Did that hold the answer to what the threat was?
Chapter 34
Nick rolled over and turned off his alarm. Not that he needed to have set it. He’d already been awake, mulling over everything from Cal’s and Kutcher’s deaths to the missing officers. And trying to make sense of the items left around the property, especially the newest clue. The most chilling yet.
It infuriated him that someone would go to so much trouble to place those just before his wedding. Could it be unrelated—only having to do with the kidnapping ring and the other events?
But he couldn’t ignore the doll or the message on the paper.
Knock, knock.
“You up, Nick?” Genevieve’s voice came from the other side of the door.
He shoved aside all his thoughts about the case and forced a cheerful tone. “I’m awake.”
The door opened slowly.
“I thought I wasn’t supposed to see the bride before the wedding.”
She poked her head in and smiled. “You aren’t supposed to see me in the dress.”
“In that case, come on in.” He returned the smile, hoping she wouldn’t see the stress behind it. So far, he’d managed to keep her from figuring out that they’d found the doll with the noose. Obviously, he’d tell her about it eventually. After the honeymoon. After the responsible parties were in jail would be ideal. And he did see the irony since he’d gotten mad at Alex for keeping things from him for the same reason.
Genevieve stepped inside and closed the door behind her. “Can you believe we’re going to be husband and wife in just a few hours? It hardly seems possible.”
“I’m still trying to figure out how I convinced you to marry me. But I’ve never been one to question a good thing.”
She climbed onto the bed and gave him a few slow kisses. “It must have been your rugged good looks. I can’t think straight when I look into your eyes.”
He pulled her close and kissed her deeply.
Genevieve pulled away far too soon. “This is only a taste of things to come.”
“I can’t wait.”
“You still won’t tell me where we’re staying tonight?” She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his temple.
“It’s called a surprise for a reason.” He smiled as he thought of part one of their honeymoon—a lodge he’d always wanted to stay at, overlooking one of the most amazing waterfalls in the state.
“Such a tease.” She gave him another kiss before climbing off the bed and stepping into the hall.
Nick drew in a deep breath, taking in the citrusy scent of her perfume that still lingered. The honeymoon was exactly what they needed. He couldn’t wait to get away from everything else. Yes, he wanted to jump in and find his missing officers, then solve Kutcher’s murder. And even though he didn’t trust Crawford, everyone else could handle things while he was away. Although it would set his mind at ease if Sanchez and Fischer were found.
Maybe they would show up at the ceremony in a few hours.
Fat chance of that happening.
The paper tucked away in the noosed doll had their names written on it. Nothing else—just their two names.
Nick had taken the pictures of the doll and the note and sent them to Anderson, who had come and collected the evidence discreetly while everyone enjoyed the meal after the rehearsal.
If his two officers ended up dead, Nick would personally hunt down every evil person in the ring. It would be his own mission. Hanging Cal was one thing—a hardened criminal—but to go after a federal agent and two police officers was a different matter entirely.
He climbed out of bed to head for the shower, but first sent Anderson a quick text.
Nick: Updates?
Anderson: Focus on ur wedding.
Nick: I am. Updates?
Anderson: No. Cu soon.
Nick: OK. LMK if u hear anything.
Anderson: OK. Focus.
Nick: Already am.
His stomach knotted at the thought of what Sanchez and Fischer were going through at that moment. It didn’t feel right getting ready for one of the happiest days of his life when two of his officers’ lives were in danger. But on the other hand, Genevieve and the kids deserved this. They were all so excited for everyone to become a family. Nick was too, even though conflicted. Either way, he was doing wrong by people who depended on him.
He shoved those thoughts aside. If he was going to get married today—and he was—then he needed to give it his all. Just like his people at the precinct were giving their all to help their fellow officers. He could trust them, even if he and Alex had their doubts about Crawford.
Knock, knock!
Nick’s stomach knotted. He wasn’t focusing on what he needed to. “Yes?”
“I’m taking the girls to the salon,” Genevieve said. “Parker’s still sleeping.”
He opened the door and gave her a quick kiss. “Have fun. I can’t wait to see how you look when you walk down the aisle.”
“It won’t be much longer. But you’re going to have to wait until then.” She gave him a teasing glance. “I don’t want you seeing my hair and makeup before then.”
“I thought it was the dress I wasn’t supposed to see.”
“It is.” She gave him another kiss.
“For the record, I don’t see how the stylists can make you look any better than you already do.”
“You’re still going to have to wait.” She glanced at the time. “And I have to get going.”
Nick followed her to the living room and gave hugs to each of the girls, telling them how great they were going to be during the ceremony.
They were gone before he knew it. Then he sent his old partner another text.
Nick: G and girls heading for salon.
Anderson: Officers already following them.
Nick: Thank you.
Anderson: Now focus!
Nick chuckled and headed for Parker’s bedroom. “Rise and shine!”
His son rolled over and groaned.
“Today’s the big day!”
“Why do we have to get up so early if the ceremony isn’t until the afternoon?”
“Because there’s a lot to do. Eat breakfast before you put on the tux.”
Parker moaned.
“I’m getting in the shower now. When I get out, I want to at least see you eating in the kitchen.”
“Are we eating lunch before people get here? I can’t remember.”
Nick held back an eye roll. They’d gone over everything at least a dozen times. “No. There will be a big meal after the ceremony. The weather report still looks good, so it’ll probably be outside. Make sure you eat a good breakfast.”
Parker mumbled something Nick couldn’t decipher.
“Remember, you need to be up before I get out of the shower.”
“I heard you.”
Nick hoped so. His son had a knack for falling back asleep before school.
He headed back to his room and got ready for the shower. Once in the bathroom, he turned on the radio for some upbeat music.
Just before he turned on the water, the song stopped and the announcer said she had a breaking news story.
There were two missing kids one town over, and another about an hour away.
Nick closed his eyes and took a deep breath. So much for the theory of Cal’s death drawing the kidnapping ring from their area.
Would these recent abductions be the end of it? One last bang before going out?
Or was it only the beginning of something much bigger planned for the day of his wedding?
Chapter 35
Nick scanned the woods, not seeing anything unusual. It was also hard to concentrate with the noise of the guests quickly filling the seats. The number of their friends and family members who were able to make it on such short notice had surprised them.
They’d had at least twice as many people RSVP than expected. A good problem to have—people who cared enough to clear busy schedules to be ther
e for them on their special day.
A hand rested on his shoulder, surprising him. Nick turned to see Alex.
His best man gave him a reassuring smile. “Everything is going to go off without a hitch. I promise.”
Nick nodded, but he wouldn’t believe it until he saw it with his own eyes.
“Johnston and Wu are walking the perimeter.” It was as if Alex could read his mind. “They’re going to continue throughout the ceremony.”
“Something is going to happen. I just wish I knew what.”
“Have you ever seen so many police officers in one place?” Alex panned his palms around. “We couldn’t be safer.”
Nick frowned. “But the woods—”
“Aren’t your concern. The only thing you need to worry about is saying your vows. You have your paper, right?”
He nodded and reached into his pocket for the folded paper. Not that he needed it. He’d read over his words so many times he had them memorized.
“Good. Let’s get to our places.”
Nick jolted. “Where’s Parker?”
Alex glanced over at a group of teenagers, including Ariana and Damon. “Right where he should be.”
“Let’s get them.” Nick pulled out his phone to check the time. “We need to hurry.”
“That thing’s on silent, right?”
“Of course it is.” He sighed. “I wish I could check on Genevieve.”
“She’s fine. Do you want me to text Zoey again to make sure they’re all still okay?”
Nick shook his head. Genevieve, Zoey, Ava, Tinsley, Hanna, and G’s best friend were all inside getting ready to walk down the aisle.
Alex tugged him, and they walked around the guests mostly sitting in chairs. The music playing over the loudspeakers helped to calm him somewhat. It was relaxing and made him think of fairy tales—the cartoon ones, not the dark and bloody ones.
Before Nick had time to fret about anything new, the other groomsmen joined him. Parker stood on the other side of Alex, followed by Anderson, Nick’s best friend from high school, and one of his cousins. They all shared encouraging words with him before heading inside to pair up with the bridesmaids.
It felt like everyone in the audience was staring at him.
The pastor joined Nick and squeezed his shoulder. “Are you ready?”
“As much as humanly possible.”
“There isn’t anything new being reported since the overnight kidnappings. Don’t let those get to you. They weren’t even in your town, much less your neighborhood.”
“Thanks.” Nick forced an appreciative smile. Not that he could believe the words. The pastor was unaware of the threats on the property. Nick hadn’t even told G about the doll. He’d told the girls not to worry about it, and they had distracted themselves with wedding preparations.
The music stopped and everyone in the audience went silent.
Nick’s heart thundered. For a moment, he thought something was terribly wrong.
But then a new song played. Everyone in the small crowd turned toward the back.
The front door of the house opened, and out walked Nick’s high school best friend with Genevieve’s best friend. Then the rest of the bridesmaids and groomsmen came, followed by Alex and Zoey, then finally Hanna with a basket of flowers, scattering flower petals on the ground.
Once they joined Nick and the pastor, the music faded, replaced by a bolder song.
The guests all rose to their feet, everyone craning their necks toward the front door.
Nick’s pulse drummed all the harder.
The front door opened, seemingly in slow motion.
Genevieve stepped out onto the porch wearing a traditional flowing white dress with long lacy sleeves. It seemed to take an eternity for her to reach the chairs. There, the tempo of the music became even more intense. Her dad joined her, looping his arm through hers, and they walked down the aisle.
Nick’s mouth went dry and he couldn’t focus on anything other than her. As she neared, he was able to take in the details of her intricate braided bun that weaved around an elegant tiara. Her makeup was different too, but he couldn’t figure out what exactly had changed.
She was even more beautiful than he’d ever seen her—and that was saying something.
His mind raced as the pastor went through the tradition of the father giving away his daughter. Walter gave her a tearful kiss on the cheek, then Genevieve stood next to Nick, beaming. He could hardly catch his breath. Two of the bridesmaids fixed her train before returning to their places.
The pastor spoke, but Nick couldn’t concentrate on the words. Everything other than Genevieve disappeared from his thoughts. He took in every braid, every detail of her dress and makeup, so he could hold onto the image for the rest of his life.
Eventually, she squeezed his hand and nodded toward the pastor.
“Are you ready for your vows?”
He nodded. Was it that time already? His hands shook as he reached into his pocket. As he unfolded the paper, he forced himself to look away from his bride and to the guests. He thanked them for coming and hoped he made sense. Genevieve smiled at him, so that was a good sign.
The paper wouldn’t hold still as he read it, but he was able to speak the words regardless. It was a good thing he’d practiced so many times beforehand.
She smiled at him through teary eyes.
Then she cleared her throat and read her lines. He couldn’t focus, despite how hard he tried. The only thing he could think about was the fact that she was about to become his wife. They would soon be headed off for their honeymoon.
Before he knew it, they were each lighting a large candle with two smaller ones.
And hardly any time seemed to pass before the pastor announced them as husband and wife. “Let me be the first to introduce you to Nicholas and Genevieve Fleshman!” He turned to Nick. “You may kiss the bride.”
Nick’s heart nearly exploded out of his chest. He turned to her and a thrill rushed through him as he met her ecstatic gaze. He cupped her chin and kissed her deeply, passionately. When whistles sounded from the audience, he reluctantly pulled away.
Everyone cheered and clapped. A different song played and Nick walked down the aisle with his new wife, waving at smiling friends and family.
He could hardly believe it. They were now married, and the ceremony had gone off perfectly.
Then the sky lit up orange and red. An explosion sounded in the distance.
Chapter 36
Alex put his hands on Nick’s shoulders. “Deep breaths. The explosion had nothing to do with the wedding. You and Genevieve are now married. Breathe.”
Nick seemed to stare right through him, and his face was still pale.
Alex caught Anderson’s attention and indicated for him to join them before turning back to Nick. “It was miles away. Just loud and bright.”
Anderson came over. “Hey, Nick. Genevieve is over there waiting for you to greet the guests with her.”
Nick rubbed his eyes and sighed. “There’s no way that explosion was a coincidence. We’re police—we don’t believe in coincidences!”
Anderson pulled him toward the receiving line. “This time, that’s all it was. Join your wife.”
Nick went with him.
Alex mouthed ‘thanks’ to his partner and breathed a sigh of relief before hurrying over to Lieutenant Johnston. “Any updates on the explosion?”
“The firefighters are investigating it. Word is it was an abandoned building. Nobody has been inside it in years.”
Alex frowned. “Nick’s right, you know. No way it was coincidence.”
Johnston shook his head. “Especially not when you take into consideration that creepy noosed doll.”
Alex drew in a deep breath. “You sure that building was empty? Nobody hanging inside?”
“Not that I’ve heard.”
His chest tightened. “Then who’s going to be found hanged?”
Johnston grimaced. “As much as I hate
to say it, it wouldn’t surprise me if Sanchez or Fischer is found today.”
Alex’s stomach lurched. That thought hadn’t crossed his mind, though it should’ve. He just didn’t want to think about it. “And there aren’t any clues to their whereabouts?”
He shook his head. “We have jack squat.”
“There has to be something we can do.”
“We’ve been doing everything in our power, despite having fewer hands on deck.”
And possibly someone working on the inside.
Johnston tilted his head. “What was that?”
“What?”
“That look that just crossed your face.” He crossed his arms and stared Alex down.
It was hard not to be a little intimidated by the man—he was the largest on the force by a long-shot. “It’s nothing. I just want to find them and get Nick and G safely off to their honeymoon.”
Johnston’s eyes narrowed, and he took another step forward.
“Fine. I don’t think all of this could have been pulled off without someone on the inside.”
The lieutenant’s arms loosened. “Who?”
“I don’t know.” It was the truth. Sure, he suspected the chief, but there was no way he was going to voice that to anyone other than Nick. Johnston needed to draw his own conclusions.
“You’re thinking Crawford?”
Alex’s mouth gaped. “I said no such thing!”
The lieutenant looked to the side and tapped his finger on his arm. “I’ve felt something was off about him since he took over Nick’s office.”
“You have?”
“Yes, but the problem is, we have no evidence. Believe me, I’ve looked.”
Alex studied his co-worker with intrigue. He’d have never guessed the usually quiet man had been thinking the same thing. Clearly, he was more than just muscle. A deep thinker, too. The silence made him seem more intimidating.
Johnston nodded toward Nick. “You stay by his side. I’m going to talk with Crawford.”
“What are you going to say?”
“Feel him out. See if I can get him to slip any vital info.”
White Wedding Page 15