Page 140 of Save the Date
“If I think of anything, I’ll let you know,” Cara promised. “Try not to worry too much, Marie. Brooke’s a smart, resourceful woman. She can take care of herself.”
“I hope so.”
***
Cara hung up the phone and turned to Bert. “I’ve got a really bad feeling in my gut about this.”
Bert’s eyes widened. “What? You really think she might be in some kind of physical danger? Like, maybe somebody really did abduct her?”
Cara shook her head. “No. It’s not that. Her car’s gone, she packed a suitcase. Brooke went of her own free will. And that’s what’s got me so worried. If she doesn’t come back—if that wedding doesn’t come off? I’m through. That’s a twenty-five-thousand-dollar paycheck that doesn’t get written. I absolutely promised the Colonel I’d get him the rest of his money by next week. And I’ve got all these bills coming due, first and last month’s rent on the new place, plus the expenses of getting moved in over there.”
She swallowed hard, trying to suppress the tide of fear and panic that had begun bubbling just below the surface as soon as she’d heard the news that Brooke Trapnell was missing.
“Technically? It’s not really your problem, Cara. As of yesterday, per your contract, Gordon Trapnell owed you the balance of your fee, whether the wedding happens or not.”
Cara sighed. “That’s true. But if this wedding doesn’t come off, there’s no way, short of suing, that Patricia will write that check. Anyway, I really care about Brooke and Harris.”
Bert rolled his eyes. “So what are you going to do?”
“I wish I knew. I honestly do think this is just a classic case of pre-wedding jitters. If I could find Brooke, and talk to her, I really believe I could help her see that this is totally normal. I’ve never done a wedding where the bride didn’t freak out, in some way.”
Bert nodded agreement. “What was that girl’s name—the one who kicked her maid of honor out of the wedding party because she wouldn’t grow her hair out long like the rest of the bridesmaids?”
“Cherish Scanlon,” Cara said. “And don’t forget about Vanessa Pettigrew. She literally plucked out all her eyebrows and eyelashes three days before the wedding.”
“Poor girl looked like a Chihuahua,” Bert said.
“When I worked for Norma we had a bride who was so nervous during the ceremony she literally passed out cold, right at the altar. When she fell, she somehow bit her own tongue, there was blood everywhere.…”
“Maybe Brooke knows something we don’t,” Bert said gently. “Even in bizarro bride world, running away is pretty radical, don’t you think?”
“No. This is just how Brooke Trapnell operates. I’ve been working with this girl for weeks and weeks now. It’s just stress, that’s all. If I could just talk to her…”
“Give her a call,” Bert suggested.
“Everybody has tried calling her. Her mom, Harris. I’m sure Gordon’s tried to reach her too. This is typical Brooke behavior. She never returns phone calls. The only success I’ve ever had reaching her is with a text.”
“So text her. What have you got to lose?”
Cara stared at Bert. She grabbed her phone and started typing, her fingers flying so quickly over the keyboard she had to start over three times. Finally, she got it right.
Brooke. Where are you?
She hit send and held her breath. A minute later, Cara’s phone dinged.
Promise u won’t tell?
Cara looked over at Bert. He nodded.
Promise.
She waited five long minutes before her phone dinged again.
Brooke had typed only one word.
Loblolly.
Bert had been reading over her shoulder. “Huh? Is that a typo? Was she trying to write LOL—you know, laughing out loud?”
