8 Blush, a Bride and a Body Read online

  “Oops,” Nick laughed and scratched at the back of his neck as the clothes spread across the floor. “I guess you were packing.”

  “I guess you were over-confident,” she laughed and then raised her eyebrows as she reached out to tug him into bed with her.

  Chapter Two

  Morning had become Bekki's favorite time of day. The reason for this was because the moment she opened her eyes, she remembered she was one day closer to sharing the rest of her life with Nick. She would lay in bed for a few minutes just savoring that knowledge. But this morning that savoring was interrupted by sheer panic. There were only three days left until the wedding and Bekki was going to be faced with some serious stress if she didn't get herself on the move.

  When Bekki picked up her phone and scrolled through it she found she had a voicemail from the day before that she hadn't noticed. As she listened to the message she discovered it was from the jeweler who was engraving her wedding rings, letting her know that they were ready to pick up, but that she had to pick them up today as he was going to close early for a much needed vacation.

  “Vacation?” Bekki gasped into the phone even though she knew that the man leaving the message couldn't hear her. She hadn't planned on picking up the rings that day, but now her plans had to change.

  Bekki got dressed quickly and rushed to the salon as she was calling the jeweler back. He didn't answer, so she left a message that she would be in to pick up the rings within the hour. She was opening the salon that morning but Sammy was also coming in early. They had scheduled all of their appointments in the morning so they could have the afternoon free for their appointment with Angela. But there wouldn't be enough time before the appointment with Angela to get to the jeweler to pick up the rings.

  Angela had already warned Bekki that she was cutting it extremely close to the wedding to be picking out a cake flavor, so Bekki knew she couldn't move the appointment again. Angela had already said it would have to be very simple, only single-tiered and with mainly the cake-topper used as decoration if she was to make it at such short notice. Bekki was flustered by the time she unlocked the door to the salon and began rushing through her morning routine. When Sammy arrived with the coffee and bagels, her eyes were glowing with excitement.

  “Good morning, ‘Bride-to-Be’,” Sammy said with a wide grin as she dropped the bag of bagels down on the reception desk and then set their coffee cups on it as well.

  “Oh, if I make it to the wedding,” Bekki groaned and took the cup of coffee gratefully. “Can you get married without rings?” she asked with a frown.

  “Why?” Sammy asked with surprise. “I thought you already had the rings picked out.”

  “I do,” Bekki sighed. “But I have to pick them up today, because the jeweler is going on vacation. He called and left a message yesterday but for some reason I didn't see it until today.”

  “Oh no,” Sammy gasped and shook her head. “So, just go get them.”

  “But the morning is booked solid,” Bekki pointed out. “And by the time I drive there and back it will be almost time for our appointment with Angela.”

  “I can handle it,” Sammy assured her and smiled warmly at Bekki. “It's not a big deal. If I get overwhelmed I'll just call your mom to come in, okay?” she suggested. Bekki nodded reluctantly. Marie could certainly handle any surge of clients considering that she had been the owner of the salon until she turned it over to Bekki.

  “Are you sure you don't mind?” Bekki asked with a wince. Sammy was always someone she could rely on, but she worried about relying on her just a little too much.

  “Of course not,” Sammy laughed and waved her towards the door of the salon. “I know how important those rings are to you. Just make sure you get back in time for us to go cake sampling, okay? I've been looking forward to that all week,” she grinned.

  “I promise,” Bekki assured her as she retrieved her small, square, black purse from the reception desk. “Cancel any appointments you need to, and if you need me, just call me.” Bekki tucked her cell phone into the small front pocket of her purse.

  “I will be fine,” Sammy insisted. “I know the drill,” Sammy laughed and tilted her head towards the door. “Get out of here, I know you want to be there when he unlocks the door.”

  “You know me too well,” Bekki stole a quick hug from her and hurried out the door. Everything about the world around her seemed to be just a little bit brighter. She felt as if she had finally reached that point in her life that separated what was, from what would always be. She was so looking forward to being Nick's wife. As she climbed into her car she had to take a moment to revel in her good luck. She smiled, started the car, and drove towards the nearby city.

  Bekki had chosen a certain jeweler because he had a reputation for creating beautiful, simple pieces and was happy to engrave exactly what she wanted. Nick wasn't exactly the jewelry type, and Bekki appreciated a solid band. She was looking forward to seeing them sized and ready to go. When she reached the street where the jewelry shop was, many of the store windows lining the red-bricked sidewalk were still dark with curtains drawn. Bekki glanced at her watch and noticed it was just after eight. She had just made it in time for the shop to open. She was hoping to avoid having to wait in line so that she could get back to the salon and help Sammy with the last of the customers. She was relieved to see that there were already lights on inside the shop.

  The bell above the door jingled a pleasant tune as she stepped inside. It was one of those computerized bells that could play an actual song instead of a real bell ringing. Bekki thought it was a nice touch for a jewelry store, as most people had only happy reasons to be in one. As she stepped into the store she admired the latest displays that were located on a few small pedestals scattered throughout the large showroom. There was no one else in the showroom, and Bekki noticed quickly that there was also no one standing behind the counter. As she waited for the owner of the place to come out from the back room she was surprised that he wouldn't be more concerned about the security of his jewelry. She glanced up in the corners of the room and noticed a few cameras located throughout. What she didn't see were the tell-tale red dots that indicated the cameras were on. She was a little startled by that, but then not all cameras had the small dots, she tried to convince herself.

  “Hello?” she called out as she approached the main jewelry counter. She glanced at her watch to make sure that she hadn't arrived too early. The jewelry store was supposed to have opened a few minutes ago, but perhaps she had the time mixed up. As she paused in front of the counter she frowned at the lack of the owner’s presence.

  “Is anyone here?” she called out again and leaned over the counter slightly. She noticed a black ring box on the counter beside the cash register. It was odd to her that he would leave a box out on the counter, unless it was empty. Maybe it was empty or maybe it contained the rings she had left to be engraved. It looked like the same box the jeweler had nestled the rings into when she chose them the week before. The situation seemed very strange to her. The door had not been locked, the cameras seemed to be off, and there was still no one to be found.

  Bekki rapped her fingertips lightly on the counter top. The sound filled the quiet store. Then she leaned her head over the counter just enough to see behind it. She caught sight of some papers scattered on the floor. That was when her stomach began to tighten into knots. Something definitely wasn't right. She walked to the end of the counter and edged carefully around the side of it. When she reached the other side, she nearly stumbled over legs that were stretched out in her path. She grabbed onto the counter to keep from tripping, and gasped as she looked down at the man sprawled across the floor.

  “Oh no,” Bekki gasped as she quickly dropped down to the man's side. “Sir, are you okay?” she asked even though she could tell from how gray his skin was that he most certainly was not. His eyes were closed, and he appeared to be sleeping, but Bekki didn't see any sign of him breathing.

  As she cr
ouched down beside the man whom she recognized as the owner of the jewelry store, she noticed a piece of paper sticking out from the shelf under the counter. It was a list of numbers, all the same length. She thought it was a little strange, wondering if they might be customer numbers, or serial numbers of some kind. When she reached out to lightly touch the side of the man's neck to determine if he had a pulse, she grimaced as there was no sign of life. He was an older gentleman with a neatly trimmed gray mustache, and a few extra pounds.

  There was nothing to indicate that he had died of anything other than natural causes. She hadn't noticed any sign of anything being stolen either. None of the cases of jewelry were opened or smashed. She was reaching in her purse for her cell phone when she heard the computerized bell chime again. She stood up quickly and turned to see who was walking in. She thought it might be another customer but was surprised and relieved to see a uniformed police officer.

  “Put your hands in the air, keep them where I can see them,” he growled as he held out his weapon before him. Bekki froze as she was aware that just because someone was a police officer, that didn't always mean they could be trusted. He had wavy, silver hair that was slightly longer than his ears, and small, icy, blue eyes. Beneath his bulbous nose he had a thin mustache. Everything about him was broad, from his features, to his shoulders, to his waist. This was not one of the local Harroway police officers she was used to dealing with in her small town. This was a city police officer who looked like he was more than a little trigger-happy. Her fears were confirmed when she attempted to explain the situation to him.

  “Officer there's a problem…” she started to say.

  “Yes, the problem is that you're behind the counter,” he growled again. He kept his weapon trained on her as he nudged it slightly to the side. “Step out from behind the counter, very slowly,” he instructed.

  “I just found him like this,” Bekki attempted to explain again, though she was careful to keep her hands in the air. “I'm just here to pick up my wedding rings,” she added in an attempt to sound casual, though she knew her voice was faltering with emotion.

  “Found who?” the officer asked as he stepped closer to her. “What have you done with Patty?” his eyes narrowed.

  “Patty?” Bekki asked with some confusion.

  “The owner of the store,” the officer continued. “I come in here every morning to check on him, and one thing is for sure, he would never let anyone behind his counter. So, what are you doing back there and where is Patty?” he asked sharply again. Bekki felt her heart sink as she realized that the officer must have been at least an acquaintance of the owner, if not a friend.

  “I'm so sorry,” Bekki said quietly as she met his small, blue eyes. “He's dead. I was just about to call for help,” she added but the officer brushed past her to look over the counter.

  “Oh no,” he said under his breath and the stricken expression on his face made it clear to Bekki that the two had been friends.

  “I'm so sorry,” she said again, her hands still in the air. The officer glowered at her and pointed his weapon in her direction again.

  “Sure, just turn around,” the officer instructed. “Lace your hands behind your head,” he waited until she had followed his instructions. Bekki's heart was pounding. She knew there was only one reason for him to be treating her so aggressively, and it was not a good one. Then she felt the sudden jerk of her wrists being forced behind her back. She gritted her teeth in an attempt to resist her desire to flee and cry out. She knew the officer was only doing his job. He had walked in on a very strange situation, just as she had. She tried to keep herself calm, and reminded herself that he had just lost a friend.

  “Sir, you're making a mistake,” Bekki uttered as respectfully as she could. “I just came here to pick up my wedding rings, I'm getting married this weekend. I found him on the floor behind the counter.”

  “Well, as of right now, you're going to have to sit tight while I get to the bottom of what happened here,” he led her over to a chair behind the counter. As she sat down in the chair she tried to keep calm, even though the handcuffs were biting into her wrists. The officer spoke into his radio.

  “This is Officer McKay, I'm going to need some back up,” he winced as he leaned over the body. Carefully, he lifted the man's shoulder and when he did he revealed the gunshot wound on his back that Bekki hadn't even noticed. The carpet beneath the body was a plush red shade, and it must have absorbed most of the blood from the wound. Officer McKay reached for the counter to lean against. As he did he brushed the mouse connected to the computer, and the screen suddenly came alive. Bekki noticed that on the screen was another list, with numbers that looked very similar to the ones on the paper she had seen. The website appeared to be related to looking up the engraving numbers of diamonds. She did her best to retain the information she saw on the computer.

  “This is unbelievable,” Officer McKay said with a shake of his head. “Patty never did anything to hurt anyone. Now he's dead, for what?” he looked sharply at Bekki. “A few pieces of jewelry, was that it? Or was it that he wouldn't unlock the safe for you?”

  “I didn't do this,” Bekki growled at the officer before her. She was starting to lose her temper. “I don't have a gun,” she pointed out. “Those rings,” she tilted her head towards the ring box on the counter. “Those are mine, I came in to pick them up because Patty called and left me a message saying that he was leaving on vacation tomorrow.”

  “Patty wasn't going on vacation,” Officer McKay said dismissively. “Anything else you want to lie about?”

  “I'm not lying,” Bekki insisted. “The voicemail is still on my phone,” she tilted her head towards her purse which was still laying on the floor where she had dropped it when he asked her to put her hands up. “It's in my purse, the front pocket. You can listen to it yourself.”

  “Oh, I intend to,” Officer McKay promised in a threatening manner. “By the time I'm done with you, your life is going to be turned inside out. No one kills a friend of mine and gets away with it.” He snatched up her purse and pulled her phone out of the pocket. Then he laid it on the counter, and proceeded to empty the contents of her purse onto the counter beside it. Bekki cringed as blush, mascara, lipstick, and the small compact she kept inside scattered across the counter.

  “I didn't kill anyone,” Bekki said flatly. “I can prove those rings are mine. I know what's engraved on the inside of the bands.”

  “Save it,” Officer McKay snapped and shoved the makeup back into her purse. “We'll discuss this down at the station. He glanced up at the video cameras that lined the ceiling and then frowned. “I see you took care of the cameras.”

  Bekki closed her eyes and did her best to restrain herself. She knew that anything she said to this man was only going to make him more suspicious. As she sat quietly she heard her phone ring. She knew it was likely her mother, Sammy, or Nick calling but she couldn't answer it, and she was not about to ask the ‘friendly’ officer to answer it for her. She was hoping that by the time back up arrived Officer McKay would have calmed down enough to see the mistake he was making. Unfortunately, when the other officers arrived he only continued to pin the situation on her.

  “Okay, let's go,” he said abruptly as the crime scene investigators began to comb over the store. “We're going down to the station.”

  “Seriously?” Bekki asked with surprise. “But you have no evidence, there's nothing that implicates me…”

  “Oh, so now you're a lawyer?” the officer snapped with increasing frustration. “You know every criminal I ever dealt with liked to think they knew everything about the law, but let me put it to you this way, either you're my prime suspect or you're my only witness. Either way, we're going to spend some quality time together,” his eyes flashed with determination as they locked to hers.

  Bekki struggled not to roll her eyes. She was trying to be respectful, but she knew that the officer didn't have a case, and this was just going to take up mo
re time which was something she was running short of. As he eased her up off the chair she noticed the pad on the counter next to the phone. Scribbled across the white paper was an eight hundred number, labeled FBI. Bekki had no idea what Patty might have needed with the number to the FBI but she was sure it had something to do with his murder.

  “Please,” she said abruptly as she looked up at Officer McKay. “Can I just get my rings?” she asked. “I've already paid for them. I can't leave them here they…” she fell silent as she watched one of the crime scene techs deposit the ring box into a plastic ziplock bag. “Oh no,” she sighed as she felt tears rise to her eyes.

  “Let's go,” Officer McKay said gruffly again and led her out of the jewelry store. Bekki didn't even try to argue with him. She didn't remind him of her rights, or demand to speak to someone higher up. She just went along for the ride in the back of his patrol car.

  Chapter Three

  When Bekki and Officer McKay reached the police station he led her silently into the station with her purse tucked under his arm. He sat her down in front of what she could only assume was his desk, and then picked up her cell phone.

  “Okay, let's hear this voicemail,” he said with a sigh. Bekki gave him the pass code to get into her voicemail and he listened to the message that Patty had left. Bekki could see the change in his expression when he listened to it.

  “Why would he lie about going on vacation?” Officer McKay asked out loud, mystified by the message. Bekki had the urge to point out the numbers she had seen, as well as the FBI phone number, but since he did not seem to react well to her speaking, she decided to stay quiet.

  “So, let's see, you're claiming that you were there to pick up wedding rings,” he paused a moment and looked up at her. “That's not going to make me go any easier on you,” he added grimly.

  “I don't need you to go easy on me,” Bekki said quietly. “I'm innocent, I didn't do anything wrong.”