I was almost too scared to look up. I didn’t move a muscle, but I let my eyes scan up to the person behind the gun.

“Get in,” Pastor Charles said. Gone was the kind man I’d known for the past ten years. I could see his former self right there in his eyes. “Tell them you’re driving separately. Do it now, or I’ll shoot every one of them.”

I backed away quickly before the others became too curious and wandered over, and then I got Rosemarie’s attention.

“I’m going to drive myself,” I said.

“But the limo…”

“I know, but I need a little time alone. To meditate.”

“Is that a code word for bailing out?” she asked. “You’re not changing your mind, are you? Because the ba—”

She pressed her lips together and pretended to zip them.

“I’m not changing my mind,” I promised. “All is good. I just need to be alone for a bit.”

She nodded, but she wasn’t happy about it, and she got into the back of the limo with the others. I breathed out a sigh of relief and went around to the driver’s side. I tried three times to get in, but between my shaking hands and dress, I wasn’t having a lot of success.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” Charles said. He put the gun in the passenger seat and then leaned over and hauled me in. Then he took the gun and moved behind me while I got settled.

I looked in the rearview mirror and almost screamed when I saw someone else sitting in one of the passenger seats. Whoever it was, he was very obviously dead. My van had death cooties.

“Who…who’s that?” I asked.

“Emile Cardonas. You did exactly what I needed you to do after I hired you, and I was able to hunt him down. I’ve always been a fan of the garrote. It’s not used nearly enough in my estimation.”

“It certainly isn’t something you’d want to use if you want an open casket,” I quipped. Emile’s face was a bruised purple and his staring eyes bulged out.

I waited until there was a break in traffic and then pulled out.“I hate to break this to you, but I’m kind of the star of the show. People are going to notice if I’m missing.”

“Nobody is going to notice anything,” he said. “I need a ride to Whiskey Bayou. If I drove back in myself someone would notice. That place is swarming with agents. All I need is a distraction so I can get in and out, and then disappear for a little while.”

“Why do you need to go back? Especially if you know they’re looking for you?”

“I left a little insurance behind. I had to leave town rather sudden and didn’t get to pack for the trip. And for some reason, people are more interested in my whereabouts than usual. I have a feeling I have you to thank for that. I haven’t been able to take a crap in that town this week without someone knowing about it.”

I wrinkled my nose. That wasn’t a pleasant image. I could see the limo a few cars in front of me, but I deliberately stayed back.

“God, you’re a pain in the ass,” he said.

I gasped at the thought of him cursing, and then remembered he wasn’t really a preacher.

“Seriously?” he asked. “Does my language offend you? You were supposed to be a lot dumber. All I asked was one simple thing. If you’d done what you were supposed to I could’ve drawn Emile out and killed him without all the hassle. As it was, I had people swarming me twenty-four-seven. It was just sheer luck that made it impossible for Emile to get close enough to kill me.”

“Well,” I said primly. “It sounds like it all worked out for you. You got what you wanted.”

“I should’ve been out of this crap hole, three days ago. But you ruined my plans. Why the hell did you call in the FBI?”

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” I said. “Besides, this is a mess of your own making. Don’t blame me because you were sloppy and your past caught up to you. I wouldn’t have kept digging if your ‘friend’ hadn’t screwed up and told me Tilda Sweeney was no longer working at the church. Her picture was right there on the website. I gave the number you put on your reference sheet to a friend at the FBI. It wasn’t that hard for them to connect the dots.”

Charles clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Gabriel,” he said, shaking his head. “He was loyal, but he was never the sharpest knife in the drawer. In the end, he got what he deserved.”

“Who’s Gabriel?”

“He had a little mishap at the church,” Charles said. “It seemed like a punishment that fit the crime.”

“Being murdered and hung up on a cross?” I asked.

Charles shrugged. “I’ve always had a flair for the dramatic. I’ve missed that about my old life.”

“It seems to have come back to you rather quickly,” I said dryly. “Why would you kill your friend?”

“Friend is a relative term,” he said. “And I needed to make a point. Everyone in the cartel knew Gabriel and I were close at one time. If I was going to take it away from Emile I had to show them I was ruthless. That no one had a free pass. Once those who are loyal to Emile see the tapes I made of his and Gabriel’s deaths, they’ll know not to challenge me. They’ll know I’m back.”

“That was the point of this? So you could go back to your old life and take over the cartel?”

“Of course,” he said. “I’ve spent a decade planning this. I purposely kept in touch with Gabriel. I also knew he hadn’t been as careful about keeping his location hidden from the cartel and that they were watching him. He came here looking for me last fall to warn me that Emile was looking for me, but I already knew that. I was finally ready for Emile to find me. And the dummy led him right to me.

“It was the only good thing about living in that crap town. I was safer there than living in any big city. People were so up my ass all the time Emile didn’t have a chance to make a move, and he didn’t have a chance of sneaking up on me without me knowing about it. He knew he’d screwed up after he stopped at the café that day. Jolene asked him too many questions, and she knew what kind of car he was driving. Told him she’d seen him around town and asked who he was visiting. It made him nervous, so he laid low for a while.

“But he came back, just a couple of days here and there. Emile likes to play, but he doesn’t have half the brains his brother did. I let him play. Think he was messing with me. He’s never known the best time to strike the sword, and this time he waited too long. He could’ve tried to kill me when he left that picture on my nightstand, but I knew he was there. I made sure the front porch light was out so he could come in without being seen. The dumbass just stood there, and then he left, hoping to scare me.”

“Did Emile want to kill you because you turned on his brother?” I asked.

“Hell no,” Charles said. “Emile is the one who ratted me out to the cops. I was standing in his way because Frank was grooming me to take more responsibility in the organization. Emile was jealous. So he set me up, and he figured Frank would put a hit out on me while I was in jail. Which is exactly what he did. I just happened to get lucky and take the deal for witness protection before it could play out.”

“Nice bunch of friends you have,” I said.

“You know what they say,” he said. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

“You made a very convincing preacher,” I said.

He smiled. “My mother was devout. It wasn’t hard to bring it all back.”

We took the exit for Whiskey Bayou and he ducked back behind my seat. He was right about the FBI agents. There were unmarked cars parked at the entrance of Main Street with agents inside. There was probably a little added protection with everything that had happened and the fact that an active senator was attending the wedding.

“I haven’t made it this far because I don’t have patience,” he said. “After I heard your wedding had turned into a block party, it was obvious this was the perfect cover for me to slip into town and get the recordings I’d made killing Emile and Gabriel. Once I get it I’ll steal a car and go back into hiding until I’m ready to leak the tapes and position myself to take over.”

“Sounds easy,” I said, rolling my eyes.

Main Street had been blocked off for the festivities and there were people everywhere. I had a view straight down the street, and I waved at the agents as I passed them. I recognized one of them from the crime scene at the church the day before. The whole town was out in force. I had no idea how I was going to get to my own wedding. If I made it there at all.

“Go down a couple of blocks and come back toward the back of the church,” he said. “I’ll get out at the corner and you can be on your way.”

“What about Emile?” I asked.

“He’s all yours. Dump him or turn him over to the cops. I don’t really care.”

“You’re seriously going to let me go?” I asked.

“Is there a reason I shouldn’t?” he asked. “Killing you would be fun. But it would also cause complications for my escape. Maybe I’ll come back to finish the job later.”

My phone buzzed and I saw it was Rosemarie. “If I don’t answer she’ll send a SWAT team after me. She’s the wedding planner.”

“Answer it, but don’t be stupid.”

“Where am I supposed to park?” I asked as soon as I answered.

“If you’d ridden with us in the limo you wouldn’t have that problem,” she said. “They dropped us off right at the front of the distillery. The police have all the streets blocked off because there are so many people.”

“Well, this is my wedding, and if I have to drive through people to get there, then that’s what I’m going to do. Maybe tell Sheriff Rafferty to let me through.”

“I think Nick is taking care of it. I don’t think the sheriff likes him much.”

“That’s an understatement. I’ll be there in five minutes,” I said and hung up.

I drove a ways down like Charles had asked, and then I headed back toward the church and stopped a couple of blocks before the barricades and the crowds started.

“You’ll have to get out here,” I said. “Any closer and someone might see you.”

“It’s been a pleasure,” he said, and then he was gone.

I turned in my seat, but Emile hadn’t magically disappeared. I still had a corpse in my van.

“This is not the time to throw up,” I said. “Breathe through your mouth.”

I stepped on the gas and hightailed it toward the distillery. I didn’t have very long before Charles was going to discover those tapes were missing. And then all hell was going to break loose.

If I hadn’t been in a dead panic, I would’ve spent more time appreciating all the effort that had gone into the wedding. Strands of lights had been hung in the park, and the food and drink trucks had all been parked on the opposite side so as not to hamper anyone’s view. It was like New Year’s Eve and Fourth of July all rolled into one. The cold didn’t seem to matter.

I beeped my horn as I drove toward the crowd, but people weren’t as quick to move as I’d have liked them to be. I was really ready to put some space between me and Emile. I finally gave up on the crowd parting in front of me like the Red Sea and put Black Betty into park. I threw open the door and hopped down, ripping my dress in the process.

I started shoving my way through the well-wishers and dialed Savage.

“We’ve got a problem,” I said when he answered.

“I know, I’m at a wedding and the bride hasn’t shown up yet.”

“Emile Cardova is in my van. Charles killed him, and he held me at gunpoint so I’d drive him here. He couldn’t get into town because of the agents everywhere. He’s looking for his tapes, and he’s going to be pissed when he realizes they’re not there.”

“Yeah, that’s a problem,” Savage said. “Where are you?”

“Trying to make my way through the crowd,” I said. “I’m coming up on the west side of the church, but there are too many people.”

“I’ll meet you near the barricade,” he said. “I’ll send agents to see if they can run him to ground at his house.”

I was putting Suzanne’s makeup job to the test, because I was sweating bullets. The smell of beer and the food trucks was strong, and I dodged and weaved my way through the crowd. I could see Nick standing at the top of the stairs by the doors, but I didn’t see Savage anywhere.

Nick was scanning the crowd like he always did, and he caught sight of me coming toward him. Something on my face must have shown my panic because I saw him reach down for his ankle holster, and then he started running toward me. Thank goodness I was marrying a man who’d come armed to our wedding.

Nick had almost reached me, and about that time, Savage came up from the side and flanked my other side. And then they both ushered me into the side door of the church and past the crime scene tape.

“We should be able to wait it out here undisturbed,” Savage said. “They’ll either catch him or he’ll see the risk and get the hell out of Dodge.”

“What’s going on?” Nick asked.

I quickly explained what I’d discovered on my drive into Whiskey Bayou. Nick shook his head in disbelief.

“How does this stuff always happen to you?” Nick asked.

“It’s not like it’s my fault,” I said, throwing up my hands. “I was just trying to come to my wedding like everyone else. Savage told me the FBI was taking care of everything.”

Nick and I both turned to look at Savage, and he shrugged. “I’ve learned that things tend to not go according to plan when you’re involved. It’s why I had the extra agents stationed at all the entry and exit points around Whiskey Bayou.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What are you saying? I’ve already been told by Charles that I’m a pain in the ass.”

“Well,” Savage said. “He’s not wrong.”

The sound of gunfire had us all moving for cover behind the pews.

“It sounds like it’s coming from the rectory,” I said.

“You stay with her,” Savage told Nick. And then he looked at me and reached beneath his jacket, handing me his backup weapon. “Just in case.”

Savage took off toward the sound of gunfire and Nick moved me toward better cover. There was one of those moments where time seemed to slow to a stop. I heard more gunfire, and it was closer this time. And I just knew.

Fear rushed through me and Nick and I made eye contact. I could tell staying there was the last thing he wanted to do. I shoved at Nick. “Go,” I told him. “I can take care of myself. He needs back up. Go!”

I wanted to cry, but there would be time for crying later. I knew in my gut something was wrong. Savage was my friend and he’d also been my partner at times. We wouldn’t leave him to face the enemy alone.

Nick nodded and moved off toward one of the side hallways, and I went in the opposite direction. Toward Savage.

I could smell the blood before I found it. The halls were dark, and the only light was from the strings of light outside, sending odd patterns onto the tile. So when my fingers touched wetness, I wasn’t a hundred percent sure what it was until I held my fingers up to the light.

“Oh, God,” I said, and my voice broke. I crawled through it, not caring that it soaked through my gown. And then I touched a sleeve. Then a hand. A hand that was still warm.

“Savage,” I whispered, looking for his wound. It was impossible to find. His front was soaked with blood.

The gunfire had stopped, and the only thing I could hear was my heart pounding in my ears.

“Savage,” I said again, but there was no response. I put my fingers against his throat, searching for a pulse, and breathed a shaky sigh of relief when I found one. Barely. We were in the middle of a long hallway, and there was no cover, so I moved behind him and dragged him toward an open classroom door a few feet away.

I’d just gotten my body inside the door and pulled Savage’s torso halfway through when someone flipped on all the lights. They were blinding and I couldn’t see anything after being in the dark for so long. And then I heard footsteps coming down the hallway.

I had a choice to make. I could sit there and wait for Charles to find me or I could do what he’d least expect. I had nowhere else to go. I was trapped. I squeezed Savage’s hand one more time and crawled to the door with the gun in my hand.

The footsteps had come from the right, so I took a deep breath and counted to three. And I slid out into the hallway on my side with the gun pointed at whoever was coming. I was just in time to hear footsteps behind me, and I wondered if I’d made the wrong decision when there were two shots fired over my head. Almost on top of each other. The man running toward me stumbled as the bullets hit him, and then he came forward a few more feet when another bullet hit his chest.

Charles stared at me out of shocked, glassy eyes, and he tried to lift the gun in his hand, but another shot was fired that dropped him to the ground. Someone leapt over me and made sure Charles was dead, kicking the gun out of his reach for good measure. I met his gaze, thinking how close he’d come to death. How close we’d both come. His chest was heaving, and he was saying something, but I couldn’t hear anything but the blood rushing in my ears.

“Addison,” Nick said. “Addison,” he said again and knelt beside me. “Are you all right? You’re not hit, are you?” He was looking at the blood that soaked my dress.

I shook my head. “No, it’s Savage’s.”

I shook my head and real time seemed to come rushing back. I crawled back over to where Savage lay. More footsteps were running toward us, but Nick had already moved into action. He stripped off his tuxedo jacket and put pressure on the wound in Savage’s chest.

It felt like forever before the paramedics arrived, but I knew realistically it had only been a few minutes. We moved to the side so they could get to Savage, and then Nick scooped me up in his arms and held me while we watched them work.

“I’m glad you came when you did,” I said. “I was starting to get worried.”

“You took ten years off my life when I saw you slide into that hallway. Please don’t do that again.”

I wasn’t sure how long we sat there and watched the paramedics work. Someone came up and put a blanket around me. I guess I was shivering—the blood soaking my dress had turned cold..

“We’ve got him,” one of the paramedics called out. “Pulse and blood pressure are steady. Let’s move him.”

They put him on a stretcher and a cry hitched in my throat as he held up a hand. He was awake. I scrambled out of Nick’s arms and moved over to him. Nick was right beside me.

I grabbed his hand after they got him on the gurney and he opened his eyes to look at me.

“You’re a mess,” he said, and I burst into tears.

“Did I ruin the wedding?” he asked.

“You tried,” I said.

He almost smiled.

“We’ve got to move him,” the EMT said.

I nodded and tried to let go of his hand, but he held on tight. And then he looked right at Nick. “You’re a lucky man,” he said. “She’s a good partner.”

Nick nodded and tears streamed down my face. “It’s been a pleasure, Addison Holmes. If you’re ever in South Dakota, come by for a visit.”

“South Dakota?” Nick asked as they wheeled him away.

“Boy, have I got a lot to tell you.” I threw my arms around him and hugged him tight.