The Mysteries of Max: Books 31-33 by Nic Saint (chrome ebook reader txt) 📗

now. Your mom was in here last week and she told me all about it. She invited me for the wedding and I said yes. So I’ll be there, don’t you worry.”

At this, Odelia burst into tears once more, and Emma cut a questioning look to the groom, who merely shook his head. I could tell he was thinking that this was not the way to conduct a police interview.

“We should reconsider, Max,” said Dooley. “Odelia is very, very sad that we won’t be there. We have to find a way to be there for her on the most beautiful day of her life.”

“Maybe we could sit on the balcony?” Harriet suggested. “Churches do have balconies, don’t they?”

“I’ll bet the balcony will be full of people, too,” I said. “Didn’t you hear what she just said? Father Reilly is going to put up big screens outside so that the people who don’t fit inside can watch. I’ll bet that place will be filled to capacity. Not an empty seat in the house.”

“Almost like a Beyoncé concert,” said Harriet with a smile. “Imagine that. Odelia selling out her first venue.”

“It’s not a rock concert, Harriet. It’s her wedding.”

“I know, I know. Just saying it’s pretty cool for her first show.”

“First and final show, I should hope.”

“Oh, for sure,” said Harriet. “I see a long and happy marriage in Odelia and Chase’s future. Just like the marriage of Odelia’s mom and dad.”

Just then, I happened to look out the window, and saw Marge stalk past, Tex trying to keep up and yelling, “Marge, wait! I would never cheat on you! Never!”

Bad sign!

“So what did you want to talk to me about?” asked Emma Bezel once Odelia’s flow of tears had lessened to a trickle.

“I talked to your sister this morning,” Odelia said, still sniffling a little but trying her darndest to put on a professional face. “About the death of Bob Rector.”

“Uh-huh,” said Emma, slumping a little in her seat.

“So you are aware that Bob Rector is dead?” said Chase.

“Oh, sure. I saw it on the news this morning.”

“Your sister didn’t know. It came as quite a shock to her when I told her,” said Odelia.

“I didn’t want to break the news to her over the phone,” said Emma. “I planned to pay her a visit later today, after I closed up my shop, and tell her in person.”

“How well did you know Bob, Mrs. Bezel?”

“Not very well. I met him a few times, but only briefly. Actually I was the one who introduced him to my sister. I’d been standing in line at the General Store for what felt like ages and Franklin was getting tired and had started barking—Franklin is my sweetheart. He’s a Shih Tzu. Well, Bob was so kind to help me out with Franklin and so we got to talking and turns out he was a dog person, too, and very sweet and gentle and it got me thinking about Evelina and the bad luck she’s had when it comes to men…”

“And so you set them up for a date,” Chase said, nodding.

“Worst decision of my life,” said Emma. “I should have known the man was too good to be true.”

“Why do you say that?” asked Odelia.

“Look, I’m the people person in our family, okay? I’m good at reading people. Evelina, on the other hand, is terrible at relationships but an amazing businesswoman. She took our parents’ company and turned it into a phenomenon. Amazingly successful. Money, and respect from her peers—the works. But she still sucks at creating a personal life that’s gratifying. That’s always been my department. So I figured I’d help her find happiness in her personal life as well. But Bob… You know what I think happened?”

“What?”

“I think Bob must have been targeting me specifically. That he must have investigated me and sought me out, knowing I’m Evelina’s sister. That he nudged me into setting him up with her. These people do that, you know. They’re very clever about how they set it up. Make you think it was your idea, but when you look back you realize it was their idea all along and you were set up. And that’s what I think happened.”

“You think he was after your sister’s money from the start,” said Chase.

“Absolutely.”

“So why didn’t he stay with Evelina?” asked Odelia. “If he was after her money a marriage would have made him a very rich man.”

“But don’t you see? Bob didn’t want a relationship. He just wanted a payday. Quick and easy. Couple of dates and bingo—seventy-five thousand in his pocket.”

“Can you prove that he was after her money? Or is this just a hunch?”

“A hunch, mainly. But, like I said, I’m the people person in my family. And my hunches are usually correct.”

“Except when you met Bob,” said Chase.

“Yeah, my radar was way off base. Which just goes to show Bob was a real pro. He must have done this kind of thing before.”

“Tell us about the kidnapping. Do you think he sent those messages to Evelina?”

“Oh, absolutely.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Well, I don’t know for sure, but if I were being kidnapped, and my life was in danger, I don’t think I’d be smiling and looking as calm and collected as Bob did in that video.”

“You saw the video.”

“Evelina showed it to me. I told her to go to the police. That the whole thing was a setup. But she refused. She said that if I was wrong and something happened to Bob, she would never forgive herself.”

“She’d really fallen for him, hadn’t she?” said Odelia.

“Yeah, she had,” Emma confirmed. “She was convinced he loved her. The night before he was taken he said he had something important to tell her. More specifically, something important to give her. So she figured it was probably an engagement ring.”

“She thought he was about to propose.”

Emma nodded. “So she refused to go the police, and insisted on paying the ransom money, just like they asked her to.”

“Were you there