CnC 5 One Hex of a Wedding (33 page)

 

 

THE CLIMB UP was easier than the struggle down the mountain. Deacon helped me, even managing to steer me away from a thicket of stinging nettle. I almost lost my balance again, but Deacon caught me and I finished the climb with no further problems.

At the top of the hill, I turned to him. “Deacon, how do you think he drugged Murray? From the scene at the Catlan place, she sure didn’t go along willingly.”

He stared at me, his long lashes fluttering over his dark chocolate eyes. “I found a gun under the driver’s seat of the van probably, the one he shot Joe with. You and Jimbo were very lucky he didn’t have it with him when you snuck up on him. Probably didn’t have a clue you were there, or he would have shot you dead. I know his type.”

Leaning against the side of the patrol car, he added, “My guess is that he was waiting for her. He snuck up on her before she could get her gun out, forced her to take the pills at gunpoint, then just waited until they hit. The effects are pretty quick, and it looks like he gave her quite a hefty dose. I’ll bet she was unconscious within ten to fifteen minutes, if not sooner. They’ll have to monitor her at the hospital overnight. GHB can be a dangerous drug and the side effects aren’t pretty.”

It made sense, and yet imagining the scene set my stomach churning. Murray, held at gunpoint, forced to drug herself into the hands of a predator. I shivered. “Make sure they throw the book at him, Deacon. I’d rather see them shovel dirt over him … but please, at least make sure he’s put away for good.”

Deacon sighed. “We’ll do our best, Emerald. Trust me, the boys on the force will call in every favor we have to convince the judge that this nutcase needs to be tossed into a deep hole, without a ladder.”

Jimbo wanted to go in the ambulance with Murray, and I told him go ahead. I called AAA and asked them to come pick up the bike and haul it to my house, and then climbed in Deacon’s patrol car. Rusty was already on his way to the hospital under armed guard.

“I’ll drop you off at home. You can file a report tomorrow,” Deacon said.

“Thanks. I’m exhausted.” I leaned my head against the back of the seat and took one last look at the bridge, knowing it would be a long time before we came back out to Icicle Lake Falls.

Seventeen

 

 

 

TWO DAYS LATER, I woke to sunshine and a sense of excitement. It was the summer solstice. My wedding day. I sat up, grinning at Samantha, who had sprawled out on Joe’s side of the bed, taking advantage of his absence. While I didn’t pay much attention to old wives’ tales, I had made him sleep at Murray’s house. I didn’t want him seeing me in my dress until we were walking up the garden path to the altar. Samantha stretched and blinked.

“Do you think Harlow’s managed to pull it all together?” I asked the purring cat, rubbing her belly. Harl had jumped in, making me promise to let her take care of the finishing details. For the first time in days I felt like we might actually make it through the ceremony.

I rolled out of bed and looked out the window.

The morning light was peeking over the skyline, and all signs pointed toward a brilliant day. I pushed open the window and let the fresh air stream in, filling the room with the promise of new beginnings. Joyful in every sense of the word, I danced around the room until a knock on the door startled me. Kip and Miranda usually weren’t up so early.

I quickly slipped into my satin robe and called out, “Come in.”

Murray peered around the corner. “So, is there a bride in the house?” She ducked into the room.

“Murray!” I skipped over to give her a long hug. “Lordy, I thought this day would never get here. Look! Maeve dropped off my dress last night.” I pulled her over to the closet, flinging open the door, but something in her eyes stopped me cold. “Mur? You okay?”

She shrugged, then forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m okay. It’s just going to take a while before everything seems normal again. I think I’m fine and then … I just flash back.”

I sat down on the bed and yanked at her hand until she joined me. “Mur, is there anything you didn’t tell us? Did Rusty … did he …”

Murray was good at reading between the lines. She shook her head. “I don’t know, Em. After I took those pills, the world could have ended and I’d have been oblivious. The doctor said she doesn’t think so—my exam showed no evidence that I’d been raped but there are ways … He wanted to, though. And he said … the things he said while waiting for the drug to take effect. I can’t get them out of my head.”

I knew that it would take months for her to cope with the aftermath of the abduction. Feeling subdued, I hung my head. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry that this all happened. I wish we could have found him earlier.”

“If wishes were pennies, we’d all be rich. No, Em.” She laid a soft hand on my own. “You and Jimmy saved my life. I’ll never forget that. Don’t you let me spoil today. I’m fine, it’s just going to take some time to process all of this. White Deer will help me, and I have you and Harlow and Jimmy.”

“What’s going to happen to Rusty?” The thought of him roaming the streets gave me the creeps.

“Stalking and kidnapping a police officer isn’t exactly the smartest thing to do. He’ll get sent away for a long, long time. Deacon was right, by the way. I pulled into the old Catlan place, but there didn’t seem to be a soul around. I got out of the car, gun drawn for trouble, but nada—as with the other calls. So, I slid my weapon back into the holster and was heading back to my car when Rusty sprang out from behind a thicket of Scotch broom with his gun. I couldn’t do anything except follow orders. If I’d resisted, he would have killed me right there.”

She paused, then added, “Jimmy told me you stopped him from permanently exorcising Rusty from the gene pool. Thanks. I couldn’t bear to lose him to prison and that’s what would have happened.”

“Yeah, I know.” I gave her a long look, wondering whether to say what I was really thinking. Finally, because Mur and I didn’t keep secrets, I added, “Murray, you have to know something. The
only
reason I stopped Jimbo was because of you—because you need him in your life. People like Rusty don’t get better, they don’t learn, and the courts go and release these twisted bastards every day to go out and do it all over again. For Jimbo’s own welfare, I had to make him back off. But I didn’t want to,” I whispered.

“I know,” Mur said. “I want him dead, too. Now, on to happier things. Please show me your dress. You and Joe have gone through hell for today, and you deserve to be the most blushing and beautiful bride there’s ever been.”

I looked deep into my best friend’s eyes. “You know you’ve always been my best buddy. We’ll grow old together—crazy old ladies, drinking tea, watching the sunset from our porches with Joe and Jimbo at our sides …”

She spluttered. “You know as well as I do that our old age will probably still be a mess of ghosts and ghouls and malcontents. I can just hear our theme song. ‘Still ghost-busting after all these years!’ Now haul out that dress and show me what Maeve scared up for you.”

I carefully lifted the gown out of the closet. Murray gasped. “Oh Em, it’s you. It’s absolutely perfect. I know you wanted Nanna’s dress but—”

“But this dress seems made for me, doesn’t it? I love it. And Randa will wear it on her wedding day, I hope. Or if she doesn’t want to, then maybe Kip’s bride.” At the thought of my children getting married, I flopped down on the bed. “Life is changing, Murray. Things never stay the same. Today Randa’s fourteen. Tomorrow, she’s going to be in college and gone. And then Kip. I don’t know what I’ll do when they leave.”

“Yes, you do,” she said firmly. “You and Joe will go gallivanting around, living your lives together. And you’ll be perfectly happy. Now, let’s get some breakfast in you. You’re getting married this evening, woman!”

 

 

THE WEDDING WAS set for eight P.M. Randa and Harlow helped me into my dress. They were dressed in lavender—not some poofy-sleeved bridesmaid’s nightmare, but simple sheaths that they could wear again and again. Randa’s eyes gleamed as she helped Harlow pin the veil to my hair and then crowned it with a wreath of ivory and pink roses.

“Mom, you’re so beautiful.” Randa stood back, assessing me.

Harlow turned me toward the mirror and gave a little shove. I slowly approached. Suddenly nervous, I finally found the courage to look at my reflection. Maeve’s dress fit like a glove, hugging every curve in just the right way. Harlow had curled my hair into a chignon, leaving a strand to coil down either side of my face. She’d also helped me with my makeup, and my eyes smoldered, sexy and seductive and mysterious. As green as my name, I thought. As green as the woods on a summer’s afternoon.

One day I’d remember this. I’d look back and remember how beautiful I felt, and how loved, and how lucky. But today—today I was living through it, butterflies and all.

“I’m ready,” I said, quietly, stepping into the low-heeled ivory pumps that Harl picked out for me.

“Not quite,” she said, holding up her hand. “Give me a couple minutes before you come downstairs. I’ve got a surprise for you. Two, actually.”

As she ran out the door, I turned to Randa. “Where’s your brother?”

“Jimbo helped Kip dress. They should be out in the garden by now.” She paused. “Mom, you’re happy, aren’t you?”

The hitch in her voice surprised me. “Honey, yes, very much so. Why? Are you worried that things aren’t going to work out?”

She shook her head. “No, not that. It’s just … I want to know you’re doing this for you—not just to give Kip and me a dad. You’ve been a great mom.
We
don’t need anybody else.”

I gazed at her. My daughter was growing up all right. “Randa, I’m marrying Joe because I love him and he loves me. We fit together. I wouldn’t even think of marrying him if he didn’t treat you and Kip right, but that’s not why I said yes. Joe and I are …”

“Soul mates?” she asked.

Grinning, I shook my head. “Not exactly. But we’re right for each other.”

“How do you know when it’s right?” she asked, smoothing out my train.

“You just know, honey. There comes a point where you look at the person and you realize that you want to spend the rest of your life with them. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, like with your dad and me. Sometimes it does.” I pulled her to me and gave her a long hug. “Okay, let’s go get me married off before I’m an old lady.”

As I descended the stairs, Miranda held my train so it wouldn’t get tangled up on anything. When I reached the bottom of the staircase, I saw a huge bouquet sitting on the bench in the foyer. Harl peeked around the corner from the living room.

“There’s your first surprise.”

“Who’s it from?” I asked, staring at the assortment of roses, carnations, and baby’s breath. It must have cost the sender a pretty penny, that’s for sure.

“I didn’t look—that would be snooping.”

I picked up the envelope sitting beside the vase. It wasn’t the standard gift card, but rather a full-sized greeting card. As I slid it out of the envelope, the picture of two bells chiming—wedding bells—appeared. When I opened it, I almost fainted. The flowers were from Roy.

Emerald, I know this isn’t enough to mend fences, but I thought a lot about what you said. The kids deserve better than me for a father. I don’t know if I can ever be what they need—what they want—but by the time you get this, I’ll have checked myself into a rehab clinic to dry out and try to get a handle on the booze. It’s a step in the right direction. Have a wonderful wedding and give the kids a hug from me. Check for child support for the next six months enclosed, and a check for your wedding. Buy yourself something nice. Roy.

Dumbfounded, I stared at the two checks in my hand. He’d given Joe and me a thousand dollars. Part of me wanted to send it back. I didn’t like accepting gifts from Roy and I knew Joe wouldn’t like it. Then I stopped myself. It made Roy feel better, and if he truly was in rehab, it would help him for me to accept it. But I wouldn’t spend it. I’d put it in the kids’ college funds.

“Em, who was it—good Lord, was it bad news?” Harl asked, staring at me.

I wiped the shocked expression off my face. “No, actually it wasn’t. Now, what’s the second surprise you promised me?”

“It’s me!” a voice called from behind Harlow.

“Rose? Rosy?” I started to run but stopped myself. I could do some serious damage if I tripped over my train.

Rose popped out from behind Harlow, dressed in her lavender sheath. “I couldn’t pass up the chance to be a bridesmaid, not with a dress this pretty.” When I started to question her, she held up one hand, stopping me. “Grandma’s going to recover, and the folks are with her. They told me to come to your wedding and give you their love. In fact, Grandma M. was the one who suggested it.” She stopped short, looking me up and down as if I were a statue or painting. “Oh, Emmy, you’re so pretty.”

I barely had time to give her a kiss when Murray chimed in. “Everybody’s waiting. Get a move on, woman. Don’t give Joe a chance to rethink getting hitched.” She winked.

“Fat chance,” I said, laughing.

As we headed out the door, Harl stuffed my bridal bouquet into my hands. It was a mixture of pink and ivory roses, with long fronds of maidenhair fern tucked in.

Crossing the yard to the garden, I glanced back at my house. I’d come a long way in the past few years—a lot farther than I’d ever expected. I’d seen things that convinced me of the presence of absolute evil, and of brilliant and pure good. I’d stumbled over death and legends come to life. And now, love had come sweeping back into my life, this time to stay.

“Oh!” I let out a little shout as I saw that Harlow had managed to scrounge up the arched trellises we’d planned on having. They were bedecked with roses and ivy, with grapevines and silk ribbons, with flowing drapes of sheer lace and bells that tinkled playfully on the faint breeze.