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“Ah, you’re more beautiful in person than even on the screen,” Hattie cried out happily. “Not ‘adorkable’ at all!” She gave Ellery an impulsive hug. Ellery was so stiff she feared she’d crack. Did the woman have a knife on her currently?
Thankfully Hattie released her, but she squeezed her hand. “We’ll have to chat and get to know each other at the luncheon. Aliya, Macey, and Kiera were all raving about how fabulous you are and how thrilled they are Derek found you.”
How could the woman look like a dark-eyed angel and have stabbed two people to death with a knife? For no reason? Had she killed the queen too? Who was her next target? Ellery was the furthest thing from an investigator or a detective.
Please help, she begged her Father above.
“We’d better go sit for the wedding.” Derek wrapped his arm around her waist again, thankfully supporting her as she was an absolute wreck. “You two can whisper girl secrets after.”
Steffan grinned. “Hattie’s been so looking forward to this day and being with the family. And I kept hearing, ‘The Adorkable Boston Beauty is really going to be there’?” He made his voice all falsetto.
Everybody around them laughed. Ellery tried to laugh too, but it came out very awkward and stilted. She wanted to scream out the truth about this faker. How could they all believe Hattie? How could these accomplished people ignore solid police proof and the fact that every news outlet in the world said Hattie Ballard had stabbed two innocent people to their deaths? Ellery could hardly look at the terrifying woman.
Derek escorted her to her seat. Hattie and Steffan sat right behind them. Ellery was so tense her neck and head started to pulse.
“You all right?” Derek whispered.
She could only look at him. No words came. Another horrifying thought suddenly hit her. Why would Hattie want to meet her so badly? Was she the next victim? Did Hattie somehow know Naomi had contacted Ellery and she was the only one here who recognized the truth of her murderous heart? What could she say with Hattie sitting right behind them?
“Please rise,” Sutton said.
Everybody rose, even Ellery on stiff, unsupportive legs.
Macey glided into the room, absolutely gorgeous in white satin and smiling so beautifully and hugely. Ellery wanted to be happy for Macey and the general, but she was too terrified. Her hands trembled and her brain was spinning with excuses to run up to her room between the ceremony and the luncheon. She needed to go by herself so she could send the Snap without Derek seeing it.
The ceremony passed quickly, which was a relief. Ray and Macey were beaming and in love. Even the serious general looked ecstatic and gave his bride a swoon-worthy wedding kiss. One of the most skilled and impressive men in the world married them, and his wife, the former duchess of Gunthry and the most beautiful woman in the world, Liz Smith, was their camerawoman.
It was all surreal and would’ve been incredible... if a murdering liar wasn’t sitting directly behind her and chills weren’t skittering across her skin.
The wedding finished, and they all stood and cheered and took turns hugging and congratulating the bride and groom. As soon as Ellery and Derek stepped back from their turn with Raymond and Macey, she squeezed his hand and said, “I need to run up to my room quick.”
“Okay. I’ll come with you.” He started to turn with her.
“No, I don’t want you to miss a minute with your family.”
“Elle. It’s not a worry.”
“Love, it’s embarrassing. Girl trouble.”
His eyes widened. “Oh.”
“Yeah, it might be more than a minute.”
She hated,hatedlying to him. If only she could talk everything out with him, find out why he hadn’t told her Hattie was alive and see if he’d trust her and the solid information about Hattie’s deception, or if he’d side with his family and a murderer.
Her only chance was to send that Snap. Naomi’s husband and people would take care of Hattie. Could they prevail against all the powerful people in this room? What if there was a battle? What if Derek or sweet Kiera or the kind king or any of these other wonderful people got caught in the crossfire?
Her palms were sweating as she pulled her hand free from Derek’s. “I’ll hurry.”
She whirled, and almost ran into Steffan and Hattie.
“I overheard,” Hattie said in a hushed voice. She linked their arms together. “I’ll walk with you. These boys can enjoy each being together, and I can get to know you a little bit.”
Ice pricked at her spine. No! The last thing she wanted to do was be anywhere alone with Hattie Ballard.
She had no response. She was so terrified she literally couldn’t find her voice.
“Thanks, Hattie,” Derek said, turning to his brother with a big smile. “Look at you. Married life looks good on you.”
