospital? I assume they gave you a clean bill of health if they sent you home.”

  “X-rays are better, but the doc told me to spend a week in bed watching Netflix.” Chloe moved toward the house, scouting out the location of family members and wedding workers to see if she could slip into Uncle Max’s office without being interrupted or questioned.

  “Did the doctor really say that?”

  Chloe laughed. “Not in so many words, but it’s a good thing I don’t have another wedding for two weeks. My muscles are so sore, I swear I just worked out with twenty-pound weights for ten hours.”

  “I’ll get you some Aleve. Why don’t you go up and see Granny?” Mercedes suggested. “I know she was worried sick when she heard the news.”

  Chloe smiled tightly, on the verge of telling Mercedes to go take a hike so she could do her job.

  Katey rushed through, hunting for scissors and tape on orders from Suze. “Katey,” Chloe asked, “when you get a chance, do you mind dropping my dress at a dry cleaner?”

  “No problem. Guess we should have done that on the way home, but I wanted to get you back here so you could lie down. Which you are not doing,” Katey pointed out.

  “You’ve both turned into mother hens,” Chloe said. “I’m fine, go scoot and get back to wedding prep. I promise that I’ll stay far, far away from the pool today.”

  “Don’t forget the hairdresser later this afternoon,” Mercedes reminded Chloe. “Now go to your room and get under the covers!”

  Chloe had every intention of disobeying her, of course, quickly changing her clothes and then checking her phone. There were several text messages and two voicemails from Liam, so she called him back.

  “Chloe! Where are you? Did the hospital knock you out with a triple dose of sleeping pills?”

  “Got here about thirty minutes ago.”

  “You’re back in the land of the living, then. Good.” Liam sounded so relieved, it surprised her.

  “What did you find out about the power outage? I haven’t seen Uncle Max or my parents yet. Where are you right now?”

  “Staying a few blocks away at a safe house. Even though I slept in Max Romano’s office last night, I thought it would be strange if I was hanging around the house when everybody got up this morning. Too many questions to be answered that are not fully answerable. I intercepted the repair crew on my way out though.”

  Liam was close by, not at a hotel ten miles away. The news both comforted her and alarmed her. After all, she was still capable of handling this job. And Liam was, well, Liam. The man she couldn’t stand the sight of. “What did they say?”

  “They checked the breaker box and the power lines, including the transformer at the power pole at the back of the property. The verdict was that the lines coming from the pole to the house were purposely cut.”

  Chloe sank to the bed, a sick feeling rising in her stomach. “Are you telling me—?”

  “Yes. Someone purposely plunged the house and yard into darkness. The power company guys suggested the possibility of a prankster in the neighborhood who knew there was a wedding going on and thought it would be funny to cause mayhem. He’s putting in a report to the local police, but the police already know that the FBI is handling this case.”

  “Did you give an opinion on the prankster possibility?”

  “I didn’t dissuade him from thinking that. Not when there’s over half a million bucks in diamonds sitting in the house.”

/>   “Now we know for certain that the power outage was done on purpose.” Cold shivers ran from her neck all the way to her toes. “The timing of my fall wasn’t coincidental. Somebody is watching me, Liam. Call me officially spooked.”

  “Don’t jump to conclusions yet. Try to stay calm.”

  “Hey, you didn’t almost die last night. This confirms our worst fears. Someone on the premises last night is part of a diamond heist. I kept assuming the FBI had their info wrong.”

  “Appears that we were correct. I’m sorry, Chloe.”

  A weak sensation came over her. “If this is Mark Westerfield—”

  “I know I said he’s our primary suspect, but there was a catering crew there last night, as well as a DJ and a lot of the wedding planner’s people, too.”

  “True enough.” Chloe blew out a breath, her pulse rising. “When will you be here?”

  “You’re on your own for the afternoon, agent,” Liam told her, his voice softening. “I’ll get to the wedding as soon as it’s not odd for me to show up early. Even so, I’m not leaving your side tonight.”

  There was a moment of silence, and then Chloe said, “Thank you for saving me last night. I never told you that. But I’m grateful.”

  “You know I’d do anything for you, Chloe,” Liam said, his voice gently and meaningful.

  She ignored that, adding, “Don’t you dare give me mouth-to-mouth ever again without my permission.”

  Liam gave a low chuckle. “Hard to get permission when you’re unconscious.”

  “That’s an order.”

  “If you think I was going to allow some strange paramedic guy to put his lips on yours, then you don’t know me very well. Besides, you weren’t breathing and I was terrified that I’d already lost you.”

  A rush of sensations came over Chloe. The old familiar longing for this man nearly overpowered her before she came to her senses once more.

  “This conversation is over now,” Chloe said firmly. “I’m going down for inspection. I’ll text you my results.”

  “Don’t let anybody see you go in and out of the office. It’s safer if nobody knows what you’re doing. We have no idea who’s watching you.”

  “You don’t have to tell me the obvious.”

  Chloe hung up and sighed. Why couldn’t she be doing this job with someone other than Liam Esposito? He gave her way too much stress and angst. Still, a secret part of her wished she had been conscious last night when he was trying to revive her. All the time they had hung out together and worked together while trying to tamp down their attraction, she had dreamed of what Liam’s lips on hers might be like. And now she would probably never know.

  Chapter 18

  There was an intercom system in the house, and Aunt Aurelia made use of it. Just as Chloe was about to saunter downstairs, she heard a beep from the box near the bedroom door.

  “Happy wedding day, everyone!” Aurelia said gaily. “The backyard has been taken over by our illustrious wedding planner, so we’re serving a light lunch on the front porch if you’d like to partake. Don’t want our guests to faint from hunger before the wedding dinner is served.”

  Before the Westerfield’s or the Romano’s could depart from their bedrooms, Chloe dashed down the curving staircase and darted into the drawing room before the first bedroom door opened and closed.

  She could hear voices moving downstairs to the foyer when she slipped into Uncle Max’s office and locked the solid wood door.

  The office appeared untouched from last night. Not a single thing out of place. Not even a stray sock under the desk forgotten by Liam.

  He was actually an excellent FBI agent, advancing quickly after his training. He’d come to the FBI with a degree in political science and a background with guns and law enforcement from growing up in Alabama with a police detective as a father.

  Moving quickly so nobody would begin looking for her, Chloe turned the combination until the tumblers opened the latch. Opening the lids to the jewelry boxes, she sucked in her breath at the three pieces of wedding jewelry in all their glory. Goodness, they were gorgeous.

  After inspecting the stones and poring over her diagram of each gem one by one, Chloe finally leaned back and removed the headlamp.

  These were the original, authentic diamonds. No swap had been made during the last twelve hours. Of course, that would have been difficult with Liam sleeping a mere two feet away. Even so, she could finally breathe normally again after worrying all night.

  She made a quick call to Liam. “They’re genuine.”

  “Good. After last night’s cut power lines, I thought we’d have to call in the forces.”

  “You don’t have to attend the wedding,” Chloe told him. “Everything’s under control, and I’m sure after last night you’re bored stiff by all of us Romano’s.”

  “Hey, I wouldn’t miss the chance to see you in your professional bridesmaid role if you gave me tickets to the Yankees. Besides, I’m still on duty. Not until the diamonds are safely back in Davis Jewelry’s armored vehicle will we both rest easy.”

  “I wish it was over with already. I just want to go home.”

  “I’m sure you’re exhausted and done with all of this, including me. After tonight, you won’t have to see me ever again.”

  The phone clicked off as Liam hung up.

  A heavy melancholy came over Chloe as she tossed her cell phone onto the desk and buried her head in her hands. Liam’s words were so final. For all her animosity toward the man, the thought of never seeing him again bothered her more than she thought.

  On one hand, she wanted to tell him off and throw him into a pit of fire and brimstone with the devil. On the other, she wanted to know what it would be like wrapped up in his arms.

  Closing up the boxes and her notebook of diagrams, Chloe stowed them in the safe with her tool bag and locked everything up.

  Tiptoeing out the door, she heard voices crossing the marbled foyer. Chloe plopped down on one of the sitting room sofas and picked up a fashion magazine lying in a stack on one of the end tables. She was flipping through it when her mother entered a moment later.

  “There you are, Chloe,” Diana Romano said, embracing her tightly. “I wish you had called me to bring you home from the hospital.”

  “I didn’t want to disturb you after such a horrendous night. Today is another long day, too.”

  Her mother pressed a hand to Chloe’s cheek. “You’re so pale, sweetheart. Are you sure you should have been released so soon?”

  “I’m fine, Mom. Just tired.”

  “Come and eat and then go lie down. I’m sure Mercedes will need you later.”

  “Yes, hair and dressing will take time.” Chloe rose to link her arm with her mother’s and went out to grab a sandwich and some lemonade.

  She sat next to Granny Zaida, who fussed over her and wanted to know all the details since she had already gone upstairs to bed when Chloe had fallen into the swimming pool.

  “Be careful, my darling Chloe. The entire episode sounds fishy.”

  “At least the pool wasn’t filled with those big fat koi fish that look like radiated goldfish after a nuclear war,” Chloe joked. “I see them in the pond at the zoo, and they can stay right there.”

  Frowning, her grandmother tsked her tongue. “My instincts are telling me that something isn’t right. And my instincts never steer me wrong.”

  “The doctor gave me a clean bill of health,” Chloe promised. “When I get back to my little apartment in South Carolina, I’m going to sleep for three days straight. No evil is afoot,” she fibbed.

  “If you say so,” Granny Zaida said, but she didn’t look convinced.

  A few minutes later, Chloe skedaddled from the family lunch, pulled the blinds, and flopped into bed, falling asleep within seconds. An hour later, she woke, certain that somebody was in her bedroom. “Who’s there?” she called out.

  “It’s only me,” Mercedes whispered, standing just inside the closed door. “I didn’t want
to wake you.”

  “Too late.” Chloe yawned and groaned, wondering if somebody spiked her lemonade with a sleeping agent, she was so groggy. Getting up, she splashed cold water on her face.

  “The hairdresser has arrived, and the makeup girl will be here in two hours, so it’s party time! As soon as we’re dressed, we head to the bottom of the hill to do the wedding march. I can’t believe we’re less than four hours away from showtime.”

  Chloe smiled. “You’ve been engaged for a year.”

  “I know,” Mercedes laughed. “You wait and wait, and then suddenly it’s happening. I’ll be Mrs. Mark Westerfield very, very soon!”

  Grabbing her own makeup bag, Chloe scurried over to Mercedes’s suite, where Katey was absorbed in wedding hairstyle magazines.

  There were two hairdressers, one for each of them, which surprised Chloe. “I thought I’d be watching you get your hair done,” she told Mercedes.

  “I only have one amazing bridesmaid. Besides, after falling into the pool, you probably have chlorine stuck in your strands.”

  “That’s true. All I did today was run a brush through it at the hospital. It’s pretty nasty.”

  “You just got out of the hospital and you’re the bridesmaid?” the hairdresser said, whose name was Margo.

  “Long story, but yes. I’m fine now.”

  “An ambulance whisked her away with an oxygen mask,” Mercedes told Margo’s partner, Lisa.

  Her cousin launched into the wedding rehearsal’s events, complete with dramatics. Mercedes kept them all entertained while they got their hair washed, conditioned, blow-dried, and styled.

  Margo snapped the curling iron around strands of Chloe’s hair, creating soft ringlets and waves. By the time she was finished, her hair had never looked so good. It was like getting ready for glamour shots with a professional photographer.

  “You girls are going to look stunning,” Katey said while she painted her toenails a hot pink.

  “Now we need to discuss Brett Sorenson,” Mercedes said.

  Chloe let out a choked laugh. “No, we don’t.”