"Let's go over now and set this up."
Shelley unearthed the correct planner for this meeting and they were both glad to know she immediately recognized how important the name Nowack was.
Jane explained that her future mother-in-law was a bulldozer, and wanted to do the wedding. "She wants to invite four hundred of her best friends and stuff in a lot of extra people as bridesmaids and groomsmen. You'll have to work with her and keep it to four hundred and no extra people at the front of the ceremony. Can you do that?"
Miss Tarlington's eyes went wide with pleasure. "I can and will. I've dealt with women like this before and know how to keep them in their proper places. In fact, your timing is excellent. We were fully booked up for other weddings until yesterday when the bride changed her mind. Her plan was for three hundred guests. I'll have to check this to make sure we can use the same space, however, for four hundred."
Shelley interrupted.
"Jane, think about this: These people Addie wants to invite are clients, not personal friends or family. Theymight be grateful to her for getting them a good price for a house they wanted. But that's all. First, not one of them has probably ever met Mel in person. And forgive me for saying this, but they've probably never heard of you, either. Second, maybe some of them don't even like her because the plumbing on the second floor flooded the living room the day they moved in, or the hot water tank blew up the next week because she hired a bad inspector."
Shelley went on, "Why would any of them want to come to a wedding for Mel, whom most of them have never even met? Why would clients of hers endure the horror of the Atlanta airport, paying for tickets, an expensive hotel for the sake of one free meal when they're here? Wouldn't it be easier for them to just contribute to one of the charities you've listed instead of wedding gifts?"
Miss Tarlington was grinning. "Given what you've just said, Mrs. Nowack, I'd bet at least seventy-five or even a hundred won't show up? We don't like wasting good food on no-shows. I'll make a point of contacting her every couple days to learn her numbers of responses. How many guests have you invited, Ms. Jeffry?"
"Forty-five at the very most, including my family, my new husband's best friends in the police department and their spouses, if they have one."
"That's great. I'll be in touch with you about regrets as well."
Jane said, "Mrs. Nowack is right. We really might be lucky." And then went on to say, "The groom's mother is
allowed to determine the catering, since she's paying for it. She can't determine the flowers. I'm dealing with that myself."
"I'll make a note about this."
"Do I need to make a down payment on the rental of the space?"
"No. You're a friend of Mrs. Nowack. Let the future mother-in-law do that. Give me the date so I can reserve the right room. Will you be booking rooms for your own guests?"
"Just my mother, dad, and the best man. Plus me and my new husband."
"What about me?" Shelley asked.
"You and Paul have a suite that you need to reserve today."
"I'll do that right now," Miss Tarlington said.
When they got home, Jane called Addie. She had her office number and her cell phone number, but Addie had never given Jane her home number. Mel knew it, of course, and there was no way she would ask for it.
Addie wasn't at her office, so Jane called the cell phone number. Addie picked up. "Addie VanDyne. Who is this?"
"Jane."
"Jane who?"
Jane gritted her teeth and said, "Jane Jeffry."
"What do you need?"
"It's something you need to know. The timing of the wedding has been moved up by three weeks."
"That's unacceptable."
"Does that mean you're not coming for either wedding?"
Jane asked, hoping desperately for Addie to say yes. "I'll talk to you later. I have a client in my car."
The client was obviously more important than Jane
and even her only son.
Jane hung up and went outside to smoke one cigarette. She had only two left in the pack she'd bought two weeks ago. The way things were going, she feared she'd soon be buying them by the carton.
Jane hadn't even been able to tell Mel yet about the date changing. She'd left several messages for him earlier and been told his line had been in use for quite a long time.
"It's not vital," Jane said. "Just ask him to call Jane when he's free."
He finally called two hours later. "I've taken some of your advice and contacted the press to help find Miss Welbourne's children, if in fact they really are her children." ‑
"Is there any doubt of that?"
"Not much. But anything's possible. Sorry I had the phone line tied up so long. What's up?"
"The date of the wedding has been moved to three weeks earlier. My dad worked things out in Denmark quicker than he thought it would take."
"The sooner the better," he replied. Jane could tell from the tone of his voice that he was smiling.
"You need to talk to your mother about this." "Haven't you told her yet?"
She hated to rat on Addie. After all, he was her only son, and he might actually care what she thought. Mel knew his mother's flaws, but in spite of them, she'd produced and raised a very good man.
"I tried," Jane said. "But she was riding around with a client and said she'd get back to me later. I've also booked rooms for the fake wedding at that hotel where the mystery conference was. You, me, Shelley and Paul, and my parents and Uncle Jim will be staying there, too. I don't know if your mother wants to book one as well. You might want to ask her. She also needs to confirm to a Miss Tarlington to make a down payment to hold the room for the wedding and the dinner and dancing. Here is the telephone number."
When he'd written it down, she could hear in the background, "Some reporter is waiting on line two."
Jane said, "I'll let you hang up and answer that. Call me back after you talk to your mother."
She'll blame it on me, Jane thought. And I hope he'll object.
At least it was a good reason to get back to planning her book about Sally. Shelley had found the right hotel. And the right person to work with there, who could cope with Addie without involving herself. All she had to do was wait for her hat to be made, give the new dates tothe florist, and look forward to spending time with her parents. She'd been in touch with them through e-mail and phone calls, but hadn't seen and visited with them at leisure for several years.
"Shelley, I need to call Katie and Mike to let them know the changed date. Then we have to go to the hat shop with my dress."
Katie was upset. "Mom, this is on a Friday and Saturday, right? I can't be gone long. Could you get me a plane ticket for early Thursday morning and another early one on Monday morning? I really wanted to spend time with Grump and Nana."
"I've booked them in a suite at the hotel. They don't need the second bedroom. You can stay there. And I'll tell you the flight and send a car service for you both ways."
"Thanks, Mom. That'll be perfect."
Mike didn't care. "It's only a short drive from here. I hadn't even told my boss when I'd be gone. So any time suits me."
When she'd booked the flight for Katie and made a copy of both sides of the credit card to send along for the e-ticket, and when she'd dropped it off at the FedEx box at the corner of the block, she called Shelley. "I have all the travel plans lined up. Let's take my emerald suit to the hatmaker."