They Loved Me After Death

Chapter 4

At 3 p.m., my wedding planner, Julia Sanders, arrived at the park. She hadn't been able to reach me, so she'd used my shared location to track me down. The moment she found Dylan, she asked, "Where's Tessa?"

"Rest area."

"Why isn't she answering her phone?"

"She's sulking," Gavin said impatiently. "She's lying there, refusing to get up."

Julia stared at them. "She told me this morning she had an announcement to make after the rehearsal."

That got Dylan's attention. "What decision?"

"She didn't say." Julia pulled out a form listing changes to the wedding arrangements. "But she stopped any further payments on the reception and put the wedding video on hold. She didn't tell you?"

He snatched it from her. The form bore my signature and yesterday's date.

"That's impossible."

"She signed it in front of me."

Dylan jerked his head up and looked toward the rest area. I stood in front of him, watching quietly.

When I'd signed the night before, my hand had shaken so badly I'd barely been able to hold the pen. After the last stroke, all I'd felt was relief.

Wesley grabbed the form. "She's threatening to leave so you'll cave. Again."

Julia lost her patience. "Why are you all so sure she's faking it?"

"If she really wanted to call off the wedding, why'd she come with us today?" Gavin demanded.

Julia faltered. I closed my eyes. Because the paperwork to end the lease wasn't finished. Because I still had cash wedding gifts to account for. Because I wanted to give Dylan one last chance to tell me the truth on his own. Instead, he'd put me on that ride himself.

The speakers crackled again. "Dylan Foster, Molly Spencer, Gavin Price, and Wesley Barrett, please report to the east first-aid station immediately." All four names. People around them turned to look.

"What the hell happened?" Julia asked.

Dylan took out his phone and called me. No answer.

Molly had gone pale, but she managed a smile. "Maybe Tessa asked them to make the announcement. To force us to go over."

"How did they get all your full names?" Julia demanded.

"We gave our details when we bought the tickets," Gavin said quickly.

"Tessa's inhaler is in her bag," Wesley added. "If something was really wrong, she'd use it." Molly clutched her pale blue tote and looked down.

I walked toward her. I didn't feel hurt anymore. They knew I could have an attack, and they'd still taken my inhaler. This wasn't a misunderstanding or a joke.

Dylan called for a third time and let it ring until it cut off.

Julia turned away. "If you won't go, I will."

He caught her arm. "Wait."

The park music stopped. A staff member's strained voice came over the speakers. "A female guest has been found dead at the east rest area. She is approximately 26 years old, wearing a long white dress and covered with a dark gray men's jacket. Anyone accompanying her, please report immediately to confirm her identity."

Gavin dropped his phone onto the table. Wesley stopped smiling. Molly stumbled backward and knocked over a chair.

Dylan froze. He looked down at his short sleeves, as though he'd only just remembered who was lying beneath that jacket. "It's not her." His voice shook. No one answered. "Tessa just fainted." He kept dialing, his fingers shaking so badly he could barely tap the screen.

At last, all four of them ran toward the east side of the park. Halfway there, someone picked up.

Dylan stopped dead, gasping for breath. His face lit with frantic relief. "Tessa! I knew you were okay."