Free Model Menace 2 by Carolyn Keene Page A

love me enough to want me to stay true to him once he’s dead! Don’t you get it?”
    We all looked at Syd, clearly not getting it.
    “Um,” Bess began softly, taking Syd’s hand, “maybe it actually shows how much Vic does love you? You know, that he wants you to be happy?”
    Syd glared at her. “I can’t believe you’re taking his side!”
    Just then, thank goodness, Ellie approached from behind, dragging a chastened and very nervous-looking Vic. “Sydney,” she said gently. “Why don’t you two just talk to each other and work this out? Remember, you’re both very tense right now. This is a stressful night for you both. Maybe you could be a bit easier on each other?”
    Syd looked from her mom to Vic, and slowly her face crumpled. “Oh, Vic, I’m sorry!” she cried, sniffling. “I never meant…I just wanted…”
    Ellie nodded, gesturing for them to talk alone a little ways away. “Yes, yes. You two work it out.”
    Syd and Vic hugged and walked away together, into the privacy of a few trees. The crew members that had come with Syd quickly moved away to follow them. Ellie looked at the three of us and sighed. “My husband and I had a huge fight the night before our wedding,” she explained. “All those nerves, you know? I remember throwing a vase he’d given me out our third-story window. And oddly enough, I can’t remember what we were fighting about.”
    Bess nodded seriously. “Are they nervous about another attack?”
    Ellie’s face turned more serious, and she nodded. “Of course,” she replied. “I just wish I could make it all better for them. But yes, given everything that’s happened so far…”
    We all nodded sympathetically. It seemed so unfair for Syd and Vic to have such a crazy threat hanging over their wedding day. I just hoped something would happen tonight that would be enough to lead me to the culprit!
     
     
    Even though the wedding rehearsal was only expected to take about twenty minutes, it was over an hour before we made it to Chez Philippe, the fancy French restaurant where the Daredevils producers had planned the rehearsal dinner. Inside, hundreds of candles illuminated a cozy, pink-hued private room. Four tables of six ringed a tiny two-person table for Syd and Vic. Bess, George, and I headed right to our table, which, once again, we were sharing with Akinyi, Deb, and Pandora.
    “ That was a disaster,” George muttered under her breath, shaking her head as she put down her things.
    “I know,” Bess chimed in. “Syd and Vic were a mess! Even after they made up, it was like they were too rattled to get through it.”
    “They couldn’t even get the vows right when the minister had them doing one word at a time,” I agreed with a sigh. “I just hope they get some good rest tonight, so they can focus better tomorrow.”
    Gradually the whole group trickled in, and finally Syd and Vic entered, followed by the camera crew, and smiling sheepishly as they made their way to their private table.
    “Everyone,” Vic announced, raising his glass, “I’m so sorry our nerves made the rehearsal go so long tonight. It’s just that I love this girl so much, and I’m so…so…” His voice cracked, and he turned to face his bride-to-be. Syd smiled encouragingly and squeezed his arm, and he continued: “So happy to be marrying her! So thank you, everyone, for coming and supporting us tonight.”
    After the happy couple sat down, Vic’s mom rose and gave a short speech, saying how excited she was to watch her son marry such a wonderful girl and how pleased she was to be here with all their loved ones. When she sat down, everyone applauded her, and then the waiters appeared to serve the soup.
    Akinyi turned to the rest of us at the table, looking curious. “Why did she just make a speech?”
    Pandora, who had been staring off at a point on the other side of the room, perked up. “It’s this ancient patriarchal tradition that the bride’s family pays for the wedding,