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

pigs have to do with Johnny and Jerry reforming?” Dooley wanted to know.

But luckily we’d arrived at the hotel, and made our way inside, following in Gran and Scarlett’s footsteps. Soon we found ourselves in the lobby, and saw two cops enter the elevator and get whisked away before we could stop them and ask if we could join.

Gran hurried over to the reception desk and proceeded to take out a self-made laminated badge. She flashed it in front of the receptionist’s face. “Hampton Cove Neighborhood Watch,” she said curtly. “I understand you reported a crime?”

“Um…” said the receptionist, who was a young man liberally endowed with a smattering of pimples on his youthful face. “Oh,” he said, as that face suddenly cleared. “I know you. You’re the hot chocolate with extra cream and plenty of marshmallows. And you—the espresso, extra strong with a side order of petits fours and miniature pastry.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” said Gran. “Cut the crap and tell us what’s going on, sonny boy.”

“Oh, Lord Hilbourne has been abducted,” said the kid. “And judging from the pool of blood we found in his room, there’s a good chance that he was brutally murdered.”

Chapter 28

Odelia had been sleeping restlessly, dreaming of being suffocated by a braying crowd, when all of a sudden her phone started to belt out a loud tune and she groaned as she grabbed it from the nightstand. Immediately, as if in symphony with hers, Chase’s phone started singing its own song, waking up the burly cop and sending him groping for the device. Simultaneously they both spoke, “Yes?”

The voice that sounded in Odelia’s ear was her grandmother’s, who announced, “Better get over here, honey. Lord Hilbourne has gone missing—probably kidnapped.”

And as Odelia glanced over to Chase, it was obvious that he’d just received the same message, for he asked, “Where is here?”

“The Star hotel,” answered her grandmother, as if she’d heard Chase’s question, which probably she had.

Both future husband and wife hung up and then, as if they’d rehearsed the scene, swung their feet from the bed and started to get dressed. Moments later they were out the door, and, like a well-oiled team, were in Chase’s squad car and hurtling along the road in the direction of the downtown area.

“We have to talk about the wedding, babe,” said Chase as he steered the car along.

“I know,” she said.

“This can’t go on like this.”

“I know.”

“Look, you know how much I love you, and how much I’ve been looking forward to getting married to you.”

She nodded wordlessly.

“But if there’s something you wanna tell me, you better do it now.”

She looked over. “I want to get married to you, Chase. I really do.”

“So what’s the problem? Your mom told me you had suffered some kind of nervous breakdown this evening?”

She shook her head. “I just don’t see how I can go through with it,” she said, starting to tear up all over again, just as she had before. “The whole thing is just so…” She put a hand to her throat and mimicked being suffocated.

Chase’s jaw tightened. “I see,” he said.

“I’m not saying it’s you—or even the wedding. It’s just…”

“What?”

“It’s just too much. The whole thing’s gotten way out of hand.”

“You mean—even more than before?”

“As of a couple of hours ago, we’re officially at nine hundred.”

He blinked. “Nine hu—you mean the wedding, not the reception, right?”

“The wedding and the reception and the wedding dinner… and the party.”

His jaw dropped. “Odelia!”

“I know, I know,” she said. “Mom talked to the caterer, and they’re very upset. They’re not equipped to handle such a large crowd, and already have been making alternative suggestions, like cutting down on the menu so they can seat and feed more people, or even splitting people into groups, sitting them down for dinner at different times. Also, there’s a problem with the reception. They didn’t order nearly enough champagne for such a large crowd, so…” She sighed and buried her head in her hands. Once again she started hyperventilating a little at the thought of such an enormous undertaking.

“Let’s call the whole thing off,” said Chase curtly.

“No, wait, what?” said Odelia. “Chase, we can’t—”

“It’s obvious this is going to turn into a complete disaster. Nine hundred people, and who knows who else will show up. We’re looking at a thousand or more. If this keeps up we’ll have to talk to your uncle about organizing crowd control. Bring in barriers. Except your uncle is also one of the people on the guest list, and so are all of my colleagues.”

“I know,” she said quietly. “I guess we all got a little carried away.”

“It’s all right, babe,” said the cop as he placed a hand on Odelia’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I know you wanted the wedding to be perfect, and you wanted to share it with as many people as possible. But clearly we’re at a critical juncture here.”

“It’s too much,” she agreed. “Mom talked to Father Reilly, and he’s also overwhelmed with all the interest. He says never in his career has he been accosted by so many people asking when the wedding is going to be, and expressing an interest in showing up on the day. He’s going to put up big screens outside so people can follow along.”

“Big screens, huh?” said Chase with a smile. “Like a Justin Bieber concert. Which would make you Hailey Baldwin.”

Odelia grinned. “Or maybe I’m Amal Clooney and you’re George.”

“I don’t think George and Amal had this many people at their wedding.”

“No, they were smart about it,” said Odelia ruefully.

“Look, I don’t want to disappoint anyone either,” said Chase, “so I suggest we call off the wedding and…”

“And what?” she asked, giving him a look of trepidation.

He shrugged. “We’ll find a solution.” He glanced over. “We have to.”

They’d arrived at the hotel, and Chase parked the car across the street. Two police cars had already arrived, and Odelia saw that her uncle’s squad car had jumped the curb.

“All right,” said Chase. “Are