Chapter 7 - The Wedding Guests
Blue light swept across the ceiling.
Guests rushed toward the windows.
Fiona grabbed my arm.
“Did you call the police?”
“No.”
Adrian looked at Daniel.
Daniel shook his head.
“I didn’t.”
My father smiled.
A strange, satisfied smile.
That scared me more than the police.
Two Boston officers entered the ballroom with a hotel security manager.
Everyone started whispering.
One officer looked around.
“Is there a Mabel Callahan here?”
My stomach dropped.
Adrian stepped beside me.
“She’s here.”
The officers approached.
“Ms. Callahan?”
“Yes.”
“We need to ask you some questions about an alleged theft.”
I almost laughed.
“An alleged what?”
My father folded his arms.
The second officer glanced at my wine-soaked dress.
“Apparently a diamond bracelet is missing from the bridal suite.”
Fiona looked confused.
“My bracelet?”
My mother suddenly stared at me.
“Oh my God.”
I turned to her.
“Don’t.”
She backed away theatrically.
“Mabel, please tell me you didn’t.”
There it was.
Too fast.
Too rehearsed.
I looked at Adrian.
He had seen it too.
The officer said, “We’re told multiple witnesses saw you enter the bridal suite this evening.”
“That’s true. Fiona asked me to bring her emergency sewing kit.”
Fiona blinked.
Then looked at Mom.
My mother interrupted.
“She was alone.”
“So?”
“The bracelet was there before she entered.”
The officer asked, “And after?”
Mother shook her head.
“Gone.”
I stared at her.
“You called the police on me.”
“Mabel, if you took it, just give it back.”
“You know I didn’t.”
“How would I know?”
Because you planted it.
I didn’t say the words.
Not yet.
My father stepped forward.
“Officer, I apologize. This has been a difficult evening. My eldest daughter has always struggled emotionally.”
Adrian’s head snapped toward him.
I touched his arm.
Not yet.
Dad continued.
“She caused a scene. Threatened the family. Now valuable jewelry is missing.”
“I didn’t threaten anyone.”
The officer looked uncomfortable.
Clearly this was not what he expected when he walked into a wedding.
“Ms. Callahan, would you consent to us checking your belongings?”
“No.”
My mother gasped.
I kept my eyes on the officer.
“And that’s not an admission. My attorney is standing ten feet away.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“Daniel Mercer. Mercer Hale.”
The officers recognized the firm.
Their posture changed.
Daniel continued.
“My client will cooperate through counsel. Before any search, we’d like hotel surveillance preserved.”
My mother’s face flickered.
Got you.
I saw it.
So did Daniel.
The officer said, “That’s reasonable.”
I smiled at Mom.
“Great idea, isn’t it?”
Her lips tightened.
Fiona suddenly said, “Wait.”
Everyone looked at her.
“The bridal suite has a camera in the hallway.”
My mother whispered, “Fiona.”
“The hotel showed me yesterday. It points directly at the door.”
Dad said, “Nobody needs to turn this into a circus.”
Connor laughed bitterly.
“A little late for that.”
The hotel security manager spoke.
“We can pull the footage.”
My mother looked toward my father.
He looked toward the ballroom doors.
Again.
Adrian quietly spoke to one of his security men.
“Stay near the exits.”
Dad heard him.
“This is kidnapping now?”
“No,” Adrian replied. “You’re free to leave. My security team is also free to observe which direction you run.”
Even one of the officers almost smiled.
Ten minutes later, we crowded around a monitor in a hotel office.
The footage showed me entering Fiona’s suite at 5:48.
I carried a sewing kit.
I left ninety seconds later.
Nobody entered for six minutes.
Then someone appeared.
My mother.
She used Fiona’s key card.
Went inside.
Came out carrying something in her hand.
Fiona stared at the screen.
“Mom?”
My mother said nothing.
The footage continued.
At 6:17, she walked down another hallway.
Toward the coat check.
Toward my coat.
The security manager switched cameras.
My mother appeared beside the unattended rack.
She looked around.
Then slipped her hand into the pocket of my coat.
The officer paused the video.
Nobody spoke.
I turned toward her.
“You were going to have me arrested at Fiona’s wedding.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You don’t understand.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“This time, you’re going to explain.”
She looked at my father.
Then whispered something I never expected.
“I had to.”
“Why?”
May you like
Her whole body trembled.
“Because your father said if I didn’t destroy you tonight, he would destroy Fiona.”
