Wedding Woes Read online
Table of Contents
Wedding Woes (Winston Wong Cozy Mysteries, #3)
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sign up for JJ Chow's Mailing List
Further Reading: Robot Revenge
Also By JJ Chow
PRAISE for the Winston Wong mystery series
“J.J. CHOW HAS WRITTEN a great mystery, mixing seniors, video games, and quirky characters together in a perfect blend.”
—Trudi LoPreto, Readers’ Favorite (5-star review)
“THIS IS A WELL-WRITTEN story that intertwines Asian culture and values . . . and very likable and unique characters.”
—Christa Reads and Write
“A BOOK THAT WILL MAKE you laugh, with fun witty characters and a story line so good you won’t want to stop reading it.”
—Shelley’s Book Case
“WINSTON WONG, A SLACKER game developer in the middle of Silicon Valley, is a completely charming rookie sleuth. His modern high-tech world intersects the old, as Winston finds himself embroiled in a suspicious death at a senior home. J.J. Chow adds a fresh, original voice to the mystery genre! I can’t wait to read more of Winston’s adventures.”
—Naomi Hirahara, Edgar Award-winning author of the Mas Arai and Officer Ellie Rush mysteries
“J.J. CHOW’S Robot Revenge is a must-read for cozy mystery fans. In this delightful sequel to Seniors Sleuth, we follow Winston Wong as he tracks the killer of a local crime watch captain, only to discover an entire neighborhood of suspects. It’s a well-written story of suburban intrigue.”
—Janice Peacock, author of the Glass Bead Mystery Series
WEDDING
WOES
a Winston Wong mystery
J.J. Chow
Copyright © 2019 by Jennifer J. Chow
www.jenniferjchow.com
All rights reserved. Thank you for purchasing an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Cover design by Heena Thombre
Edited by Linda G. Hatton
ALSO BY J.J. CHOW
Seniors Sleuth (Winston Wong Cozy Mystery, Book 1)
Robot Revenge (Winston Wong Cozy Mystery, Book 2)
The 228 Legacy
Dragonfly Dreams
FOR STAN,
Wishing you much joy in matters of the heart.
CHAPTER 1
WINSTON LOOKED AT THE empty space where the stack of wedding invitations had been. The clutter finally disappeared last month. One week left now until the big date.
Grinning, he recalled every detail of the expensive invites. The front of each ivory envelope bore the name of a friend or relative, done in painstaking calligraphy, thanks to his neighbor Heather on Magnolia Lane. Grateful that Winston had solved the murder of the neighborhood watch captain, she’d donated her artistic skill.
He’d also hired her in an official capacity to plan the wedding dinner. A full traditional ten-course banquet at an exquisite Chinese restaurant in Cupertino. Nothing but the best for his sweet bride-to-be.
Winston and Kristy had finally finished all the preparations after a marathon of planning. Who knew there would be so many choices to make? From floral centerpieces to music to entrees. Thankfully, ever since her youth, Kristy had possessed a solid vision of what she wanted. In fact, she’d shown him the scrapbook of magazine clippings tucked into her hope chest.
Why she hadn’t been snapped up earlier remained a mystery to Winston, even with his enormous sleuthing skills. Maybe because she’d been too busy taking care of her younger brothers when their parents died? Or since she’d focused so much dedication to the elderly in her nursing career?
The phone rang, breaking into his thoughts. When he answered the call, he heard a flustered voice saying, “Mr. Wong?”
“That’s me.”
“I think our intern made a mistake that I just caught.”
“Er, who is this?”
The voice introduced herself as staff from the Winchester Mystery House. Winston and Kristy had booked their wedding outside the mansion, on its beautifully paved grounds, figuring their guests would get a kick out of the unique venue.
Winston said, “Yes, we’re very much looking forward to having our wedding there.”
“Unfortunately, sir, the intern double-booked.”
Was this a courtesy call? Winston cleared his throat and used a kind tone. “No matter. Tell the boy we appreciate his gesture, but he doesn’t need to send his apologies. He can just kindly explain the mix-up to the other people.”
A sigh floated down the line. “Actually, the other party booked first.”
“Wait, what? But we have a contract.”
“Do you really? Because I can’t locate it in our computer system. What we actually have is a scribbled note in our intern’s handwriting.”
Winston couldn’t believe it. He checked for the paperwork in his filing cabinet. Then he consulted his email. “I can’t find it. But he definitely told me face-to-face.”
“A verbal agreement? I’m afraid, Mr. Wong, we have documentation from a year ago reserving the same date.” She took a deep breath, and her voice trembled when she dropped the other groom’s name, a Hollywood A-lister. “Not that it matters. We treat everyone the same.”
Yeah, right.
She continued speaking. “How about a different day?”
He gritted his teeth. “I can’t. We already sent out the invites and everything. People will be flying in. They’ve bought tickets, booked hotels.”
“We’re really sorry. To make amends, I can send you a discounted admission for your next visit.”
Winston couldn’t speak. He slammed his fist against his desk. His wedding venue was cancelled and all he got in return was a coupon?
The woman on the phone took his silence as assent. “I’m glad we settled things. Thank you for your understanding.”
She hung up, and Winston stared at his phone. What had just happened? If only he could reboot the whole conversation. He had been the one responsible for the venue. Just the other day, he’d reassured Kristy that things were settled on his end. He shook his head to clear it.
How could he fix this? Turning to his trusty computer, he googled “wedding + Winchester mystery.” He found an interesting hit on the screen. It wasn’t an old cobweb site, but a recently created webpage. It featured a location with amazing scenery in the expansive backyard of somebody’s mansion. It even had its own replica of the house, called the “Mystery Shack.”
Winston dialed the number and got a live person right away. Wait a minute. He recognized that voice. “Alex?”
“Winston? Why are you calling the new business line?”
He took a deep breath. “It’s ab
out the wedding. I need your help.”
“Shoot, Winston. What’s a best man for?”
CHAPTER 2
WINSTON DIDN’T HAVE time to check out the Mystery Shack until right before the rehearsal date. Of course, he’d been bogged down with his usual cases: seniors needing to locate misplaced items, lost pets, and even wayward grandchildren. On top of that, he’d been rerouting all the vendors to the new location. He’d had to keep a checklist to make sure he contacted everybody he needed to inform—musicians, florists, caterers, etc.
Kristy had been even more occupied. She’d recently taken on double shifts at Life Circles when a coworker had quit out of the blue. “Burnout,” Kristy had said over the phone. (They didn’t even have time to enjoy face-to-face conversations anymore.) Plus, she’d tasked herself with calling, emailing, and texting all their attendees to make sure they arrived at the correct wedding venue.
The day before the rehearsal, he and Kristy had wanted to check out the place together. But she’d had to drop out when she discovered her gown didn’t fit anymore. All the stress had shaved pounds off, and she needed a refitting done. Though the two of them had already preplanned arrangements based on the virtual tour on Alex’s website, Winston promised to take lots of pictures and videos of the space as he explored it in real time.
Winston followed the directions from his GPS and found himself driving down an impossibly long cobblestone path. The forbidding and elegant palace he saw must be Alex’s new digs, a far cry from his friend’s bachelor pad of a pistachio green townhouse. The place hadn’t been purchased on Alex’s dime, but off the profits from the scandalous memoir his girlfriend Carmen had penned. Her account of her murdering grandmother had placed her book on the bestsellers’ lists and earned a major movie deal.
The new house looked like a real castle, complete with turrets. Winston half expected to find a moat surrounding the front entrance. Instead, without getting blocked by any water barrier, he walked up to the front door. He rang the bell, and Alex opened it right away.
They gave each other a half pat on the back to say hello.
“Fancy place,” Winston said, gesturing to the grandeur around him.
“Nah. Too drafty,” Alex said. “Costs a fortune to heat the space.” But the man was grinning—and Winston also noticed Alex’s new tailored clothes.
Winston pointed to his friend’s fancy outfit. “Snazzy. Is that lapel monogrammed?”
Alex shrugged. “Carmen likes to customize our clothes.”
“No more T-shirts then?”
“Not anymore.” Alex glanced over his shoulder, and Winston could hear a vacuum humming in the background. “Sorry, but I can’t give you the grand tour right now. The cleaning lady’s here.”
Alex gestured to a path around the side of the house. “Want to take a look outside now?”
“You mean, at your new business venture, the Mystery Shack?”
“Yes, but let’s see the grounds first. They’ll be perfect for your outdoor wedding.”
Winston looked up at the bright sky, almost blinding in its pure blue. “A beautiful weekend’s forecasted, but I keep checking the weather report—five times already today. We don’t have a backup indoor venue.”
“Don’t worry, buddy. The weather’s cooperating.” Alex ushered Winston along the footpath. “Plus, our backyard is gorgeous. Beats that famous Winchester place any day.”
As they walked along, Winston’s jaw dropped in admiration. Alex had a veritable forest behind his house. Tall pine trees jostled one another for space. Winston pulled out his camera to snap photos and take videos.
“Get a load of this.” Alex motioned for Winston to hurry up.
They emerged into a clearing surrounded by majestic trees. Almost automagically, birds started serenading them with a chorus of cheer. An elegant latticed gazebo stood at the far end.
“Amazing,” Winston said. “Kristy will love it.”
“Told you.” Alex slapped Winston on the back.
Winston had visions of Kristy dressed in white (the actual gown was fuzzy in his mind, though, since she’d forbidden him to see it). He could picture her gazing at him with unquenched longing.
He and Alex discussed the placement of chairs and other logistics. Afterward, Alex said, “Now that you’re satisfied, let’s move on.”
They walked toward a connected path, half-hidden by lush growth. A few yards from the clearing stood a small rickety building.
“The Mystery Shack?” Winston guessed.
“Yup. Let me show you around.”
“Er, is it safe?” Winston asked, peering at the unsteady-looking structure.
Alex laughed away Winston’s worry. “Whatever. I monitored the making of it myself.”
“But you have no construction experience.”
“Just you wait and see. It’ll be a top tourist destination. People who can’t get enough of Carmen’s book will be paying big bucks to see a shack dreamed up by a murdering grandmother.”
Winston frowned. “Isn’t it brand-new?”
“Visitors won’t know that.”
Winston eyed the building. It did appear ancient and ramshackle, but maybe that was the quality of the materials showing. “And you got a permit to build this, right?”
Alex didn’t answer and proceeded to enter the shack. Winston hustled to follow, if only to save Alex from a possible falling beam.
The inside of the building was larger than Winston had imagined. The main room had no furnishings except for a rickety rocking chair and a splintering antique desk. They wound their way through twists and turns to examine the few rooms in the shack—and also one door that led only to a tiny hidey-hole. Each room they passed was crammed with shelves holding weird stuff like faded crime scene tape, rusted handcuffs, and scattered bullet casings. Then they returned to the main room, its most unique feature a small staircase, which stopped in midair.
Winston shuddered. “Creepy.”
“What about that mansion you were thinking of having your wedding at? Sarah Winchester used to hold séances to figure out how to build her home. Now that’s weird.”
As soon as they exited the shack, Winston gulped in the clean air. He’d felt trapped inside. “Why’d you build that thing anyway?”
Alex clucked his tongue at Winston. “We gotta capitalize on Carmen’s memoir. The shack’s a great tie-in to show folks the relics of her murdering grandma.”
“Did she own any of those things?”
“Nope. Got everything off eBay.”
Winston cleared his throat. “The shack’s so much smaller than the real Winchester Mystery House, though. Will people actually visit it?”
“Come on, man. Who wants to pay full price when they can get a deal? Same experience at half the price.”
“I don’t know,” Winston said. “Maybe you should stick to something you know, doing voice recordings for video games.”
“I’ll have you know that I already have a tour group booked for tomorrow afternoon.”
Winston blinked at his friend. “But that’s when we have the wedding rehearsal scheduled for.”
“Hakuna matata, buddy.” Alex gave him a hang-loose sign. “I bet you never even notice they’re here.”
CHAPTER 3
THE SKY HELD FLOATING fluffy clouds, and the trees above him poured out their shade. However, standing in front of the latticed gazebo, Winston felt a drop of sweat inch down his neck. He wiped it away and looked over the crowd. Okay, so there were only four people in the audience. He spied Alex’s girlfriend, Carmen, along with his brother-in-law Gary. To their right sat two seniors, Pete and Jazzman, both ex-residents of the Sweet Breeze facility where he’d cracked his first case.
He glanced to his left at his best man. At least, Alex seemed composed, mouthing “Chin up” at him.
His groomsmen, Kristy’s brothers, both gave him encouraging head nods. The celebrant—a squat bald man and one of Winston’s regular senior clients (always losing his cat)—
patted Winston’s shoulder. “Breathe,” he said.
Winston inhaled, exhaled. Then he heard the sound system click on. Strains of classical music floated in the air, and he saw Anastasia gliding toward him. Like she had before at the Sweet Breeze senior home, the regal old lady wore voluminous layers. The fabric shimmered in light purple, in honor of the wedding colors. Weighed down by an inordinate amount of jewelry (maybe one piece for each year of her long life?), she walked with tiny but firm steps toward Winston. She passed by and stood on the opposite end of the gazebo. When she winked at him, he felt a calming sense of relief.
Next, his sister, Marcy, came trotting across the clearing, heading toward Anastasia. She locked eyes with Winston, gave him a thumbs-up, and whispered, “Way to go, sai lo.” Even though he’d passed the forty-year mark, she still called him “little brother” with affection on special occasions.
Finally, “Chances Are” pumped out of the speakers. Their song. He watched as Kristy waltzed toward him, a smile on her lush lips. She wore a simple green sheath dress that brought out her coffee-colored eyes. In this idyllic nature setting, Winston could almost believe her to be a beautiful tree sprite appearing from the nearby forest.
My bride, Winston thought. (Well, almost.) The power of the word struck him with full force. He couldn’t concentrate on the rehearsal after that, the precise outlining of the proceedings. Only when the time came for the vow rehearsal did he return to reality.
A sudden fear gripped him. Where had he placed those rings? Made from titanium, the bands symbolized their enduring relationship. Winston peeked in his shirt pocket and patted down his pants. Nothing.
Sweat started buffeting him like relentless ocean waves. Wetness dampened the back of his shirt. The anxiety-induced storm he’d unleashed even drenched his socks.
A hand gripped his shoulder. Alex leaned over, and Winston smelled his buddy’s Doritos breath. “You okay, man?”
“The rings,” Winston whispered, glancing with alarm at his lovely fiancée standing a few feet away, still smiling with ignorance.