Chapter 8 - The Price of a Name

Celeste Mercer had never approved of me. She thought a woman who worked at a legal clinic and bought her shoes on sale had no business marrying into her family. But her voice, caught on Tessa's camera, sounded less like contempt than panic.

"What recording, Mrs. Mercer?" Moreno asked.

Celeste drew herself up. "I have no idea what you mean."

Tessa replayed the few seconds of audio. Celeste listened without blinking.

"I was referring to the vows," she said. "Owen was supposed to record them."

"Before they'd been spoken?" I asked.

Her lips thinned. "You are in no condition to interrogate me."

My father stepped in front of her. "You don't get to decide what condition my daughter is in."

It was the first time I'd heard his voice shake with anger instead of shame.

Moreno pulled Owen aside. Nathan stayed with me while officers collected contact details from the guests. Word spread quickly, fed by half-heard accusations and the sight of my white bandages. People stared. A few offered sympathy. More reached for their phones.

"They'll turn this into a circus," Nathan murmured.

"It's already a circus. The clowns just cost more."

He laughed once, without humor. For a brief second he looked like the man who had once cooked me pancakes shaped like crooked hearts.

"I need you to know something," he said. "Lark Street nearly ruined the company. Owen persuaded me to let him handle the insurance and the regulators. I signed a stack of documents he brought me."

My stomach sank. "Did you read them?"

"Not carefully enough."

It was the wrong answer, and it was also the first honest one I'd heard all morning.

Tessa's phone rang. A number she didn't recognize appeared on the screen. She turned the speaker on at Moreno's signal.

Mia's voice came through, thin and trembling. "Evie, I'm okay for now. Please don't play the video."

A man spoke in the background. "Tell your sister the next thing she hears will be a door locking forever."

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Then someone struck Mia, hard enough for us to hear her cry out.

Nathan was already on his feet when a location pin flashed onto Tessa's phone.