Page 61 of The Grave Artist

Heron then asked what she’d been about to: “Ages?”

“At the Beverly Glen, the second Sunset Garden and the Bel Air events, the bride and groom are, respectively, fifty-four and fifty-six, forty-nine and sixty-three, and twenty-four and twenty-two.”

Carmen said, “So possibly—likely—the first two are second marriages.”

“That’s logical,” Declan said. “Or they might be third. Statistically, the number of third marriages in America—”

Heron interrupted. “Declan, stop generating.”

Half smiling, Carmen said, “Declan, were any of the Honeymoon Killer’s prior victims over forty?”

“No.”

She and Heron shared a glance. “Probably the Bel Air event,” she suggested.

“It’s a good bet,” Heron offered.

Declan, unasked, chimed in with, “I assess it is the most logical.”

“What are the details, Declan?”

“It was described as a ceremony at sunset, which today would be at 1934 hours and twenty-eight seconds, although it would be logical to assume the actual commencement time would be different, given the human factor.”

An hour and a half ago. The reception would probably still be going on.

“So, we send in Grange with a team,” Heron said.

She hesitated, eyeing the board.

“What is it, Sanchez? We need to move.”

“We have to handle it right. Our tactical people storm a wedding venue based on what amounts to pure speculation, and we’re wrong? That’s a media circus, and senior brass get involved. I-squared’s still on probation.”

But she didn’t share the second reason she wanted to tread carefully. She remembered that she’d once been a young bride, filled with hope and excitement over her special day. People had flown in from aroundthe country, and untold money had been spent by her parents and guests to bear witness to a union that should have brought love and joy.

A few years later the marriage had ended in divorce when her husband left her. He’d demanded that she give up her career after a bullet pierced her abdomen during a shoot-out with a bank robber.

Carmen Sanchez did not respond favorably to ultimatums.

Heron looked at her as if he understood there was something more involved here. Well, let him think what he wanted, but she was sticking by it. If she could protect the couple from the destruction of the most important day of their lives, she would.

“We’ll have Grange and tactical stage nearby, and survey the streets leading to the resort. As for an inside operation, we need more facts before we can put one together.” She tilted her head back, addressing the intercom. “Declan, call the Chinampas in Bel Air.”

“Yes, Carmen.”

Chapter 29

Carmen was speaking to Adam Zebrowski, the evening manager. He had a faint eastern European accent, Polish probably, given the name.

“Sir, I’m a federal agent. I have you on speaker with my associates.” Plural, since Declan was listening too. “We have reason to believe the couple who was married there today, the sunset ceremony, might be in danger.”

“What?” Zebrowski sounded startled. “How do you mean?”

“No time to go into specifics now. What’s the status of the wedding?”

“It’s over. The guests have already left. It was a small ceremony—like most of them on weekdays. James and Robin work in the restaurant business and their weekends are too busy to take time off.”

“Where are they now?” Heron asked.