Chapter 16 - The Wedding That Became a Trap
The invitation said charity gala.
The decorations said wedding.
When Adrian and I entered the Grand Meridian ballroom, I stopped so suddenly that he nearly walked past me.
White roses covered the tables.
A string quartet played near the staircase.
An enormous floral arch stood at the far end of the room.
And above it hung an illuminated sign:
A CELEBRATION OF NEW BEGINNINGS.
I turned toward Adrian.
"Please tell me you didn't arrange this."
He looked offended.
"I have better taste in floral arrangements."
I almost smiled.
For the event, Rosa had helped me choose a midnight-blue satin gown with long sleeves and a simple neckline.
My hair fell in loose waves over my shoulders.
Adrian wore an elegant black tuxedo.
When he first saw me downstairs at the mansion, he'd stopped speaking halfway through a sentence.
Rosa had looked enormously pleased with herself.
Now, however, neither of us felt particularly festive.
Victor Hale stood near the center of the ballroom, greeting donors and posing for photographs.
When he saw us, his smile widened.
"Adrian. Emma. How wonderful."
"Victor," Adrian replied.
I said nothing.
Victor looked at my gown.
"Beautiful. Your father would have been proud."
I held his gaze.
"Leave my father out of your conversation."
Several nearby guests turned.
Victor maintained his smile.
"Still spirited."
Detective Reyes and her team were present in coordination with event security, although nobody in the room besides a few participants understood the full situation.
The purpose of our attendance was simple.
Allow Victor an opportunity to communicate his demands while preserving evidence.
Avoid confrontation.
Leave safely.
Simple plans, unfortunately, have a way of becoming complicated around the Russo family.
Halfway through the evening, the lights dimmed.
A large screen above the floral arch illuminated.
Victor stepped onto the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for supporting the Nightjar Foundation."
Polite applause followed.
He discussed charity.
Children.
Opportunity.
Generosity.
Every word sounded increasingly unpleasant to me.
Then he smiled toward our table.
"Tonight, I also wish to celebrate a rather unexpected union."
My stomach dropped.
Adrian straightened.
On the screen appeared a photograph of us outside the chapel.
The moment he'd knelt in front of me.
The photograph made it look as though he was proposing marriage.
A collective murmur passed through the ballroom.
Victor spread his arms.
"Congratulations to Adrian Russo and Emma Shaw on their engagement!"
I stared at the screen.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
Cameras turned toward us.
Adrian slowly rose.
"Victor."
His voice was dangerously quiet.
Victor continued smiling.
"Come on, Adrian. Don't be shy."
I stood beside him.
My face was burning.
Someone began applauding.
Another guest joined.
Within seconds, half the ballroom was congratulating us on an engagement that had never happened.
I leaned toward Adrian.
"This is officially the worst date of my life."
He looked at me.
"Is this a date?"
"Don't push your luck."
His mouth twitched.
Then Victor invited us onto the stage.
We did not move.
Instead, Adrian turned toward one of the event coordinators and requested that the screen be shut off.
Victor's smile finally slipped.
The ballroom became awkwardly quiet.
I stepped forward.
"There's been a misunderstanding," I said clearly. "Mr. Russo and I are not engaged."
A few nervous laughs followed.
Victor lifted his microphone.
"Surely a little celebration doesn't hurt."
"It does when it's dishonest."
The room went silent.
I continued.
"And since this is a charity event, perhaps someone should ask why the Nightjar Foundation is connected to an ongoing investigation involving fraudulent accounts."
Several guests lowered their glasses.
Victor's face hardened.
Then he recovered.
"Miss Shaw appears to have misunderstood certain business matters."
"Then I'm sure you'll welcome the opportunity to clarify them to investigators."
Adrian gently touched my elbow.
"Emma."
I looked at him.
He gave the smallest shake of his head.
Enough.
We'd made our point.
And we'd obtained what the investigators needed from Victor's earlier private remarks.
We turned to leave.
Then my phone vibrated.
A new message.
A photograph of Lucy.
She was sitting inside a room I didn't recognize.
Beneath it were the words:
Come upstairs alone.
My entire body went cold.
I grabbed Adrian's arm.
He looked at the screen.
Immediately, he contacted Reyes.
Within minutes, investigators were coordinating with hotel security.
The photograph's background appeared to match a private suite on the hotel's upper floor.
I waited near the ballroom entrance as officers moved into position.
Adrian remained beside me.
His jaw was clenched so tightly that I could see the muscle moving.
Then a voice spoke behind us.
"Still trying to save everybody, Adrian?"
We turned.
A man stood near the service corridor.
Tall.
Dark hair.
Gray eyes.
The resemblance was unmistakable.
Nicholas Russo.
Alive.
He wore a tailored navy suit and carried a glass of champagne.
He looked at his older brother.
Then at me.
A smile crossed his face.
"Emma Shaw."
My hands turned cold.
"Your father was a very troublesome man."
Adrian stepped forward.
"Nicholas."
His brother smiled wider.
"Hello, big brother."
May you like
Then he reached into his pocket.
And the ballroom lights went out.
