A Groom wirh a View

observe closely.“
    “Then what’s the point of the reports here?“ Jane asked.
    “First, to get an impression of the people writing them...“
    “That certainly works.“
    “And sometimes they get things right, if you’re patient enough to piece them all together.”
    “Good luck,“ Jane told him.
    Shelley had been helping clear the tables, picking up glasses, dishes, ashtrays, and silverware and taking them to the kitchen. Now she joined Jane.
    “We should pack up the gifts,“ she said.
    “The police are using the room to interview people,“ Jane said.
    “Yes, I know that, Jane. That’s why I made the suggestion.“
    “You think they’d let us eavesdrop?“ Jane asked.
    “Maybe. If we were very quiet and very busy and didn’t appear to be listening.“
    “There’s nothing to lose by trying,“ Jane said.
    They went to the door with armloads of boxes. Jane banged on the door with her elbow. “May we leave these in here?“ she asked when Mel opened the door.
    He grinned. “Just leave them?“
    “Well, pack a few things, maybe,“ Jane said with a straight face.
    Jane could see Kitty sitting on one of the rental chairs, twisting a handkerchief in her hands as John Smith sat across from her, asking questions.
    “I told you already. Over and over,“ Kitty was saying in a weak, tear-ravaged voice. “You ought to be talking to Livvy instead of me. I only came in here to look at the cake. I saw Dwayne lying on the floor. I thought he’d had too much to drink and passed out or something and went to him. Then I saw the knife and I pulled it out. I wasn’t thinking. I guess something told me I could make it better that way. It was stupid, I know...“
    “We’ll move to another room pretty soon, Jane. Just leave the boxes by the door,“ Mel said.
    “Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained,“ Shelley said with a shrug.
    “Don’t you hate it when trite things are true?“ Jane commented, unloading her boxes onto the floor.
    The phone rang and Jane, who was closest to it, picked it up reluctantly. “Thatcher Lodge,“ she said.
    A harried-sounding voice came over the line. “Yes, she’s here,“ Jane said, “but she’s not able to come to the phone right now. May I take a message?“ Jane listened for a moment, perplexed, then started making frantic “pencil and paper“ motions at Shelley.
    “I’m sorry. I’m not authorized to give that information without permission. Let me call you back in a moment.”
    She scribbled a woman’s name, a newspaper name, and a telephone number, and said, “I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.“
    “A reporter?“ Shelley sneered.
    “Not exactly,“ Jane said, staring at the paper. “The society editor of a Chicago paper. Wanting to confirm a wedding announcement.“
    “I thought you’d already taken care of that,“ Shelley said.
    “I have. It’s to appear this Sunday in a different paper. And with a different bride.“
    “What on earth are you talking about?“
    “The editor wanted to confirm the details and spelling of the names of the bride and groom: Katherine Louise Wilson and Dwayne Hessling.“
    “What? Who’s this Katherine person?“
    “Kitty.“
    “Oh, Jane, they just mixed up the bridesmaid with the bride.”
    Jane shook her head. “No, Shelley. I was in charge of the announcements and I never turned one in to this paper. Somebody else mixed up who was the bridesmaid and who was the bride at this wedding.”

Twenty-one

    Jane knocked on the door of the side room again. This time Mel looked distinctly cranky. “What now?“ he asked, stepping through the doorway and closing the door.
    “I’ve learned something you really should know.”
    He didn’t look heavenward, but it was a near thing. “Okay, let me have it,“ he said.
    But when Jane was through explaining about the phone call, he lost his impatience. “You’re certain you didn’t call this in wrong?“
    “It’s just a little local suburban paper. Almost a shopper. I had no reason to contact them.“ She gave him the name of the newspaper. “Nobody there would be interested.“
    “Except that it’s where Kitty lives,“ Mel said.
    “No!“ Jane exclaimed. “I guess I didn’t pay much attention to her address. Come to think of it, I mailed her sample fabric to a post office box. I think.“
    “Now, Jane, think hard. You’re one hundred percent sure this isn’t just a mistake of yours? You looked up a newspaper number and maybe accidentally dialed