Page 32 of Vows of Murder

“As soon as Greg’s back.” I reached down and rubbed Sasha’s shoulder. “Do you need to go home? Evie can take you backto the house.”

She looked up at me, fear still shining in her eyes. “Do you mind? I know I’m being childish, and it is your wedding. But I swear, I saw him. Or Isaw something.”

I glanced at Evie. She nodded, answering my unanswered question. “We can go hang at my house and make cookies. I bet you need some sugar after that.”

“You can still come to dinner if you’re feeling better.” I hugged her. “Don’t worry about us. You do what you need to do. Just know that I’d love to have you at the wedding tomorrow.”

The look of fear told me all I needed to know. Sasha and Olivia would be no-shows for the wedding. If someone was pranking her and I found out, I was going to give them a piece of my mind.

Evie pulled Sasha from her chair and Deek grabbed Olivia. He met my gaze. “I’ll be right back. Olivia’s boosteris in my car.”

Greg was coming up the walk from the mission. He put his arm around me. “Never a dull moment around here, right? No sign of a prankster. Maybe our Sasha is just tuned into the other side. Where is she? I wanted to ask her if she’d seenghosts before.”

“Evie took her back home. She’s wrecked.” I leaned onto his shoulder. “Nothing to worry about, then?”

Greg looked behind us and groaned. “I didn’t say that. This place is starting to be a problem. Maybe we should have this wedding atBill’s church.”

“I’m not letting one ghost chase me out of a wedding venue. You know how hard it was to find a place.” I shook my head. “Let’s get this practice over with so we can go eat.I’m starving.”

“When are you not?” He kissed me on the top of my head. “I’m going to miss you tonight.”

“I suppose ditto is thewrong answer?”

He tapped me on the butt as he walked away. “You’re a brat, Jill Gardner. Which is probably why I love you. Strong women, we’re cursed with loving them.”

“Breaking up now wouldn’t make me a runaway bride, would it?” I called after him.

He turned, walking backward away from me, and grinned. “You’d never make it out of town.”

* * * *

The rest of the rehearsal went off without a hitch and Pastor Bill left for his next appointment. I noticed he kept looking at Greg as the practice went on. I hoped he didn’t think Greg was going to arrest him on the spur of the moment. Besides, he wouldn’t do that until after the wedding. I could assure our minister ofthat, at least.

Sadie was one of the first at The Wooden Bench as we gathered for the rehearsal dinner. She hugged me. “Less than twenty-four hours and you’ll be Mrs. Greg King.”

“Are you taking Bill’s name when you get married?” Sadie would know all about this custom. I sat down in the lobby area, where we were waiting for our separate room to open. Greg was off looking for the catering director, who was supposed to have already opened the door. Maybe we’d have a ghost sighting at the dinner too. Things happened on the coast. And I wasn’t having the best luck with mywedding events.

“Of course I am. I guess it’s an old-fashioned notion, right? ‘Wives submit to your own husbands.’I’ve always dreamed of being a wife and a mother. I’ve done both now, but I guess I want to jump into the fray again.”

“You two will be so happy. You were made for each other.” We’d sat down on a bench covered in detailed carvings in a Spanish style. I hoped it was a replica and not an antique. “Honestly, I’m just glad we’re finishing this up. When a wedding gets pushed off so many times, it starts to lose its wonder.”

Sadie took my hand. “How is Amanda doing? She looksgood. Strong.”

“A lot better. She’s lost a lot of muscle strength, even I can see that, but her tests are all fine.” Amanda had chosen to ride to the rehearsal dinner with Jim and Beth. Probably to give Greg and me a minute alone. “It’s been nice spending time withher this week.”

Sadie shifted in her seat. “So now can we talk about the elephant in the room? Greg has to know Bill would never hurt another soul. Why hasn’t he cleared him in the death of thatterrible man?”

“Sadie, you know Greg doesn’t talk to me about these things. He’ll find the killer, and everything will go back to normal.”

“The deacons are upset with Bill for letting that man needle him into a response. He’s just so protective of the work he does. He truly believes he’s doing God’s work. That New Hope place is a den of iniquity. Those poor parents. Someone should call in a welfare check on those children.” She turned toward me. “You went to that open house, right? Did you seethe children?”

I shook my head. “They said they didn’t want to commercialize the children in that way.” I’d thought it odd that most of the women and all of the children had been kept away from the open house too. But this wasn’t the time to talk about it. “Sadie, don’t worry so much. Bill is going to be fine.”

She leaned her head on my shoulder. “I know I shouldn’t bother you about such stuff on your wedding weekend. Bill even told me not to bring it up. I’ll be good.I’ll promise.”

“You’re fine. I know you’re worried. We’ve been through cases before that looked different than they turned out. Just trust the system. Greg will figure it out.” I hoped that was true, but we didn’t have any longer to talk about it as Greg was coming back with a young man in tow hopefully with keys toopen the doors.

As I stood, the others came in the large doors from the parking lot and I was surrounded by people wanting to tell me how lovely tomorrow’s ceremony was going to be.

---