“We’re electrical engineers. We specialize in sound systems, but we do everything.”
I admired them, perhaps because I have trouble changing a fuse.
“So you have the expertise to pull the … un, glitches that have happened today.”
“Sure, but I would never do anything to ruin Alison’s wedding. I admit I’m bitter and jealous, but I’m not vengeful.”
Maybe it was a case of in vino veritas, but I believed him. That left me without a suspect however.
Les went on: “I was surprised when she invited me, but she said Vic wanted me to come. I thought he wanted to gloat, but he hasn’t even spoken to me. I don’t know why I came – masochism, maybe, watching her marry someone else.” It certainly wasn’t for the food and drink, I thought.
Someone brought out a fresh bowl of punch, although the room was littered with half-empty glasses. I quickly tasted it: it was delicious, but most people hesitated to try it. The second to sample was the groom. “Very good,” I said and looked away. Vic filled a glass for himself, then furtively emptied the contents of a bottle into the concoction. I tried the new drink: it was worse than the previous batch. But why was the groom sabotaging his own reception?
“That stuff you just added to the punch bowl is terrible.” Victor was startled and embarrassed. “Why are you trying to ruin your own wedding … and Alison’s?”
We moved away from the coffin-tables to allow other guests access to the punch bowl. No one took advantage of it. Victor thought for a moment before speaking. “I love Alison very much.” Everyone does, it seems. “I know she and Les had been very close for a long time and I was afraid she wasn’t completely over him. She would be, I thought, if she believed he was trying to spoil her wedding.”
“But he had to be here to be a suspect.”
“Right. So I persuaded Alison to invite him. A couple of the men I work with agreed to help with the … pranks”
It was the most mixed-up case of jealousy I had ever encountered. He agreed to stop the acts of sabotage if I didn’t tell Alison, but it didn’t seem good to start a marriage with deception, and I hated to see Les take the rap for Vic’s misdeeds. I accepted, however, provided that I could tell Les the truth, which I felt he deserved.
There was one more incident, however: as the bride and groom held the knife jointly to cut the wedding cake, the blade detached itself from the handle and neatly decapitated the two figures atop the cake. People applauded, perhaps inappropriately.
As soon as possible, I was on my way back to Blandsville. I thought of taking some food for Hank, but I didn’t think he would like the tainted sandwiches and goodness knows what was in the cake.
I wondered where Alison and Victor intended on spending their honeymoon. Wherever it was, I hoped that there were not a few more still unsprung traps waiting to be sprung.
