Tomorrow, The Wedding Ends With A Bang

Detective Flusher rolled his eyes as the black SUVs rolled into the parking lot. "The big boys are here. Well, at least they called beforehand to stake their claim," he complained. The whole place was in an uproar over LeMonie's death. They all expected to be sued until the city was bankrupt for letting his precious son die. The sad thing was they were all relieved when the parents were found dead hours later. No one in this town is grieving for them. They weren't loved or trusted in this town. He was a big blow hard thinking he was all that. 

"Hey, let them have it, I'm sick of that whole family. Plus, we don't have the money in our budget to fly all over the place. No, let them have it," Detective Mullen lamented the situation. Watching six agents pile out of the two vehicles knowing they will be taken over for days. He has the file on his desk and has gone over it a dozen times in the last twenty-four hours knowing they were coming. 

He had to make sure it was thorough and in the proper order. He picked up his file and met them at the door leading them to a conference room. He was given the job of helping them out, lucky him. He is also in charge of taking them to the different locations around town. Basically, a grunt to the 'all mighty' FBI.

"Here you go gentlemen, all we have on this case. What we thought was a domestic violence case turned into drug running possibly or election fraud," Detective Mullen said as he turned over his file.

"What made you think it is drugs," an Agent asked.

"Scuttlebutt around town and the large amount of money we found in a safe. It just screamed drug money. Which is shocking. The man had everything going for him, he didn't need drug money." 

"But you found no drugs or paperwork involving the money and drugs."

"Sure, we found a ledger along with about four hundred thousand dollars in his safe. The ledger," he said and pulled out a stack of copies of hand-written notes. "We copied all the entries and have the ledger in the evidence room. But as you can see, he has had millions and millions flow through his house," Mullen said as he flipped through the pages. "We are waiting for a court order to go through his banking records, but the judge is an old friend of his and is reluctant to give us one. He says it was Senate finance money and is dismissing the whole thing as a witch hunt."

"In cash," an Agent asked.

"Ok, it sounds like it runs deep here," another Agent said, passing the file back to Mullen he asked, "make six copies please."

"Your Honor, you can either give us the warrants or we can go over your head," the Senior Agent said to the reluctant Judge after they invaded his office unannounced.

"We could find out if the money went to Senate finance or somewhere else. If you have something you need to tell us, I suggest you tell me now," the Agent said with the DA standing next to him in wide-eyed fear. "We are going to pick this puzzle apart and put it back together if you're in it we will know." 

"All I know is he was always fundraising. At least once a month he went to different fundraisers. That is the only thing I was involved in with them. He even raised money for my position. As far as I knew, he was all above board. I will give you an open-ended search warrant." The judge told him and signed the paperwork presented to him. "Go look wherever you want, I'm not involved." 

Agent Ramos snatched the paper off his desk. He was pissed he had to go along with this dance in this Podunk town. He was fighting to keep his emotions in control all day. He was too far away from Houston to go home at night. With his marriage on the brink, he didn't need the case. All around him, the other Agents are divorced, and he hoped he would be the one to make it. Brenda, his wife, has complained bitterly about his long hours. But what could he do? This job is what pays the credit card bills she keeps running up. 

Their profiler says she is making him pay for not being there for her. His comeback has always been, 'she knew what I did for a living before she married me'. If she couldn't deal with the long hours and the days away, she shouldn't have married him. Now all his begging is going to waste. He expects she will move out before he could go home. He will have no say over what she takes. After two years together, he would have to start all over again. All new, everything he knows she will take everything except his dad's old chair. She hates that thing. That too was a fight just to keep it in their house. This is ridiculous, why is he worried about keeping her. She is more work than she is worth. Both his parents are gone, and she begrudged him, keeping a few things for the memories. No, he will contact his neighbor and have him keep an eye out for her moving out as she screamed, she would when he left. His last conversation with her was a screaming fit; thank God, we didn't have kids. One smart decision he made, keep it capped.

He finished off that thought and got in his car. The others are back at the police station going over the files. If they find anything interesting, he will hear about it.

He sat in his SUV and wondered what now. He lived for his job; he was only twenty-nine and was given the lead on too many cases. Hence the looming divorce. Yes, he is good at finding clues and deception. He spent the last two years on one case after another. This one spans the country and looks like it was going to be complex. Miss Tomorrow Jones is incognito out in Chicago in any conversations. What a twist of fate that Agent Comorian was in Chicago and saw their working board. They would have been lost trying to figure out this case. 

Someone from Texas was killing look-a-likes for this Jones girl for what reason. That was his question and Agent Comorian hunch panned out. With the photos they received it left no doubt the other girls had been mistaken for her. Thank God, the killings stopped with LeMoine's deaths. They kept the story from going national by the skin of their teeth. They knew with one more death the women in the region would have cut and dyed their hair.

"Now the work starts," he said as he started the engine. 

Three days and fifty phone calls between them and the scene was coming together. 

"The parents John and Lydia died first by a day. Billy was killed in his cell. Someone hung him from his water line pipe in his cell using a twisted plastic trash bag. He was either one strong man or he had help.

"Now what is important here for you is the time frame. Billy inherited everything once his parents died. With him dying his inheritance goes to his beneficiary," David explained to Tomorrow. "Now in the Trust they found along with his father's papers you have been named as his benefactor." Only giving her a moment to digest the information he went on. "With the investigation still ongoing, we aren't sure how mingled his money is with the illegal dealings he was involved with and his firm."

Tomorrow looked at Lucas confused at what he was saying. "He is saying once they figure out what is going on and separate the illegal from the legal, then you will receive the estate of John LeMoine," Lucas told her.

"Well, I don't want it," Tomorrow said, getting up from the chair David had her sit in. "I want nothing from the man," she said and stormed out of the room. 

Lucas found her talking on her phone as he entered her apartment. "It's not funny Mom," she screeched, "Yes, because they died first.

I know it could be a lot of money. 

You're right, it is karma isn't it. 

I hope he is spinning in his grave. 

I don't know, don't care, if he is in the ground or not. 

Well, actually they are probably still in the morgue.

No, I will not be coming back until the FBI solves this whole mess.

No, actually, it is nice today, twenty-seven and sunny.

Just a little snow on the ground. 

Mom. stop, it is not funny," Tomorrow complained telling Lucas, "She thinks it is hilarious and keeps laughing and clapping because I get his money. I can't believe Billy had me as his benefactor on anything," she told Lucas, forgetting her mother knows nothing about him. 

He couldn't believe it either and wondered how much was involved. He was not a money grubber, but he wasn't going to let her pass up money out of spite.

"I know, let's see how much is left once the law is done with it. Exactly, I may need an attorney to make sure they don't take more than they should." Tomorrow agreed and looked at Lucas. He would make sure she was not screwed around. 

"This is unbelievable. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought Billy would have a will, oh sorry a Trust. 

True, his father is a lawyer. The fact he left me anything is crazy. 

I have to let you go; those FBI people want to talk to me.

Yeah, I will if it is interesting.

Love you too and tell Yesterday I'll call her later," she said and hung up.

"Ok, I have calmed down. My mother is right, it is Karma and I'm glad I was here otherwise I would be under investigation for their murder."

"Right, sweet Tomorrow going out and killing people," Lucas chided. 

"Hey, I thought about hiding behind the door and stabbing his ass a few times. Especially in my coma, I killed him many times in horrible ways."

"You do know stabbing someone in the ass doesn't kill them," Lucas said as he circled her with his arms. "You will take the money and property and cash it all in and stash it away for a rainy day. They owe you that and more for all they did to you."

"I hope they figure this out quickly. I would love to go digging through their house. You know I never left the living room in the three years I lived with their son. Never invited to eat a meal, use the bathroom, or play a game. I want to go through her underwear drawer, check out her closet, and find their personal safe," Tomorrow said with a grin.

"Do I get to watch," Lucas asked, and Dante popped in her mind. That is what she will do with a lot of the money she will build him a house. One set up to help him like his apartment. She hugged Lucas tight, happy with her decision. Now she has to wait for the money and figure out how not to upset Lucas for spending money on another man. 

Agent Lancaster and Madison left the island to go help in Angleton. Phone calls and questions had been flying back and forth across the Gulf for days. The more they dug, the more questions they had. 

"Yes, UPS or FedEx drove by our place daily, why," Tomorrow asked. 

"Because the place is packed with stuff from snow globes to expensive shoes, never unpacked," David explained with his last question. "As I understand it is an overstuffed mess, and they have their hands full trying to figure out why all the expensive purchases and not using any of it. Seems someone in that house was a hoarder. The living room was nice and neat. However, the house, which is large, is packed to the rafters with boxes, items purchased and never used. In addition, hundreds of boxes filled with campaign pamphlets from campaigns going back as far as ten years littered a room."

"They are crazy," Tomorrow poised. 

"Yes, they did not want you as a daughter-in-law, they had to be nuts. Come on, think Row anything strange going on up there. I'm sure they didn't host parties with a house in that condition."

"No, a few people came over once in a while. I remember once this guy had his back seat filled with boxes when he left. He was one of the men who went to the fundraisers. I figured they were pamphlets. That always pissed me off because I could have designed them. But no, John wouldn't hear of it. Otherwise, the grocery delivery truck was there often. We talked about buying from them, but Billy said it cost too much, and he felt it had too much salt. He figures if his father wanted to die from high blood pressure, so be it."

"What was the name of the company?" David asked.

"Swan, you know the trucks that drive around and sell food out of the back. I always thought it was strange that they would need that much food brought out to them."

"How often did it come by?" 

"Two, three times a week," Tomorrow told him, unsure it may have been more often. You get used to hearing something and ignore it after a while. Some truck was driving by all the time.

"Yeah, that is a little too often. I'll have them check it out," David said and as usual, he walked a few feet away and called someone. He knew he had them running in circles, but anything she comes up with may be a clue or answer. He also knew that the company only delivered food every two weeks. His grandmother who lived in Littlerock used them for a while and yes, the food was salty, but he did love their ice cream bars as a kid.

Her wedding will be tomorrow, and her nerves were getting to her. She knew Lucas was a wreck, more about the case than the wedding. They had to go to the courthouse and pick up the license. They were going to wait until after lunch to do that. So far, he has been attentive, loving, and aggressive in bed. All the things she would look for in a man, but Dante popped in her head too often and that worried her. What was his hold on her? Was it that he needed her or just the brain-damaged kinship? She wondered as she waited for David to finish his call. He usually had some tidbit to share after each call. 

"Why would Lydia buy children's clothes? She had drawers full of little girl's clothes in a room set up for a little girl."

"Really," Tomorrow chuckled. "She was going crazy. I had mentioned to Billy that his mother was getting stranger by the day. She was always a little off. Very much the trophy wife always had to look perfect. John would inspect her before we left for each party. He tried it with me, and I told him not to start that crap with me. I will stay home. The control freak backed off," she told him deep in thought. "I heard somewhere she had a little girl, but she died years ago. Maybe she was getting ready for her to come back like the TV series about The Returned," she said that with a smile she thought it was witty. 

David shook his head, "So nothing else said about her little girl's room?"

"Around me? No, they only talked about the party coming and going. Who would be there or who was there. I was just a centerpiece, something for the men to pay attention to. I even had one guy say he only came to see what I wore."

"Apparently you dressed well."

"For the night, but I had to give it back. I figured the old man sent them back and got his money back. He was always concerned I would get something on it."

"So, what would he do have a dress for you that night?" David asked, not understanding what she was talking about with these dresses.

"No, I would receive three or four dresses and once I wore one Billy would take it back the next day. That is when half of the arguments would happen between Billy and his father."

"He would?"

"Yeah, usually on a Sunday, Billy used to tell me how much money they collected but he stopped doing that about six to nine months before I left." 

"How long have they received deliveries from the Swan truck?" David asked.

"A year or so, but I know she still goes grocery shopping, we have gone together a few times."

"Did you talk during those trips?"

"Sure, but it was just about what we were making for dinner or the last fundraiser. She never talked about anything. She was not the type of person to do that," Tomorrow told him, "I really thought she was a little on the slow side. She had to be to put up with John, he was such a jerk. Maybe he knocked her brains loose too many times."

"Do you think he was physically abusive?"

Tomorrow shook her head, "verbally, he was to all of us but hitting I don't know. As you know, words can do a lot of damage by themselves. 

"So true," David said. 

"I have seen her jerk back if he moved too fast like she was expecting to be hit. He was one of those 'jump when I tell you to do something' type of men," Tomorrow told him as Lucas swung by to pick her up. 

He and Laurel had been working the schedule to let as many people as possible have some time off, it was after all the slow season. He also kind of filled her in on the FBI presence. He left out a lot of the bad stuff, she had read it all already on the internet. She didn't mind, he was protecting Tomorrow and lord she has a lot to be protected from in her old life. 

Lucas said, extending his hand to Tomorrow, "let's go,"

Standing in line in the marriage license office, women and men dressed in casual vacation clothes waited their turn. They had three more couples in front of them when Tomorrow started to rethink, what the hell was she doing. She has known him for three months, almost four. He is good in bed, rich, handsome, and worshiped the ground she walked on. Turning, she looked up at him and smiled. She had to add tall to that list and has the cutest dimple in his cheek. Oh yeah, he can make the best bacon, plus she may be pregnant, they have tried all week. Breathing a sigh of relief, she decided to go ahead and get married. If it doesn't work out, she will have some money to make her escape. She already knows that inheritance is not community property. Billy started making claims to her inheritance and her mother put him in his place really quickly. 

"You do know Miss Jones was in a car accident," the clerk said and started counting on her fingers, "eight months ago and is unable to drive for the next four months," the clerk offered.

Lucas smiled, "I did. She has an ugly scar under all that beautiful hair."

"Man, I thought my mother was lying. Oh well four months will fly by. Beside where do I have to go," she asked, turned and smiled at the clerk. "Do you have anything on him," she asked looking at Lucas.

"No, he is clean, he is an attorney," she mentioned, making it sound like a dirty word.

"I know, but I forgive him for that. Just don't tell anybody," Tomorrow said, looking around as if it was a secret. Lucas didn't look amused, and the two women laughed. 

"Ok, are we getting this license or not," Lucas grumped. It hadn't been his decision to be a lawyer. His stepfather demanded he go to law school so he could join his firm and pushed him to be someone. The lay-about party boy was not living off his dime. He did as he was told. He passed the bar on the first try and was a good lawyer. His grandfather dying was his way out, and he ran as fast as he could from that firm and the DC area. 

He stayed right at his grandfather's side for six months doing everything he could to ease his pain, entertain him and make sure he knew he was loved. Many times, in his life, his grandfather was all he had. His mother was off traveling, he assumes looking for a new husband. When he was fifteen, she came home with the latest prize and married him. Much to Lucas's dismay, he was whisked away to the cold and dismal land of government and bureaucrats; to live as the upper crust elitists his father had intended them to be before he died. 

All he wanted was to live with his grandfather and play with the kids that came to the hotel. It took a few more years for him to find out how much fun the girls could be. Spending every break from school on the island was his one solace. His grandfather knew what he was doing and had done the same in his younger years. There was always a young mother at the hotel on the verge of a divorce looking for some attention. He was always glad to oblige them. He always warned Lucas not to lose his heart to any of them. He has Tomorrow and his heart was caught in a steel trap.

Taking the paper from the clerk, he held it to his chest, taking a deep breath, he said, "Ok, let's go, Niesha will have the dining room ready, and you need to change into your dress." Taking her hand, he pulled her along. 

Tomorrow laughed at his urgency, but she knew he would have been married to her last week if she had gone to Vegas with him. No this is better surrounded by friends if she can't have family at least friends could be there for them. At this point, they seemed like family to her. Driving back to the hotel they talked about the licenses and that they must have done a background search on them. "I wonder if they have found criminals wanting to get married and when they came for the license, they arrested them?" Tomorrow questioned. 

"Could be, maybe that is why they changed the law to catch criminals."

"Ha, Ha at least we weren't arrested. Wouldn't that have been a surprise? Your wife to be is a wanted criminal."

"I already knew you weren't. I ran a background check on you remember," Lucas recalled while turning into the hotel. 

"Well, you never know with this investigation, they may charge me with something."

"What being in the same room as illegal money. I don't think so. They will figure it out, don't worry. They have killed off everyone involved so you're not a threat anymore," Lucas told her as he helped her out of his car. 

"I hope you're right, thank God no one knows I'm here," Tomorrow offered as Niesha meets them at the entrance.

"That sure took long enough," she complained.

"Long line," Lucas offered. With a quick kiss, Tomorrow was led away to change. They had the dining room for two hours and then the diner crowd would start coming. Not Lucas's ideal situation, but the restaurant was doing too well to close it for the night. He knew if people found it closed for just one night it would throw off business for weeks. Nope the wedding party would go on outside and back in his apartment. It was a glorious day eighty-four not a cloud in the sky, a perfect day for a wedding. He figures it must be freezing in Florida for it to be this cool here. 

Walking past Tomorrow's apartment, he could hear them laughing as she changed. She was happy and he was thrilled. She has been so worried and upset these last few days he almost called off the wedding. He felt it might be too much for her, but she is happy he went along with them. She will be his with-in the hour and they will deal with this all together. 

The minister sat with Lucas discussing the vows, the service, and how much he wanted said as the hour waned. He kept a constant gaze at the side door waiting for a signal she was ready. He changed into his tux and was ready in five minutes, what was the hold up. He showed the rings to the preacher as he asked if it was a double ring ceremony. 

Finally, Niesha waved, and they got into position. The dining room was packed with employees and Diego sat in the back grinning so happy for the boss. Laurel, Niesha, and Deana, Diego's little sister who has become a fixture around the place. They walked in wearing fuchsia strapless dresses beaming as they held white roses. The normal island music that played in the restaurant was replaced with the wedding march as Tomorrow walked in. Everyone and anyone with a camera snapped a picture. 

Lucas placed his hand on his chest as he took a deep breath, taking in the beauty of the woman he was to marry. He looked at the preacher and smiled as she took her measured steps to approach him. Anxious to touch her as he stepped away from the makeshift altar, he walked down the isle of white cloth strewn with rose petals to take her hand. She had no one to give her away so he would just take her hand. 

Greeted with a big smile he fought the urge to kiss her. Presenting her to the preacher, he began the ceremony as they discussed. He asked for reverence to the vows they are taking and devotion to each other to be stressed. He placed her band on her finger, and she placed his and turned to hear "I now pronounce you man and wife." Lucas took her in his arms, turning her quickly to kiss her so the guests could see the kiss. A crack filled the air, they both fell to the floor. 

The eighty, some odd guests jumped in their seats as David ran down the aisle yelling, "call the police and have an ambulance sent." Diego, who was standing by the opening to the pools to keep guests from interrupting the ceremony, watched as a man scrambled from the rocks holding a long rifle. 

"I see him," Diego yelled, pointing as he and Quashawn ran towards this man trying to make a getaway. As they ran, the man picked his way down the rocks, paying no attention to the men charging his location. Behind them, David and seven other hotel workers ran to try and catch this sniper. David's mind was reeling, he knew Tomorrow was alive. He assessed that in a matter of seconds, but Lucas, no way would he make it. 

The bullet went through him and lodged in Tomorrow's ribs. She was talking and moving, trying to help with Lucas as he left to capture this man who shot them. Watching Diego make a flying leap he lunged at the man as he came off the rocks, he prayed he was not hurt and that he could hold on to him until he got to them. 

As they wrestled Quashawn jumped in, and they took him down to the ground not too gently, which was fine with David as he watched them take a few hits. Walking up to him David pulled his gun and handed Diego his handcuffs. The fight was on again as his arms were pulled behind his back. He expected to hear the snapping of his limbs instead they could hear sirens. David reached down and pulled up what looked to be a Mexican gangster. Tatted up and spewing curse words. Doing a quick pat down he shoved the man in front of him, took a handkerchief out of his pocket, and picked up his rifle. 

"Thank you for being so vigilant, I would have missed him being so worried about Tomorrow," David told Diego and Quashawn, two very industrious young men. He has noticed them all week working and doing more than needed as Lucas praised them. He was a good boss. He was very motivational to his people. He hated that this happened, but hopefully they will get some information out of this person. 

Stepping back into the restaurant an EMT's was working on Tomorrow and Lucas was covered with a sheet. An officer charged towards the man being held as David showed him his badge then handing the rifle over to an officer. Crouching next to Tomorrow she was pale and having difficulty breathing but expected news from him.

"We got him Diego jumped him," David said, moving beautifully curled hair out of her face, "I'm sorry we thought you were safe here."

"Get him to talk even if you have to water-board him," Tomorrow said as the stretcher popped up to take her to the ambulance. What looked to be a detective stood by the front entrance as David followed the stretcher out. 

"Are you the one with the FBI?"

"Yes," and he told him why they were there and walked with him back to the scene of the shooting. Walking out to the rocks, they climbed up and found where he sat to take his shot. They found one spent shell casing laying on the rocks. He had a clear view and it looked like he waited until the wedding was over. Getting a perverse thrill out of letting the marriage take place and taking her away the next second, but Lucas turned her, and the shot got him. The scene played over and over in his head. Knowing that dozens of people were taking pictures during the wedding, he needs to impound all the cameras for evidence. 

Thankfully, everyone was still there all too shocked to go about the rest of the day. Lucas's body was placed in the coroner's van as they walked to the front of the hotel. The lost look of the employees tore at his heart. Looking to him for answers, he signaled for Laurel to come to him. Walking to his side, he turned her so she could see all the others. 

"I am so sorry for your loss. We have been working with Tomorrow with an issue back home, but we never thought she was in danger here. For now, work the schedule Lucas set up for you. Laurel is in charge for now. I'm sure Tomorrow will be in the hospital for a few days. You know you all are loved and depended on to make this place run so do them proud. I also need all the cameras to see if I can find any evidence in the pictures. I promise to give them back as quickly as possible. 

With a lot of sad faces, the cameras were placed on the check-in desk. Pearson opened a canvas grocery bag that they planned to use it for collecting up the wedding decorations on the tables and filled it with the cameras. David thanked him, taking the bag, he went back to his room to download the pictures and to call this into headquarters. He knew this place would be crawling with the FBI within hours. He had failed to protect them. How was he to know they found her here and how did they find her?

Yellow tape kept diner's from going into the restaurant, a far worse image than a closed sign. Rocco stood in the lobby and apologized to the customers asking them to come back tomorrow. Each time he said his name his heart clenched. Word was Tomorrow came out of surgery well. So, what, she will be fine what happens to them? She sat around and looked pretty. He will give her very pretty, but his apartment sold in New York and the idea of going back churned his stomach. 

He was doing so well here who would have thought he would get rich in a hotel restaurant. With his pay and percentages, he was pocketing more each day. What they need is a good hotel manager to come in and take over. Rocco pulled out his phone, he got busy trying to find someone that wanted to get out of the fast-paced world of New York to live in paradise.