There Goes the Groom Read Free Page A

not a fraud!” several women shouted.
    “How dare you ruin this wedding!” a haughty voice yelled.
    “Marci, wait!” Kim toddled after Marci, her husband Austin shouldering his way through the milieu to help out.
    Pastor Joe and the best man disappeared behind a back curtain. Georgia was closer so she dashed after them.
    Suddenly a gunshot exploded.
    Screams filled the air as the guests ducked and began to run, scattering like ants at a picnic.
    Cade pulled his own weapon, pivoting to see where the gunshot had come from. The left maybe? Behind the curtain?
    Another shot rang out, and Marci screamed as it sailed by her head. The groom jogged toward the door, stooping down to dodge the bullets.
    Guests knocked over chairs and banged tables in their haste to escape, ripping lace bows and tripping over each other. Cameras flashed, a little lady in a pink dress fainted, creating another scene as shouts for a doctor echoed through the room.
    Marci’s dress caught on the heel of her shoe, and she ripped them off and flung them to the side. They hit a table of booze, and scotch and bourbon bottles crashed to the marble floor, the rich brown liquid flowing like a brown river.
     Pendergrass slammed into the table holding the wedding cake, and the three-tiered wedding cake toppled over. Kim slipped in the frosting, but her husband managed to catch her just in time before she hit the floor.
    Cade didn’t know whether to go after the damn shooter or Pendergrass. He tapped his mike, hoping Georgia heard.  “We need back up in here. Shots fired!”
     Marci raced past the vases of flowers in the foyer of the country club to the entryway, and he followed, close on her heels. A black limousine sat in front of the club awaiting the happy couple to carry them to their honeymoon night, but Pendergrass jumped into it like it was a getaway car.
    Cade saw the driver and realized it was Vinny. Pastor Joe was in the front seat. The car accelerated, and the vehicle raced off.
    A few feet down, a Camaro roared to life and followed.  The shooter?
    Where the hell was Georgia?
    A moan erupted from the columns to the right, and he spotted her lying on the ground by a row of azaleas and hurried to her.  “Are you all right?”
    “Yes,” Georgia said. “I’ll put an APB on the limo and that Camaro. Go get the bride!”
    Guests spilled out of the building, flooding the steps and pristine lawn, cameras flashing.
    “Paul, don’t leave me!” Marci wailed as she ran after the limo.
    The limo was going so fast Marci couldn’t catch them, so she darted to the right toward a beat-up VW.
    Dammit, she wasn’t going to get away, too.
    Cade dashed down the steps two at a time, sped up and caught her just as she grabbed the door handle.
    “Marci Turner,” he said as he gripped her arm.
    Marci tried to jerk away. “Stop it, you’re hurting me.”
    He eased his hold on her but didn’t release her. Instead he whipped out his handcuffs, spun her around and forced her to face him. “Then stop fighting me, or I’ll add resisting arrest to the charges against you.”
    Tears suddenly filled her eyes, glittering like diamonds on her eyelashes.
    He gritted his teeth. Holy hell. He felt like he was kicking a frail kitten.
    Then he reminded himself of the charges against her, of all the footage he’d watched of her and Pendergrass sweet talking little old women out of their savings, and he hardened himself.
    For God’s sake, his own grandmother had fallen for their stunt.
    Marci Turner was no kitten.
    She was a dangerous tiger in disguise.
    “Please, I need to go after him,” Marci whispered. “You’ve made a terrible mistake. Paul will clear this all up.”
    “Save it for your lawyer.” He spun her around, shoved her hands behind her back and fastened the handcuffs.  She might be sexy and a good actress, but he would not fall for her charms.
    A little voice inside his head whispered -- she’s innocent until proven guilty.
    But he closed his