Death by Invitation Page 4

  Obviously, Stan was holding onto hope that his daughter was still alive and well.

  “If you want to know the truth”—Stan took a few steps away from Mattheus toward the window—“if I were her, I’d run away, too. I never could stand that guy she was going to marry.”

  “Dale?” asked Mattheus, taken aback.

  “Yeah,” Stan grumbled. “He’s nasty, entitled, and a pain in the butt. The guy thinks he owns her. I told Fern a hundred times he wasn’t the right one for her.”

  “What did she say?” asked Mattheus, walking closer to him in the messy room.

  Stan turned around and stared. “She said I should mind my own business. She said she loved him a lot.” He suddenly laughed. “That’s vintage Fern, since she was little. Strong-headed with a mind of her own. Not so different from me, really. That’s why Carole finally had enough of me and took off.”

  The more Mattheus listened to his old mentor speak, the worse he felt. Stan didn’t deserve this. Didn’t anything work out for anybody?

  “I’m sorry about Carole,” said Mattheus, “it must have been a rough blow.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about.” Stan tried to crack a smile. “I’m better off without her and she’s way better off without me. I always knew that when Fern was old enough to get married, either Carole or I would run for the hills.”

  “I meant it’s rough that you have to be down here on the island looking for your daughter alone,” Mattheus went on. He wanted to ground Stan in the reality of what he was facing. Stan seemed cavalier about it all, but who knew what he would really be up against?

  “Nah.” Stan was determined to keep up a strong front. “I needed a little vacation anyway. They’re checking the airports as we speak. Thank God, most of the planes are grounded. I expect a call any minute saying they either found Fern drifting around the beaches or sitting at an airport waiting to board. Once I get the call, I’ll relax. Then we’ll open a bottle of scotch.”

  Mattheus only wished it would be so.

  “Maybe then I’ll even crash your wedding down here.” Stan forced an uneasy smile. “If I’m invited, that is.”

  “Hey, of course you’re invited.” Mattheus wanted to grab Stan and hug him. Actually, there was no one he’d rather have as a guest.

  The phone rang sharply then, startling both of them.

  “Thank God,” Stan whispered, racing for it. “This has got to be the call from the airport I’m waiting for. See, I know all my daughter’s tricks, I told you they’d find her fast.”

  Stan grabbed the phone. “Yeah?” he said. As he listened, his face began to grow chalk white.

  “Which bush?” he finally gasped, crumpling over as if he’d been punched in the gut.

  Mattheus raced over to him and held him up.

  Stan handed the phone to Mattheus as he then fell onto the small sofa, inert.

  “This is Mattheus of CM Investigations,” Mattheus said into the phone.

  “Missing person has been found dead, under a bush near a pond at the back of the hotel,” an official voice responded. “Marks on the neck look as though she was strangled. The body has been taken to the medical examiner’s office. More details will be forthcoming in a little while.”

  “Don’t leave, Mattheus, don’t go.” Stan’s pleading voice sounded as if it were coming from the depths of hell.

  Mattheus raced over to his friend.

  “I need you now. I need you badly,” Stan moaned in a daze.

  “I’m not going anywhere, Stan, I’m right here with you,” Mattheus replied.

  Stan voice became garbled. “You got to help me find the killer, you’ve got to!”

  “I will, buddy,” Mattheus responded. “You can count on me. We’ll find him in no time flat.”

  *

  After leaving Stan, Mattheus quickly called Cindy and told her to go down to the lobby to meet him. From the sound of his voice, Cindy knew that there’d been serious developments in the case. She also knew that their plans were going to be tossed around like the rest of the debris stirred up by the storm. Once again fate was intervening in her life.

  A few minutes after she got downstairs, Cindy saw Mattheus heading toward her. From the look on his face, she knew that it had been upsetting to see his old friend again. Cindy also guessed he’d found out more about Fern.

  “The search is over,” Mattheus said the minute he saw Cindy. “I told you the case would be over before it began.”

  “Has Fern been found?” asked Cindy gingerly.

  “Dead under a bush on hotel grounds,” Mattheus said. “Right now the body’s with the medical examiner. Marks on the neck look bad.”

  “Very bad,” Cindy whispered, horrified, wondering if there were other marks on her body as well.

  Mattheus hung his head down for a moment. “Not exactly the case of a runaway bride,” he muttered.

  “We don’t know that for sure,” said Cindy. “She could have been running away from her fiancé when he caught up with her?”

  Mattheus’s face darkened as he looked up. “Could have been. Dale’s been taken in for questioning. Stan also told me he couldn’t stand Dale. He said the guy was possessive, entitled, and jealous.”

  “Perfect recipe for disaster,” said Cindy.

  “Let’s hope he talks,” said Mattheus. “If Stan feels that way, so will everybody else. We’ll find out more about him quickly.”

  “Let’s hope so,” Cindy agreed.

  “Cindy, listen, I’m really sorry about this.” Mattheus relaxed a moment and took her hands. “I promised Stan I’d do everything I could to help. I told him I’d help him find the killer. I mean the guy’s falling apart.”

  “Of course you’ll help him find the killer,” said Cindy, her eyes flashing. “And I’ll be right there at your side.”

  “You will?” Mattheus’s eyes opened wide. “You’re not upset that our wedding will be slightly postponed?”

  “The storm’s already postponed it,” said Cindy.

  “But this could take a little longer,” Mattheus added.

  To Cindy’s horror, their wedding seemed less urgent now. A young woman who was also about to marry had suddenly had her life snuffed out. How could Cindy celebrate her own happiness if she didn’t do all she could to help? And for all they knew the killer was still right here, underfoot, floating around. Another victim could turn up at any moment if he wasn’t stopped.

  Cindy stared at Mattheus strangely. “What choice do we have, Mattheus?” she asked. “That’s the nature of our calling, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, it is,” said Mattheus. “What choice do we have?”

  Chapter Six

  Mattheus contacted Lance immediately. Fortunately, Lance had already registered at the hotel and could be a huge support. When Mattheus called he put Lance on speakerphone, so Cindy could join in.

  “I’ve heard the news.” Lance’s voice bristled when he picked up the phone. “Even though you might not have seen me, I was even there at the party when Dale burst in.”

  “What else did you hear?” Mattheus asked, somberly. “Did you hear that they found the body?”

  Lance’s voice dropped. “I did,” he replied. “Security at the hotel’s tightening. Tell me what you want me to do.”

  Mattheus told Lance to go straight to the Crime Center in the hotel and start speaking to guests. Mattheus would join him as soon as he and Cindy came back from the police station. They were scheduled to interview Dale there in half an hour.

  “Getting any corroborating evidence you can from the guests is important,” Mattheus said. “We’re especially looking for eyewitness accounts of what happened last night. Did someone see Dale come back to Fern’s room with her? Was someone else seen with them?”

  “I’m all over it,” said Lance. “Dale sure looks guilty as hell, but let’s keep our minds open. For all we know there’s a freak drifting around the hotel. These high-profiles parties attract all kinds of nuts. They poach on the guests, e
njoy attracting attention and tearing people’s lives apart. I’ve seen it before, believe me.”

  “Anything is possible,” Mattheus had to agree.

  “There’s also some tough drug rings on the island,” Lance continued.

  “I’m aware of that,” said Mattheus. “But the best guess is usually the most obvious. Most killers are staring us right in the face while we look everywhere else for them.”

  “How’s Cindy doing?” Lance changed the topic. “Is she in touch with the wedding guests? There’s got to be a bunch of people who haven’t been able to fly into the island or get into the hotel yet.”

  “Cindy’s amazing,” Mattheus replied. “She’s in touch with everyone, and she’s also right here on the case with me.”

  “You’re a lucky man, Mattheus,” said Lance.

  “Finally,” Mattheus replied. “Don’t I ever know it.”

  “And how’s Cindy’s uptight mother handling what’s going on?” Lance couldn’t help chuckle.

  “I beg your pardon?” asked Cindy, leaning close to the phone, chiming in.

  “Oh no! Am I on speakerphone?” Lance was busted.

  “What’s so uptight about my mother?” Cindy actually had a little smile on her face, was not really offended.

  “Hey, I was just joking, your mother’s a great lady,” Lance spoke fast.

  “Come on, Lance.” Cindy kept after it. “What happened with my mom?”

  “Nothing happened,” Lance spoke more softly, “I just see her strutting around the hotel with a few guys as though she owned the place. You’d think she was the one getting married.”

  “Those are my uncles and my brother-in-law, Frank,” Cindy said.

  “Your uncles are adorable,” Lance relented, “they back her up wherever she goes. But Frank has an eye for the gals. He stops at the club every chance he gets.”

  Cindy swallowed quickly. She didn’t need to hear that.

  “Where’s his wife? Where’s your sister?” asked Lance, playfully then.

  “My sister was killed a while ago,” said Cindy in a shivery voice.

  “Oh my God!” Lance breathed. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry, really.”

  “It’s okay,” Mattheus broke in now. “Let’s talk more later. Cindy and I have to go down to the station now and interview Dale.”

  *

  The police station they were headed to was in a white shingled house on the end of a long road with iguanas hidden behind bushes every step of the way. Those brought in for questioning were held here. Other parts of the station were housed in a large building on the square nearby.

  As Cindy and Mattheus walked up the cobbled road, Chief of Police Ted Rawson stepped out of the door to greet them.

  “I like people who show up early,” he said, taking a few steps down to guide them in. “It shows respect.”

  “Thanks for letting us join you,” said Mattheus warmly.

  “You’re coming just in time,” said Ted, as they all walked through the front door. “We’ve been talking to this guy for hours. Fortunately for him, there’s not enough evidence yet to hold him. You’re getting the last chance to find out what you can before he’s released from custody.”

  “I guessed that’s what would happen,” said Mattheus.

  “I hope to hell he slips up,” Ted replied. “But whatever happens, he won’t be able to leave the island. And you better believe we’re going to keep him covered every step of the way. He’s not getting out of our sight.”

  Cindy liked Ted Rawson. He was frank, blunt, and on the job. Much better than many police officers she’d worked with in the Caribbean who often took things lackadaisically, as a matter of course.

  The three of them walked into the station, which had a strangely casual feeling with low, sloped ceilings, wicker furniture, and a bunch of file cabinets in the corner. A whirling fan over their heads blew hot, humid air around the room, but still it was stuffy inside and hard to breathe.

  “Dale’s being brought into the next room for you to talk,” Ted informed them. “He’s tired, but he’s got no choice.”

  Cindy and Mattheus followed Ted through a slim door into a small room with a wooden table in the middle, chairs on both sides, and another whirring fan overhead.

  “I’ll leave you guys alone in here,” Ted offered. “I already heard all he has to say.”

  Obviously, whatever Dale had said didn’t sit well with Ted.

  “I’ve seen cases like this a hundred times,” Ted continued through clenched teeth. “The guy’s guilty as sin and everyone knows it. We just got to swoop up some evidence and the case is done.”

  “It may not be so simple,” Mattheus commented.

  Ted looked at him slyly. “That’s what you guys are here for, isn’t it?” he muttered. “We heard you two detectives are the best in the Caribbean.”

  “Thanks,” said Mattheus, unmoved.

  “I also heard you got a wedding planned.” Ted grinned. “Congratulations.

  Was Ted intimating that they should help get the case closed fast? Cindy wondered. The banter was becoming distracting and Cindy didn’t like it. She wanted to stay on course.

  “When is the medical examiner’s report coming in?” she asked.

  “Sooner than later,” Ted replied, looking at Cindy closely for the first time then. “Why do you ask?”

  “If you’re looking for physical evidence, the body should provide plenty of that,” she said. “Especially if the killing was accidental and not pre-planned.”

  “Who said it wasn’t pre-planned?” Ted didn’t like Cindy’s comment. “The jerk had plenty of time on his way down to the island to figure out how he’d get his revenge on his little lady.”

  “Did he say something like that?” Mattheus was alerted.

  “Of course not,” Ted grumbled, “but it’s written all over the case. I’m not saying Fern didn’t ask for it, either. She was stupid to post the video of her dancing with the stripper on Instagram. She was asking for trouble. Lots of these party girls are more in love with trouble than they are with their man.”

  Cindy was offended. “Who said Fern posted the video?” she asked.

  Ted stopped in mid-stream. “No one said it. It’s obvious though, isn’t it?”

  Nothing was obvious to Cindy. “Let’s talk to Dale ourselves and see what comes up,” she replied. Cindy didn’t like going into interviews with preconceived ideas, especially if they hadn’t been corroborated. After all, Dale’s life was also at stake.

  “Okay, sit down over there, at the table.” Ted shrugged his shoulders. “They’ll be bringing him in a few seconds.”

  *

  Dale looked nervous and tired when he came into the room with two cops at his back.

  “Sit here,” they said as they shoved him onto a wooden chair opposite Cindy and Mattheus.

  “Okay, thanks,” said Mattheus. “You can leave now. We’ll let you know when the interview’s over.”

  “Just ring that bell over there,” one the cops said gruffly, before the both of them left.

  Once the three of them were alone, Dale looked up at Cindy and Mattheus, confidentially.

  “Damn lunatic idiots,” he muttered, running his hands through his dark, wavy hair. “I’ve been up practically all night. My father’s supposed to get here with my lawyer but they can’t get onto the island because of the stupid storm. Airports are still closed down.”

  “We’ll only take a few minutes of your time,” said Cindy, trying to calm him down.

  Dale looked up at her, disgusted. “I told them everything I know. What else do you want? You guys railroading me?”

  “First of all we’re sorry for your loss, Dale,” Cindy said quietly.

  That was obviously the first time anyone had offered him any sympathy at all.

  Dale’s jaw jutted out fiercely. “Thanks,” he said, “but sorry won’t do it. I’m gonna find whoever killed Fern and rip him apart with my own hands.” Dale’s shoulders trembled vi
olently.

  “Let’s start at the beginning.” Mattheus wanted to focus him.

  “I loved Fern.” Dale looked up at Mattheus. “I would never hurt her in any way. I’m not saying she wasn’t hard to handle. She was. Fern was a handful right from the start.”

  “How?” asked Mattheus.

  “She could be a sweetheart one minute and a flaming bitch the next,” Dale mumbled. “Fern could do everything in her power to drive me crazy; it gave her a weird thrill. But then, a little later, she was as sweet as honey again.”

  “You couldn’t take it anymore, could you?” Mattheus egged him on.

  Dale was too smart for that, though. “I can take anything life hands out. I wasn’t always rich and successful like I am today. Now the girls all want me, but I’ve had my share of hard times. I’ve slogged through the mud. I know what I’m doing.”

  “The girls only want you now because you’re rich and successful?” Mattheus zeroed in.

  “Sure, it’s an old story, isn’t it?” Dale looked momentarily victorious. “Anyone on the island would be thrilled to marry me today.”

  Cindy wondered about that.

  “Because of your money?” asked Mattheus.

  “You got that right,” said Dale.

  “That must have made you pretty mad?” Mattheus continued.

  “What’s the point of being mad? I take it for granted,” Dale shot back. “That’s the way the gals are.”

  Not all gals, thought Cindy, offended. That certainly wasn’t what motivated her.

  “Did Fern need your money, though?” Cindy asked quickly. “Didn’t Fern come from a wealthy family? Doesn’t her father have a huge security company in New York?”

  “Yeah, that’s right,” Dale agreed. “That’s one of the reasons I chose her. I figured money probably wasn’t one of the main reasons she was choosing me.”

  “What was the main reason?” Cindy was on the hunt. “What was really going on between you and Fern?”