“I suppose it’s possible.”
“If you knew what Dexter was up to, why not just dump him?”
She thought about this for a bit. “I think because Dexter was going to be the last time a man used me. After everything I’d gone through, and he was actually trying to figure out how to kill me to get money for a junkie. I guess you could say it was the final straw.”
I shook my head. “So much went into this. So many people searched for you, grieved for you.”
Molly nodded. “And that’s the one thing I feel bad about. Well, and lying to you. But if I had it to do over again, I’d still do the same thing. You managed to do what no one else would have, and without those circumstances, I don’t think that would have been possible.”
“I don’t have any hard feelings about what you did. I probably would have done the same thing in your situation. But I want you to make me a promise.”
“Anything.”
“If you ever need my services again, tell me the truth. I won’t stop until I have answers. I can’t promise they’ll be the answers you want, but I can’t let things go until I know the truth about them. Character flaw.”
Molly sniffed. “It’s a good one to have.”
“Also cumbersome.”
She extended her hand to me and I placed mine in it. She squeezed and a single tear ran down her cheek.
“Thank you for finding Johnny. It means everything to me.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Saturday was bright and clear and hot as heck, but that didn’t put a dent in the celebration at all. All of Sinful had cheered Molly’s return to the living and now half of Sinful was in my backyard, anxiously awaiting the wedding that was never supposed to happen. The backyard had been transformed by me, Gertie, Ally, Marie, Emmaline, and Carter with some assistance from the local florist. There were a ton of white chairs in neat rows and a pretty arch with flowers draped around it at the end of the rows where Ida Belle and Walter would stand and make everything legal. A white satin runner split the chairs into two sides and residents had some fun arguing over whether they were guests of the bride or the groom, as they’d known them both forever.
Gertie and I were everywhere—outside ensuring people found places to sit and that the water stations remained filled with ice and bottled water, and inside, making sure when the time came, everyone was treated to some of the finest food Sinful had to offer. My kitchen didn’t have one square inch of counter space left, and it smelled as though heaven had opened up and officially catered Ida Belle’s wedding.
Molly was there and helping get the food staged for distribution. We’d figured she’d drop off everything and run but she surprised us all by showing up in a bright purple pantsuit that matched her hair and claiming that no way was she missing Ida Belle’s nuptials as it was the equivalent to spotting a unicorn.
Although Gertie had spent a month teasing Ida Belle with her wardrobe choices for the event, she was turned out in a beautiful satin-and-lace dress in a soft green. She said due to the double layers, she was already sweating before she put it on, but she looked lovely. I had chosen to go with a simple blue dress with tiny white embroidered flowers. It might have been the girliest thing I’d worn since I’d come to Sinful but based on the look Carter gave me when he arrived, I’d made a good choice. Or maybe I should say Ally talked me into a good choice.
Ally was as pretty as ever in pastel pink and looked so young she would have been carded if she’d tried to buy alcohol. Emmaline was as elegant as always in a soft butter-yellow dress with pearl buttons up the back. Carter was looking very casual James Bond in his tan slacks and light blue button-up that matched my dress. We were going to make a nice matched pair when we walked down that aisle ahead of Ida Belle. Walter was so incredibly handsome in his suit, and nothing could have erased the smile on his face. Ida Belle was inside, waiting for the big reveal. None of us had seen her yet, and I couldn’t wait to see what a bride in camo looked like.
But the real kicker was Ronald. He’d come completely decked out for a princess wedding, wearing an actual princess dress in shiny silver. It had more ruffles than I’d ever seen on a single garment. His shoes were a tribute to every foot problem known to man with silver sequins and six-inch stilettos. He even had a matching cone hat with a long train of lace trailing behind him as he flitted from person to person, probably more nervous than the bride.
The surprise guests were Big and Little Hebert, who arrived in their typical black suits. I moved my park bench from the front porch to a seat in the front row, and everyone took their turn passing by to greet the man who silently ran Sinful’s underworld.
Finally, Pastor Don rang a bell and called out to the crowd. “If everyone could take their seats, please. It’s time to begin.”
Everyone hurried to their seats and Walter took his place up front next to Pastor Don. Gertie, Carter, and I went to the back porch to release the curtains over the arch that Ida Belle would walk through. That way, no one saw her until she walked down the aisle. Carter and I were the bridesmaid and groomsman. Ida Belle had asked Gertie to give her away.
I gave Gertie a hug before I placed my arm in Carter’s. “The Dance” by Garth Brooks started to play, and Carter and I walked slowly down the aisle, smiling at all the attendees as we went. When we reached the front and moved to our respective sides, the music switched to the bridal march and I prayed the video was going to capture the expressions of everyone when they saw the bride in camo.
I heard the back door open and a small cry, then a couple seconds later, the curtain parted and Ida Belle and Gertie stepped through.
Everyone gasped, including me.
Ida Belle wore a gown of ivory with rows of pearls around the neck. Her feet were clad in matching ballet slippers, and she wore a spray of baby’s breath and pearls on her head. Gertie was beaming at her as if she were an angel, and she definitely looked the part. Walter’s eyes had already misted up, and I felt a little choked myself. Ida Belle smiled to the crowd as she walked with Gertie but her most special smile and that light in her eyes were all for Walter.
When they made it down front, Gertie gave Ida Belle and Walter both a kiss before taking a step back to stand next to me. Pastor Don began his wedding introductions and then looked at Gertie.
“Who gives this woman in holy matrimony?” he asked.
Gertie squeezed my hand. “Fortune and I do.”
That was it for me. The tears that had been threatening to fall spilled out of the corner of my eyes. Gertie reached into the top of her dress and pulled out some tissue to hand to me, and everyone laughed.
“Get on with it, Preacher,” Walter said. “We’re not getting any younger.”
Everyone laughed again and Pastor Don began the ceremony. When he got to the vows, he said, “The bride and groom have elected to skip the traditional vows because let’s face it, Ida Belle was never going to stick to that plan. They’ve written their own promises to each other that more befit this later-in-life joining.”
Walter and Ida Belle turned to face each other and he took her hands in his. “Ida Belle, I promise to refrain from offering an opinion on the choices you make, knowing good and well it won’t make a difference.”