Chapter 2 - The Burner Phone
Maddie stared blankly at the calm waiter.
The warm, buttery scent of the lobster bisque suddenly made her stomach turn.
"What exactly did you find upstairs?"
Eli reached into the dark pocket of his black server vest.
He placed a cheap plastic cell phone directly onto the white tablecloth.
"I was clearing the empty whiskey glasses from the groom's dressing room."
"Tyler left his phone behind?"
"He left this specific phone hidden between the leather couch cushions."
Frank stepped forward and grabbed the device with shaking fingers.
"This is a prepaid burner phone."
"Tyler does not even know how to use an Android," Maddie whispered in confusion.
Eli reached over and tapped the screen to wake it up.
"It is not protected by a passcode or face recognition."
The bright screen illuminated the dim space around the abandoned head table.
A long string of unread text messages sat blatantly on the lock screen.
Maddie leaned in closer to read the glowing words.
The first message demanded to know what was taking so long.
The second message asked if the idiot bride was crying at the altar yet.
Maddie felt a hot, angry tear slide slowly down her ruined makeup.
"Who is the sender of these messages?"
Eli swiped his finger across the glass and opened the messaging application.
"The contact name just says the letter C."
Frank let out a strangled, horrified gasp.
"Maddie, you need to look at the profile picture next to the name."
Maddie squinted at the tiny circular image next to the cruel text messages.
It was a picture of a smiling woman with bright, fiery red hair.
There was only one person in their entire lives with hair that specific color.
It was her older sister, Chloe.
Chloe had called crying that morning, claiming her flight from New York was canceled due to bad weather.
Maddie dropped her heavy spoon perfectly into the center of the bisque.
"He left my wedding with my own sister."
Eli quietly picked up the empty soup bowl from the table.
"I will go fetch the salad course right away."
Before Eli could turn around, the heavy ballroom doors slammed open with a violent crash.
Two incredibly large men in dark leather jackets walked aggressively into the venue.
They certainly did not look like late wedding guests.
May you like
The taller man locked cold, dangerous eyes directly with her father.
"Where is Tyler Vaughn hiding?"
