Gown with the Wind by Stephanie Blackmoore

Author:Stephanie Blackmoore
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2018-10-03T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Early the next morning, Jacqueline’s revelations bounced around in my head like a game of pinball as I waded through a small village of box skyscrapers in Thistle Park’s basement. I squinted in the dull light afforded by the few hanging bulbs in the cavernous space. I was looking for the containers of decorations I’d amassed for my own wedding to Keith that had, thankfully, never come to fruition. But I was distracted by thoughts of the complicated relationships in the Cunningham family, and by my mind’s dogged pursuit to try to figure out why Alma had been attacked and Felicity and Glenn murdered.

“Focus. You’re not Nancy Drew, you’re a wedding planner.” I delivered a stern admonition to myself and blew at a cobweb that had affixed itself to my nose. Truman would have a conniption if he found out I’d promised Alma to look into the death of her husband.

Pay dirt.

I found the boxes of decorations and favors in a particularly dusty corner of the basement. I thanked my lucky stars I’d chosen to stash them there last summer, rather than entomb them in a dumpster or set them aflame. I’d been pretty ticked off at Keith upon finding out about his affair with Becca, and trashing the decorations for my canceled wedding would have been cathartic.

But I believed things happened for a reason, and I couldn’t erase the grin from my face as I ferried all twelve heavy boxes up the steep basement steps to repose in the kitchen.

“Yuck.” Rachel sneezed and waved a hand in front of her face as I plopped down the last box. A layer of grime and dirt covered the cardboard.

“Help me wipe down the boxes before Samantha gets here.” I tossed Rachel a dust rag, and we got to work tidying up the mountain of supplies. A tiny ribbon of guilt laced through my mind as we worked. I wasn’t about to reveal to Samantha that the boxes were dirty because the decorations had been for my own wedding to Keith. If we’d had more time to come up with decorations for Keith and Becca’s rushed big day, I would have started afresh with new trinkets and table settings.

“All better.” Rachel surveyed our work with satisfaction and disappeared upstairs to clean up. I cut open several of the boxes to verify their contents, then showered to get ready for my meeting with Samantha.

Half an hour later, I paused at the head of the dining room table to survey the representative centerpiece I’d crafted to show Samantha. I’d gotten frissons of déjà vu as I placed the same white ostrich feathers, coral and pink glass orbs, and strings of pearls around the birdcages and wicker nests Helene had dictated I use last summer.

Rachel entered the room and slowly circled the table. “It’s lovely. Too bad it’s for those two ungrateful jokers.”

I shrugged and adjusted a silk magnolia blossom. “Better Becca than me. And I thought I might be upset about going through my old wedding decorations.

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