Some things were easier said than done. Aidan could not sleep a wink after Kate left and even if he knew he was getting paranoid, he could not help wondering if he had done a right thing by letting her go alone. Not when there was someone out there thirsty for her blood.

Finally after thirty minutes he gave up on sleep and double checked his mobile. Furious to see no missed calls in his call log and no new messages, he grabbed some money and his car keys from the shelf and headed for the door.

A sense of foreboding overtook him when he dialed Kate’s number over and over but she was not answering. Brooklyn was familiar to him but he had no idea where Kate could be. And he was sure that she was not careless to forget calling him.

“Damn!” he exclaimed in frustration heading towards the nearest shopping mall. But the problem with the Kings Plaza shopping center was that it was always full of people and looking for one particular person was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Trying to keep his rationale, Aidan scanned the area like a zombie but as expected Kate was nowhere to be seen. What if something had happened to her? All over again? He did not think he would be able to take it this time. Trying not to think of the worst, he dialed her phone again and nearly sagged with relief when she picked up.

“Kate? Where the hell are you?” he barked knowing he was sounding sharp but the worry was still gnawing at him and till he did not see her, he would not relax.

“Aidan, baby. I’m at the café shop near the shopping mall. I’m sorry I was…”

“Wait right there! I’ll be with you in one sec,” he ordered already making his way towards the other side of the street. Feeling some life coming back in his body as he spotted her across the street near a coffee shop, he nearly stopped in the middle of the road when he realized she was not alone.

Ryce? What the hell he was doing here? And how had he caught up with them? Aidan galloped towards them and greeted Ryce with a frown.

“How did you find us?” he growled at his friend not very pleased that his cover was not so effective. If Ryce had found them out, it meant that there was a probability that whoever was trying to kill Kate would track them down as easily.

“Hey relax man! When you called me, my iPhone showed me that the call was from Brooklyn. I went to your apartment but it was closed and the guards told me that they haven’t seen you in months. So I took a guess that you were staying at the cottage when I found Kate trying to buy the whole shopping mall.”

Aidan relaxed a little but he was still not so content that Ryce had found them. It meant they were exposed to more risk and more danger than he had envisaged. “And you?” he asked turning to the innocent looking Kate sipping her coffee latte. “Haven’t I told you to call me every thirty minutes? Do you know how scared I was to let you out of my sight?”

“I know,” she replied lifting her palm in surrender. “I was so happy to catch up with Ryce that I forgot to call you,” she replied sheepishly and Aidan gave up consoling himself that Kate was fine. “I was feeding him with the latest update; about how I got my memory back and what actually happened on the wedding day,” she added patting a seat beside her.

She was too cute to resist. His anger evaporating, he joined them for some coffee while Ryce gave him a detailed explanation about how he had tracked down his business rivals but there was absolutely no indication that they had tried to kill him. His best friend even told him that he could not even confirm whether they were aware that he was getting married the idea of his business rival trying to kill Kate to get back at him seemed far-fetched.

Finally, defeated, he had appointed a private detective for the tedious job and he was to be updated every day of any possibility that someone might have something against Aidan or Waldorf Enterprise.

Aidan acknowledged that it did seem ridiculous now that he had found out that Kate had not been kidnapped as he had initially assumed. But he was not ready to leave any stone unturned. Better safe than sorry.

He was almost sure that the killer must have been someone close to them. Someone who meant them harm because of his relationship with Kate. Wasn’t it symbolic that the killer had suddenly decided to attack on their wedding day?

“That’s okay,” he replied Ryce who apologized for not being able to turn up with anything. “Let’s keep the PI for some time just to be on the safe side. Alex told us that morning that the police was in the verge of releasing the castle since they had found no other clue. The Bigfoots have still not withdrawn the case against Kate and that is why we decided to hide some more even with her memory back.”

“Yah, I think it’s the only way out for the moment. Kate has filled me up with the rest of the story and that was why we did not see you calling up,” Ryce informed him and Aidan shrugged still piqued that they had not bothered calling him.

“Never mind,” he replied evasively. “Let’s focus on the problem at hand. Who can the damned killer be?” he growled. “I think we must make a list of suspects and try to find a motive. I believe that the motive was our love story because the fact that the killer attacked on the wedding day cannot be coincidental.”

Kate looked at him puzzled. “Who the hell could have been resentful because we were getting married?”

“That is the question,” Ryce intervened putting emphasis on the sentence and both Aidan and Kate looked at him puzzled. “Okay let’s start with you,” he continued signaling in the direction of Kate. “Try to remember anything you can on the killer. What he was wearing or his approximate height. Anything that could give us a clue. Anything at all.”

Kate frowned in concentration and Aidan knew how painful it was for her to remember that nightmare over and over again. “He was wearing a pair of kitchen gloves and the black robe was a bit like that of a lawyer.”

At that, both Ryce and Aidan sat up their interest piqued. “Lawyer?” they both asked in chorus looking at each other with a question in their eyes. Aidan raked his mind about who could be a lawyer in either his or Kate’s family.

“Are you sure he was a man?” asked Ryce before Aidan could speak out what was in his mind. It did not mean anything anyway. Anybody could rent a lawyer’s robe from someone.

Kate shook her head. “I have no guarantee but all I can say was that he or she was well-built and had the more probability of turning out into being a man. As I could not even see his hand, I did not know whether he had hairs or not.”

“Hmmm what about Nathalie? She is quite well-built,” asked Ryce and Aidan looked back at him shocked. Nathalie Bigfoot?

Would she kill her own brother? Of course he had made a fool out of Nathalie when he had been trying to catch the attention of Kate and she might have avenged herself of being scorned. But was she that desperate to go as far as killing her own brother?

“Nathalie?” squealed Kate looking at Ryce like he had lost his mind. “Why would Nathalie kill Edward?”

“Not Edward. I think Edward’s murder was only some collateral damage. She was coming for you,” replied Ryce. “Do you remember there was a time Aidan was dating her…”

“I was not dating her. We just had two shopping dates and she only started to flirt with me when she realized I had lots of money,” contradicted Aidan indignantly.

“Whatever. You did use her to make Kate jealous. I personally think she waited for a long time before finally avenging herself by spoiling the wedding.”

“But Ryce there are ways and ways to spoil a wedding. Not by killing your own brother, damn it!” shouted Kate unable to digest the fact that Nathalie could kill her own brother. Aidan could in a way understand her vehemence to defend Nathalie. It was inhuman to picture someone so evil as to kill her own brother only to avenge her bruised ego. But hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, wasn’t that what was said?

“I agree. It does sound a bit far-fetched,” Ryce eventually agreed when nobody said anything after a long period of time. “ Let’s be objective. For a start I don’t think your aunts and uncles were responsible. They were already in the church waiting for you to make your appearance.”

“How can you be so sure?” asked Aidan frowning. It was possible that a guest had stayed behind and had attempted to kill Kate at the appropriate moment.

“Because I have retrieved the footage from the cameraman who had been taping the guests while waiting for the bride to make her entry.  I have ticked every person who was present on the guest list and at the church. There was everyone present even Jade and June the bridesmaid. The only persons missing at the last minute were really close family.”

Kate looked back at Aidan ready to deny that it was quite impossible but he managed to keep an impassible face instead of reassuring her. It was what his hunch had been telling him too ever since he had learnt that Kate had been attacked. Because the guards had gone off duty only minutes before the wedding and no one could have made it pass the security cameras.

“Aidan! How can you…” she started to protest when she realized that Aidan was not on her side too. It was not that he was taking sides but he wanted to hear Ryce’s version before making up his mind about the whole thing.

So instead of answering, he squeezed her hand and she swallowed hard cutting off whatever she had been trying to say.

“I know,” Aidan replied offering a gentle smile. “Let’s hear what Ryce has to say.”

“Okay,” the latter went on relentlessly. It was so typical of Ryce. He was always so focused. Aidan had not thought of asking the cameraman for the footage as he had been too focused on Kate. At that time, he was so glad that he had a friend who had kept his calm through all the drama going on while he had been giving Kate all his attention.

“So the really close family obviously means the parents who were in the west wing getting ready. Judith and Alex were all gathered with the groom along with Meredith – your mother…,” he said pointing to Aidan. “… and so they had each an alibi. I exonerate all of them.”

Kate let out a sign which was more of frustration than relief. It was clear that she was not at all thinking along the same lines.

Ignoring her, Ryce went on. “As for Caitlin, she was with you trying to fix your dress and I don’t think she would have left you to mask herself and then come back to kill you. So I exclude her also.”

“Thank you,” muttered Kate in a somewhat ironical voice and Aidan squeezed her hand again. They had to be objective. They could not exclude anyone without going into full details.

“But I’m not saying that she’s completely off the hook. She was the only one without an alibi. Nathalie was also in the west wing but nobody saw her. Not even her mother who was also gathered in the hall with the groom.”

“What do you mean? Do you think Caitlin could have killed me?! What about the fact that she’s petite and could not have fitted that robe?” shouted Kate angrily.  

“Kate, will you relax?” Aidan intervened. He knew that she was very sensitive about her family but Ryce was right. They had to analyse the situation rationally without letting emotions getting the better of them else it would lead them nowhere.

Kate sighed sadly and nodded sagging her shoulders in defeat. “I think you’re right.”

“What?!!” queried Aidan stunned. He would never have expected her to agree that one of her family members or someone close to her could have betrayed her. Kate had always been so optimistic and it was so hard to have her face the true nature of life so brutally. “Do you know anything else?’ he asked not voicing out his concern as it would deter her.

She gave him a small casual shrug but the defensive gesture portrayed so much hurt that it broke his heart. He was not happy that Kate was in so much pain.

“When I tried to flee, the killer seemed to know his way round the house. And since the castle was so big, I could bet my life that the killer was as familiar with the castle as I am. But I will never accept the fact that Caitlin could be my attacker,” she protested vehemently.

Ryce nodded. “In fact I’m telling you my trail before we talked. I had made a list of suspects long before I knew anything about the murder. I have revised my list when you have described the killer. That is why I eliminated Caitlin. Bryan was with the kids getting them ready and I don’t think he would have left them alone. So it leaves us with only…Nathalie,” he concluded looking at them with a frown.

Aidan knew there was something else he was not telling them. “What?” he snapped impatiently. It was better if everything was out now so that they could decide in which direction to go.

“There is also Jennifer who certified she was with a sleeping Flint in our room but there was no witness,” he stated matter-of-factly but Aidan knew how much it must have cost him to give them that piece of information.

“She’s not so well-built too,” replied Kate in a small voice and Aidan knew it was hurting her to be doubting her own people. But if Ryce was not exonerating Jennifer, it surely meant he was keeping his objectivity.

“I agree. So we eliminate Jen and therefore we have only one culprit. Nathalie,” announced Ryce and Kate looked at him with something akin to hope in her golden eyes.

Aidan did not know what to make of the information. Nathalie Bigfoot was a spoilt and rude woman but that hardly qualified her as a murderer. Hasn’t she once told him that she loved her brother very much and the Thorntons had known her for years.

Could there be a murderer under her pretty face? It was hard to picture her as a revengeful person but he was damn sure that the fact that the attacker had struck on their wedding day meant something. Someone was not happy with their relationship and was trying to make a statement; an obvious statement.

Ryce and Kate chatted about possibilities about how to handle the “Nathalie” situation sure that she was the culprit. Aidan was silent assimilating the situation and mentally exploring other possibilities. Since the prime suspects were Nathalie, Jennifer and Caitlin in that particular order, he was trying to look for a motive for the murder attempt.

Personally he was pretty sure that it could not be Nathalie since her own brother had been murdered. In the worst case scenario, if she had come to kill Kate and found her brother there, she would have hit him or something instead of assassinating him.

So the question was whether it was Jennifer or Caitlin. However he tried, he could not find a motive for Caitlin to try to kill her own sister. They were so close anyway that it was hard to picture sweet Caitlin as a murdered.

That meant he was left with only Jennifer Avery Calhoun. But he was wise enough not to voice it out in front of Ryce.

Would he believe that Jen was a killer? Was that why she had fled before anyone could question her? Aidan had not bothered to check whether Flint had been really sick or if it was an excuse. He had not been thinking straight at that time. But Ryce would know if Jen had been feigning the sickness of her own child.

He opened his mouth to ask him just that when another thought hit him like a whirlwind.

Wait a second. Wait a bloody second. Everybody fitted the scenario. They had covered the track of each and every one. Except one. What if the killer was clever enough to turn the attention to someone else? While he and Kate would be busy investigating on someone else, the real cunning murderer would be free to complete his task.

While they had covered every track, every past movement of the family, they had forgotten about Ryce. Where the hell was Ryce when everything was going on? He had not mentioned himself at all in the scenario and Aidan was sure he was not with them in the hall. Not until it had been announced that the bride had disappeared.

It gave him ample time to do whatever he had to do. Then Aidan chided himself for being silly. Why the hell was he doubting Ryce, his best friend? The one who was helping him solving the puzzle? But the more Aidan thought about it, the more he seemed to doubt that it could be Nathalie. And neither Caitlin. If it was Jennifer, then there was no way she could have done that hideous task alone.

What if Ryce was in cahoots with Jen? As far as he knew him personally, Ryce could never do such a thing but there was no one else who was eligible to be a murderer, really. But he could not ignore the fact that there was somebody dead in the castle and therefore a murderer was roaming freely out there. And they have not been in contact for more than six years which was more than enough time for somebody to change completely.

Was that why Ryce had been tracking them down so desperately? Was that why he had joined Kate when he had spotted her? Had he been trying to take advantage of her memory loss to trap her? Because Ryce had no idea that Kate had gotten back her memory. And after Kate had recognized him, he must have thought about his action and could hardly attack her in a public place.

Had his premonitions been right? What would have happened if he had not joined them quickly? Would Ryce have attempted something else? But Aidan doubted he would have killed her without a plan. The killer whoever it was very very meticulous and would not have acted impulsively. The more he thought about it, the more he found that the murderer matched the personality of Ryce.

Meticulous. Focused. Cunning. Ryce Vin Connor. But why the hell would Ryce try to kill Kate? Then he knew.

What if they had never forgiven him for the past? For having betrayed Jennifer like he had done on their graduation night. What if every professed words of friendship had been a lie? A ruse to get what they had wanted all along? Because who knew better than them that his weak link was Kate. Is she was no more, he would be finished.

Aidan had to bite his tongue to stop himself from letting the words out of his mouth. Would Ryce be so evil as to try to kill Kate to get even for what had happened in the past?