Page 143 of What Doesn't Kill Her

“Superhero pinkie promise.” Kellen held out her finger.

Rae wrapped her pinkie around Kellen’s. “I promise.”

Kellen smiled at Rae, at her daughter. The child was the best daughter ever, perfect, agreeable, kind, accepting, a fighter for good...

Kellen’s consciousness faded, then she focused again. “We are one,” she whispered.

“Are we ready?” Arthur opened the door, held it wide and made a shooing gesture.

Max picked up Rae and ran into the bright sunlight and toward the wedding canopy.

Kellen and Birdie followed. Temo and Adrian brought up the rear. Kellen glanced around to find Verona and saw her waiting while Arthur spoke to Mateo Courtemanche.

Mateo Courtemanche, who had been waiting outside for them. He looked quite unlike the pleasant young man who waited tables and sold wines and instead appeared narrow-eyed and coldly efficient. Apparently Arthur had sent for him to deal with the body. Mateo’s résumé must include skills Kellen hadn’t imagined.

But she wasn’t going to worry about that. She had other, more pressing matters. Like getting married.

At the back of the tent where the wedding would take place, the side panels had been lowered to shield the wedding party from the waiting guests and to allow them to prepare in private.

Inside the canopy, Kellen could hear the guests buzzing with speculation.

Max put Rae on her feet. Arthur handed him a chemical cold pack, and Max pressed it to her cheek. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Sure!” Rae was remarkably unconcerned about her trauma and her bruise and intent on enjoying her role in the wedding.

Verona caught up with them. “Arthur’s people found Takashi Tibodo.”

“Takashi Tibodo!” Kellen hadn’t realized anyone else had been victimized. “What happened to him?”

“When we realized who was really responsible for the kidnapping,” Verona said, “Arthur had a conference call with his people. Takashi didn’t answer his phone. Apparently, he had figured out Dan Matyasovitch was not what he claimed to be, so Dan knocked him unconscious and locked him in the supply closet behind the tasting room.”

“Is Takashi going to be all right?” Birdie asked.

“He’s apparently quite angry and insists he will be able to sing at the reception. He also says he can step into that dreadful man’s place and handle the music direction.”

That dreadful man being Daniel Lykke, Kellen surmised.

“Has somebody checked on Nils?” Kellen asked.

“Oh, yeah. Nils.” Birdie mashed the antique veil on Kellen’s head.

Verona stiffened and her expression became that of a stiff-necked schoolmarm. “He’s alive, which is more than he deserves.”

“Concussion?” Kellen asked.

“I really couldn’t say,” Verona answered. “One hopes.”

Birdie stuck pins in the veil. “I hope these hold long enough to get you down the aisle. I’m a mechanic, not a hairdresser.”

With smug assurance, Rae said, “None of this would have happened if I’d had a cell phone to call for help.”

Something clicked in Kellen, some sense that this cell phone issue needed to be handled, and it needed to be handled now. She said, “That’s true. I was thinking of getting you a puppy as a friend and protector. But if you’d rather have a cell phone...” She let the sentence trail off and rearranged two hairpins that were sticking right into her scalp.

“A puppy?” Rae froze. “I can have a puppy?”

“No, no, no.” Kellen waved a dismissive hand. “You’re going to get a cell phone.”

“What kind of puppy?” Rae moved like a robot to stand in front of her mother.

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