Death by Invitation Read online

  “Good for them,” said Mattheus.

  “It will just add to the fun and festivities of your event.” The manager gave Mattheus a slight wink.

  “It’s all good,” Mattheus assured him.

  “Well, let me have the bellman take you and your luggage up to your suite now.” The manager was being overly gracious. Cindy quickly saw why this hotel was considered number one for weddings on the island.

  “Thanks so much,” said Cindy lightly, tossing her long auburn hair back over her shoulders.

  The manager stepped back and really looked at her then.

  “It’s my pleasure, dear,” he said. “And, truly, you will be a beautiful bride.”

  Chapter Two

  Cindy and Mattheus stepped into the breathtaking suite. It was strewn with rose petals on the floor, over the sofa, and across the sumptuous satin bedspread. Fragrant candles were placed on the end tables and a bottle of the finest champagne stood on a marble coffee table. Two huge gift baskets with candy and fruit sat grandly beside it.

  “I feel like a queen,” Cindy breathed.

  “You are,” whispered Mattheus, taking her into his arms with great joy. “You deserve this, Cindy, every moment of it.”

  After a little while they walked out onto the patio which overlooked sparkling azure waters.

  “This is our time,” breathed Mattheus, “I’m sure of it.”

  Cindy’s eyes filled with tears. It did seem as if the entire world was lining up behind them.

  Mattheus put his arms around her. “We have nothing to fear. Not anymore. Nothing now can get in the way of our love,” he murmured. “Nothing ever will.”

  Cindy and Mattheus walked back inside, settled into the suite, toasted to one another with champagne, and unpacked slowly. Even though a couple of hours had gone by it only seemed like a few moments before the desk called. The wedding party was arriving. Some were even downstairs right now, checking in. And most guests in the party had been assigned rooms on Cindy and Mattheus’s floor.

  Cindy’s heart clenched when she heard the news. Who had arrived? Were her mother, Frank, and her uncles here already? It had been quite a while since Cindy had seen them. Uncle Ben was stiff and formal, but wildly devoted to her mother. She seldom went anywhere without him. Uncle Charles had always been warm and fun.

  What about Mattheus’s long-lost brother, Vince? He was going to be the best man. Although Cindy had heard a great deal about him, they’d never met. He’d been the dark sheep in the family for years. Two of Mattheus’s close friends, other detectives in the Caribbean, Jared and Lance, were also on the way to be Mattheus’s groomsmen.

  Cindy’s old college friend Laura was going to be the maid of honor. She wasn’t due here until tomorrow. A couple of other old friends from the States would round out the group.

  “It’s starting,” Cindy whispered to Mattheus. She suddenly wished once again that the wedding would have been small with just a few present as she and Mattheus made their vows.

  “It’s going to be great.” Mattheus grinned now and held Cindy tighter. “Last minute nerves are normal. And everyone’s going to have a fantastic time at the hotel! It has something for everybody.”

  “I’m sure it will be wonderful,” Cindy managed to chime in, as there was a sudden knock on the door. “Oh my goodness.” She was startled.

  Mattheus went right over and opened the door. Cindy’s mother, Frank, and her two uncles stood there.

  “Congratulations, congratulations.” Uncle Charles burst in, giving both Cindy and Mattheus bear hugs. “We’re overdue for a family celebration,” he went on. “I couldn’t be happier.”

  Cindy’s mother, Frank, and Uncle Ben walked in gingerly.

  “I do hope we’re not intruding,” Cindy’s mother said, glancing around.

  “Not at all. We were just going downstairs to tour the grounds,” Mattheus replied. “How about everyone coming with us?”

  “We’ve barely arrived,” said her mother.

  “No, it’s a good idea.” Frank was all over it. “We’ve been cooped up in that plane for too long.”

  Cindy looked at Frank gratefully. It was surprisingly wonderful to see him again, almost as if Ann were just a few steps away.

  “I’m so glad you’re here, Frank,” Cindy murmured.

  His eyes lit up. “I’m so glad to be here too,” he replied. “Congratulations on taking such a big step.”

  Mattheus went over and shook Frank’s hand. “Thank you for joining us,” he declared. “Thanks to everyone. It means so much to both of us to have you all here at this incredible time.”

  “Some shindig you’re gonna have.” Charles was beaming at Mattheus. “I never figured you for a guy who would like all this stuff.”

  Both Mattheus and Frank laughed. “I sure am though,” replied Mattheus.

  “Some men are tremendously sentimental,” Cindy’s mother remarked, as she looked around. Perfectly dressed as usual, in pale blue linen slacks and a silk shirt, Cindy’s mother put her hand to her hair, making sure no strand was out of place.

  Cindy smiled lightly. She’d never thought of Mattheus as being sentimental. He’d always been the practical one.

  “The hotel is packed,” her mother continued, taking everything in. “Looks like we’ve come at prime time.”

  “It’s almost time for the Carnival, isn’t it?” Uncle Ben joined the conversation. “I’ve always wanted to see it.”

  “Right.” Mattheus smiled. “It will all be part of our fun and celebration.”

  Thousands of locals and visitors turned out for the Carnival every year. The parades were filled with beautiful costumes, great music, and the wonderful energy and spirit of the Virgin Islands’ people. Some huge costumes were an intricate work of art, took months to prepare. The Carnival was a once in a lifetime celebration to see and participate in.

  “The Carnival will be going on shortly after the wedding,” Mattheus announced. “Our guests can stay another day or two and enjoy it.”

  “Looks like you have everything figured out, down to the last detail,” Charles remarked approvingly.

  “No one can figure out every detail,” Cindy’s mother swiftly interrupted. “There’s always some surprises at a wedding. I’ve never been to one where something unexpected didn’t crop up.”

  *

  After light banter they all went downstairs to get a feeling of what the hotel had to offer and how they would be spending the next few days. As Cindy’s mother had noted, the place was packed, with a sense of fun and celebration wherever you went.

  They walked along the beautiful grounds, taking in the palm trees, wild birds, and friendly iguanas that peeked out from under the bushes, sharing their habitat generously.

  As they passed along the side of the hotel, loud music and the sound of raucous laughter greeted them through an open door. Curious, Cindy couldn’t help but walk up to the door and peek in.

  When she looked inside, Cindy gasped. The room was filled with young women, drinking and laughing as a handsome Caribbean male stripper was doing his dance unabashedly. The girls, totally thrilled, were cheering him on. Another Caribbean man stood at the side watching. He probably knew the stripper, thought Cindy, or was part of the show as well.

  “What’s going on in there?” asked Mattheus, coming up close behind Cindy and peering in as well.

  “It’s the bachelorette party,” whispered Cindy.

  “My God,” Mattheus responded when he saw what was taking place, “a wild crew if I ever saw one.”

  Cindy was also taken aback.

  “Looks like the girls are going to sleep with the dancer,” Mattheus couldn’t help remark.

  “I doubt that,” said Cindy.

  “But it could happen, couldn’t it?” asked Mattheus.

  “Anything could happen, of course,” said Cindy. “Do bachelors sleep with dancers at their parties?”

  “More often than not, they do,” Mattheus confessed. “They figure
it’s their last night of freedom. Their guy friends fill the place with dancers and topless waitresses to tempt them to the limit.”

  “Last night of freedom?” Cindy was distressed. “After that they’re trapped for the rest of their lives?”

  “Not trapped, but limited,” Mattheus informed her somberly as the Caribbean male dancer slithered sensually around the beautiful, blonde young woman who seemed to be the bachelorette.

  “What’s happening?” Frank came up behind them, looking in over their shoulders. “Oh wow!” He seemed to be enjoying it thoroughly. “Let’s go in and join the fun.”

  “Whoa, wait a second.” Cindy was horrified. “This is a private, female party.”

  “I don’t think they’d care.” Frank was excited. “From the looks of it, they could use a few more men around.”

  “What’s going on?” Uncle Charles was on his way over now.

  Frank turned around. “Nothing much, Charles.” Frank obviously wanted to stop Charles from coming closer. “All kinds of parties are scheduled in the hotel.”

  Charles stopped, looking quizzical.

  “It’s nothing,” Cindy filled Charles in, “just a bunch of young women whooping it up at a bachelorette party here.”

  “Just?” Cindy’s mother looked in the room, disapprovingly. “I can understand men wanting to do something nasty like this, but young women? Right before their marriage? How can they?”

  Chapter Three

  By the end of the afternoon, Mattheus’s fellow detective and groomsman, Lance, arrived and joined the party. Mattheus was thrilled to have him here early, in time for the beautiful dinner at a seaside table in the dining room. Lance was tall and boyish looking with rumpled sandy hair. A year or two younger than Mattheus, Lance had worked many cases with him and the bond between them was palpable. He was almost like a brother to Mattheus himself, thought Cindy.

  After dinner, Cindy’s mother and uncles decided to go up to their rooms to rest. Mattheus, Lance, and Cindy remained at the table. Much to Mattheus’s disappointment his brother, Vince, had not yet arrived. Cindy tried to reassure him that Vince would come tomorrow along with the rest of the wedding party.

  Lance laughed. “I’ve heard about that brother, Vince, for years,” he said. “It’ll be a miracle if he shows up at all.”

  This was the first time Cindy had spent extended time with Lance and could see why Mattheus liked him so much. He was light-hearted and easy to be with. They had invited him to the wedding with a guest, but he came alone, having just broken up with a long-standing girlfriend.

  “Patti kept pressing for a commitment,” Lance told Mattheus when he’d asked what had gone wrong. “Even though we’d been together for a long time, I just wasn’t ready.”

  Mattheus had shaken his head knowingly. “If you’re not ready, you’re not,” he sympathized. “Could be there’s someone else coming?”

  “Anything’s possible, I’m open. I heard there’s a hot bachelorette party going on in the hotel,” Lance went on, excitedly. “Who knows? Maybe one of the guests has been waiting for me her whole life long.”

  Cindy couldn’t help laughing. She rather doubted it. From the little she’d seen, the girls at the party had been dressed fabulously and looked as though they’d been around the block several times. These weren’t the kind of women who would be waiting to marry a detective and take on the life that came along with it. They seemed to be rich, pampered girls who enjoyed living that way.

  “Let’s go to the club and get a few drinks,” Lance suggested. The hotel had a famous club, El Taqo, that people came to from all over St. Thomas to drink and dance. “Maybe the girls from the party are hanging out there.”

  Mattheus liked the idea and got up from his chair quickly. Cindy would have rather gone back up to their room alone. She knew, though, that their guests had gone out of their way to be here and it was up to Cindy and Mattheus to make sure they had a good time.

  “El Taqo it is,” Cindy chimed in, getting up quickly as well.

  Lance gave her a flashing smile of appreciation. “You’re quite a gal, Cindy,” he said. “Even better than what I imagined.”

  That was quite a compliment coming from Mattheus’s close buddy and Cindy recognized it.

  “And you haven’t seen anything yet,” Mattheus added for good measure. “Cindy’s full of surprises. I love that about her.”

  *

  On their way over to the club Lance told them what he’d found out about the guests at the bachelorette party. Ever the investigator, he’d been talking to people at the hotel about it.

  “The bride-to-be is Fern Lollins, a wealthy gal from Westchester,” Lance reported.

  Mattheus stopped walking a moment. “Lollins? That name’s familiar,” he said.

  “Fern’s about to marry a well-known financier in New York, Dale Weston. Ever hear of him?” asked Lance.

  Neither Mattheus nor Cindy had.

  “Dale Weston’s originally from Long Island,” Lance continued. “He’s well known, has become Mister Big Bucks these days. Their wedding’s getting lots of attention in the papers.”

  Cindy recoiled. “Why did you go to all the trouble of finding this out?” she asked him.

  “No trouble at all.” Lance smiled. “I was just chatting it up with some guests in the lobby who gave me the scoop. People here are very, very talkative, super friendly.”

  Lance was acting as though he were at a fraternity party, thought Cindy.

  “These gals are having one hell of a party.” Mattheus winked at Lance. “They had a local stripper dancing for them this afternoon.”

  Lance laughed out loud. “Too bad I missed it,” he exclaimed. “Patti would never have gone for something like that. Maybe that’s why we ultimately weren’t suited.”

  “You’d like to marry a woman who would have a male stripper at her bachelorette party?” asked Cindy. “That wouldn’t bother you?”

  Lance thought a minute. “I’d love it,” he said. “I want a girl who’s full of pepper and spice, keeps me on my toes.”

  Cindy saw Mattheus’s jaw clench as he shook his head emphatically. “Not me,” he said. “That’s a girlfriend, maybe. But not a wife.”

  Cindy’s heart fell for a moment. What was Mattheus expecting in a wife? “What’s wrong with pepper and spice in a wife?” she asked.

  Mattheus laughed. “I wasn’t talking about you. You’re the perfect blend of pepper, spice, and sugar. I want a woman I can trust.”

  Lance thought about it for a minute. “I guess lots of guys feel the way you do, Matt,” he replied.

  “Of course they do,” said Mattheus. “If you can’t trust the woman you’re with, that’s what I call hell.”

  *

  When they walked into El Taqo, even though it wasn’t late, the club was practically filled. There were soft red lights on, disco music playing, and beautiful people crowded around the bar. Including the girls from the bachelorette party.

  “I died and went to heaven,” said Lance, chomping at the bit. “I hope you guys will forgive me if I cut loose and drift around.”

  “Drift, my friend,” said Mattheus, “go have the time of your life.”

  Lance made a bee line for a shapely young woman with beautiful legs and a skimpy dress, seated at the bar. Without a moment’s hesitation he introduced himself and the two of them were chatting happily, as if they’d known each other their entire lives.

  “I hope you like Lance,” asked Mattheus, checking in with Cindy. “He’s a solid guy, even though he can be goofy. He’s just letting off some steam after his breakup.”

  “He’s fine,” Cindy replied. As long as Mattheus was solid, Lance could be any way he liked, she thought.

  Mattheus ordered another drink for himself and Cindy, and they stood with their arms around each other, watching the lights blinking on the dancers in the back of the club. The entire island seemed to be one huge party, thought Cindy, as she suddenly heard a rumble at the side door.


  “Where is she?” an angry male voice yelled out, bursting through the festivities.

  “Hold on, mister!” someone forcefully replied.

  “Tell me right now!” The male voice was threatening.

  Cindy and Mattheus quickly turned toward the back. A young, good-looking guy in his early thirties was bluntly pushing his way into the crowd.

  “Is he drunk?” asked Cindy, startled.

  “I’m not sure, let’s see.” Mattheus put his drink down on the bar, quickly heading in that direction.

  Cindy put her drink down as well and followed him.

  “Fern!” the guy yelled louder. “Where the hell are you?”

  The bouncer rushed over to him, and at the very same moment, so did a young woman in the club.

  “Hold on, fella.” The bouncer grabbed the young man by the arm. “Cool it!”

  “It’s okay, we know who he is,” the young woman intervened, as the guy shook off the bouncer. “What’s going on? Are you crazy, Dale?” the young woman asked, breathlessly.

  Dale squared off with the young woman, whom he seemed to know well.

  “Where is she, Carrie? Tell me this second,” he demanded forcefully.

  “Fern’s in the back now, dancing. Calm down,” Carrie replied.

  “Dancing with who, the stripper?” Dale’s face grew contorted.

  “What are you talking about?” Carrie tried to back off.

  “Don’t play dumb with me, Carrie!”

  “I’m not playing dumb, I’m just asking a question,” said Carrie.

  “All you girls play dumb and then behind our backs go and do what you want.” His voice grew louder.

  “That’s not true, Dale.” Carrie tried to quiet him as a beautiful, blonde young woman rushed over to him.

  “My God, Dale, what in the world are you doing down here?” The young woman’s huge blue eyes were fluttering.

  “What the hell’s going on here, Fern?” He grabbed her elbows, harshly.

  Fern tried her best to lurch away.

  Seeing the fear on her face, Cindy was about to step in.