“Maybe we’ll be having another wedding soon,” Royce teased.
Polly said drolly, “He’d have to notice me first, remember?”
“Don’t start again, Polly.” Janelle fiddled with her untidy hair, as if trying to somehow reconstruct the chignon from earlier. “I just want to get out of these shoes and this dress.”
“You want me to help you change?” Polly asked.
“Maybe.” Janelle sighed. “I want to get going. Where the heck is that husband of mine?”
I said, “I think we should take off as well, Royce.” I tried not to soundtooeager, but I was peopled out.
Royce smiled. “I agree.” He turned to Janelle. “Thank you for including us in your special day. I wish you and Archie the best of luck.”
Janelle sighed. “Thank you. Things can only get better from here, right?”
“Absolutely,” Royce said.
I forced myself to give Janelle an awkward hug. It had been a very strange day, but I still felt fond of Janelle. I prayed things got better for her and Archie from here on out. I really hoped her ghostly “visits” from Archie’s dead wife stopped now that the wedding was behind her.
“Enjoy your time in Fiji,” I said. “I want you to focus on nothing but your tan while using a good-quality sunscreen, of course, and your new husband. Doctor’s orders.”
Janelle laughed, and it occurred to me that was one of the few times she’d smiled all day. Poor kid. I’d always heard many girls dreamed of their wedding day from the time they were little. So far, Janelle’s wedding day had been the stuff of nightmares.
“Thanks for coming,” Janelle said.
“Of course.” I racked my brain for something nice to say. It wasn’t easy to come up with anything seeing as the wedding had been so odd. “Uh… the cake was delicious.”
Janelle frowned. “I barely got a bite.”
When someone let out a bloodcurdling scream, our entire group jumped.
People scattered, pointing toward the limousine. At the back of the long white car, Thomas stood, his arms full of packages. The lid of the trunk was raised, and Thomas was staring inside it with a horrified expression. I stood frozen in place, but Royce moved quickly toward Thomas. When he reached the back of the limousine, he peered into the trunk. Royce was good at hiding his emotions in tough situations, but his face flinched. He immediately pulled out his cell phone and made a call.
Thomas looked almost green. He dropped the packages he held in his arms and stumbled away from the car. I moved then, hurrying to Royce’s side. Glancing into the trunk, I saw the body of a man.Archie. Shock jolted through me, but I stifled my shudder. I was used to seeing blood, but even so, my stomach rolled at the sight of Archie’s bloodied throat. Just below the Adam’s apple, the white handle of a small knife protruded. I was a hundred percent positive Archie was dead but still felt obligated to check for a pulse in his wrist.
Nothing.
“Max.” Royce’s voice jerked me out of my stupor. “Could you get the groomsmen to keep people away from the car?”
“Okay,” I agreed, feeling dazed. I turned and approached the nearest guy in a tux. He was the best man, and his name was Ben. “Can you keep the guests away from the limo?”
Ben nodded but asked, “What’s going on?”
I shook my head because I knew Royce wouldn’t want me to share any details. “If you could just do what I asked, that would be great.”
“Can’t you tell me what’s happening?” Ben scowled.
“No,” I said bluntly.
Lucas broke from the crowd. “I’ll help him keep people away from the car.”
“Thanks.” I gave Lucas a grateful look.
Royce called out, “Folks, I’m going to ask that nobody leave the premises. My deputies are on the way. We’ll take everybody’s names and contact information, and once we’ve done that, you can go.” His voice was hard as he added, “But if you try to leave before we talk to you, I’ll arrest you.”
Everyone started talking at the same time. There was a sort of déjà vu feeling about the moment. After our disastrous visit to Giggly Elves Farm, I knew a bit about what Royce needed from me. He’d trust me to watch the crowd, searching for anyone who behaved at all suspiciously.
Even though Royce didn’t announce he’d found Archie’s body, the news spread regardless. People began whispering that Archie was dead and pointing toward the car. Janelle tried to push her way past me, and I was forced to grab hold of her to stop her. She was hysterical and very determined, and it took Lucas’s help to keep her away from the trunk of the car.
