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  Matrimony, Money and Murder

  A Wendy the Wedding Planner Cozy Mystery

  Cindy Bell

  Copyright © 2014 Cindy Bell

  All rights reserved.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and locations portrayed in this book and the names herein are fictitious. Any similarity to or identification with the locations, names, characters or history of any person, product or entity is entirely coincidental and unintentional.

  All trademarks and brands referred to in this book are for illustrative purposes only, are the property of their respective owners and not affiliated with this publication in any way. Any trademarks are being used without permission, and the publication of the trademark is not authorized by, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owner.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  From the Author

  About the Author

  More Books by Cindy Bell

  Chapter One

  The scent of the sea lingered in the air as Wendy drew a deep breath. The sound of the water crashing against the sand was her morning greeting. She loved her early morning walks along the beach in Oceanside. It was a popular resort area so there were always a few people on the beach, but Wendy would take her walk just after sunrise when there weren't many people awake. She enjoyed the quiet, and the cool sand beneath her bare toes. As Wendy looked up at the myriad of colors sprawled across the sky she felt a renewed sense of gratitude for the way her life was unfolding. At twenty-eight she had a promising career as an assistant to one of the most well-known wedding planners on the West Coast, Camilla Blue. Camilla had taken Wendy under her wing when she was inspired by some of the sample wedding plans that Wendy had put together in place of a resume.

  Wendy was a romantic at heart, she believed that the perfect moments that some people claimed were only found in movies could be carefully crafted into reality given the right setting, and the will to make it happen. As a result her ideas for weddings were always very well thought out and took into account every tiny aspect that even the most attentive bride might overlook. She adored being part of the best moment of many people's lives.

  Wendy stepped through the double glass doors that led from a small, beach-facing patio into the quaint one bedroom condo she shared with her boyfriend. It was decorated with cool blues and sea foam greens as well as some pictures of some of the weddings she had organized. Her living room had a Victorian style to it with plenty of lace and plush, comfortable furniture with wooden accents. She padded quietly into the kitchen, not wanting to wake Aaron before it was time for his alarm to go off. He worked at a beach bar as a very popular bartender and he kept late hours as a result.

  Her kitchen wasn't too large, but everything was within reach, which she liked. She started brewing coffee and then tip-toed into the bedroom she shared with Aaron. He had moved in a few weeks ago though he had wanted to move in much sooner. Wendy had been hoping that he would propose to her before they lived together, but when he was forced out of his apartment due to an issue with the lease, she had seen no reason not to allow him to move in. Now that they were seeing each other every day Wendy had begun to sense a distance growing between them. It made her uneasy, but she also knew that it was tourist season, he was busy and so was she.

  She walked to the bedroom and stood in the doorway. She gazed at Aaron sprawled across their queen sized bed. He was bronze, there was no other way to describe him. From head to toe, it looked as if he had been glazed by the sun. He kept his body toned and lean as it helped with his tips. His blonde hair was bleached on occasion and kept long to give him that surfer look that his customers enjoyed. Though his eyes were closed in slumber Wendy knew that those pale lashes hid spheres of the clearest blue she had ever looked into. Aaron was an extremely attractive man, and Wendy felt very lucky to be with him.

  She wasn't exactly a ravishing beauty, at least not in her own estimation. When you worked around women who were striving to look their very best for their wedding, it was hard to see yourself as beautiful in comparison. Her strawberry blonde curls were more strawberry than blonde and layered in a messy cut that ended just below her ears. Her heart-shaped face and deep-set, dark green eyes gave her a pixieish look that she could appreciate at times. She had a naturally slender frame, but wasn't very muscular. Her skin, despite living at the beach, insisted on being just shy of pale. She was average height, and did her best to accentuate her features with a mild amount of make-up.

  Aaron snorted in his sleep and groaned as he rolled over on the bed. Wendy thought about waking him, to have a little chat before she headed off to work, but she knew he needed his rest. Instead, she changed for the day and headed off to work with Camilla already texting her. Wendy ignored the texts as she was going to be at the office within minutes. Camilla treated her less like an assistant and more like a personal servant, but Wendy didn't mind as she was grateful for the opportunity and looked forward to learning and experiencing as much as she could.

  Wendy drove a small, gold SUV, she thought the color was a little obnoxious but she got a deal on it so she was willing to tolerate it. She needed a larger vehicle to cart around all of the last minute equipment and requests for weddings. Once she had to get a pair of doves to a wedding in under ten minutes, but the latch on the cage had not been closed all the way, and the birds ended up flying all over her car as she drove to the wedding. The upholstery had not been the same since. Still, Wendy had a lot of memories in the car, of other people's weddings. Not hers. But hopefully that would be changing soon. Aaron's recent change in behavior might mean he was planning an elaborate proposal. Just the thought of it made Wendy's heart speed up with excitement. Planning weddings for other people was wonderful, but the chance to plan her own would be amazing. As she pulled into the parking lot of the high rise office building that Camilla's office was located in, Wendy took a deep breath and prepared herself for what she might face when she went inside. Camilla had two moods, elated and angry. She never really seemed to settle in-between. With the amount of texts she had already fired off to Wendy, she was guessing that today was an angry day.

  Camilla's office was sprawling and took up one quarter of the bottom floor of the large building. She had it decorated with shimmering chandeliers, luxurious draperies, and marble floors. There were black and white photographs of weddings she had planned covering all the walls from floor to ceiling. Walking through the large, glass door reminded Wendy of stepping into the throne room of a palace. Perched in her high-backed chair, Camilla certainly appeared to be a queen. Her glossy blonde hair was always falling at the perfect angle. Her make-up was perfectly applied, and accentuated her high-cheekbones, bold brown eyes, and full lips. She had a very youthful look about her despite being well into her forties, a secret that very few were privy to.

  “Morning, Camilla,” Wendy said brightly as she stepped further into the office.

  “Oh, Wendy,” she cleared her throat and sat up straight in her chair. Wendy stopped short at the tone in Camilla's voice. It was not one that she expected to hear. “Didn't you get my texts?”

  “Is something wrong?” Wendy asked with concern. “Didn’t the flowers get delivered for the Baker
's dawn wedding?”

  “Oh yes, they were delivered,” Camilla nodded and then sighed as she laid her hands on the broad desk in front of her. “Wendy, please, take a seat.”

  Wendy didn't want to take a seat, but she reluctantly pulled out a wooden cushioned chair and sat down on it. Her heartbeat had quickened. She wasn't sure what to expect, but Camilla's pinched expression made her feel as if something terrible had happened.

  “Wendy, you know, you've been just a wonderful assistant,” Camilla said coolly.

  Wendy smiled at the compliment, but her smile faded as the words sunk in.

  “What do you mean, have been?” she asked in a shaky voice. “Camilla? Did I do something wrong?”

  “No, of course not,” Camilla insisted and shook her head. “You've helped me so much. You even brought that con artist Giuseppe Michaels to my attention, and trust me, I will be handling that situation. Unfortunately though, I've had a favor asked of me and it's from people who are like family to me.”

  “I don't understand,” Wendy said in a murmur. “Are you firing me?”

  “Firing is such an ugly word,” Camilla said and then clucked her tongue lightly. “But yes,” she finally finished bluntly. “My best friend's daughter needs a job, and so she gets yours,” she shrugged. “It's not personal, I can assure you.”

  All of the air seemed to leave the room, and Wendy's lungs at once. Time froze, and Wendy couldn't begin to process the words she had just heard. Of all the things she had expected from her day, being fired was not one of them.

  “Is this some kind of joke?” Wendy asked as she stared across the desk at Camilla. The high ceilings of her office allowed her to position perfect lighting above her head. She looked a bit like an angel, but Wendy did not see her that way at the moment.

  “No, I'm not joking,” Camilla said sternly and narrowed her eyes. “Is there something that makes you think I am?”

  “Well, I,” Wendy stared hard at her own hands for a long moment. She was not normally confrontational, but she had also never dealt with this kind of situation. “I helped you build this business, Camilla,” Wendy breathed out. “I gave ten new weddings to you, I suggested the dawn ceremonies and…”

  “Really?” Camilla asked and tilted her head slightly to the side. “Are you trying to say that I owe you something, Wendy? Perhaps you are forgetting that you are nothing more than my assistant. Yes, you did a good job. But very close friends come first. I'm sure you can understand that,” she added.

  Wendy's mouth dropped open as she searched for the best way to express the betrayal she was feeling. She had never expected to be let go. She expected she might even take over the business for Camilla in the future.

  “Oh honey, please don't make a scene,” Camilla requested and pressed a button on her telephone. “Marcia, can you come in here please?” she asked.

  Wendy was familiar with this move. Camilla always called Marcia into the room when she was meeting with a less than happy client who she thought might lose their temper or end up in tears. It was always better to have a distraction. As Marcia stepped into the large office, Wendy stood up from her chair.

  “I can't believe you're doing this to me, Camilla,” Wendy said with tears in her eyes. “I've been nothing but loyal to you.”

  “And I hope that you will remember our time together fondly, as I will,” Camilla replied and folded her hands on the desk in front of her as she looked up at Wendy. “Like I said it's not personal.”

  “But it is personal,” Wendy argued, her voice raising a few octaves. “I have worked days, nights, weekends, holidays, I have done anything that you've asked of me. How could you possibly just decide to get rid of me? I don't see how that isn't personal!”

  “Well, that's why you won't get far in this business,” Camilla replied with ice in her tone. “The wedding business isn't about friendships, Wendy, it's about having the right clients. I can hire a million assistants, and eventually they could do their job as well as you. I'm sorry if you mistook my generous nature with you to mean that I depended on you for my success.”

  Wendy lowered her eyes. She blinked back her tears. She felt humiliated as Marcia stood hesitantly by the door. Wendy had handpicked Marcia to be Camilla's receptionist. She had pored over hundreds of applications and was certain that Marcia would be the perfect fit. She had been right of course.

  “I can't believe this,” she whispered to herself. She shook her head as she turned and began walking out of the office.

  “Wendy,” Camilla called out just as Wendy reached the door. Wendy turned back, expecting her to break into a laugh and claim it was all a prank, but Camilla had her hand outstretched. “I'll need your cell phone. It's on the company's plan, remember?”

  Wendy reached into her small purse and pulled out her cell phone. She held onto it for a long moment. It had the contact numbers of all their clients past and present. It was her only connection to the job she had worked so hard to succeed in.

  “Morning, Aunt Camilla,” a cheerful voice called out. Wendy looked up in time to see a long-legged brunette walking through the door. She could have given any model a run for her money. Her figure was perfect, and not a single hair was out of place, despite the full and bouncing curls.

  “Morning, Ronnie,” Camilla replied with a slight sigh. “I'm sorry, I thought I would be done with this before you arrived.”

  “Done with this?” Wendy repeated, still in shock. She looked back at Ronnie, and held the phone out to her. “I guess this is yours now.”

  Ronnie took the phone hesitantly. Her eyes as brown and bold as her aunt's, but not as hardened. Wendy could detect some sympathy in them but she didn't stick around long enough to find out why. With a shake of her head she marched past Marcia and out of the office. She found herself walking straight to her car. She paused beside it and willed herself not to cry as she pushed the button on the remote to unlock the doors. The parking lot was scattered with people and she didn't want them noticing how upset she was. As she climbed into her car she sniffled and realized she couldn't even call Aaron because she no longer had a cell phone. She closed her eyes and tried to keep from melting down. So, she had been fired. It happened to thousands of people every day for far worse reasons.

  Wendy started the car and began driving back to her condo. She was fighting back tears the entire time. When she opened the door to the condo she hoped that Aaron would be awake, that he would open his arms to her, and that he would kiss away every hurt feeling she had. He was awake, but his arms were occupied, carrying two packed suitcases. Wendy stared at those suitcases like they were two weapons pointed right at her.

  “Aaron?” Wendy asked, though she could barely get his entire name out, the breath was stolen from her lungs.

  “Wendy,” he cringed, and it was evident that he hadn't expected her to be home from work. “I'm sorry, I just…”

  “Are you leaving me?” Wendy asked, her eyes so wide that they burned. “You can't be serious!”

  “Look Wendy, I know that you want a whole lot more than I can offer right now, and that's why I think it would be a good idea to end this now,” he said as calmly as he could. His hands tightened on the handles of his suitcases.

  “Wow,” Wendy muttered to herself and finally the tears that she had been holding back began to fall. “I guess you really don't want to marry me.”

  “I'm just not ready for that,” he said apologetically. “I know that you're quite traditional, and well, I didn't want to take advantage of you.”

  “But you already have,” Wendy pointed out. “You know I didn’t expect us to get married until you were ready. Did you just string me along so you would have a place to stay?” she growled. The nice, gentle Wendy was long gone. Her morning had gone from peaceful to chaos in a matter of hours and she was not willing to let things fall apart, not without a fight.

  “Wendy, it wasn't like that,” he insisted and shook his head, his blonde hair tumbling across his features in a way
that used to be adorable to Wendy, but now just made her angry.

  “Sure it was,” she spat out and threw her purse down on the floor. “First Camilla takes all of my good ideas and then fires me, now, you spend months in my home until what, you got a better offer? You saved up enough money to get a place of your own?”

  “Wendy,” he sighed. “I know this isn't easy to hear, but it's what has to happen. I don't want marriage, I don't want kids, I like my life the way it is.”

  “Sure you do, with all those beautiful tourists in bikinis throwing themselves at you,” Wendy laughed out loud and looked up at the ceiling as she shook her head. “I can't believe I didn't see all of this coming. I must be the stupidest person on the planet!”

  “Wendy, it doesn't have to be like this,” he murmured and set down his suitcases. When he reached out to her she looked back at him with fury in her eyes.

  “Out,” she said flatly. “Get out of here, and make sure you have everything with you. I don't want to ever see you again.”

  She could see a flicker of hurt in his features, and that only made her angrier. She didn't think he had a right to be hurt. She was heartbroken, her entire life had just been ripped out from under her. As he walked past her she felt her heart drop. A part of her was hoping he would turn back and admit he made a mistake. But he didn't. He just closed the door behind him. Wendy stood in her living room, alone, jobless.

  She closed her eyes and fresh tears began to stream down her cheeks. She was certain that all of this had to be some kind of cosmic joke. She walked through the condo and out through the back doors that led onto the beach. She breathed in the mid-morning air. It was the same sand she had been standing in just hours before, but now it was hot. It burned the soles of her feet. She shivered and turned away from the crash and retreat of the water against the shore. She had no way to stop the tides from changing. She could only pick up what pieces remained and see if she could salvage something.