Veils and Vengeance Read online

  Praise for

  Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things, Book #1

  “Mystery, suspense, murder and romance all intriguingly tied together in one very fun walk-down-the-aisle cozy mystery!” – Shauna Wheelwright, reviewer

  “As a longtime fan of Rachelle Christensen, I always love her stories and characters, and this novel is another thrilling mystery to add to my collection. Adri faces bridezillas, wedding dress disasters, and murder. Find out what mashed potatoes and crafts have to do with suspense in Diamond Rings are Deadly Things—and don’t be surprised if you have to stay up all night to finish the book!”--Rachel Ann Nunes, Author of Before I Say Goodbye

  “This is a terrific story with quirky characters, fun crafty ideas, and a mystery that will keep you wondering through all the twists and turns.” --Heather Justesen, author of Brownies and Betrayal

  “Diamond Rings are Deadly Things pulled me right in from the first page and held me captive until the very end. Great characters, a compelling plot, a surprising twist at the end ... Rachelle Christensen knows how to craft a great mystery.” -- Tristi Pinkston, author of the Secret Sisters Mysteries

  “A cunningly crafty mystery with just the right mix of romance and do-it-yourself inspiration. Readers won't be able to get enough of Adrielle Pyper, stunning party-planner turned heroine who could lose all her expensive supplies one day, and still pull off the perfect wedding the next.” --Nichole Giles, author of Descendant

  “Author Rachelle J. Christensen has created likable and realistic characters. She blends the drama of a mystery with the allure of weddings mixing in a good dose of humor, suspense, and of course, a touch of romance.” –Mason Canyon, reviewer

  A Wedding Planner Mystery #2

  RACHELLE J. CHRISTENSEN

  Veils and Vengeance

  Copyright © 2015 Rachelle Christensen LLC

  All rights reserved.

  Original Cover Design: Kelli Ann Morgan

  Cover Art Illustration: Jordan Craw

  Cover Design © Peachwood Press

  Interior book design: Bob Houston eBook Formatting

  Edited by: Sabine Berlin and Heidi Brockbank of Eschler Editing

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

  ISBN-13: 978-0692462331

  ISBN-10: 0692462333

  Published by Peachwood Press, July 2015

  Special Offer

  For Kyle

  Your darling baby smiles and cuddly hugs make it all worth it.

  Acknowledgments

  Every book is a journey and this one took years, but I enjoyed every step. I especially enjoyed visiting the beautiful island of Kauai, and I have my brother, Patrick Jolley, to thank for that adventure.

  Thanks to my first readers who cheer me on and give great feedback to make the story better: Patrick and Necia Jolley, Nichole Giles, Rachel Ann Nunes, and Heidi Taylor.

  To my friend, Dominique Etcheverry, and her wonderful family for answering questions about the Basque language and heritage. Thank you for helping me get my facts straight.

  I’m grateful to the community of support I have within LDStorymakers, Authors Incognito, and so many incredible writers in my area. I love getting together to talk words with people who understand the work of writing.

  This book took a journey with fantastic editorial support from Heidi Brockbank and Sabine Berlin. Thanks to Eschler Editing for helping me polish my story. Kelli Ann Morgan is a superstar at designing covers, and Jordan Craw’s illustration was perfect. Thank you to Bob Houston eBook Formatting for a job well-done.

  To my parents, Tim and Andrea Jolley, thank you for reading my manuscript, brainstorming ideas, and for your unwavering support.

  My children inspire me and I’m so grateful I get to take part in their creative energy every day. My husband, Steve, deserves huge thanks for making writing retreats possible and recognizing how important writing is to me. He is the hero in my book.

  I’m grateful to my Heavenly Father for each day of life He grants me, and for the opportunity to see that each day is full of miracles and possibilities.

  Chapter 1

  SAND AND SEASHELL BOTTLE

  Create a unique conversation piece by filling a tall skinny bottle with beach sand and sea shells. Alternate layers so that you can easily view the shells amidst the sand. Vases or hurricane glass can be used but it’s recommended to find a bottle with a stopper or lid to protect against spills.

  Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com

  I kicked off my flip-flops and burrowed my toes into the sand at Tunnels Beach. The anticipation of standing on a beach in Hawaii had been building for the past seven months, and it was definitely more beautiful than I imagined.

  My dad claimed I could get a nice tan in our Idaho desert sand while lying next to his horse, Fellar, but I disagreed—especially since it was February. A destination wedding on the island of Kauai was at the top of every wedding planner’s make-believe resume, and I would’ve gone through a lot more than the grueling seven-hour flight for this opportunity.

  “What do you think, Adrielle?”

  I turned and saw Jonathan Connelly studying me with a grin. “It’s gorgeous. Call me Adri.” I smiled at the bride’s future brother-in-law, thinking that the beach wasn’t the only gorgeous thing around. Malia Wright’s fiancé, Kyle, was good-looking, but she hadn’t prepared me for his older brother Jonathan. He was close to six feet tall, with a muscular surfer-type build, and a contagious grin. Jonathan spent more time on Kauai than the rest of his family, living in his parents’ vacation home while they split their time between Hawaii and the mainland. I figured that explained his sun-bleached blond hair and bronzed skin.

  “I will if you’ll call me Jon.”

  With a lift of one eyebrow, I held out my hand. “Deal.”

  He chuckled and shook my hand with a firm grip, leaving my palm gritty with sand. I tried to brush it off on my towel, but several tiny granules still clung to my fingers.

  “Ah, your first discovery—the sticky sand of Kauai.” Jon motioned to my fingers. “Be prepared. You’ll be home a week and still shaking the beach out of your hair.”

  “When it dries, it’ll come off,” I replied.

  Someone laughed behind me and I turned just as Jon’s dad, Neil Connelly, dropped the bags full of snorkeling gear at my feet. He smiled, and I could see a tinge of gray in his neatly trimmed mustache that I hadn’t noticed in his light brown hair. “The innocence of youth.” Neil leaned down and scooped up a handful of sand and held it out. “Take a look, Adri. You’ll see that the beach here isn’t just sand, but tiny bits of broken shells and volcanic rock.” He let the sand fall into my outstretched palm.

  The granules of sand were actually reddish brown, and as I studied them, I saw what Neil meant. There were larger pieces of smooth white bits that must be sea shells and black flecks that could only be lava rock.

  “Neil, she only just got here and you’re already making her study the sand?” Heather Connelly rolled her eyes at her husband as she crouched to unzip the gear bag. She wore a dark blue bathing suit that complemented her chestnut hair. Heather looked a bit younger than her husband, probably closer to fifty while Neil appeared closer to sixty.

  “Uh-oh, don’t get sucked in.” Kyle Connelly stepped forward and patted my shoulder. “Feign disinterest, and he might give up and go away.”

  I laughed. “But I am interested. I’ve never seen beach sand like this before.”

  “No, Adri. Don’t get him started.” Malia shook her finger at Neil with a grin. “She’s here to finish planning my wedding, so don�
��t load her brain with a bunch of useless facts.”

  Neil held up his hands. “I surrender. Let’s go snorkeling instead.”

  Malia had informed me that Neil and Heather Connelly enjoyed scuba diving, but they’d opted for snorkeling so everyone could be included in the pre-wedding activities. Mostly that meant Malia and me, since neither of us were divers.

  “That will be difficult to do without the wetsuit jackets,” Heather said with a hard edge to her voice. “Adri and Malia will freeze.”

  “Oh, did I forget those?” Neil bent over the bags and emptied them, pulling out fins, masks, and a couple beach towels. “Sorry, hon.”

  “I have my rash guard. That will help,” Malia said and glanced at me. My strappy turquoise swimsuit left most of my back exposed to the sun.

  Heather narrowed her eyes toward Neil. “I reminded you twice.”

  The tension was picking up, so I stepped forward. “I’ll be fine. The water’s warmer than the Snake River, and I never used a wetsuit there.”

  “You can borrow mine.” Jon moved to pull off his swim shirt.

  “No, that’s okay.” But he’d already taken it off and placed it in my hand. I glanced at his toned chest—okay maybe more than a glance—and felt my face heating up. I looked away and mumbled, “Thanks.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Kyle said. He stood next to his brother, and I noticed that Jon was almost a head taller than Kyle. “Trust me, Adri, I’ve been diving here dozens of times. You’ll be shivering, but you won’t want to come in to shore because it’s so incredible.”

  “He’s right. The water is warmer here, but it’s still only about seventy-two to seventy-eight degrees year-round,” Neil said.

  “Thanks, Mr. Factual, but what we really needed was for you to use your brain and remember the jackets,” Heather muttered as she zipped one of the bags shut. “Tunnels Beach isn’t meant for a quick snorkel.” She turned to Malia with a frown. “We usually like to stay out for an hour because there’s so much to see.”

  I pulled on Jon’s rash guard and crouched near the sand, letting my hair hide my face, which was flaming by now. I shouldn’t be embarrassed, but Heather’s anger toward Neil made me feel even more awkward.

  “Give us a few minutes, Mom,” Kyle said. “I want to take some pictures of Malia by the ocean, and she said I had to do it before her hair got wet.” He sensed the tension too, and was creating a diversion for everyone.

  Heather nodded, and I watched Malia kiss Kyle as they walked down the beach with fingers intertwined. Malia was part Hawaiian, so her skin glowed in the tropical sun, unlike my own fair complexion. She ran a hand through the thick, loose curls at the base of her neck. I wondered if she had decided to wear her hair up or down for the ceremony.

  Their wedding would be lovely. Malia had sought me out at her friend Natalie’s wedding last June. I couldn’t turn her down when she told me she wanted to have a destination wedding in Hawaii. Even though her cousin was Luke Stetson—the divorce attorney who thought he wanted to date a wedding planner.

  I shook my head. I wasn’t going to think about Luke and his emotional baggage or the fact that he’d be arriving in Kauai in three days. Or the dimple in his chin. Or how he looked when he was out for a run with his shirt off. Gritting my teeth, I turned my thoughts back to the bride’s family.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Jon murmured.

  “Mm-hmm.” I was lost in my thoughts, unaware of the scene before me.

  Jon pointed to a lush green mountain ridge. “The Na Pali coastline has some wicked hiking trails. If you get up about 5,000 feet, the vantage points are unbelievable.”

  “It’d be fun to do a tropical hike.” I cleared my mind and refocused on the verdant seascape before me. “I love that the mountains are right here by the shore—such beauty together with the ocean.”

  “I never get tired of watching the waves,” Jon said. “Malia and Kyle don’t like hiking much, but maybe I could take you. There’s one at the top of Waimea Canyon. You usually get rained on, but it’s worth it.”

  A breeze ruffled his sun-bleached curls, and I tried to keep myself from staring at the contrast of his golden skin next to my white arms. He was waiting for my answer. My heart sped up. I was here to coordinate Malia’s wedding, but she had assured me there would be time to play. Jon was harmless—I could look. Twelve days until I would return to Sun Valley, Idaho and a mountain of work prepping for six June weddings.

  “I’d like that. You’re talking about the Wai’ale’ale Crater, aren’t you?”

  “You’ve done your homework.”

  “I bought The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook so Malia and I could figure out the details for her wedding.”

  “Yep, I’ve seen tourists with that blue guidebook—it’s a good one.” Jon nodded. “I’m happy for Kyle. It’s funny that he met a Hawaiian girl in Idaho who’s never been to Kauai. Malia seems like a nice girl, though— she’ll fit right in.”

  “She is. They’re a great couple.”

  “I’m ready to snorkel,” Neil hollered.

  “My parents are like fish.” Jon chuckled. “You ready?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Ten minutes later, we swam out along the coral reef that made Tunnels one of the best sites for snorkeling on the island. The feeling of floating on the salt water while looking down at the fish was infinitely more amazing than I’d imagined. So much life thrived just under the surface. My fingers buzzed with excitement. I had to keep reminding myself to slow my breathing down to a normal pace. We followed a sandy path through the coral with Neil and Heather leading the way, Jon and I in the middle, and Kyle and Malia bringing up the rear.

  I’d practiced snorkeling in a pool with Malia back home, but this was completely different. Just when I was feeling comfortable watching fish skirt over the sandy bottom an arm’s length away, we swam around a large rock and the ocean floor dropped away.

  Neil had prepared us by telling us about the tunnels that carved through the ocean floor. Only fifteen feet behind us, the water had been maybe ten feet deep, but the tunnel before me must have been forty feet down. Someone grabbed my hand and I turned to see Jon. He looked at me and gave a thumbs up. I returned the okay signal, but didn’t want to let go of his hand. I squeezed his fingers as he was about to release mine, and he looked back at me and gripped my hand tighter. There was something unsettling about swimming where the ocean floor wasn’t clearly visible—so deep that in places the bottom looked murky and dark.

  Jon turned and kicked his fins to the right and pulled me along a huge line of rocks. He pointed and I watched Neil dive down with a waterproof camera. He snapped a picture near a rock—I saw several fish swimming in and out of holes—then he surfaced. Seconds later, there was a tug on my hand, and I lifted my head out of the water next to Jon’s.

  He pulled out his mouthpiece. “How are you doing?”

  “This is like another world.” My voice sounded hollow, reminding me that I still had my mouthpiece in. I removed it. “Thanks for helping me. I wasn’t prepared for how deep that was, even though Neil told me.”

  “Yeah, it blew my mind the first time. I just kept telling myself, ten feet, forty feet—it’s all the same.”

  “I guess.” I chuckled. “I had to remind myself that I’m a great swimmer, and this is salt water.”

  “Hey, Jon,” Neil interrupted. “Dive with me. There’s some bright pink coral your mother wants to see.” He pointed to where Heather was floating on the surface of the water.

  Jon looked at me. “You probably noticed that most of the coral is that tan or yellowish color. It’s fun to see something different. Would you like to come?”

  “Sure.”

  “You’ll have to kick hard. It’s almost impossible to stay under the water without weights, and you’ll need to use your arms, too,” Jon said. “We have a lot of practice, so we can stay down almost a minute.”

  “Okay, I’ll try, but if I can’t get down, don’t worry about
me. I’ll just float here.”

  “You’re a good sport, Adri,” Neil said. He swiped beads of water from his mustache and pointed to his left. “Kyle and Malia are right over there if you get separated from us.”

  “Ready to go?” Jon squeezed my hand.

  I nodded and readjusted my mouthpiece, blowing air through the pipe before dipping my face back in the ocean. Jon and Neil dove, and I followed Heather as she swam through the water with strong arms. The force of the salt water was unbelievable—I got down to where I could feel a little pressure on my eardrums before I was forced back up. Blowing the water out of my tube, I tried again, this time kicking harder. As I approached Jon, he waved and pointed at the pink coral. He gripped a rock with his other hand. So that’s how he could stay under for a minute.

  They were still a few feet below me, but I had caught a glimpse of the coral, so I let myself be jettisoned to the surface once more. Proud of myself for spewing the water out of my breathing tube, I continued along the reef in the direction Jon had indicated Malia and Kyle were swimming. I couldn’t see them ahead, but I wasn’t ready to resurface yet. A mint green fish with a bulbous horn protruding above its eye flipped past me. I followed it and turned to see a long silver fish snaking its way along the top of the water. I sucked in a breath, startled at the proximity of the slender fish.

  I lifted my head, and waited for the droplets of water to slide down my mask. There were several snorkelers out today and it took me a full minute before I identified what I thought was Malia’s dark ponytail bobbing along the water with Kyle next to her. I had been heading in the wrong direction. They were a lot farther than I thought they would be. It looked like they were much closer to the beach.

  I ducked my head back under the water and began swimming in their general direction. The buddy rule nudged me as I surveyed the area. With a slow breath, I looked right and left at the shelves of coral and rock surrounding me—no sandy paths in sight. You’re doing fine. Just swim along the rocks until you see a path to the beach. I reminded myself to slow my rapid breaths to a quieter rate.