A Groom wirh a View

radio squawk, and put the lights out for a few minutes. When they came back on, they were oddly dim for a while, then went out again.
    “Phooey, I almost had the sidewalk finished,“ Layla said in the darkness.
    “I think we might as well give it up for the night. It’s almost nine-thirty anyway,“ Eden said. “I have a flashlight in my purse and I think we all have small kerosene lamps in our rooms. Anybody want to follow me? If we still don’t have power tomorrow, we’ll go into town and buy more flashlights.”
    The idea of the power being out for the wedding was something that had never crossed Jane’s mind. How would Mr. Willis cook? How would Livvy see her way down the stairs? It would be like having the ceremony in a cave! She leaned over to Shelley. “Do you suppose there’s a church anywhere near? I need to do some heavyweight praying “
    Shelley just patted her hand.
    “There’s a town nearby?“ Kitty asked.
    “Well, sort of a town,“ Eden said. “A motel, Wanda’s Bait and Party Shoppe, a bank, and a gun shop.”
    Kitty and Layla took her up on the offer to lead them into the darkness of the monks’ cells hallway. The aunts had their own flashlight and followed along. Uncle Joe had disappeared into the darkness. Mr. Willis, still in the kitchen cleaning up from dinner, was cursing.
    Shelley was doubled up in a chair, laughing herself silly about Wanda’s Bait and Party Shoppe. “I love it! You can get your party accessories and your minnows without having to run all over town.“
    “My dears,“ Larkspur trilled from somewhere across the room. “What adventures we could have. This is like one of those country house mysteries, where everybody’s locked up together. I do wonder who will play the victim. What if I found the body? I wonder if I’d faint?”
    Somebody, Jane thought it was Uncle Joe, said, “Shut up.“
    “Could you make anything of the weather reports on the radio?“ Jane asked Shelley around a mouthful of toothpaste when they got to their rooms.
    “Too much static. But it’s a typical spring storm. It’ll clear off by morning.”
    The wind howled and a branch broke and slithered down the roof. Jane and Shelley blindly felt their way back to their rooms. Jane shuddered and she got into her long flannel nightgown.
    “Too bad there wasn’t any chance of talking to Eden about the treasure,“ Shelley said, calling from the next room.
    “We can catch her sometime tomorrow,“ Jane said. She took another quick glance at her notebooks and then settled in with a mystery book she’d brought along, which was a challenge to read by the flickering kerosene lamplight. She could hear Shelley puttering around in her own room. Probably cleaning things. Shelley was an inveterate cleaner-upper.
    After a bit, Jane realized the temperature had dropped and it was getting really chilly. She opened her doorway to the hall. “There’s a very bad draft out here. I wonder if a door’s been left ajar?”
    There was a low wailing sound from somewhere.
    “What was that!“ Shelley exclaimed, rushing through the bathroom to Jane’s room.
    Jane was wide-eyed. “I don’t know. I don’t hear it now.“
    “Open the door again,“ Shelley said.
    The wail began again. Jane started to laugh, albeit a bit nervously. “It’s the wind down this hall. I lived in a dormitory once that was like that. Get the right combinations of doors along the hall opened and a good wind outside and you get an eerie howling noise.“
    “You’re real certain that’s what it is?’
    “Certain enough that I’m not going to go check it out.”
    Shelley went back through the bathroom that led to her room.
    A minute later, Jane called through, “I’m in charge here. I do have to check it out.“
    “Want me to go along?“ Shelley was trying to read a magazine by the light of her small bedside kerosene lamp.
    “No, of course not,“ Jane said, mentally pleading, Please insist on joining me!
    But Shelley took her at her word. Jane put on a robe, lighted her lamp, and opened the door again. The howling, which wasn’t audible with the door shut, sounded louder and more ominous. Don’t be a big baby, Jane told herself. Just check that the main doors are locked and don’t go all spooky and stupid.
    This resolve lasted down the hallway and into the main room. As Jane approached the front door, which was open slightly, an enormous gust of rain-laden wind blew it all the way open. The heavy door crashed