Free Model Menace 2 by Carolyn Keene Page B

but the groom’s family pays for the rehearsal dinner. It’s really sexist, actually.”
    “Yeah, but the Daredevils producers are paying for everything in this case. Right?” asked Akinyi. When no one responded, she looked around the table and repeated, “Right?”
    “Right,” I said with a shrug, hoping to change the subject. It felt a little awkward to be talking about who paid for the wedding as we all sat there enjoying it. “So…um…what kind of shoes is everyone wearing tomorrow?”
    Bess shot me an amazed glance, and I shrugged at her. I knew she must find it extremely out of character for Nancy Drew, penny loafer aficionado, to ask about anything shoe-related, but I just wanted to change the subject.
    George shrugged, tearing off a piece of bread. “Silver flats for me. Picked out by my super fashionable cousin.” She elbowed Bess.
    “Me too,” Bess agreed. “And Nancy, your shoes are similar.”
    Deb leaned in, widening her eyes. “I got the prettiest shoes at Penney’s,” she said in a confidential tone. “They’re white, high-heeled, with a little strap.”
    Akinyi looked dubious. “I brought some couture heels I got from a designer,” she said in a bored tone, as next to me, Bess’s jaw dropped to the table. Akinyi turned to Pandora, whose gaze was still fixed across the room. She seemed a million miles away. “Pandora? Pandora? Did you hear us? What shoes are you wearing?”
    Pandora didn’t respond, and I followed the direction of her gaze to see what she was looking at. When I realized what it was, I almost gasped. Syd and Vic! For at least half the time we’d been sitting at our table, Pandora had been intently watching Syd and Vic at their table—taking in their each and every move.
    Pandora smiled a little and waved, but when I looked at Syd and Vic, they didn’t seem to notice. By the time I turned back to Pandora, she was frowning. She turned back to her soup in front of her and fiddled with the spoon.
    “Pandora?” Akinyi was still asking. “Earth to Pandora!”
    Pandora looked up, not looking terribly interested. “Yes?”
    “What’s wrong with you?” Akinyi asked, shaking her head. “You’re like a million miles away. Are you feeling all right?”
    Pandora looked back down at her soup, sighing deeply. “It’s the wedding,” she said sadly. “I just still have this terrible feeling. I can’t believe Vic doesn’t sense it. He’s usually so in tune with the universe.”
    Hmmm. I leaned in, trying to get Pandora’s attention. “If you were Vic, what would you do?” I asked.
    Pandora looked up at me. “Cancel the wedding,” she replied quickly, with a well, duh expression. “Before someone gets hurt!”
    Akinyi watched Pandora, her lips slowly forming a skeptical smirk. “Before someone gets hurt?” she asked. “Or before the guy you’re not over marries someone else?”
    Pandora looked up, anger flashing in her eyes. It made me realize that, up until that point, I’d never seen Pandora look truly upset. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said in a dark, low voice. “Excuse me. I need to meditate.” And she stood up from the table, walked out of the room, and was gone.
    Akinyi just watched her go, shaking her head. “I’m so tired of her bringing everyone down,” she explained to the rest of us. “She needs to get over Vic, and fast.”
    I didn’t know what to say. My two prime suspects were fighting with each other. Pandora did seem awfully obsessed with Vic tonight—but what did that mean? Nothing had happened to either Syd or Vic since the dress slashing, and the wedding was almost here.
    Bess elbowed me. “Okay, I think I’ve seen enough excitement tonight,” she whispered. “Let’s hurry up and eat before something else happens!”
    I dug into my food, although I realized I didn’t have much of an appetite. I was having my own wedding jitters. Not about getting married myself, obviously—but that the night would