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WINSTON OVERSLEPT. After all that sleuthing, he didn’t even hear his alarm clock. In fact, only the insistent ringing of his cell phone woke him up.
He untangled himself from his sheets and grabbed the phone.
His sister’s voice hissed down the line. “Quick, you have to help me.”
“What’s wrong?” Winston’s insides twisted as he wondered if Marcy was in trouble. Did the car break down? Was her marriage having problems again?
“These balloons,” she said. “They’re so hard to tie down.”
Winston let out his breath. “I’ll come by soon.”
“You better. You’re pushing the time as it is.” She clicked off.
He checked the clock display. An hour before his wedding! He threw on some non-smelly clothes he found crumpled on the floor.
Did he have time to go confront Viv? No, he couldn’t be late to his own wedding. Maybe he should make her come to him. She’d want her expensive brooch back, especially since none of the Chan girls would inherit anything from Ming.
After Googling the number, he called the motel. The line rang several times before a sleepy voice picked up.
“Motel 9.” A yawn. “What can I do for you?”
“Can you connect me to room nine?”
“Sorry, there’s only this one phone here in the lobby.”
Winston thought for a second. Had the Chans left already? “Is there still a van in the lot?”
After some muffled noises, the clerk said, “Yeah. Sorta gray in color.”
“That’s it.” Winston checked the clock again and started grabbing everything he needed for his big day, especially his tux in the travel garment bag. “Okay, take down this message.”
“For room nine?”
“Yes, for Vivian.” Winston walked over to his garage. He stashed everything inside the car trunk. “Say: I found something that belongs to you in the Mystery Shack. But hurry, the wedding starts in an hour.”
The clerk yawned again, and Winston experienced static on the line. Was the bad reception on his side or over at the motel?
“Got it,” the clerk finally said.
“You sure?”
“Found item, shack, wedding.” The clerk hung up.
Winston wondered if the right message would be relayed, but he had no time to dwell on it. As it was, he would need to speed through all the yellow lights he encountered on his way to the wedding venue in order to help his sister.
* * *
BEYOND ALEX’S MANSION, at the edge of the clearing, Winston found Marcy and Gary wrestling with a spool of floral wire and balloons.
His sister flashed him a look of relief. “Thank goodness you’re here.” She thrust a pair of wire cutters at him.
Winston looked at the nearby wedding arch, which was only half-filled with purple and white balloons.
She stretched out her fingers. “It’ll be great having a fresh pair of hands.”
Her husband stood on a stepladder reaching for the peak of the arch and tying on balloons. “Marcy’s been tying these into patterned color clusters all morning long,” Gary said. “Great to have you on board, Winston.”
Winston and Marcy soon developed a system for the task at hand. He held the balloons onto the arch while Marcy tied them in place using pieces of floral wire.
They were near completion when he took a moment to peer beyond the structure. Past the display of balloons, rows of white chairs were set out, ready for future guests. Alex and Carmen must have woken up early to organize the seating.
Speakers were set up near the gazebo, too. Winston and Kristy had selected their song list with care. A classy selection. The bridesmaids would walk down to Pachelbel’s Canon in D, and Kristy would swoop in on the “Wedding March.”
As if he’d summoned her with his thoughts, his bride soon appeared. Her hair had been done up in elegant swirls, and the makeup she wore accentuated her beautiful cheekbones and full lips. She wore a button-down shirt and drank a celery-colored smoothie through a straw.
Kristy’s eyes twinkled as she pecked his cheek. “We’ll be husband and wife soon enough.”
“I know.” Winston gazed at her shimmering eyes and fumbled his balloon.
“Sorry, but I need to steal your sister and get ready,” Kristy said. She pointed at his Space Invaders T-shirt. “You will be wearing something more formal to get married in, right?”
“Yes, I stashed it in the main house. I’ll change”—Winston glanced at the few remaining balloons—“after I finish this arch.”
“Jazzman and Anastasia should be dropping by to prep, too.” She gave him a quick squeeze on his arm. “I can’t wait to see you decked out.”
Winston thought about the tuxedo he’d left hanging in the downstairs marble-filled bathroom of Alex’s huge house. Winston had gone all out—black and white formal. He’d even purchased silver cuff links in the shape of a deerstalker hat.
How Sherlock could figure situations out . . . Winston admired the fictional character’s smarts. “I wish I had wrapped up this case before the wedding.”
Kristy pursed her lips. The natural sheen on them made them look very kissable. “I know you have a theory, but Viv feels innocent to me.”
“Actually, I found her rose pin on the staircase. The one Ming fell off.”
Kristy used her straw to swirl the thick smoothie. “Could it be a coincidence?”
“How about the fact that she was the last Chan to touch the meds?”
“Was she really?” A shadow passed across her face, and she stopped stirring. “Remember the medicine cabinet at Sweet Breeze?”
He knew what she was thinking. For a brief period, Winston had suspected sweet Kristy of being involved in murder because she’d had access to dangerous medicine during his first big case. “But who else could it . . .”
The adjoining room in the motel. Any one of the family members might have snuck in and moved the pills. He frowned. Was he back at square one?
From his peripheral vision, Winston saw Marcy place one more cluster of balloons on the arch and dust her hands off. She went to Kristy’s side. “Time to get your gown on.”
Kristy smiled and gave Winston a tender hug.
Winston waved to the two women as they headed back to Alex’s house. He wondered how Kristy could look even more gorgeous than she had the other day, when she’d worn that slim-cut emerald sheath. His heart thumped faster.
Turning back to the balloons, he concentrated on them for five more minutes. Then he put the last balloon in place and said, “Thanks for your help, Gary.”
His brother-in-law stepped off the ladder and slapped Winston on the back. “Marriage. Boy, you’re in for a wild ride.” Then he folded the stepladder and headed toward the house.