Had that ghost been trying to warn me that something was wrong? I couldn’t help but think that might be the case. All along I thought she was trying to give me some kind of sinister message. In reality, she just wanted to help Tabatha. I wished I had known sooner. Maybe something could have been done. How had the ghost known? Maybe the ghost had witnessed the murder.
My thoughts turned back to the fact that the killer was here somewhere. Where? More importantly who had done this to Tabatha? As far as I knew no one had been up here. Had the person been hiding up here? I hadn’t heard anyone go downstairs when we were in the bedroom with Tammy. It had to have happened before we arrived upstairs. Wait. There had been noise. I’d thought it was the ghost, but it could have been the killer leaving the scene of the crime.
I hated to scare Tammy, but I needed to ask more questions. I had to do this while things were still fresh in her mind. With that dress over her head maybe it had been harder for her to hear. Though I figured Tabatha would have at least screamed when someone attacked her.
“Tammy, did you hear anything at all when you were in the bedroom?” I asked.
A strand of hair from her updo tumbled out of place when she shook her head. “No, nothing at all. It was quiet. I’m not sure how I would have missed something like that.”
“It really doesn’t make sense, does it?” I asked.
And to think that Tammy had been in the room across from the body. Someone could have come after Tammy as well. She was lucky to be alive. The thought sent a shiver down my spine.
“I suppose I need to tell the guests that there’s been a delay.” My mother held the bottom of her dress up as she stepped onto the stair thread to keep from tripping.
“I think it’ll be more than a delay.” Tammy’s voice cracked a little with the words. “I need to find my fiancé and tell him that we’re not getting married today.”
How would he react? Surely he would understand under the circumstances. I’d seen Matteo earlier and he’d made a comment that had taken me by surprise. He’d asked if Tammy was still around or if she’d taken off. Was there something going on that I didn’t know about? Maybe he’d think that Tammy killed Tabatha just to get out of marrying him. No, that was a ludicrous thought.
As Tammy moved past us and headed down the stairs, my mother and I rushed after her. She shouldn’t do this by herself. Anything that Tammy needed me to do to help, I would certainly be there for her. Was there some plausible way that the wedding could be rescheduled for tomorrow or the next day? Perhaps Tammy and Matteo could have a quiet, intimate ceremony and then reschedule the bigger event for a later date when things had settled down. If Tammy wanted to marry Matteo as soon as possible, then I wanted to help her achieve that dream.
As the three of us rushed down the stairs, more officers came up. The clomp of their boots sounded loudly on the stairs. Seeing the presence of even more law enforcement made my anxiety spike all over again.
We scooted to the side to give the officers room to make their way up the staircase. As we reached the bottom step, I realized that the chatter had increased. Guests waited in their chairs, but they were restless. I’m sure they wanted to know what was happening. Matteo stood by the altar, looking as confused as ever. Everyone’s eyes widened in shock when they spotted Tammy come down in her wedding dress. They looked a bit worried. Understandably so considering the fact that the police had rushed upstairs. Plus, the fact that Tammy entered with no bridal march. Their stunned expressions said it all.
Matteo’s expression was the worst. He appeared as if someone had punched him in the stomach. Sure, he looked handsome with his dark hair perfectly styled, dreamy big brown eyes, and perfect smile, but the pained expression on his face spoke volumes without words. I knew in that moment he worried the wedding wouldn’t happen.
Matteo rushed over to Tammy. “What's going on? Why are the police here? Are you all right?”
He gently touched her arms as he waited for her answer.
After a couple of seconds, she said, “I’m okay, but the wedding planner isn’t okay. She’s dead.”
He searched her face as if he didn’t comprehend the words. “What do you mean she’s dead?”
I tossed my hand up to take responsibility for the wedding disaster. Even though it was nowhere near my fault other than I’d discovered the woman. “I found her in the bedroom upstairs. Someone’s killed her,” I said.
He looked as if someone could have knocked him over with a feather. “Well, what happens now?”
“I don’t know,” Tammy said with a sniffle.
I knew that she was on the verge of tears. Out of nowhere my mother pulled a handkerchief from her brassiere and handed it to Tammy. For a couple seconds Tammy looked confused but ultimately she took the offering.
“Okay, stay calm. First, we need to just tell everybody to settle down and wait because I know the police will want to talk to everyone. No one leaves this house right now.”
I’d been around enough police investigations enough to know that no one should leave and that everyone was now a suspect. Never in a million years had I thought that Tammy’s wedding would turn into a murder investigation. I knew she hadn’t expected it either.
“You look absolutely beautiful,” Matteo said, staring at Tammy.
A tear fell down her cheek.
“Don’t cry,” he said as he wiped away the tear. “Everything will be fine.”
“Yes, everything will be just fine. Everything will be perfect,” I said. “Just give it a little bit of time and the police will work everything out.”
“I don’t care about that. I’m just upset about Tabatha and who killed her. I mean, the killer could be right here,” Tammy whispered.
Chapter 5
Tammy’s statement made me look around the room at all the faces. Some of them stared at us and some of them avoided eye contact. Perhaps one of them knew the killer’s identity or one of them was the killer. The room had darkened now with only the flickered candlelight and fairy lights that had been strung across the ceiling in a zigzag pattern.
I walked over to peek out the window. Dark clouds had rolled in to Devil’s Moon and thunder rumbled in the distance. Deciding to have the wedding indoors had been a good call. Although obviously, it had been with the weather in mind because we’d never guessed that a murder would be the reason for moving it inside the house. I thought simply the rain would have put a damper on the festivities. Not a deranged killer.
Some people had gotten up from their chairs now and paced around the room. Chatter had grown louder now too. The guests were getting restless and they wanted either the wedding to take place or to leave. Not that I blamed them for feeling that way. Police officers were positioned by every exit of the house now, so no one was leaving without talking to the cops first.
Naturally, I felt bad for Tammy and I wanted to get ahold of this situation. My mind was confused right now that I didn’t know what to do next. Perhaps I needed to take charge of the situation. Tammy seemed like she was a nervous wreck as she wrung her hands. I noticed the scratches on her hands. Poor thing had obviously scratched her hands while trying to get the dress over her head.