Chapter 2 - The Wedding Stops.
The wedding bells never rang.
Instead, the resort's emergency chime sounded twice through hidden speakers beneath the pier.
Guests turned toward one another in confusion.
Security gates at both ends of the private shoreline slid shut.
Marcus stepped away from the arch.
"Nobody leaves the resort until I say otherwise."
Celeste stared at him as if he had slapped her instead.
"You're joking."
Marcus did not answer.
He walked directly to Ruby.
The little girl refused to release Elena.
"Ruby, look at me."
Marcus crouched in front of her.
"Did you fall?"
Ruby's wet lashes lifted.
"I was standing where she told me."
Celeste cut in immediately.
"She's confused."
Elena looked at her.
"I didn't ask you."
Celeste's mother, Patricia, pushed through the guests with a face tight from embarrassment.
"This is absurd."
She gestured toward the hundred people staring at them.
"A child slipped, and now you're treating us like criminals."
Elena opened Ruby's fist.
The torn satin inside matched the fabric of Celeste's bridal train.
Celeste's eyes flicked down for half a second.
It was enough.
Elena noticed.
Marcus noticed Elena noticing.
"Where did you get this, sweetheart?" Marcus asked.
Ruby swallowed.
"She grabbed me."
A ripple went through the crowd.
Celeste laughed, but the sound was too quick.
"This is insane."
"Who grabbed you?" Marcus asked.
Ruby looked toward Celeste.
Then she looked past her.
Her face changed.
Fear replaced confusion.
"I don't want to say."
Elena turned toward the direction of Ruby's stare.
Damian Cross, Marcus's best man and chief financial officer, stood near the bar with one hand inside his tuxedo jacket.
He smiled reassuringly.
"Poor kid is terrified."
Elena felt Ruby tighten her arms around her neck.
"Take her inside," Marcus said quietly.
"No."
Elena's answer came instantly.
"She stays with me."
Marcus looked at her, then nodded.
The resort manager, Tomas Vega, hurried onto the pier carrying a tablet.
"Mr. Hale, we have a problem."
Marcus took the tablet.
"What kind of problem?"
Tomas lowered his voice.
"The camera covering the west side of the pier stopped recording at 5:42 p.m."
Elena checked the time on her phone.
Ruby had gone into the water at 5:49.
"Seven minutes," she said.
Tomas nodded.
"It came back online at 5:51."
Celeste crossed her arms.
"So there is no video, and we're all standing here because a frightened child said something she doesn't understand."
Elena stared at her.
"You seem relieved."
Celeste's mouth tightened.
"I am humiliated."
Marcus handed the tablet back.
"Lock the control room."
Damian stepped forward.
"Marcus, think about what this looks like."
"I am."
"Investors are here."
"My niece almost drowned."
Damian lowered his voice further.
"And if this turns out to be nothing?"
Marcus looked at Celeste, then at the red mark on Elena's cheek.
"Then I canceled a wedding because the woman I was about to marry struck my sister while she was holding a terrified child."
Silence hit the pier again.
Celeste's face drained of color.
Marcus removed the white boutonniere from his lapel and dropped it onto a table.
"I can live with that decision."
Ruby suddenly tugged Elena's shoulder.
"Aunt Elena."
"What is it?"
Ruby leaned close enough that only Elena could hear.
"The lady put something in my pocket before I fell."
Elena's eyes dropped to the child's wet dress.
There was a small bulge beneath the fabric.
She reached inside.
Her fingers closed around cold metal.
When she pulled her hand free, a diamond bracelet glittered beneath the golden sunset.
Patricia screamed.
"That's Celeste's grandmother's bracelet!"
May you like
Every face turned toward Ruby.
And Celeste smiled.
