comfort level. “What time did you get back here last night?”
“Around one, I think. I didn’t look at the clock.”
“Was anyone hanging around the motor court when you arrived?”
“No.” Tabitha’s smooth expression didn’t change. “I caught a ride with Gus and Liam, and Paige and Zach took the twins. Both cars got here about the same time, and no one else was in the parking lot.”
“Did you hear anything during the night or this morning?”
“Sorry. I took a sleeping pill. I didn’t hear anything until the ambulance siren woke me up.”
“Do you know anyone who dislikes Belle or wishes her harm?” Skye asked.
“Well, there was The Incident.” Tabitha’s brow wrinkled. “A mother of the bride found Belle naked in the back of the limo with one of the wedding party. Rumor has it she chased her around the parking lot with a cake knife.”
“Why did the mother care?”
“He was the father of the bride, the mother’s husband.”
“Oh.” Skye made a note. “What was the woman’s name?”
“I have no idea.”
“Anyone else who dislikes Belle or would want to hurt her?”
“Everybody in the wedding party.” Tabitha crossed her legs. “She’s a bully.”
“Anyone more than the others?” Skye asked.
“If it were me, I’d be looking at the vendors. That’s who she really holds power over.”
Skye made another note. “Like Iris?”
Tabitha pursed her lips. “You never answered me. Did something happen to Belle?”
“Yes.” Skye rose from her seat and moved to the door. “Someone murdered her.”
“Oh, my God!” Tabitha leaped off the bed in one fluid motion. “Dat ain’t no true.”
“Sorry, but it is.” Skye noted that Tabitha seemed genuinely upset. Her accent had increased, and she was now dropping the pitch down on the second syllable, and then raising it on the last syllable. “So, who do you think hated her that much?”
Tabitha held her hand to her chest. “Only person you can be sure is innocent is Riley. She’d never kill Belle less than a week before the wedding.”
CHAPTER 6
Meeting of the Minds
W hen Skye emerged from Tabitha’s room, Wally was coming out of the cabin to her right. “Any news on the twins?” she asked.
“They’re not at the Feed Bag or McDonald’s. Quirk is checking the churches now.”
Skye wrinkled her brow. She was missing something, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “Did Liam share any helpful info?”
“He and the other groomsman drove Tabitha back here, arriving at one eleven a.m.; then he proceeded directly to his room, where he made several calls and went to bed at precisely two thirty. He went jogging at seven and didn’t observe anything unusual when he left. He returned from the park as the ambulance arrived.” Wally’s expression was dour. “Does that match what Tabitha told you?”
“Yes. Although she wasn’t as precise about the time. She claims she took a sleeping pill and wasn’t aware of anything until the siren woke her up.”
“I’m not sure I buy his story about jogging this morning.” Wally crossed his arms. “That would mean he only got four and half hours of sleep after drinking all night.”
“Gus did mention last night that Liam is a health nut,” Skye offered. “That probably means he didn’t drink as much as the others.”
“Let’s see what the next pair has to say.” Wally took Skye’s arm and steered them toward the adjoining cottage. “This one’s mine. Who’s up for you?”
“Iris Yee.”
“After I finish with Gus, I’ll take the best man over to Charlie’s office to question him so you can talk to his wife alone.”
“Got it.” Skye left Wally in front of number seven and made her way to cottage two She hoped Iris had calmed down enough to be coherent.
An hour later, Wally and Skye met again. Neither had obtained any useful information. The floral designer had regained her composure and claimed she and Belle had a professional relationship that
“Around one, I think. I didn’t look at the clock.”
“Was anyone hanging around the motor court when you arrived?”
“No.” Tabitha’s smooth expression didn’t change. “I caught a ride with Gus and Liam, and Paige and Zach took the twins. Both cars got here about the same time, and no one else was in the parking lot.”
“Did you hear anything during the night or this morning?”
“Sorry. I took a sleeping pill. I didn’t hear anything until the ambulance siren woke me up.”
“Do you know anyone who dislikes Belle or wishes her harm?” Skye asked.
“Well, there was The Incident.” Tabitha’s brow wrinkled. “A mother of the bride found Belle naked in the back of the limo with one of the wedding party. Rumor has it she chased her around the parking lot with a cake knife.”
“Why did the mother care?”
“He was the father of the bride, the mother’s husband.”
“Oh.” Skye made a note. “What was the woman’s name?”
“I have no idea.”
“Anyone else who dislikes Belle or would want to hurt her?”
“Everybody in the wedding party.” Tabitha crossed her legs. “She’s a bully.”
“Anyone more than the others?” Skye asked.
“If it were me, I’d be looking at the vendors. That’s who she really holds power over.”
Skye made another note. “Like Iris?”
Tabitha pursed her lips. “You never answered me. Did something happen to Belle?”
“Yes.” Skye rose from her seat and moved to the door. “Someone murdered her.”
“Oh, my God!” Tabitha leaped off the bed in one fluid motion. “Dat ain’t no true.”
“Sorry, but it is.” Skye noted that Tabitha seemed genuinely upset. Her accent had increased, and she was now dropping the pitch down on the second syllable, and then raising it on the last syllable. “So, who do you think hated her that much?”
Tabitha held her hand to her chest. “Only person you can be sure is innocent is Riley. She’d never kill Belle less than a week before the wedding.”
CHAPTER 6
Meeting of the Minds
W hen Skye emerged from Tabitha’s room, Wally was coming out of the cabin to her right. “Any news on the twins?” she asked.
“They’re not at the Feed Bag or McDonald’s. Quirk is checking the churches now.”
Skye wrinkled her brow. She was missing something, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “Did Liam share any helpful info?”
“He and the other groomsman drove Tabitha back here, arriving at one eleven a.m.; then he proceeded directly to his room, where he made several calls and went to bed at precisely two thirty. He went jogging at seven and didn’t observe anything unusual when he left. He returned from the park as the ambulance arrived.” Wally’s expression was dour. “Does that match what Tabitha told you?”
“Yes. Although she wasn’t as precise about the time. She claims she took a sleeping pill and wasn’t aware of anything until the siren woke her up.”
“I’m not sure I buy his story about jogging this morning.” Wally crossed his arms. “That would mean he only got four and half hours of sleep after drinking all night.”
“Gus did mention last night that Liam is a health nut,” Skye offered. “That probably means he didn’t drink as much as the others.”
“Let’s see what the next pair has to say.” Wally took Skye’s arm and steered them toward the adjoining cottage. “This one’s mine. Who’s up for you?”
“Iris Yee.”
“After I finish with Gus, I’ll take the best man over to Charlie’s office to question him so you can talk to his wife alone.”
“Got it.” Skye left Wally in front of number seven and made her way to cottage two She hoped Iris had calmed down enough to be coherent.
An hour later, Wally and Skye met again. Neither had obtained any useful information. The floral designer had regained her composure and claimed she and Belle had a professional relationship that
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