Death and Her Devotion (Rogue Vows #1)(20)

“Are you accusing one of them?” Stevie asked sharply.

“I just know it had to be one of them. Their friendships were falling apart, and they fight constantly.”

“Do you have any proof?” Stevie was ready for the emotional time bomb to leave.

“No . . . of course not. But if you’ll take a few minutes from all your wedding preparations and look, you’ll find it! There ought to be someone I can report you to . . . both of you! Justice is not being served, because you only care about yourselves.” Cyndee spun around and marched out the door, then slammed it behind her.

Stevie stared at the door. And then laughed until her eyes watered. She grabbed a tissue from Sheila’s desk. What a nutcase!

Sheila opened the front door and marched in. “What was that woman doing in here?” she snapped, fury radiating and posture stiff. “She had the nerve to yell at me to get to work because no one is searching for Chase Ryan’s killer.”

Stevie tried to speak through her laughter but hiccupped instead, brushing at her tears. Sheila eyed her with caution.

“You’re laughing, right?”

Stevie nodded and caught her breath. “She’s crazy,” she managed to say between hiccups.

“Well, I already knew that,” said Sheila.





CHAPTER EIGHT


That evening Zane paced the small platform at the front of the church.

Stevie was late. At least it was only the wedding rehearsal.

“She’ll be here,” Carly assured him.

He grinned at Stevie’s sister. “I know. She wouldn’t leave me at the altar.” But why did his stomach twist as if she had?

“I’ll text her,” Carly said, pulling out her phone. “I’m sure she got stopped on the street by someone with a million questions.”

Zane nodded, remembering the three different people who’d stopped him as he walked to the church. Everyone wanted to talk and ask questions about Chase Ryan.

Zane wanted to get this wedding rehearsal moving. The investigation was at a brief standstill. He was hoping to get fingerprint results on the buckle of the belt that’d been wrapped around Chase’s neck. Last he’d checked, the county lab hadn’t gotten to it yet. He glanced out the window as the sunlight started to dim. Another day gone without their finding the killer.

Beside him Carly’s husband, Seth, poked him in the ribs. “Don’t worry. Marriage isn’t that bad.”

“Is that what my face says?”

“Yeah, you look like you’re waiting in line at the DMV.”

“Was thinking about my case.”

“Let it go for now. You should be thinking about getting married. Finally. You two took long enough.”

“Not because of me.” He stared at the rear doors of the church, willing Stevie to come rushing through.

“She’ll make it,” Bruce added from Seth’s other side. “Stevie wouldn’t dream of missing the rehearsal dinner after this. Food, you know.”

“Thanks,” Zane drawled.

“My mom’s late too,” Bruce added. “Maybe they’re together.”

“She’s still at the grange,” Carly added. “She and Brianna were still hanging decor for the reception, last I heard from them. She said she might be late to the rehearsal.”

“Your mom’s been amazing,” Zane told Carly. “This wedding wouldn’t be coming together without her.”

“She’s like—”

“Zane!” Kenny burst in through the church doors, exactly where Zane had been staring, waiting for Stevie. His face red from exertion, Kenny panted as if he’d been running for hours. “The grange is on fire!”

Carly gasped. “Brianna,” she whispered.

Zane was already halfway down the aisle.





Zane’s lungs hurt from his full-bore three-block sprint.

His gaze locked on the billows of black smoke rising above a grove of fir trees. The old grange building sat on the edge of town, nestled down a long driveway from the main road. It was an unimpressive building, slightly warped and in need of paint, but it had been home to every good-size Solitude celebration in the last seventy years.

Kenny had shouted that he’d called the fire department as Zane left him far behind and sirens sounded in the distance. He knew Seth and Carly had run out of the church after him, but Carly’s high heels had slowed them down. They were somewhere behind him, and he wasn’t stopping to wait. He estimated the fire department was still several minutes from reaching the building. His legs pumped up the gravel driveway, and he spotted Patsy’s Chevy parked to one side.

Did she get out in time? Did Brianna?

Smoke surged out of two broken windows as flashes of flame flickered inside the building. Gawkers stood in groups, watching the historic building burn against the darkening sky.

“Is anyone inside?” he hollered as he approached the first group of people.

Several people shook their heads. “The cop got them out!” yelled one man as Zane raced past. “I think it’s clear now.”

I’ll be the judge of that.

He steered toward a tight cluster of people, spotting a Solitude police uniform in their midst.

Stevie. Relief washed over him.