Model Menace 2 (6 page)

Everyone crowded around to examine the dress—which really
was
gorgeous—congratulate Syd, and thank Julie. After a few minutes Hans announced that Syd would have to stay at the store for a last-minute fitting, but everyone else would be taking the limo back to the hotel.

It took a few minutes to get everything together, and as we filed out, I noticed Hans talking on a cell phone just inside the front door of the store.

“Oh, it went perfectly,” he said with a chuckle. “She even squeezed out some tears! You were right about keeping her out and busy all day—I think that frustration really got us an amazing reaction. It will look great on film.”

My mouth dropped open and I turned to find Bess and George, but they were already climbing in to the limo. I’d realized over the course of the day that “reality TV” was a bit of a misnomer—clearly the producers manipulated peoples’ reactions a bit, and set up the action as they saw fit. But this entire day had been a setup to get the perfect shot of Syd crying over her dress? All of our time had been wasted—and all of our emotions toyed with? I felt a little sick.

Then a crazy thought occurred to me: could
Hans
be the wedding saboteur? Was it possible that the producers of
Daredevils
were sabotaging the wedding themselves, just to get the most dramatic special possible?

“No, no,” Hans was saying now, glancing back toward the dressing room and Syd. “She’s fine now. And no further incidents, thank goodness. We’re all safe here.”

Immediately I felt a little silly. Okay, Hans and his crew had manipulated us to get good television: that was, after all, their job. But clearly they wouldn’t commit a crime for ratings. No reputable TV company would do that.

I pulled myself together and headed for the limo.

I had a lot to think over.

“I
s anyone else nervous?” Bess asked as I pulled my Prius into the parking lot for Kelley Park, the gorgeous, sprawling nature preserve where Syd and Vic were to be married the next day. It was Friday night, the night of the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. It should have been a night for eager celebration, but given everything that had happened to Vic and Syd over the last few weeks, I think we were all feeling concerned about what else the wedding saboteur had up his or her sleeve.

“I am,” I admitted. “But I also feel like we’re getting closer to a culprit. Now that Ellie and Dragon have been pretty much cleared, we’re down to Pandora, Akinyi—and Jamal.”

“Jamal?” George asked, looking confused. “I thought we cleared him when we realized he wasn’t here for the first few attacks.”

I nodded, but held up my index finger as I clarified, “That was
before
we found out he had a fling with Akinyi.” I gave my friends a meaningful look.

“You mean they might have been working together?” Bess asked.

“Exactly.” I turned off the car and sat for a moment, sighing, thinking of all I had to figure out before tomorrow. “I just wish I could figure out a motivation for Akinyi and Jamal.”

George frowned. “Yeah, that’s hard to imagine. It’s the best man and the maid of honor—why would they want to stop the wedding?”

I shrugged. “Unless something happened between them and the happy couple that we don’t know about.”

“Akinyi
has
been pretty irritable,” Bess pointed out.

George nodded. “True,” she admitted. Then a mischievous smile appeared on her lips. “But then again, she’s a model. Maybe she’s just hungry.”

I groaned. “George!” I chided, as Bess elbowed her cousin in the ribs. “Jokes, not helping!”

George shrugged, still smiling. “I couldn’t resist,” she said. “And you know who else is hungry? Me, right now. Let’s get this rehearsal started so we can eat.”

Nervous as I was, I couldn’t argue with her.

At the small beach that allowed residents to swim in a calm part of the river, the
Daredevils
crew had set up a white trellis that would be covered in roses for the actual ceremony, fronted with hundreds of white wooden chairs. Set dressers were busily adorning each chair with rich satin ribbons in the deep rose color Syd had chosen for her bridesmaid gowns, and a huge lighting crew was working on rigging up a complicated system of lights. A few crew members were lounging up by the trellis: cameramen, sound men, lighting guys, and a neurotic-looking Donald, who was walking in circles, flipping through a clipboard. They were no doubt waiting for the bride-and groom-to-be to arrive. Most of the wedding party and family were there already, milling around and waiting.

Akinyi was sitting on one of the white seats, impatiently checking her watch. “They’re ten minutes late,” she announced to anyone listening. “Why don’t we ever start filming on time?”

Smoothly Jamal stepped over from the small cluster of crew members he’d been chatting up. “Why, are you in a hurry to get back to the hotel, Miss Thang?” he asked with a sly smile. “Do you have a hot date tonight?”

For a moment anger flashed in Akinyi’s eyes, and I wondered if she was going to snap back at him. But then her face suddenly relaxed, and she seemed to realize how cranky she’d sounded. “Maybe I do,” she said jokingly, her cheeks reddening just a bit. “Or maybe I’m just eager to get this show on the road so my best friend can get married already.”

Jamal smiled again, warmly, and settled close in the seat next to Akinyi. “I can identify with that,” he said. Then he moved his head close to hers and dropped his voice low, so low that I couldn’t hear what he was saying.

At that moment George walked up and pinched me.

“Ouch!” I cried.

“You might want to remember to blink every once in a while,” she said, following my gaze over to the best man and maid of honor. “It’s a little obvious you’re spying when your jaw is on the ground like that.”

I smiled sheepishly. “Do you think anyone noticed?”

George shook her head. “I think those two are in a world of their own,” she observed.

“It is interesting,” I suggested quietly, “that Akinyi’s letting him flirt so much when she said she was so torn up over her break up with Josh.”

George shrugged. “Or maybe she really does miss Josh, but she’s attracted to Jamal too. It can happen sometimes.”

Trying to be less conspicuous, I chanced another glance in Akinyi’s direction. Now the two of them were giggling, heads still close. I watched as Jamal lightly touched Akinyi’s knee, then quickly pulled his hand away.

“Or maybe,” I suggested to George, “they’ve been hiding their relationship all this time! Maybe they
are
working together and Akinyi staged the breakup the other day to distract us from the fact that she could have shredded the dress!”

George watched Akinyi and Jamal for a few seconds before shaking her head. “Honestly, Nance,” she said, “if you weren’t right so often I’d think you were nuts.”

I narrowed my eyes, watching as Jamal touched Akinyi’s shoulder before walking back to the crew. “It’s either them or Pandora.”

Just then I heard a rumble going through the crowd, and I turned to see a limo pull up to the park entrance. After a few seconds the passenger door opened and Vic’s mom got out, followed by Syd’s dad, Ellie, and then Vic. Vic smiled when he realized everyone was watching him—even giving a quick “finger-gun” salute to the cameras, which had started filming. But as he stepped away and Syd gingerly stepped out, I was stunned to see that she was wiping away tears.

“Oh my gosh,” whispered Bess, moving over to where George and I stood. “Maybe the wedding saboteur struck again while we weren’t around!”

The crowd seemed to politely back away once they realized Syd was upset, and soon the low din of wedding party members talking amongst themselves rose up, and someone from the crew started playing classical music over the huge sound system they’d installed. I was about to say something to answer Bess, but then I spotted Syd moving in our direction, quickly followed by camera and sound guys.

Vic stepped up behind her, touching her arm, but Syd angrily pulled away. “Don’t start!” she barked, moving quickly to join our small group.

“Hey,” George said warmly, placing a hand on her cousin’s shoulder. “You okay? Did something happen?”

Syd’s eyes were rimmed with red. “Did something happen? Yeah, something happened all right. Vic told me that if we get married and something happens to him, he wants me to remarry!”

Syd bugged out her eyes, like the ridiculousness of this request was obvious. But George, Bess, and I just looked at each other blankly, until finally recognition flashed in Bess’s eyes and she announced in a relieved voice, “Oh! You two just had a fight!”

“Ahhh,” George and I murmured, unable to hide our own relief.

“So you’re okay?” I asked. “No acid in your shower, no poison in your coffee this morning?”

Syd looked at me like I was nuts.
“Okay?”
she asked. “No, I am
not
okay. I just had a huge fight with the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with! Over a
hugely
important issue! He doesn’t even love me enough to want me to stay true to him once he’s dead! Don’t you
get
it?”

We all looked at Syd, clearly not getting it.

“Um,” Bess began softly, taking Syd’s hand, “maybe it actually shows how much Vic
does
love you? You know, that he wants you to be happy?”

Syd glared at her.
“I can’t believe you’re taking his side!”

Just then, thank goodness, Ellie approached from behind, dragging a chastened and very nervous-looking Vic. “Sydney,” she said gently. “Why don’t you two just talk to each other and work this out? Remember, you’re both very tense right now. This is a stressful night for you both. Maybe you could be a bit easier on each other?”

Syd looked from her mom to Vic, and slowly her face crumpled. “Oh, Vic, I’m sorry!” she cried, sniffling. “I never meant…I just wanted…”

Ellie nodded, gesturing for them to talk alone a little ways away. “Yes, yes. You two work it out.”

Syd and Vic hugged and walked away together, into the privacy of a few trees. The crew members that had come with Syd quickly moved away to follow them. Ellie looked at the three of us and sighed. “My husband and I had a
huge
fight the night before our wedding,” she explained. “All those nerves, you know? I remember throwing a vase he’d given me out our third-story window. And oddly enough, I can’t remember what we were fighting about.”

Bess nodded seriously. “Are they nervous about another attack?”

Ellie’s face turned more serious, and she nodded. “Of course,” she replied. “I just wish I could make it all better for them. But yes, given everything that’s happened so far…”

We all nodded sympathetically. It seemed so unfair for Syd and Vic to have such a crazy threat hanging over their wedding day. I just hoped something would happen tonight that would be enough to lead me to the culprit!

Even though the wedding rehearsal was only expected to take about twenty minutes, it was over an hour before we made it to Chez Philippe, the fancy French restaurant where the
Daredevils
producers had planned the rehearsal dinner. Inside, hundreds of candles illuminated a cozy, pink-hued private room. Four tables of six ringed a tiny two-person table for Syd and Vic. Bess, George, and I headed right to our table, which, once again, we were sharing with Akinyi, Deb, and Pandora.

“
That
was a disaster,” George muttered under her breath, shaking her head as she put down her things.

“I know,” Bess chimed in. “Syd and Vic were a mess! Even after they made up, it was like they were too rattled to get through it.”

“They couldn’t even get the vows right when the minister had them doing one word at a time,” I agreed with a sigh. “I just hope they get some good rest tonight, so they can focus better tomorrow.”

Gradually the whole group trickled in, and finally Syd and Vic entered, followed by the camera crew, and smiling sheepishly as they made their way to their private table.

“Everyone,” Vic announced, raising his glass, “I’m so sorry our nerves made the rehearsal go so long tonight. It’s just that I love this girl so much, and I’m so…so…” His voice cracked, and he turned to face his bride-to-be. Syd smiled encouragingly and squeezed his arm, and he continued: “So happy to be marrying her! So thank you, everyone, for coming and supporting us tonight.”

After the happy couple sat down, Vic’s mom rose and gave a short speech, saying how excited she was to watch her son marry such a wonderful girl and how pleased she was to be here with all their loved ones. When she sat down, everyone applauded her, and then the waiters appeared to serve the soup.

Akinyi turned to the rest of us at the table, looking curious. “Why did
she
just make a speech?”

Pandora, who had been staring off at a point on the other side of the room, perked up. “It’s this ancient patriarchal tradition that the bride’s family pays for the wedding, but the groom’s family pays for the rehearsal dinner. It’s really sexist, actually.”

“Yeah, but the
Daredevils
producers are paying for everything in this case. Right?” asked Akinyi. When no one responded, she looked around the table and repeated, “Right?”

“Right,” I said with a shrug, hoping to change the subject. It felt a little awkward to be talking about who paid for the wedding as we all sat there enjoying it. “So…um…what kind of shoes is everyone wearing tomorrow?”

Bess shot me an amazed glance, and I shrugged at her. I knew she must find it extremely out of character for Nancy Drew, penny loafer aficionado, to ask about anything shoe-related, but I just wanted to change the subject.

George shrugged, tearing off a piece of bread. “Silver flats for me. Picked out by my super fashionable cousin.” She elbowed Bess.

“Me too,” Bess agreed. “And Nancy, your shoes are similar.”

Deb leaned in, widening her eyes. “I got the
prettiest
shoes at Penney’s,” she said in a confidential tone. “They’re white, high-heeled, with a little strap.”

Akinyi looked dubious. “I brought some couture heels I got from a designer,” she said in a bored tone, as next to me, Bess’s jaw dropped to the table. Akinyi turned to Pandora, whose gaze was still fixed across the room. She seemed a million miles away. “Pandora? Pandora? Did you hear us? What shoes are you wearing?”

Pandora didn’t respond, and I followed the direction of her gaze to see what she was looking at. When I realized what it was, I almost gasped. Syd and Vic! For at least half the time we’d been sitting at our table, Pandora had been intently watching Syd and Vic at
their
table—taking in their each and every move.

Pandora smiled a little and waved, but when I looked at Syd and Vic, they didn’t seem to notice. By the time I turned back to Pandora, she was frowning. She turned back to her soup in front of her and fiddled with the spoon.

“Pandora?” Akinyi was still asking. “Earth to Pandora!”

Pandora looked up, not looking terribly interested. “Yes?”

“What’s
wrong
with you?” Akinyi asked, shaking her head. “You’re like a million miles away. Are you feeling all right?”

Pandora looked back down at her soup, sighing deeply. “It’s the wedding,” she said sadly. “I just still have this terrible feeling. I can’t believe Vic doesn’t sense it. He’s usually so in tune with the universe.”

Hmmm.
I leaned in, trying to get Pandora’s attention. “If you were Vic, what would you do?” I asked.

Pandora looked up at me. “Cancel the wedding,” she replied quickly, with a
well, duh
expression. “Before someone gets hurt!”