CHAPTER FIVE 
Here Comes the Bride…
“I DON’T KNOW,” BESS SAID with a sigh as she looked into the lighted mirror in Veronica’s hotel suite bathroom. “Is it too, like, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel or something?”
It was the next day, just after three, and it was amazing what a good night of sleep could do. Bess, George, and I had all woken up feeling much better, and from the look of Veronica, who was having her makeup done a few feet away, she was feeling much better too. The sad, hollow look was gone from her eyes, and she looked bright and excited and silly—just like you would expect a bride to feel on her wedding day.
And it was her wedding day, officially—Xavier had texted all the guests after he’d returned from the hospital the night before with his arm in a cast and all his bumps and bruises bandaged up. He would have to forgo the planned BASE jump (though Veronica, apparently, was still planning to do it), but the wedding was on.
George, who, like me, was already dressed and made-up, lifted a finger to her matte red lips and glanced at me like, Want to handle this one, Nancy? George was wearing her usual classic black sheath dress with a chic twist effect at the neckline, but she claimed she wasn’t into fashion or hairstyling.
“I like it,” I insisted, gesturing to Bess’s updo with my right hand. “Is it retro? Sure. But that’s what makes it unexpected and fun.”
Bess ran a hand over the blond hair at her crown, which had been twisted into a sort of pompadour, leading back into a complicated knot. “Chic unexpected and fun?” she asked.
“Absolutely,” Veronica chimed in. “You should ask how she did that look! You could wear it to dances and stuff!”
Finally Bess broke into a relieved smile. “It is cute, huh?” she asked, smoothing down her red satin bridesmaid dress. Veronica had let each woman in her wedding party choose their own dress style in the same fabric, and Bess had chosen a cute slip-dress style with twisted straps and an A-line skirt. It suited her perfectly.
“You look like a million dollars, Bess,” I said, then gestured around the room. “You all do.”
Deanna, who was ready to go and sitting on the bed, grinned at me and flipped her red satin capelet behind her shoulders. “Thanks, Nancy. You and George look super cute too. Don’t let the kids get their sticky fingers all over you!”
“They won’t have a chance,” George replied. “We’ve got plenty of games and toys to keep them busy. There may even be a screening of Toy Story on my iPad.”
Deanna grinned. “Omigosh, you’ve figured them out.”
George nodded. “When in doubt, Pixar. That’s the main lesson I’ve learned in all my babysitting days.”
As Deanna and George continued to chitchat, I looked over at Priya. She was sitting in an armchair near the window, looking out at the Strip with a tense expression. As I watched, she turned around, then slowly stood and walked over to stand behind Veronica.
The hairstylist was just pinning one last curled lock into place. She held up her hands and stood back, meeting Veronica’s eyes in the mirror. “There you are, gorgeous. Anything you’d like to change?”
Veronica stared at herself in the mirror. For a moment she just looked stunned, like she couldn’t believe her reflection was real. There was something in her eyes that I couldn’t quite read—nerves?
She cleared her throat. “I wish our parents were here,” she said, glancing at Deanna.
Oh, of course. I felt like a blockhead. It was only natural for Veronica to look a little sad—she was getting married without her parents in attendance.
Deanna stood. “Me too, hermana. But you know how much I love and support you. They’ll come around.”
“Ready for this?” The hairstylist lifted a crystal headpiece from the counter. Since veils and roller coasters don’t mix, Veronica had explained, she would attach the veil to this headpiece after the ride was over.
She nodded now. “Yes, please.”
We all watched as the hairstylist pinned the headpiece in place on the side of Veronica’s head. Long, dark waves cascaded from it, down Veronica’s back. She looked gorgeous. She looked like a bride.
She stared at her reflection. Her eyes were wide, and was that a tear in the corner of the left one? It would be natural for a bride to feel emotional on her wedding day, I reminded myself. But I remembered how hollow she’d seemed on the observation deck the night before. All morning, she’d been the cheerful Veronica I’d known since she’d become engaged to Xavier—but now, suddenly, she was that Veronica again. The Veronica who’d sadly gazed down at the Strip, who hadn’t stayed with her fiancé at the hospital.
Priya cleared her throat, watching her friend in the mirror. “Ronny,” she said softly. “I just want… I mean, are you sure about this?”
Veronica met her eyes in the mirror. “I’m sure,” she said tightly. I don’t want to talk about it, her tone made clear.
Priya shook her head. She seemed to be struggling to find the right words. “I know you love him,” she said in a low voice. “But your parents aren’t even here, and maybe their concerns about him make sense? I just want you to be safe.”
Veronica watched Priya’s reflection. “Priya, I love you. But you don’t have to worry about me. I know how to keep myself safe,” she said simply.
Priya stared at her for a second longer, then nodded and backed away.
“So,” Deanna said, shooting an annoyed glance at Priya before turning back to her sister, “are you ready to get married, sis?”
Veronica stared at her reflection for a moment longer, then took a deep breath and stood.
“Let’s do this!” she shouted.
“I broke my purple crayon,” Lakshmi whined an hour or so later. She lifted a brand-new Crayola, broken in half.
“No worries,” George said, swiftly pulling the crayon from her grasp. “That’s why we sprang for the box of one hundred twenty, kiddo. I bet we can find you another purple in here that’s just as good.”
I glanced over at the entrance to the Skytop Screamer roller coaster, a ride that was mostly unremarkable except for where its track was located: at the tippy top of the Soar skyscraper. Riders got strapped in to wind around the outside of the observation deck—even, for one brief but pants-wetting moment, dangling upside down over the edge of the building. This coaster was not for me—not even for extreme-sports-curious, open-minded Nancy Drew—but it was definitely for people like Xavier and Veronica, which was why they were kicking off their wedding ceremony with a joint ride on the Screamer.
Xavier waited at the ride entrance, along with Max, who would be officiating the ceremony. They both looked very smart in coordinated gray tuxedos. Four rows of guests in folding chairs were seated nearby, including the wedding party. I caught Arlo’s eye and he nodded at me and smiled. George and I had been placed at a picnic table where we could mind the kiddos, but our table had a great view of the action. And so far the kids, who were adorable in their wedding finery, had been very well-behaved. We hadn’t even had to break out Toy Story or the emergency snacks.
“Always and Forever” suddenly started blaring on the outdoor speakers, and the sliding doors to the elevators opened, revealing Veronica. She beamed at Xavier, and any sadness or hesitation I’d seen in her suite was totally gone. She wore the look of a bride who was marrying someone she truly loved. Xavier beamed right back at her, and George nudged me with her elbow. When I turned to look at her, her eyes were teary.
“Weddings,” she said, shaking her head. “They get me every time.”
“George!” I whispered fiercely. “I had no idea. You’re such a softie!”
“Don’t tell Bess,” she whispered back. “I need to preserve my reputation as the strong cousin.”
Veronica walked up to Xavier, who whispered something to her and took her hand.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Max announced into a wireless microphone, “and guests following on social media, before the ceremony, as part of their walk down the aisle, Veronica and Xavier would like to celebrate their love with a ride on the Skytop Screamer.”
He walked up the few stairs to the platform where riders boarded and attached something to the hood of the front car.
“What’s that?” I whispered to George.
“I think it’s some kind of camera,” she whispered back. “For the livestream.”
After Max descended, Xavier led Veronica up the stairs and helped a young woman in a Soar uniform strap Veronica into the front car. Then Xavier got in next to her, and the young woman strapped him in and then pulled down a restraining bar.
“Here we go,” Max announced as the woman took a step away and pressed a huge red button on a support beam.
“Aaaagghhhh!” Veronica started screaming immediately as the cars rocketed into motion. We watched as the coaster rapidly snaked around the edges of the observation deck, then descended out of sight, down around the sides of the casino building. Xavier and Veronica both screamed when, I assumed, the car flipped upside down, and then there was more screaming and laughter until, only a couple of minutes after departing, the coaster zoomed back to the platform.
Max climbed the stairs and held up the microphone. “How was it?” he asked the couple as the Soar employee returned to raise the restraining bar and help them out of their seats.
Veronica couldn’t seem to stop laughing.
“It was amazing!” Xavier replied, grabbing the mic. “The best coaster I’ve ever been on! Dude, when I was hanging upside down over the Strip there, just staring down at all the people and feeling my heart pound through my chest, all I could think was, ‘Man! I’m so happy I’m doing this with Veronica!’ And after today, we’ll never be apart, baby!”
He leaned over to kiss her, and when he pulled away, I could see that Veronica was holding the crystal headpiece on with her right hand.
“That was fantastic,” she agreed. “And I can’t wait to make this official, baby! But I think I’m having a wardrobe malfunction. Can you all give me a sec to get this thing pinned back on?”
Xavier said of course, and Veronica jumped up and carefully descended the stairs, holding the headpiece the whole time. With her left hand, she gave an awkward wave to the assembled guests. “Be right back!” she promised.
Deanna moved toward her, now holding the pristine white veil she’d retrieved from a bag near the altar. “Can I help?” she asked. “You know I’m a ninja with a bobby pin!”
Veronica turned around, caught her sister’s eye, and chuckled. “No need, sis,” she insisted. “I’ve got this. Just give me a minute.” She disappeared through the sliding doors.
“Nancy!” Deanna’s older son, Luka, suddenly tugged on my wrap. “Do you know how to play tic-tac-toe?”
So soon Luka and I were engaged in a very serious tic-tac-toe battle. When he finally tired of it and turned his attention to a sticker book, I shot a curious look at George. “How long has she been gone?” I asked. The guests looked like they were starting to get restless, a few standing up, stretching, or walking around the roof-deck. Xavier, who had been chatting amiably with the guests at first, was beginning to look more tense, his eyes repeatedly returning to the sliding doors.
George tapped her watch. “About fifteen minutes?” she guessed.
I looked at her, and I could tell by her awkward expression that we were both wondering the same thing. How long does it take to pin a headpiece back on?
After a few more minutes went by, I whispered to George, “The hairstylist took maybe two or three minutes to get it on in the first place, right?”
George shrugged. “Maybe the elevator got stuck?” she suggested. “Maybe Veronica spilled something on herself or had some kind of pre-wedding calamity? Oh, look.”
She pointed toward the roller-coaster platform. Xavier, who was fully frowning by now, had gestured for Bess, Deanna, and Priya to come over to him, and was whispering to them animatedly. When he was finished, the women nodded and headed toward the door to the elevators.
George shot me a look, and I knew instantly to jump up and follow them. “I can handle the kiddos for a few minutes,” she promised.
“What’s going on?” I asked Bess as I rushed inside just as the elevator arrived with a ding.
Bess and Priya both wore tense faces. Deanna looked a little more relaxed.
“Xavier just wants us to go check on Veronica,” Bess explained. “You know, it’s been awhile.”
“Is it okay if I come along?” I asked.
“Sure,” Priya replied, at the same time Deanna said, “I guess so.” As we all piled into the elevator, Deanna shook her head.
“I’m sure she’s fine,” she said, pressing the button for forty-four, Veronica’s floor. “She’s not like a makeup and hair girl. She’s probably just having trouble getting the headpiece to stay on. I should have come with her in the first place, honestly.”
Priya’s lips were pursed tight. “I guess we’ll see,” she said, but she didn’t look convinced.
When the elevator stopped on the forty-fourth floor, we all nearly knocked one another over rushing out. We ran down the hall to Veronica’s suite. The door was closed.
“Veronica!” Priya yelled, pounding on the door. “It’s your bridesmaids! Where are you? Do you need help?”
But there was no answer. No movement inside the room. It sure sounded like no one was in there.
I was beginning to get a weird, panicky tingle under my skin. Suddenly all I could think about was Veronica’s red, hollow eyes the night before. I knew something was off!
Deanna whipped out a key card.
“Where the heck did you get that?” Bess asked.
“Pockets,” Deanna said proudly, wiggling her fingers inside a pocket over her hips. “My dress has them. Don’t be jealous.”
“I am, though,” Bess pouted as Deanna stuck the card in the lock. Bess ran her hands over the hips of her dress, where pockets would be.
“Ladies, focus,” Priya said sharply as the door clicked open.
The suite was dark. We cautiously stepped in, calling for Veronica, but there was no light in the bedroom or bathroom. In fact, everything looked exactly as we’d left it. Veronica’s purse was open on the bed, its contents spilling out from when she’d ransacked it looking for a last-minute breath mint. George had changed her shoes right before we’d left, leaving her tall boots just inside the entryway, blocking the hallway—no one had disturbed them.
And a bride, rushing to fix her hair and get back to the ceremony, likely would have knocked at least one over.
Now I leaned down and pushed them against the wall. Priya was running in and out of all the rooms. “She’s not here,” she said sharply, looking from Bess to Deanna.
“It looks like she wasn’t here at all,” I said, gesturing to the purse and the boots.
Deanna frowned. “Probably we crossed each other in the elevators, and she’s already back up on the roof-deck,” she suggested.
“Or maybe she didn’t come down here to fix her hair after all?” Bess hypothesized. She looked nervous, but like she was trying to hold it together. “Maybe she was in a public restroom closer to the roof-deck?”
I let out a tiny sigh. I knew where Deanna and Bess were coming from, but none of their theories were soothing the tingle under my skin. The suite looked like it hadn’t been touched since we’d left. And there wasn’t a restroom on the roof-deck level, which meant that Veronica would have had to ride the elevator down at least to the level of the bar/café we’d visited the night before. At that point, why not just go to her suite where she was comfortable and had hair spray, a brush, extra hairpins?
Priya didn’t look like she was buying it either. “Okay,” she said in a tight voice, “let’s go now and see if she’s on the roof-deck, then.”
“And I’ll get out on the floor below,” I offered. “I can check the ladies’ room there.”
No one said anything else as we hurried out of the suite and back to the elevator. We were silent as we waited the thirty seconds or so for the elevator to arrive, and silent when we climbed inside. Everyone, even Deanna, was now wearing a pinched, uncomfortable expression. It felt like we were all trying to believe that everything would be fine, but it was becoming harder and harder.
Ding! We reached the level with the bar/café, observation deck, and restrooms. I stepped out and waved back at the others.
“I’ll text you if I find her,” I promised. “Or… Deanna’s the only one with pockets, huh. Okay, I’ll text someone who definitely has their phone on—George.”
Bess nodded. “Thanks, Nancy.”
The elevator doors slid closed, and I quickly headed for the restroom. I looked around eagerly, but it was empty except for a young girl and her mother. All the stalls were wide open, and the woman was using a wet paper towel to wipe the young girl’s face. She looked up at me with a friendly smile.
“This is a weird question, but did you guys see a bride come in here?” I asked.
The woman raised a curious eyebrow. “Why?” she asked. “Did you lose one?”
I cleared my throat. “Uh, yeah. Yes, actually.”
The little girl giggled, and the woman shook her head. “I had terrible jitters the morning before my wedding,” she said. “Maybe she got cold feet. Just give her some time.”
I nodded and thanked them, then quickly checked the bar. Nothing. As I was walking back to the elevator, my eye caught the observation deck, and I felt a chill, remembering how sadly Veronica had been staring out at the Strip the night before. Could she have come back here? Shivering, I ran out there and looked around, peering over the edge of the deck, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. No sign that Veronica had been here at all.
So where was she?
As I got back into the elevator, I pictured Veronica’s face as she’d walked out onto the roof-deck and caught Xavier’s eye. That was real love in her eyes, I was sure of it. And she’d been laughing and smiling on the roller coaster. She was happy to be marrying the man she loved—at least, that was what it looked like.
Why would she run away from her own wedding?
When the elevator doors opened, I could tell immediately from the vibe outside that Veronica wasn’t there. Guests were standing in groups, huddling, whispering to one another with concerned looks on their faces. Xavier and Max were having an intense conversation by the roller coaster entrance, neither looking happy.
All eyes turned to me when I walked through the sliding door. Without a word, I shook my head.
“Noooooo!” Xavier let out a wail, and Max walked over to one of the guests, who, I now realized, was holding up an iPhone on a selfie stick, likely livestreaming the whole wedding. He started to gesture for him to turn it off, but Xavier ran over, again shouting, “No!”
Xavier pointed at the lens of the camera. “I want them to see! I want all my fans to help me! Listen, something happened to Veronica! If any of you are in the Las Vegas area, I need you to get out there and look for her! She was last seen—”
“Wait, wait!” George had stood up from the kiddie table and walked to Xavier. I glanced over and saw Priya holding Lakshmi in her lap, and Deanna whispering to Luka and Miranda.
Xavier looked at George, annoyed. “What?”
George frowned at him, then looked at the guest. “Turn it off, please.”
“What?!” Xavier looked from Max to George, wearing the expression of a teenage boy who’s just been told to power down his gaming system. “Why? My followers are my fam, bro! There’s nothing you can say to me that you can’t say in front of them….”
He trailed off as the guest who was filming pressed something and nodded at George. “It’s off,” he said.
Xavier let out a moan. George reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. “I know this is hard,” she said. “I know it’s not what you expected. But you have to consider the possibility that she just didn’t want to marry you.”
Xavier let out an anguished sound, and Bess, who had been cautiously approaching, shot her cousin a reproachful look. “Way harsh, George!”
George held up her hand. “I know, I know! But she’s a grown woman, and she might have her reasons for leaving! We can’t send hundreds of strangers after Veronica in a city she doesn’t know. There are other ways to get to the bottom of this.”
Xavier groaned. “How? I know something happened to her. I know that girl! Veronica loves me! You can’t fake that!”
George caught my eye. “Well… let me present my friend.” She gestured toward me dramatically, like on a game show when the spokesmodel shows off a brand-new car! “Nancy isn’t just Bess’s and my BFF for, like, ever. She’s also a kick-butt detective. And finding people is kind of her thing.”