Page 17 of Resolutions

“Whitakers.” His deep voice carries years of command as he gives a nod to Dad. “Tell me everything.”

As we recount the morning's events showing the Sheriff where Melanie was last seen, the bridal suite looks frozen in time - makeup scattered across the vanity, her overnight bag still packed for our honeymoon. I watch his eyes note details - the pristine dress hanging forgotten, the half-empty champagne glasses, packing peanuts askew on the bride's ready room floor. Nothing seems to escape his attention.

“Where are the bridesmaids?” He asks Mom.

“Downstairs trying to maintain some order for the guests that stayed to eat.”

He shakes his head, “gotta have that free meal.” Dad and Colton chuckle. “I'll need to speak to them.” He pushes the radio mic on his shoulder. “Trenton to Roberts.”

“Roberts here. Just arrived.”

“Quietly gather the bridesmaids from the ballroom and bring them upstairs by the groom's ready room.”

“Ten-four.”

Tobias turns in a circle, “you said they told you she'd gotten a package?” All of our eyes drop to the floor. Lavender packing peanuts lay askew on the floor. “Any idea who the package came from?”

“No, just that some thug brought it.”

“Thug?”

Mom speaks up, “that's what the girls called him. A huge guy, all in black with face tattoos. They said he made them uncomfortable. They said the front desk girl brought him up.”

“Her name's Sofia. Here,” I step over to the Sheriff. “I can access the front desk video from my phone.” I speed it up, slowing to show Mom, Dad and Melanie arriving. She looks so happy it makes my knees weak. They stopped and got the keys to the bridal ready rooms. I speed it up again, showing the bridesmaids arriving. The amount of stuff the ladies brought with them makes it look like they were taking up permanent residence. My heart skips a beat when the man in question appears. Thug, gangster, terrifying, all would be fitting to describe him. He approaches the front desk; we watch him have words with Sofia then he proceeds the same way as the rest of people involved in the wedding did. Sofia emerges from the door by the desk and hurries after him. All the while he holds a lavender colored box in his left hand.

“You know him?” Sheriff Trenton questions me.

“No, I've never seen him before. I can send you this if you want.”

“I want.” The Sheriff eyes everyone else in the room. “This guy sound familiar to any of the rest of you?” Everyone shakes their heads no.

“Trenton to Roberts.”

“Roberts here.”

“Go to the front desk. Ask Sofia to stay until one of us has spoken to her.”

“Ten-four”

“Trenton to Sang.”

“Sang here.”

“You better get rolling out here, too. Whispering Pines Inn. Meet us upstairs by the groom's ready room.”

“Ten-four”

“So, the ladies didn't see Melanie leave this room?” Sheriff Trenton slowly turns in a circle taking everything in.

“No, they thought she was on a call with her aunt.” Mom answers.

“The question is, then how did she get out of the room?”

“Oh my God, the passage.” I spin around and go to the closet. The Sheriff right behind me.

“Passage?” He asks but I'm standing at the door so I just show him by popping it open.

Sheriff Trenton unsheathes his flashlight from his belt. Shining the bright beam into the passage. He brings the light down to examine the floor.

---