Chapter 1 - Ghost of Honor by ReGina Welling & Erin Lynn

At first, I wasn’t surprised to see Ernie Polk walk into the atrium. He’d been invited to the wedding, after all. It was his expression that gave me my first pang of worry. He didn’t look like he’d come to offer us his best wishes. Instead, he had his cop face on.
What now? I thought as he spotted me standing beside Drew, saying goodnight to one of the guests.
Ernie wasted no time crossing the room. Dread built in me with every step he took.
“Drew Parker,” he said without glancing in my direction. “I’m placing you under arrest for the murder of Jerry Kaminski.”
Over Ernie’s shoulder, the ghost of Dolly Tibbets winked out—presumably to find and welcome the town’s newest ghost to the post-living community. I had no illusions whatsoever that Jerry would have gone into the light, and neither, it seemed, did she.
“Jerry’s dead?” And for once, I hadn’t found the body. Should I feel bad for feeling good about that? Probably. The relief lasted about a nanosecond before the enormity of the situation hit me again. “What happened?”
“I’m not at liberty to give details about an ongoing investigation.” Ernie began to read Drew his rights. “You have the right to remain silent.”
“And that’s just what you’ll do.” Patrea had appeared at my side. “Let him take you into custody.” Not that Drew had put up a struggle. “And don’t say a word until I get there.”
“Until we get there,” I insisted. “I’m coming with you.”
I didn’t care that I was still wearing my wedding dress. I didn’t care if all of these people were my responsibility. I only cared that something was happening to someone I loved, and I needed to do whatever I could to make it better. That’s who I am—who I have always been—the kind of person whose mind immediately goes into problem-solving mode whenever there is a crisis. It’s not just a skill but a personality trait.
But Patrea touched my arm while Ernie finished his spiel and pulled me aside. “Not this time, Everly. This is what I do, and you need to trust me. I’ve got him, okay?” I wasn’t the only problem solver in my immediate group of friends.
“Stay and deal with things here,” Drew finally said. “I’ll be fine. I haven’t killed anyone.”
“I know that.” I glared at Ernie, who should have known better. He didn’t even flinch, which didn’t bode well. Thanks to him, my bright and shining, perfect day was now a tarnished mess.
By now, guests were filtering in from other areas of the house to see what the fuss was about.
“What’s going on here?” Junior Pease’s booming voice cut through the murmurs like a chainsaw through balsa wood.
I didn’t remember inviting him, but since they were both active in the VFW, Drew could have, or Junior could have been someone’s plus one. Either way, he planted himself squarely in front of Ernie and Drew, his face reddening to match the color of the lobster puff appetizers we’d had earlier. His question was rhetorical since it didn’t take a giant leap to see what was going on here.
“You can’t be arresting a veteran on his wedding day in front of God and everyone. I won’t have it. Do you hear me, Ernie Polk?” Junior’s voice cracked with indignation, his hands clenching. “You oughta be ashamed, slapping cuffs on this good man like he’s nothing but a common criminal! Explain yourself.”
The room seemed to hold its breath, guests exchanging wide-eyed glances. Even the music went quiet. I could practically feel their collective disbelief morphing into a thick fog of speculation that would surely blanket the entire town with gossip by morning.
Ernie declined to elaborate. “I’m doing my job. That’s all you need to know.”
“Junior, please.” Drew’s words tried to cut through the older man’s fog of anger, but they went ignored, lost in the sudden swell of conflict.
“Shame on you, Ernie!” Junior continued, jabbing a finger towards the officer whose jaw twitched beneath his stern facade. “This isn’t how we do things here. We look after our own, and we certainly don’t drag them away on what should be the happiest day of their lives. Your mother would be mortified.”
“Enough, Junior,” Ernie finally growled, his patience wearing thin as river ice in spring. “Step aside.”
But Junior was a force unto himself, a gale that wouldn’t be stilled. His outburst echoed off the walls, stirring up a storm within the once-serene reception. And just like that, my wedding had turned into a scene straight out of one of those thrilling crime novels – minus the thrills and double the drama.
Worse, now that more of the guests had been drawn to the source of the conflict, a commotion swelled like a cresting wave, crashing down to wash away all remnants of wedding cheer. Not that Ernie hadn’t done that already.
My father stepped forward, his presence like a lighthouse amid the brewing storm. He placed a firm hand on Junior’s shoulder, leaning in with the quiet authority he always carried.
“Junior,” he said, voice steady and clear, “lets you and I have a word outside, hmm?”
There was something about the way Dad squared his shoulders, the imperceptible nod, that settled even the most obstinate folks down. Maybe his years of standing in front of high school students gave him the presence needed to deflate Junior’s bluster. The older man’s eyes flickered toward my father with a hint of respect.
“Fine,” Junior huffed, allowing Dad to steer him away from the crowd, albeit with one last glowering look at Ernie, who paused as he took Drew’s arm.
“I didn’t kill Jerry Kaminski.” Infused with certainty, Drew’s voice echoed across the room.
A murmur of agreement spread throughout the guests, but I knew their support could be fickle. By morning, the roots of doubt would be set in the fertile soil around the local grapevine. Phone lines would burn with talk about attending a wedding where the groom had been arrested. Some would decide he’d done something to earn it.
Staring out at a sea of faces, I disconnected from the joy of the day. My mind churned with questions, each colliding into the next until my mind was filled with them. What evidence could possibly connect Drew to Jerry’s murder? It was like making sense of a jigsaw puzzle with half the pieces missing.
I knew Drew—the rhythm of his heart and the absolute force of his convictions. There wasn’t a shadow of a doubt he was innocent. But the truth would be the only thing to set him free. It didn’t look like Ernie was overly concerned with finding it, but I certainly was.
A hush fell over the room as Ernie escorted Drew out. He held his head high, meeting people’s gazes as he went. I watched him go, my heart thudding like a drumbeat against my ribs. Love as fierce as anything I’d ever felt settled over me, along with the absolute knowledge that I’d find a way to fix this.
“What the hell just happened?” Jacy’s voice cut through the fog in my head as she reached out, her touch grounding me back to the moment. Her eyes were wide, mirroring the question marks flying around in my head.
“I don’t know,” I admitted, the words tasting sour. “But we’re going to find out.”
“I’ll call you as soon as I know anything.” Patrea’s voice sliced through the silence, decisive and unwavering. She was already moving, her tall frame straight and her stride purposeful as she hurried after Drew and Ernie. “We’ll fix this. Don’t worry.”
“Hey.” Neena’s Southern lilt was gentle but firm as she grasped my arm. “We’re with you on this. We’ll turn Mooselick River upside down if we have to.”
“Bet your ass,” Jacy chimed in, her gaze steady. “Right. First things first, we deal with all of this.” She circled a hand to indicate the remnants of my wedding celebration.
Their words were a balm to the sting of fear and confusion. As Junior Pease’s agitated voice rose once more in a crescendo of anger, a peculiar calm settled over me. His outburst might have rattled the guests, but I had seen enough of life—and death—to recognize the tremor of genuine emotion as he re-entered the room with my father trailing behind.
“Junior, that’s enough,” I said softly, not unkindly. My voice didn’t carry far, but it wasn’t meant to. It was, for him, a reminder that chaos wouldn’t serve any of us well now.
Junior ran a hand over his white beard and scowled as he turned to me, his stoop-shouldered frame heaving with the effort to contain himself. I met his gaze squarely, letting him read the determination in mine. I could see past his bluster to his loyalty to those who served in the armed forces. It clung to him like cobwebs in an abandoned house.
“Sorry, Everly,” he muttered almost inaudibly over the remaining whispers of the crowd. “I can’t stand seeing a good man taken down like that. He’s a veteran who stood for us when asked. I can’t do less than stand for him now.”
“That’s fine, but the best way to stand for him is to stop making a scene.” The disrespectful words were out before I could think better of them. Sometimes, that happened—my mouth running off without consulting my brain. But right now, there was truth in the recklessness.
“Sorry.” Junior’s head dipped in chagrin, and he finally quieted.
I looked at Jacy and Neena, their faces set with the same resolute expression that I felt etching across my own features. We would turn every stone, chase every ghost—literally and figuratively—of a clue until Drew was back where he belonged.
“Okay,” I said, my voice steadier than I expected. “Looks like the party’s over. Let’s move these folks along.”
I sucked in a deep breath, the kind that’s meant to steel your nerves—or at least that’s what I told myself. Only about a third of the die-hards remained.
“Everyone,” I called out, my voice echoing slightly through the expanse of the atrium. “Please, let’s not let tonight be remembered for…well, this little hiccup.” I smiled, and it wasn’t entirely forced.
“Ernie is just doing his job,” I continued, weaving through the crowd to gently guide people towards the exit. “You know how he gets—a dog with a bone. But this is all a big misunderstanding. I’m sure of it.”
A murmur of agreement rippled through the room, and I felt a tiny flicker of triumph. Calming an agitated crowd was no small feat, but this wasn’t my first time.
“Let’s give Drew and Patrea some space to sort this out,” I suggested warmly, hoping my natural calm would be contagious. “We’ll have this mess cleared up faster than Martha Tipton can organize a bake sale.”
Laughter trickled out, relieving some of the tension as the guests filtered out, their murmurs and backward glances containing a mix of support and speculation. I stood at the threshold of what was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, now turned into a scene right out of a ‘how-not-to’ wedding planner’s guidebook.
As the room cleared, I refused to let the mask of confidence slip enough so anyone could peer behind it and see the unease lurking just beneath.
What on earth could Ernie have found to pin on Drew? My mind raced through every conversation, every shared glance. With his easy smile and open heart, Drew was about as likely to commit murder as I was to start a polka band. Something didn’t add up.
I rubbed my temples, feeling the ghost of a headache beginning to form. I wasn’t Jerry’s biggest fan by any means, but his unrequited crush on me wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. And while Drew had found some of Jerry’s comments annoying, they weren’t annoying enough for Drew to kill him over.
With the guests gone and only my closest friends and family remaining, I turned to find Patrea’s husband, Chris, standing nearby.
“Well,” I said, “for a wedding venue trial run, I guess that was one for the books. You don’t think Patrea will consider this an omen, do you?”
Always the master of understatement, Chris cocked one eyebrow. “Have you met my wife?”
Of course, practical Patrea wouldn’t let what had happened tonight stand in her way.
“She’ll fix this.” Chris held my gaze. “Don’t worry. Drew will be home before morning if I know my wife.”
I nodded, hoping he was right, then turned to join Drew’s family for a moment where they’d clustered around his mother, who sat in one of the chairs.
“Who’s this Kaminski fellow?” Drew’s father asked, concern wrinkling his brow.
“Jerry Kaminski. Patrea hired him to do some plaster work during the renovation, and he developed…let’s call it a crush for the lack of a better term. On me. It was nothing,” I said when fire flickered in his eyes. Like father, like son. Protectiveness must run in Drew’s family. “Harmless, really, which is one reason I’m certain Drew had nothing to do with his death.”
“My son is no murderer,” Drew’s mother said, her voice watery with tears.
“No, he’s not,” I agreed. “And we’ll prove it. Don’t you worry. Patrea’s the best attorney I’ve ever met. She’ll do everything she can for him, and so will I. Maybe you should go back to the inn and get some rest. I’ll call you the minute I have more information.”
“Come on, Mom.” Drew’s brother took her arm and helped her stand. “Everly’s right. There’s nothing more we can do tonight.”
Nodding, she let Tom lead out without any further fuss.
“Everly, you’re doing great,” Jacy whispered, her hand gently squeezing my shoulder once they’d gone.
“Room check complete,” Neena said as she and David re-entered the room. They’d slipped out when I wasn’t watching to ensure no guests lingered. “It’s just us now.”
“Okay.” I exhaled, allowing the brave face to slip just an inch—not too much, mind you, as I wasn’t alone yet. I could fall apart at home, but I had no intention of doing that here.
“Do you want to come home with us?” Mom offered, slinging her arms around me and squeezing me. “You don’t have to be alone tonight.”
“I’ll be fine, Mom. But I appreciate the offer.” I needed the time to process and settle myself.
Except, I must have been closer to the edge than I realized because instead of the tears stinging behind my eyes, a hysterical giggle burst out. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a real-life whodunit. Except, instead of Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick, we’ve got Chief Ernie in the wedding venue with a pair of handcuffs.”
That a sob followed the levity was the only thing that kept my mother from giving me the same disapproving look she’d worn when I’d married a man she didn’t like. Instead, she handed me off to my dad for one of his patented hugs that soothed everything. He held me until my breath stopped hitching and then let me go. So much for waiting until I was alone to break down.
“Seriously though, we’ll get to the bottom of this.” I squared my shoulders, my gaze sweeping over the faces of those who knew me best—those who knew the depth of my abilities and the lengths I’d go to for the people I loved. “Drew is innocent, and I intend to prove it.”
“Not by yourself.” Jacy took my hand and squeezed. “We’re all in this with you. Whatever it takes.”
It helped to be with the people who knew me best and wouldn’t expect me to do this alone.
“Now, let’s get you out of that dress,” Mom said, tugging on my arm to get me moving.
With the distant murmur of my friends’ voices in the background, I followed Mom to the bridal suite, catching sight of my tear-ravaged face in the mirror that had reflected my joy just a few scant hours ago.
“Come here, sweetheart,” Mom said, her voice a soothing balm as she reached for the hidden zipper at the back of my dress, her fingers deft and practiced.
“Feels like I just got into this thing,” I muttered, trying to muster a smile. My dress rustled softly, like whispered secrets, as she helped lift it away from my body and hung it on its hanger.
“You looked beautiful, Everly,” she reassured me, running her hand over the fabric with a tenderness that made my heart clench.
“Yeah, a beautiful bride with a husband who’s been carted off to jail on our wedding day.” The sarcasm was there, but it lacked its usual bite. Standing in just my undergarments and bare feet, I felt suddenly vulnerable and exposed.
“Your father and I are so proud of you, Everly. Not just for today but for who you are. You’re strong. Resourceful. You have such a big heart and a questing mind.” She draped an arm around my shoulders, and I leaned into her embrace.
“Thanks, Mom. I will need all that to get Drew out of this mess.” I took a deep breath, the familiar stirrings of determination rising within me. “I don’t know what’s happened, but I know Drew’s innocent. And I’m going to prove it.”
“Of course, you will,” she agreed, handing me the pair of comfortable jeans and loose top I’d arrived in. “You’ve got your friends and family behind you, and that special gift should come in handy.” She gave a wry smile, acknowledging the psychic abilities she’d passed down to me even if she didn’t generally use them herself.
“Special is one way to put it,” I said, pulling on the top and inhaling the comforting scent of home woven into the threads. It felt weird to be putting on everyday things after hours spent feeling like a Gatsby princess.
“Any sign of Jerry yet?”
“None.” He’d have known better than to crash my wedding. Or maybe I was giving him too much credit. “He probably hasn’t figured out I could see him.”
“I suppose that’s for the best. You should go home and get some rest, honey. Tomorrow, you’ll need all your strength.” She kissed my forehead, her lips warm against my skin.
“Rest,” I echoed, though I knew sleep would be elusive. Too many questions were swirling in my mind, too many ghosts—both literal and figurative—haunting the edges of my consciousness. Plus, I knew I wouldn’t get a wink of sleep until Patrea called to tell me what she’d learned.
Efficient as always, Mom had my dress packed up and the bag slung over her arm before I finished gathering the rest of my things.
“You can leave that here, I think. Patrea won’t mind. I’ll have to come back tomorrow to deal with the gifts and whatnot, and I need to call the airlines and cancel our flight. If you don’t mind keeping Molly tonight, I’ll pick her up in the morning.”
“Whatever you need, dear. Let’s go back down and see what else needs doing.” Mom slipped her hand in mine, and together, we walked back down the curving staircase to where my friends waited.
“Call me the minute you hear anything,” Jacy ordered while her husband, Brian, enveloped me in a hug.
“No matter what time,” he whispered in my ear.
“Will do.”
“Same goes for me.” Neena hugged me next. “Unless you want me to come stay the night. I’m happy to keep you company.”
“I think I’ll be fine.” I turned to David, the other member of my close-knit group. “You’ll take care of Drew’s folks?”
David owned the inn in town where Drew’s family had booked rooms. He’d given them the friends-and-family discount, but I planned to pick up the bill anyway. I just hadn’t told any of them yet.
“Consider it done.” Being the least physically demonstrative of the bunch, he patted my shoulder.
I let them bundle me into my car and spent the ride home trying to tame my errant thoughts.