Who Killed the Bride by Lily Malone

Author:Lily Malone [Malone, Lily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780995400504
Published: 2020-02-13T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

THE GROUP stayed in the den for another forty minutes checking out James’ treasures and by then, Cally was ready to burst a blood vessel or ten. Her attention span for all things sport lasted about as long as it took a gymnast to backflip.

It was James who was first to mention he was feeling a bit thirsty, and the others quickly agreed. Cally exited after Brookes, watched James take one final adoring look about the den before he re-set the security pad. Only then did she let herself relax.

Outside, Sienna, Hesper and Jackie were doing their best to inhale a platter of crackers, dips, cheese, olives and some smoked oysters and mussels, and must have been on to their second or third glass of bubbles, judging by the flush in their cheeks.

Cally offered the bottle around then poured a glass for herself. Tyson and Don took her up on the sparkling wine but the other boys opted for beers, which James served icy cold.

Talk flowed easy as the wine, and centred on the murder mystery or what they’d just seen in James’ collection (Cally kept a steely eye on Brookes during this); but it soon morphed to sports, footy ladders, results and tipping competitions, and every now and then Jackie managed to turn it back to her upcoming wedding. Cally got lost fast and to be fair, she wasn’t properly concentrating. Her brain tripped and turned and tossed with ideas, solutions, questions. Brookes. Steve. Bats. Balls. Tyson. A bestseller (or lack thereof). Her parents.

Although it was cold, none of the guests were in a hurry to go inside, and why would they be? The sun−which hadn’t shone all day−was finally out, an orange ball of fire sinking low and slow over the Indian Ocean to the West. It set a golden glimmer on the bark of the elms, and made diamonds shine in the grand stone walls of Butterfly House. The wind dropped to a puff, then to nothing.

‘Can I see you inside for a minute?’ Sienna said quietly, and this time as Cally pushed up from her chair and followed her friend inside, she knew there was no putting off the inevitable. Sienna deserved an explanation.

Sienna turned the oven on and moved between the pantry and the fridge, taking out the things she needed to heat or make for dinner. She didn’t bustle. Sienna was far too serene to bustle, but there was definitely something in the set of her shoulders that placed her mood between simmer and rolling boil.

‘Mum and Dad are upstairs,’ Cally said. ‘I didn’t get the chance to tell you earlier. I hope it’s okay if they stay tonight? They couldn’t get a room anywhere else.’

‘Of course it’s okay. James won’t mind,’ Sienna said, pulling out a wooden chopping board before taking her biggest knife from the block. ‘That’s not the big secret though, is it?’

‘Okay, here’s the thing.’ Cally took a breath and began with a rush. ‘Brookes is not from the WATA.

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