Wedding Day Murder Read Online Free PDF Page A

monstrosity like that at Sidra’s wedding. Instead she would have something truly beautiful, perhaps covered with real flowers. And the cake inside wouldn’t be that dry, crumbly stuff that tasted of chemicals; it would be buttery and rich and filled with jam. Lucy could picture it—she could almost taste it—when she suddenly remembered Bill.
    What had she been thinking? She should never have agreed to let Sue have the wedding in the gazebo without checking with him first. She could just imagine his reaction. He was already upset with her for working full-time; he would no doubt want to know where she was going to find the time. And he was right. Now that she thought about it, really thought about it, she realized she simply didn’t have time to plan a wedding.
    Ah, but she didn’t have to, she reminded herself. She wasn’t planning the wedding. Sue was doing all the work. She was simply letting Sue use the gazebo. What was the problem with that? Come to think of it, Bill ought to be flattered that Sue had asked. Lucy was smiling as she pushed open the door to the Pennysaver office.
    â€œWell, don’t you look like the cat who ate the canary,” said Phyllis by way of greeting. Behind her, the fax machine was humming and spewing out sheets of paper. “Have you got a scoop?”
    â€œI wish,” said Lucy, tilting her head at Ted’s vacant desk. “Has Ted come in yet?”
    â€œNope.”
    Lucy headed for her desk, where she looked up Bill Cranshaw’s phone number. She reached for the phone, then stopped. It would be better, she decided, if she wrote the correction before she called. Then she could read it to him and assure him she had taken appropriate action and was setting the record straight. She opened a file and typed a few words, then deleted them. She was just starting over when Phyllis dropped several sheets of paper on her desk.
    â€œFax for you.”
    Lucy glanced at it. To her surprise, it was from Sue. Since when had Sue had a fax machine? she wondered as she scanned the neat, round handwriting.
    â€œRe: Wedding,” Sue had written in businesslike fashion. “Could you check on these for me?” Below this brief introduction was a list of things to do for the wedding.
    â€œOrder porta potties” was at the top of the list.
    Trust Sue to think of everything, she thought. Of course, it was a good idea. She suspected their septic system was strained to the limit by the kids’ lengthy showers and the endless loads of wash she was always doing. Goodness knows it wouldn’t do to have it fail in the middle of an elegant social event like a wedding.
    â€œGrade drive and fill potholes” was next.
    Another good idea, she thought. There were an awful lot of potholes, and they certainly weren’t doing the car and truck any good. Bill could probably get one of his contractor friends to do it for free.
    â€œCanopy for rain?” was the third item. Lucy chewed her lip. What if it did rain? Not on Sidra’s wedding! That would be a tragedy. But if it did, would a canopy be large enough? Maybe they needed a tent. Would that spoil the effect of the outdoor wedding? Maybe they could move the whole thing onto the porch or into the house. She really needed to talk to Sue about this, so she circled the item.
    Next, Sue had written “Rent chairs.” Good idea, thought Lucy, picturing a few neat rows of white folding chairs. How many would they need, she wondered, putting down a question mark.
    â€œReserve space at kennel for dog.” No argument there, thought Lucy. Eating half a pie was one thing; demolishing an expensive wedding cake was something else entirely. She didn’t want to risk it.
    â€œGarden flowers,” the next item on Sue’s list, gave her pause. What did she mean? Lucy thought ahead to August, when her flower beds were filled with brightly colored zinnias and marigolds and some early