“I’ll be relieved. I didn’t want to do this, anyway. Tell Brittany that I twisted my ankle while I was looking for you. She won’t want me hobbling down the aisle.”
“True.” She tightened her hold on Angie’s arm. “But how do I know you won’t talk?”
Angie wasn’t sure if she could come up with a convincing reason not to. “You said it yourself. There is no proof. Everything you used is gone.” When Cheryl nodded, Angie kept going. “It’s just my word against yours. And everyone thinks I’ll say anything to ruin the wedding.”
“I’m glad we’re in agreement. Okay, I’ll take your place.” She pointed at Angie’s other arm. “Now hand over the bracelet.”
Angie curled her hand closer to her body. “Why?”
“Brittany gave it to her bridesmaids as a gift during the bridesmaids’ luncheon,” Cheryl said. “I was there. I picked out the bracelet. Why shouldn’t I get one?”
“You shouldn’t get one because you weren’t a bridesmaid,” Angie muttered as an idea formed in her head.
“But I am now.” She held out her other hand. “Give it to me.”
Angie slid the bracelet from her wrist and threw it as Cheryl reached for it.
“What are you doing?” Cheryl asked as she watched the bracelet fall into the dirt.
Angie swung her foot out and swiped Cheryl’s legs from underneath her. They both fell down. “Cheryl,” she said as they wrestled for control. “I don’t care about being a bridesmaid, but no one tries to hurt me and gets away with it.”
* * *
COLE SAT IN the back of the church and glanced at his watch. The wedding should have already started. What was taking so long?
He looked at the entrance where the procession should be. Instead, he saw only Robin hovering by the door. She seemed worried, almost frantic, as she motioned for him to meet her in the hallway.
Cole quickly followed her. “What’s going on, Robin?”
“Have you seen Angie?” she whispered.
Her words were like a kick to his system. His body was on full alert and he immediately checked his phone. “Not since you saw me with her. Why?”
“This isn’t good.” Robin began chewing on her fingernail. “I’ve checked every room and closet hoping she was with you.”
“How long has it been since you’ve seen her?”
“I don’t know. It feels like forever,” Robin admitted as tears shone in her eyes. “Brittany was freaking out and I couldn’t get a hold of Cheryl on my phone. Angie went to look for her and now they’re both missing.”
“Keep searching inside the church. I’ll go outside.” He broke into a run and looked around the front steps. He didn’t see anyone. He thought of the parking lot and then the church grounds. His instinct was to head for the grounds.
He ran to the side of the church, calling out Angie’s name. He saw a thick wall of hedges and was about to go around them when he heard the sound of a struggle. “Angie?”
“Cole?” Angie called out. “I’m in the garden— Ow!”
Cole pushed his way through the thick shrubbery. It felt like it took him ages as he slapped, kicked and clawed his way in. He had to get to Angie. He would never forgive himself if something happened to her.
He heard Angie’s scream and the sound of a body slamming against the ground. His heart twisted with fear. Cole let out a roar as he crashed through the last of the shrubbery and found Angie wrestling on the grass with Cheryl.
Angie struggled as she rolled back and forth with Cheryl. Her hair was flying out of her bun and a long grass stain streaked down her dress. Dirt and scratches covered her arms, legs and chest.
He rushed forward but Angie had staggered to her feet and was pointing at Cheryl. “Don’t you dare move,” she told the assistant, who lay limp and moaning.
“Need some help?” Cole asked as he wrapped his arm around Angie’s waist. He peered into her eyes and frowned when he saw a bruise forming under one of them.
“You can call your friend, that woman who was the first police officer at the strip club. Cheryl confessed to injuring Heidi and Robin.”
“You don’t have any proof,” Cheryl said weakly.
“You were also seen in a physical altercation with Angie,” Cole said, refusing to look at Cheryl. “And you have me as a witness.”
Cheryl made a face as if dismissing his claim. “Who’s going to listen to a stripper?”