by Tyora Moody
She opened the door to the sanctuary and was immediately taken by the transition. Lenora had transformed the sanctuary into a beautiful place for holy matrimony. Angel called over her shoulder while she carried her camera and her tablet. “Thanks. I appreciate your help today.”
Daniel, Candace’s teenage son, followed with more bags. “Not a problem. This is cool!”
Angel grinned. Not only had she gained a surrogate sister with Candace, but she also felt like she had another family. She enjoyed spending time with the Johnsons. While Daniel was sixteen, he was pretty mature, and he was a tech geek. Without his help, she wouldn’t have been able to get her Web portfolio online.
She had stopped by the Crown of Beauty Salon early this morning, as Candace and her staff worked on the bride and her wedding party. She had shared with Candace what she needed to do. Candace had responded, “Well, I can get you some help. That boy of mine is probably just stuck in front of a video game. This is perfect to get him out of the house, and he loves working with video too.”
So here they were, lugging her camera equipment to the front of Victory Gospel Church.
She told Daniel, “Set that camera up front, and I will place this one here in the back.”
“All right.” Daniel walked down the aisle and put the bags on the floor.
Angel was excited about using multiple cameras. In the midst of what seemed like one long week, her new camera had arrived. With the camera Daniel was setting up, she would be able to get close-up footage. The camera in the back would capture the bride’s walk down the aisle and the couple from the back. It might be just a wedding, but she intended to capture this beautiful moment with all her cinematic skills.
She looked around Victory Gospel Church. The sanctuary was huge, with plenty of space for the large number of wedding guests expected to attend. A few people had arrived early. They were at least an hour away from the ceremony. She set the camera on the tripod and looked through the lens.
“Are you ready to go?”
Angel peeked from behind her camera to find Lenora dressed perfectly in a pale peach suit and a matching wide brim hat. “Yes, we are set to go. Wow! You are looking fabulous.”
“Honey, I have to look the part of wedding planner extraordinaire and first lady today. I see you have some help. That’s good business sense to get an assistant.”
“Thanks, but I can’t take too much credit. Candace was looking for something for her son to do, and I happen to need help with this one. I’m excited about all this footage we will have for the final video.”
Lenora laughed. “Good! You know, with two boys of my own, I know exactly where Candace is coming from. She did a wonderful job on the girls’ hair. They are all just beautiful.”
Angel nodded toward the tall urns at the front of the church. White flowers and greenery spilled over the tops of them. “The front of the church is gorgeous!” The whole sanctuary was magical and romantic. There were white ribbons with white flowers attached hanging on the ends of each pew. All the way down the aisle, it looked like a secret garden. “Everything is beautiful. I hope to use your services one day.”
Lenora beamed. “Well, I will be delighted to help plan your wedding. You know, we don’t talk much personally, but is there a young man in your life?”
Angel shook her head. “No, but I’ve been there before. You know, dreaming about the dress, the ring, everything.”
“What happened?” Lenora inquired.
Angela looked away. “Well, the one I thought was my Prince Charming found someone else.” Angel remembered she still had the draft e-mail about Kenneth and Denise that she was going to send to Lenora. Now wasn’t the time to say anything.
“Oh, Angel. I’m sorry.”
“I don’t mean to be a bummer.”
“No, honey.” Lenora patted her on the shoulder. “It was his loss. You hear me? God has someone even better. You just wait and see.”
“Thank you, Lenora.” Angel couldn’t help but smile. Candace had said the same thing to her about three days ago. She hoped these ladies were right. For some reason, maybe because she was in the middle of wedding season, she wondered if she would be a bride one day.
“We will talk more later. I need to check to make sure everyone is dressed.” Lenora moved past guests as they flowed in.
Angel walked to the front of the sanctuary toward Daniel to check the camera’s focus. “Looks great! Let’s start filming the guests as they come in.”
“Gotcha.” Daniel stood behind the camera.
Angel made her way to the camera in back. As they entered the sanctuary, she asked a few guests if they had any well wishes or words of wisdom for the young couple. One guest after the other wished the couple the best, and some gave words of advice, saying such things as “Keep the communication open,” “Be honest,” “Remember to have date night,” and “Take your time having kids.” The advice went on and on. Angel heard the organist start up and thanked the final guest for her advice.
She adjusted the camera to make sure it was focused on the wedding party as they entered. Then she sprinted down the side aisle toward the front to make sure Daniel had the camera focused tighter on where the couple would accept their vows soon. As she returned to the camera in the back, she twisted her hands together and forced herself to take deep breaths. It was important to get everything right. It wasn’t like she would get this chance again.
As Angel positioned herself in front of the camera lens, she noticed that the groom had stepped out from a side door at the front. Tommy was looking dapper but was definitely more nervous than he was when she saw him on Thursday. She wondered how Sharise was doing as she waited to walk down the aisle. Before she moved from the camera, Angel caught sight of Tommy’s best man. She stepped from behind the camera. Was that . . .? She looked back through the lens again.
Wes Cade was the best man. Okay, she was floored. How in the world did she keep running into this guy?
She had figured after meeting with him earlier this week at Southern Soul Café that maybe she had overreacted, as she usually did. She was the one who had reached out to him for his help. What did she expect? Since she would be here into the night, filming the reception, she knew avoiding him would be impossible.
The wedding was beautiful. An hour later Angel and Daniel had the cameras set up for the reception. Like the sanctuary, the Victory Gospel Center had been transformed into an elegant, romantic place. The lights were low, and candles and white flowers were at the center of each table. Instead of a deejay, the couple had opted to have a live band. As the band played soft jazz in the background, Angel watched as the guests arrived.
“Angel.” A familiar deep voice startled her.
No. No. No. Angel turned around to look into the face of the man who had broken her heart, the one for whom she’d hoped to walk down the aisle and say “I do.” She quickly looked around. “Kenneth?”
Kenneth was even more handsome than before. His hair was closely cut, and he wore a goatee. “Hey, it’s good to see you. You look wonderful.” He looked at her face, which was full of questions. “I work with Tommy.”
“Okay. Where is Denise? Is she here?” Angel looked around.
“Little Kenny is sick, so she stayed home. You know, I remember you used to carry a camera around all the time. So you make money with this now. Nice!”
She could not believe she was having this conversation. God must be testing her. She was feeling a big, fat “F” coming on, because she did not want to be talking to Kenneth. She took a breath and realized he had been asking her something while she was trying to tune him out.
“I’m sorry. Did you say something?”
“I said, I’m glad to see you. Are you doing okay?” he replied.
She narrowed her eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?’
“You know . . .” Kenneth stared at her with puppy dog eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
Oh no, he is not! She held her hand up. “Don’t. This is not the time. I’m
over all of that. Just enjoy your friend’s wedding. I’m working.” Angel turned her back to Kenneth, biting her lip. If she was really over him, why was his presence making her feel like a heat wave had just washed over the room? Her ears were probably red from the steam rising. This is just perfect!
Chapter Nineteen
Wes was happy for Tommy and Sharise, but he was exhausted. He wanted to head home, but being the best man didn’t give him that luxury. It had been a hard week, and he didn’t feel like he had accomplished much. He had his suspicions, but he didn’t have anything new on Melanie Stowe to bring back to his producer. He knew that first thing on Monday morning, Alan would be on him to dig deeper.
“Hey, man, you’re not supposed to be looking glum. I’m the one who just got married.” Tommy came up beside him and sat down.
Wes looked at him. “You should be the happiest man in here. What are you doing over here? Where’s Sharise?”
“She went to talk to her best friend. So, I decided to see mine.”
“Okay, y’all are going to have to do a little bit better.”
“Oh, we will as soon as we get out of here. I’m happy to be married, but planning this wedding has been one big ordeal. I’m happy everything turned out great.”
“Sharise was a beautiful bride, and I’m sure you two are going to be great. So, when are the kids coming?”
Tommy widened his eyes. “What? No. No. Don’t start talking about that yet. Let us get to the honeymoon first.”
Wes laughed. “I can’t wait to see the first little versions of you and Sharise.”
“Okay, now you are scaring me. That’s coming just no time soon. Hey, there is my lovely bride. I’m going to get her away from her friend, and I will catch you later.”
Wes nodded. “All right.” As Tommy walked away, Wes turned his attention to the corner of the room. He had noticed Angel earlier but didn’t know what to say or do. She hadn’t returned any of his messages. Right now she appeared to be upset with the guy standing next to her. Wes couldn’t remember his name, but he was at the bachelor party last night. The guy was a real jerk. He was the kind of guy who demanded attention, despite the evening not being about him.
Wes got up from his seat and weaved his way around tables toward Angel. He figured he might do a bit better than this guy with getting a conversation going. As he approached, Angel looked up. Was that relief in her eyes, or maybe it was his imagination?
“Hello, Angel.”
She was definitely smiling at him with her mouth and her eyes. Once again he was reminded how much he loved her eyes.
Angel stepped away from the guy. “Hello, Wes. I didn’t realize you were in the wedding party.”
“Oh yeah, I’ve known Tommy and Sharise for years. Tommy since high school. Sharise and I met in college. They met each other and have been a couple ever since.” He turned to the man. “You were at the bachelor party last night. Looked like you were having a good time. What was your name again?”
Kenneth looked from Angel to Wes. “Kenneth. Kenneth Morgan. It was a great party. So, you and Angel are friends?”
Seeing the question in Kenneth’s eyes, Wes couldn’t resist. “Yes, we have become fast friends.” Wes was happy to be rewarded with a smile from Angel. He had done something right for a change.
“I will leave you two. Good to see you again, Angel.”
As Kenneth walked off, Wes turned to Angel. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Angel shook her head. “Believe me, you saved me.”
“Boyfriend?”
“Ex-boyfriend. Long time ago.”
“Weddings bring out the romantic side of people.”
“Not. He’s going to be getting married this summer. To my ex–best friend.”
She smiled, but Wes could tell the attempted humor didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m surprised you said he’s going to be getting married soon. He didn’t appear to be tied down to anyone last night. I would say he was the life of the party.”
“Kenneth likes attention. So you said you went to high school with the groom?”
“Yes, we both had the honor of being church boys.”
She raised her eyebrow. “Church boys?”
“Let’s just say that Wanda and Tommy’s mom enjoyed keeping us in church and out of trouble. We, of course, would find a way to cut up and get into foolishness, anyway.”
Angel giggled. “I bet.”
To keep the conversation going, he asked, “How’s your grandmother doing?”
“She’s been transferred to a rehabilitation facility. It’s hard to see her, but she is trying hard. It can be really frustrating for her. She was so energetic before.”
“I can imagine.”
She asked, “How’s Detective Cade doing?”
“Last I talked to my mom, he seemed in good spirits. It’s kind of sad to be around him. We used to hang out all the time, and then . . . some days he doesn’t know me or Mom. It’s like we don’t exist. In his mind he could be back thirty or forty years.”
Angel said, “That must be difficult. I read a bit about Alzheimer’s. It affects the short-term memory first.”
“Yes, it’s hard. Mom is a nurse, and she mainly takes care of him. Lately, I think it’s taken a toll on her, though. She seems older, and I don’t mean age-wise. She is just tired. She would have attended the wedding today, but someone has to watch him. She doesn’t want to put him in a nursing home, but he has run away a couple of times. It’s just scary when he goes missing.” He looked at Angel’s face. “Oh, I shouldn’t have brought that up.”
Angel frowned. “What do you mean? You were saying he can get lost. It can happen when he gets confused.”
“Sorry. I just thought about . . . Well, I have been working on the Melanie Stowe case and . . . you know, your mother.”
“It’s fine. Do you know if the police have any clues about what happened to Melanie? It’s been a week and a half now. I’ve been trying to follow her case a little.”
“No. It’s pretty cut and dry. Someone snatched her up in the parking lot on the way to her car, and no one saw it. It could be a crazed fan that became obsessed with her on American Voices. There are not a lot of clues.”
Angel responded, “When I saw the story on the news, it reminded me of my mother’s disappearance. I guess because they both had these singing careers they were pursuing.”
Something about what Angel said struck a chord somewhere in Wes. Possibly because he was investigating both cases at the same time, he, too, thought the similarity was interesting. Still, the missing person cases were twenty years apart.
Wes noticed the band had started to play a slow number. The conversation between him and Angel, along with the other conversations at the reception, came to a halt as all eyes were on Tommy and Sharise on the dance floor. Wes wondered what that felt like. To stare into the eyes of the woman you would spend the rest of your life with. He looked over at Angel, who had directed her attention to the camera on the tripod.
She turned to look at him, and they just stared at each other for a brief moment, until Angel looked away to focus on the camera with a slight smile on her face. Wes forgot that only about twenty minutes ago he had felt exhausted and had been ready to call it a night. Now staying for a little while longer was a bit more appealing. He just needed to keep the reporter’s hat off so he wouldn’t spoil the growing friendship he had with Angel Roberts.
Chapter Twenty
A noise from behind the door startled her from sleep. Melanie slept all the time, but it was more like dozing off in a car or on a plane. Her head nodded and jerked at any odd sound. This time she knew she had heard something for sure. She focused on a sliver of light under the door. Then she saw a shadow at the threshold. He’s back! She turned her back to the door and shut her eyes tight. Her heart felt like it was trying to beat its way out of her chest.
As light pushed away the darkness, she told herself, Don’t move. This was the second time
he’d come. The first time, she’d stood and faced him. Melanie’s questions had caught in her throat as she noticed the flicker of steel emerge from the switchblade in his hand. Against the light of the door, she hadn’t been able to see his face clearly. It hadn’t mattered; she knew he’d come to end her exile and send her away for eternity. She had curled up on the bed, pleading with him not to hurt her.
He hadn’t touched her. Instead he had brought her more food, this time including a banana and two apples. She wasn’t sure if she should be grateful or alarmed. How long was he planning to keep her here?
Now he was back. He always smelled like he’d just taken a shower. Though she was scared of his presence, the scent of his cologne was a pleasant alternative to the constant mustiness of the room. The floorboards crackled as he drew near her. A few seconds later, she felt his breath across the side of her face.
Her gut instinct told her to reach toward him and fight for her life, but knowing his switchblade was nearby, she didn’t dare. It was best to attack him upon his arrival, catch him off guard. If only she knew when he would come.
Melanie heard him walk over to the wall across from the bed. She slowly opened her eyes while his back was turned, and watched him pull out more water and food from a bag. He took his time arranging the items on the table. When he turned back around, she closed her eyes. She had yet to get a good look at him. He wasn’t young. That was all she could tell. The man moved very deliberately, like he was thinking with every movement. Then, as stealthily as he’d come in, he was gone, the door locked. She kept her eyes closed awhile longer.
Melanie scooted off the bed and walked over to the table. She stared at the assortment of food. Water, peanuts, and more fruit. She amused herself by saying, “Well, most of the food groups are represented.”
Her humor died when she noticed he had left her something else.
Not many people knew how much she loved this candy bar. Maybe it was a coincidence. She knew it wasn’t.
Chapter Twenty-one
Angel followed Jennifer into her office at the Bring Them Home Foundation. The offices were in a house. When Angel entered, she was enamored of the cozy living room that served as a waiting area. Jennifer’s office was a former bedroom and was filled with filing cabinets. There was a large couch with a blanket on one side of the room. Angel had a feeling Jennifer was really dedicated to her nonprofit, so much so that she pulled all-nighters. On Jennifer’s desk were flyers with a photo of Melanie Stowe from a performance on American Voices.