Chapter Sixteen

~ Jenna ~

Riley’s memorial service is at Hemlock Presbyterian Church, the same place where he and Grace Marie were supposed to get married last weekend.

My heart is heavy as I climb the steps to the church, entering the same way I did when I was coordinating the wedding. Today, I’m not only here to pay respect to Riley, I’ve volunteered to help Patricia make sure everything goes smoothly—that the flowers are in place, that guests sign the guest book and have directions to the Buxstons’ home after the service where the family will be receiving well-wishers and offering refreshments.

It’s an odd juxtaposition to know that less than a week ago everyone had been geared up for a wedding, but today they’re gathering to memorialize Riley. I’m filled with bittersweet feelings. I’m happy that I’m no longer a person of interest in the case, but that doesn’t bring Riley back and it also means his killer is still out there.

Will the perp have the nerve to show up at the church—or even worse, at the Buxstons’ home afterward?

Of course, Grace Marie will be there.

It’s about an hour before the service starts. The church is mostly empty. It’s the quiet before the family and storm of well-wishers arrive.

This is the first memorial service that I’ve helped coordinate—or should I say, it’s the first wedding I’ve converted into a memorial. While I tried to come up with a list of things beyond the obvious—flowers, guestbook, pen, reserved seating for the family—the church took care of much of that. I’m racking my brain for the small things. Such as it would probably be a good idea to have tissues handy in the sanctuary.

I remember seeing several boxes in the bride’s room last weekend when Grace Marie and her bridesmaids were getting ready. I glance at my watch. If the tissues aren’t there, I’ll still have time to run out and purchase some.

As I approach the room, I hear voices in the otherwise quiet church.

“I refuse to let you go to jail just to save face,” says a male voice.

Umm. What? I pause with my hand on the door, wondering if I heard that right.

I listen harder and hear quiet sniffles and sobs.

I chance a peek through the cracked door.

I see Marco Gianetti and Grace Marie. He’s holding her and she’s crying on his shoulder.

It’s not like they’re making out, but I’ve obviously stumbled upon an intimate moment. What did he mean about refusing to let her go to jail just to save face?

That didn’t sound so innocent.

“Grace Marie, I’m sorry it had to happen this way. I would never wish Riley dead, but now we can be together. Out in the open. No more sneaking around.”

Oh, my gosh. The shock of what I’m witnessing causes me to draw in a sudden breath. In doing that, I lean into the door a bit too hard and it squeaks.

Grace Marie and Marco jump apart, looking startled and guilty.

“What’s going on?” I ask, glancing at Marco’s wrist to see if he’s wearing Riley’s watch.

He’s not.

Grace Marie stiffens and curls her lip at me. Despite her tearstained face and obvious grief, there’s no hiding her disdain for me.

“Go away, Jenna. This is none of your business.”

“Okay, fine, if you don’t want to explain, I guess I’ll have to tell Chief Bradley my own interpretation. Maybe he can figure out why Marco doesn’t want you to go to jail to save face.”

I call their bluff and start to turn away.

“Wait,” Marco says. “Please.”

When I stop, he puts a protective arm around Grace Marie. “We might as well tell her the truth. Grace Marie and I were seeing each other. We were going to end it after she married Riley, but now we don’t have to. We can be together.”

Grace Marie elbows him and wriggles out from under his arm. “There is no we, Marco. We are not going to be together. I don’t know how to make you understand that.” Grace Marie gestures to me. “I knew this was going to happen. Someone was going to find out. That’s why I told you to stay away, Marco. And now—Jenna strikes again. Just leave. Both of you.”

“So, you two have been having an affair?”

Tears are rolling down Grace Marie’s face. “No. We were not. It wasn’t an affair. It was more like an arrangement. One night and it was never going to happen again. Especially not after Riley and I were married. Why am I even telling you this? It’s none of your business.”

“Where were you two between 11:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. Friday night going into Saturday?” I ask.

“We were together,” Grace Marie says. “He is my alibi. He’s the reason I snuck out. I was at his place until about 6:00 a.m. His roommates can verify it. So can the Uber drivers who dropped me off and picked me up.”

She must read in my expression that I don’t believe her.

“Look,” Grace Marie says. “The last thing Charles and Patricia need today is to find out about this. There’s no sense in adding insult to injury.”

I nod because I agree. It would be a pretty bitter pill to swallow to learn that their dead son’s fiancée was fooling around with Marco Yolo the deejay the night before the wedding. It’s not my place to bring that out into the open. In fact, as event planner, it’s my job to shield the family, to make sure things go as smoothly as possible for them during this difficult time.

Still, I don’t understand why she would cheat on Riley the night before the wedding. For that matter, I don’t understand why Marco stole Riley’s watch, or why Grace Marie has such seething hatred for me.

“Marco, did you kill Riley?”

“No. I was with Grace Marie all night.”

“What did you mean when you said Riley was having second thoughts about getting married?”

“What?” Grace Marie snaps.

“That’s what he said,” Marco says. “Look, does it really matter now?”

I’m not sure if it does, but it’s a piece of this peculiar puzzle.

“You’re an idiot,” she mutters.

“Why did you steal Riley’s Rolex?” I ask.

“What?” Grace Marie shouts again and looks at him like he’s scum. “You stole Riley’s Rolex?”

He flinches and his face hardens. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do. You crossed a police line and entered Riley’s condo on Monday. The police have you on the security camera footage. I saw your picture.”

“He owed me money. I only collected what I was due.”

“Oh. My. God,” Grace Marie hisses. “You said our arrangement would cancel the debt.”

“You spent the night with Marco to pay off Riley’s debt?” I’m flabbergasted.

“Don’t judge me,” Grace Marie snaps. “You have no idea what was going on. Riley was in over his head. He owed money to a lot of people, including Marco. He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, and I took him up on it. It was a short-term thing. It erased a good portion of the debt. It was supposed to give us a better start.”

By prostituting yourself? I do not understand.

“How do you two even know each other?” I ask. “Grace Marie had only arrived in Hemlock a few days before the wedding.”

“I spent some time in Atlanta hanging out with Riley,” Marco says.

“Wow. What a good friend,” I say. “Did Riley know about your arrangement?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Nobody did.” Grace Marie whirls to face Marco. “You said the debt was settled, and then you go and steal his watch? It’s worth way more than what he owed you.”

“He owed me a lot of money, sweetheart. You know, interest and all. And I’m not the only one he owed.”

He says the last part under his breath. The words are swallowed up by Grace Marie’s demand. “Give me his watch, Marco.” She holds out her hand. “Give it to me now.”

Marco holds up both hands and steps back. “I don’t have it on me. Do you think I’m so stupid I’d wear it to his memorial service?”

Grace Marie snorts. “You are not staying for the memorial service. You are leaving and getting the watch and bringing it to me.”

“Or what? Are you going to kill me?” He scoffs, turns, and heads toward the door.

“Wait, Marco,” I say. “Who else did Riley owe money?”

He sighs as if giving up the information is painful. “There were these poker games—”

The door to the bridal room squeaks. The three of us turn toward it.

“Is everything okay in here?” Reverend Flannery asks.

“It is,” I say. “We were just remembering Riley.”

Grace Marie and Marco nod.

“Unfortunately, Marco was just leaving.” Grace Marie walks toward the door. “I’m sorry you can’t stay for the service.”

“Feel free to sign the guest book, son,” the reverend says. “I’m sure the family would love to know you stopped by. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must get ready for the service.”

He disappears the same way he entered the room, seemingly oblivious to what was transpiring.

“What about the poker games?” I demand.

Marco glances around nervously and shakes his head. “I’ve already said too much.”

“You can either tell me or you can talk to the police about it.” I sound a lot braver than I feel.

“It’s too complicated to get into now.”

“Then you can tell me about it tonight when you return Riley’s Rolex,” I say.

Marco’s jaw twitches. “Not tonight. I have to work.”

“Are you delaying at the Hideaway?” Grace Marie asks.

When he doesn’t answer, Grace Marie says, “Bring the watch to the Hideaway tonight.”

“You don’t know what you’re getting yourselves into,” Marco sneers. He looks a lot more menacing than the first time I saw him at the country club dancing around with headphones on. “You better watch your backs.”

After he’s gone, Grace Marie says to me, “You can leave, too. I don’t want you at Riley’s service.”

I hold up my hands. “I’m not leaving, Grace Marie. The family asked me to be here today to help them. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

I glance past her and see the two boxes of tissues on the table right where I’d left them on Saturday. I walk over and scoop them up.

“You’re not going to tell them, are you?” Her voice is small and a tear rolls down her cheek.

“The last thing I intend to do is burden Patricia and Charles with something like this on the day of their son’s memorial,” I say. “But I’m going to offer you a piece of advice.”

Grace Marie rolls her eyes, but she doesn’t stop me.

“Today is about saying goodbye to Riley. Show some respect for him and his family.”

I hand her a couple of tissues and leave the room.

After I deposit the boxes in the church sanctuary, I head out to the parking lot to sit in my car and make notes about what just happened. Just like my mom has been doing. Then I see her car turn into the parking lot.

I wait for her, trying to process everything I’ve just learned.

If Riley owed Marco money, why would Marco kill him? If Marco had gone to collect the debt the night that Riley died, wouldn’t he have taken the watch then, rather than risk returning to the crime scene to steal it?

Grace Marie was resourceful and spiteful. On one hand, she was so desperate to marry into the Buxston family, why would she kill Riley before making the marriage legal? But her temper seemed to get the better of her at times.

However, if Marco’s roommates can verify Grace Marie and Marco were together all night, they’ll both have airtight alibis.

With Nicole, Grace Marie, and Marco cleared, who killed Riley?

We still have to find Ear Gauge Guy, who was fighting with Riley the night he died, and learn who else Riley owed money.

The Hideaway might just give us some answers. Other than my house, it was the last place Riley went before he died. It’ll be good to have a look around. Plus, I have a hunch that we will be able to press Marco for more details on Riley’s creditors.

I tell my mother what transpired inside the church. We decide not to tell Jackson until after we go to the Hideaway tonight. We agree it will be better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission, which he is sure to deny. It’s still too soon after our near miss with the police line.

While the Hideaway isn’t our usual type of place, it’s public property. He can’t forbid us from going. But it might be a good idea to wait and tell him tomorrow. We might be able to hand over all kinds of leads in one nice neat package.

“People are beginning to arrive,” I say. “Time to play event planner. Let’s see if Ben is in a good enough place after the memorial to hear what happened. It would be helpful if he could come with us tonight. Maybe that dude Ben told us about, Ear Gauge Guy, is one of the missing pieces. Maybe Riley owed him money? Think about it. Ben said Riley asked for $15,000 right before he fought with this guy.”

“It makes sense,” Mom says. “We need to go to the Hideaway and investigate every possible lead.”

My mom is going to the reception at the Buxstons’ house, but we still make plans to meet at 9:00 p.m. and drive out to the Hideaway.

Later, Marco doesn’t show up at the service or the Buxstons’ palatial home for the reception. Grace Marie gives an award-winning performance as Riley’s grief-stricken almost-widow. If I hadn’t walked in on her and Marco at the church, I would’ve never suspected she’d accepted Marco’s indecent proposal the night before her wedding.

Maybe the reason Grace Marie got so upset about Nicole and Riley getting together while he and Grace Marie were broken up was because she was guilty of the same thing. Only they weren’t broken up during Grace Marie’s transgressions, and it appeared Nicole’s feelings for Riley may have been genuine.

I’m in the dining room surveying the buffet table so I can alert the waitstaff to which platters need to be replenished when Charles pings his highball glass with a knife and calls everyone into the living room.

“Thank you all for being here today.” He pauses and draws in a deep breath that makes me think he’s trying to settle his emotions. “Patricia and I appreciate your support. I’ll be honest, we’ll need a lot more in the days to come. This is a fate I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Parents should not have to bury a child.”

He is standing, but Patricia is seated in a Louis XV–style chair to his right. She lifts a clean white handkerchief to her eyes and blots delicately. Her bottom lip is trembling. I worry that she’s about to lose it—everyone in the room is about to lose it listening to Charles talk so candid about their raw grief. Ever the maven of manners, Patricia indulges in one last sniffle and lifts her chin pulling herself together.

“However,” Charles continues, “there is a ray of sunshine compliments of Riley’s best friend, Todd Devlin. Todd, where are you?”

Todd waves from the back of the room.

“Come up here, son. Stand next to me while I tell everyone what you’ve proposed.”

Todd joins Charles next to the grand piano.

“I’m not sure how many of you know Todd. He was one of Riley’s groomsmen and his very best friend. He and Riley met as fraternity brothers when Riley was enrolled at Hemlock College. We all know that Riley liked to have fun and devoted the best part of himself to the fraternity rather than school—” A sad smile lifts the corners of Charles’s mouth and a wave of timid laughter sounds. “It turns out that might not have been a bad thing. If not for Sigma Chi, Riley might not have met Todd, who has decided to start a scholarship in Riley’s name to raise money for underprivileged children to participate in sporting programs.”

Polite applause fills the room.

When the room is quiet again, Charles says. “Sports is another area where Todd and Riley connected. Todd owns Devlin Fitness, it’s a gym off of Collins Avenue. He is going to have a fund-raiser for the first annual Riley Buxston Athletic Scholarship. We’re still pulling together details, but—Say, Todd, do you think you can iron out a date for the event in the next day or so?”

Todd nods. “I don’t see why not.”

“Good. Good. If you can, maybe we can set you up in a booth at the Christmas festival this weekend. We can pass out flyers and get the word out about the fund-raiser. My assistant can help expedite the design and printing of the flyers. My wife is on the committee that’s organizing it—”

“Charles, dear,” Patricia interrupts. “Jenna Bell is the chair of the Christmas festival this year. I’m sure she will be eager to help in any way she can.”

“Absolutely,” I say, even though all the booths are sold and have been for months. But it’s a good cause. And I have an idea. “I want to do everything I can to help raise awareness for the scholarship. Todd can share my booth, Champagne Wedding and Event Designs, and we can promote the event together.”

The room erupts in applause.

After everyone starts mingling again, I find Todd and give him one of my business cards.

“Call me in the next day or so and we can make arrangements for how much space you need.”

“Thanks, Jenna. I appreciate you making room for me.”

“I cared about Riley,” I said. “This is such a nice way to keep his memory alive. He loved sports. If not for his injury, I think his life might’ve turned out a lot different.”

I’m getting choked up and Todd puts a hand on my arm. He has tears in his eyes, too. “I get it. I can’t believe he’s gone.”

It’s probably just the grief cranking my emotions up to an eleven, but it feels like something passes between us. Some kind of awareness that’s been brewing beneath the surface all this time.

Todd isn’t classically good-looking, not like Ian, who could be the love child of a Brooks Brothers and Benetton ad with his caramel skin and sharp way of dressing. Or Riley, who was hot in a spoiled rich guy, Ralph Lauren way.

What Todd the bod lacks in looks, he makes up for in fitness. He has an Abercrombie and Fitch body—arms that test the boundaries of his long-sleeved dress shirt and a chest that could move mountains. I suspect that under the buttoned-up shirt is a rock-hard, washboard stomach that’s a byproduct of his gym business.

He doesn’t seem like a meathead. Of course, anyone compassionate enough to start a scholarship to keep his best friend’s memory alive would have a lot more depth than that.

“Maybe I could take you out to lunch sometime,” he says. “To thank you for letting me share your booth.”

“You don’t need to repay me, but I’d love to have lunch. My schedule is tight until after the festival, but it will be something to look forward to.”

He smiles and it hits me in an unexpected place that feels inappropriate right now.

My mind reels, searching for a way to rein in myself.

“Hey, listen, Ben said that Riley got into a fight at the Hideaway with a guy who has ear gauges and a lot of tattoos. Do you know who he is, or do you remember seeing him there before?”

“When the police interviewed me, they asked me about him.” Todd shakes his head. “I’d remember a guy like that if I saw him. Maybe he was there causing trouble.”

“Some of us are going to go check out the place tonight,” I say. “Do you want to come?”

“What time were you heading over there?”

“Around 9:00.”

“Yeah. Sounds good. I’ll see you there.”

“One more thing,” I say. “Do you know anything about poker games? Maybe Riley owed money to someone who ran them?”

Todd frowns and shakes his head. “You don’t think he was involved in something like that, do you?”

“I don’t know, but we might be able to find out some information tonight at the Hideaway.”

“Sounds like it’s going to be an eventful night. I have to run now, but I’m looking forward to seeing you there.”

He smiles and my stomach does the weird flipping thing again.

“Me, too.”

Ben is standing by himself by the food table. Even though it’s not the best time to ask him if he wants to go to a bar with us, it’s the first time I’ve had a chance to catch him alone.

“It was a nice service,” I say.

He nods.

“Where are Elizabeth and the kids?” I ask.

“This whole ordeal has been too stressful for her. I told her she needs to think about the baby. So she took the kids and went to her mom’s house in Richmond.”

“I don’t blame her,” I say. “When is the baby due?”

“In February.”

She’s seven months pregnant. With four young kids to care for in the midst of a crisis like this, it was good she got out of town. It also means Ben might be able to go to the Hideaway tonight.

After I tell him about Marco confessing to stealing the Rolex, he’s all in.

“Todd says he’ll meet us there. He can help us retrace Riley’s steps as best as he can remember.”

“That’s good,” Ben says.

“I should give you the heads-up that Grace Marie might show up, too.”

He pulls a face. “Why is she going?”

“Like all of us, she has her own reasons. You really don’t like her, do you?”

“No, I don’t. Despite what my parents believed, I never thought she was good for my brother.”

In the past, I would’ve written off his disdain to animosity over Grace Marie largely being responsible for getting Riley back into their parents’ good graces, but now I know better.

Ben is right. Grace Marie’s motives weren’t pure. She really wasn’t good for Riley. But it’s too late for that to matter anymore. All we can do is band together and catch the person who did this to Riley.