Death by Invitation Page 5

  Agitated, Dale jumped up from his seat and then sat down again.

  “Believe it or not, we loved each other!” he exclaimed. “I couldn’t get enough of her, even though she didn’t listen to me and we fought. Go look on her Facebook page, talk to her friends at this stupid party. They’ll tell you how close we were. We loved each other and stayed together even though everyone tried to get in between us.”

  “Really?” asked Mattheus. “Who tried to get in between?”

  “Everyone wanted to take Fern away from me.” Dale’s face became grim. “They couldn’t stand it if we had time alone together, always wanted to barge in. There were always family dinners, girlfriend parties that came before me. I told her to forget them all, tell them to go to hell. But Fern had divided loyalties, right from the start.”

  “Divided between who?” Cindy felt agitated. Dale sounded like a control freak, a possessive guy who wanted Fern all for himself. He could have been squeezing the life out of her.

  “Listen, I’m tired,” Dale answered then. “What has this got to do with anything?”

  “It has everything to do with it,” Mattheus answered calmly. “You and Fern had a huge public fight, and then the next day Fern turns up dead. How do you think that looks for you?”

  “We always had huge fights in public,” Dale answered. “This was nothing new.”

  “But Fern didn’t always put videos of herself dancing with a stripper all over the web,” said Cindy. “She shamed you, didn’t she?”

  “She shamed herself.” Dale’s face grew darker. “She made herself look like a cheap slut.”

  “Did that enrage you?” Mattheus jumped back in.

  “For a little while it did,” said Dale, “but I got over it. So did she.”

  Cindy was confused. “What do you mean you and she got over it? You two made up?”

  “Not exactly made up.” Dale’s face started to twitch. “That’s not how we did things. After a fight like that, the two of us backed off, took time alone, and sorted things out. In a day or two it was fine again. We got back together like nothing had happened.”

  “You two didn’t spend the night before she died in her room together then?” Mattheus was fascinated.

  “No, we didn’t,” said Dale, suddenly looking terrifically sad. “We were making up, though, emailing each other.”

  “I’d like to look at those emails,” said Mattheus.

  “Like hell,” said Dale. “They’re between me and Fern, none of your business.”

  “The police will have to have them checked,” Mattheus continued.

  Dale threw back his head as if he were about to spit. “I said those are our personal emails, man.”

  Mattheus threw Cindy a long side glance and shook his head.

  “You’re making yourself look guilty as hell, Dale,” Mattheus said.

  “Yeah, well I can look any way I want,” Dale answered fast. “A fight is a fight. It happens all the time. There’s not a shred of evidence tying me to her death. Look for it as much as you want, you’ll never find it.”

  “Fern’s body’s at the medical examiner as we speak,” said Cindy softly then. “The physical evidence will be in soon.”

  “And you think you’re gonna find my fingerprints all over her?” Dale sneered. “Well, think again. We were in separate rooms the night before. I didn’t see her or touch her before she died.”

  That’s true, thought Cindy.

  “And, believe me,” Dale went on. “I can’t wait to find out who did! I’m staying on the case like a hawk! Just try and stop me.”

  Chapter Seven

  Strangely enough, Cindy believed Dale. Mattheus didn’t. After they left the police station and had a few words with Ted Rawson, they walked down to the main street in town, to talk things over and have a quick lunch.

  There were hundreds of duty-free shops lining the main streets. As Cindy and Mattheus walked along they passed shops displaying jewelry, alcohol, crystals, china, perfumes, clothing, and more. There were also art galleries, restaurants, and charming outdoor cafés. Tourists drifted about happily, looking at the wares, not realizing that a young woman in the prime of life had just been found dead under a bush at a nearby hotel.

  “Let’s go to an outdoor café at the harbor’s edge,” Mattheus suggested, as they walked along the long street which led to the harbor.

  Cindy liked the idea. The café they chose was colorful, casual, and overlooked the water which glistened in the sun. They could watch boat traffic as they ate as everywhere you turned were commercial fishermen and ferries arriving and departing.

  Cindy and Mattheus sat down and opened their menus. The restaurant specialized in seafood dishes, including raw oysters, sushi, simply prepared fish, and fried seafood platters.

  In a few moments, a lovely young Caribbean waitress in a short, printed dress came to take their order. Cindy and Mattheus ordered sushi, salad, and Marguerites. After the waitress left they finally had a few moments to settle down.

  “Dale’s nasty,” Mattheus started the conversation. “I didn’t believe a word he said.”

  Cindy reviewed their interview with him briefly. She couldn’t argue the fact that he was nasty and wasn’t helping himself by acting that way. But, so far, Cindy saw no reason to disbelieve him. A lousy personality didn’t make him a killer.

  “He didn’t seem upset enough that Fern was dead either,” Mattheus continued.

  “His upset is coming out as anger,” said Cindy. “It’s who he is. You can’t judge him for that.”

  “We’ve got to be very clear about this.” Mattheus was on the alert. “Best-case scenario is that they’ll find his fingerprints or DNA on the body and that will be that.”

  “I doubt it,” said Cindy.

  “Why?” Mattheus was curious. “Because he’s too smart for that, or too cunning?”

  “Both,” Cindy replied. “And he also seemed to have no doubt that there wouldn’t be evidence leading to him.”

  “So? He could have had someone else do the job.” Mattheus wasn’t yielding his point. “There’s no lack of hit men down on the island. A few bucks goes a long way with them.”

  “We’ll find out soon enough,” said Cindy, as she extended her hand and put it on Mattheus’s. She needed to make contact again. When she and Mattheus got into work mode, it was easy to become temporary adversaries, especially when they didn’t agree about the suspects.

  “I love you, Mattheus,” Cindy said softly then, trying to bring him back to her.

  Mattheus stopped midstream and became silent. That was the last thing he expected.

  “I love you, too,” he whispered then. “I’m sorry we’re getting so caught up in this, Cindy. But the case won’t last long. Then our wedding is coming.”

  Cindy smiled at the thought of it. “The airports will open soon,” she said, “and people will be arriving. I’ve checked and the hotel is complying with our needs, holding the rooms for everyone. I’ve also contacted the guests who aren’t here yet and let them know that the wedding’s been postponed for a few days only. And that their rooms are still here, waiting.”

  “Great! Excellent,” said Mattheus, relieved. “What was everyone’s reaction?” This was the first time they’d discussed the wedding for a while.

  “People are fine with it,” said Cindy, softly. “Most of them, anyway. I can’t seem to locate your brother Vince, though.”

  Mattheus shrugged. “Vince has been a wild card his whole life long. He promised me he’d show up, but you never know. He’s always a long shot.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Cindy.

  “Have you spoken to your mother and uncles?” asked Mattheus. “How are they doing?”

  “Actually, I’m meeting them at the hotel later this afternoon for a few drinks. Naturally, they all want to talk. You can join us too, if you want to,” said Cindy.

  It was clear from Mattheus’s face that he didn’t. “There’s a lot for me to do here,” he replied. “I’ve got to spend time with Stan this afternoon. He needs to talk, has been calling every hour or so.”

  “Of course,” said Cindy, “it’s got to be a nightmare for him.”

  “And you can’t spend too much time with your family, either.” Mattheus looked concerned. “You’ve got to start talking to the girls at the bachelorette party and go on Fern’s social media. If there’s no physical evidence on the body, the girls at the party will know exactly what went down. They’ll help us nab Dale. I’m sure of it.”

  Cindy didn’t like the fact that Mattheus seemed to have already made up his mind that Dale was guilty.

  The waitress came quickly with the delicious lunch. Cindy was hungry and began to eat quickly, though Mattheus didn’t take a bite. Clearly, he was preoccupied by the case.

  “Explain to your family that things are urgent now,” Mattheus went on. “Dale’s going to be released shortly. We don’t have time to get distracted by anything else.”

  Cindy knew that Mattheus was right. But she had to speak to her family, even though she planned to keep the meeting short. Right after it, she would immediately start talking to the girls at the bachelorette party. Ted Rawson had already told her that they were eager to speak to her as well.

  *

  When Cindy entered the posh cocktail lounge at the hotel, her mother, uncles, and Frank were sitting close to one another in a luxurious, rounded booth. A place in the middle had been saved for Cindy and she slid in.

  “Well, we finally get to see the bride.” Cindy’s mother seemed edgy.

  “Let’s order some drinks,” Frank chimed in, eager to make their time enjoyable.

  “Good idea,” said Uncle Charles.

  “Now that you’re here, I must ask you, how long is this horrid ca
se going to go on?” Cindy’s mother plunged forward.

  “Take a breather,” Uncle Charles said to Cindy’s mother. “She’ll tell you that when she can.”

  Cindy always appreciated her uncle Charles. Her mother was closer to her brother Ben, who had taken care of her for her whole life long. But Charles had his effect, as well.

  “If I knew how long the case would take, of course I would tell you,” Cindy replied to her mother directly.

  “That’s the ten-thousand-dollar question, isn’t it?” Charles continued.

  “It always is,” Frank broke in, “you never really know how long these things go on.”

  Charles motioned for the waiter then and ordered a bottle of wine.

  But Cindy’s mother wasn’t satisfied. “I don’t understand you, Cindy, and I never will.” Her voice grew more strident. “Why in the world would you ever choose a strange life like this?”

  Cindy knew this was coming, sooner or later. It always came up when she and her mother were together.

  “You’re always at the mercy of happenstance,” her mother went on. “Your time isn’t your own. Not even at your wedding!”

  Cindy didn’t feel at the mercy of happenstance or that her time wasn’t her own. Working as a detective had actually become her life. It was enormously gratifying, and she felt fortunate to have a fiancé whom she shared her life work with as well.

  “My work gives my life meaning,” she said to her mother, as she had many times before. It wasn’t something her mother could hear though. “And thankfully, Mattheus and I share the same lifestyle,” Cindy added.

  Cindy’s mother closed her eyes. “Why isn’t Mattheus joining us? Where is he now?”

  “The victim’s father has arrived and Mattheus is with him,” Cindy replied matter-of-factly.

  “That’s not an answer though, Cindy.” Her mother flared up. “We’re all here for your wedding! We count, too. He could take a few moments to have a drink right now. We’re going to be his family, whether he can bear us or not!”

  “What are you saying?” Cindy felt troubled. “Of course Mattheus cares about you. He’ll be with everyone as soon as he can, believe me.”

  “It’s always something with him and always will be.” Cindy’s mother tapped at the table with her long, manicured fingernails. “We never know when he’ll be around, and neither do you. It’s not a good sign, I’m warning you. And what about any children you may have? How will they handle it?”

  Thankfully, Frank burst in then. “Cindy loves Mattheus, tremendously,” he proclaimed. “Anyone can see that.”

  Cindy’s mother raised her eyebrows, skeptically. “Does Cindy love Mattheus or the strange life they’re living?” she quipped.

  “Look, it’s not my fault that someone got killed.” Cindy felt the ire rising. This wasn’t the time for anyone to dare question her love for Mattheus.

  “It’s not your fault, certainly.” Her mother’s face was flushing. “But every death that takes place in the Caribbean isn’t your responsibility, either! You didn’t kill Clint, Cindy. When are you going to face that? When are you going to make your peace with what happened in your life?”

  Cindy felt punched in the gut. She had no idea why her mother would bring up Clint at a time like this.

  “Who said I haven’t made my peace with it?” Cindy asked, askance. “Of course I didn’t kill Clint, but I was the one who found the person who did, wasn’t I?”

  “Your mother believes this lifestyle you’re living is based on guilt for what happened with Clint,” Ben pronounced. “Is it survivor guilt, maybe? Are you punishing yourself for Clint’s death? You seem to refuse to leave the Caribbean and start a new chapter in your life.”

  Cindy stood up, inflamed. “That’s demeaning to me,” she responded. “I loved Clint and I lost him. His loss taught me many things. I’m proud of the way I’ve handled it now. I’m proud of helping others and being one of the best detectives in the Caribbean. I’ve made Clint’s death meaningful through the work I do. It wasn’t for nothing.”

  “But the same thing could happen to Mattheus, too,” her mother couldn’t help remark. “Both of you constantly put yourselves in danger. I, for one, can’t stand it. I only want what’s best for you, Cindy, truly.”

  Frank stood up then, at Cindy’s side. “Cindy’s right,” he said, trying to put a stop to this. “Cindy is living a noble life. And, whether or not we all agree, at least she and Mattheus are doing it together. She’s not alone, in danger. That’s something, anyway, isn’t it?”

  “It’s more than something.” Charles stood up as well. “We all have to be happy for both of them.”

  Chapter Eight

  Immediately after the disturbing meeting with her family, Cindy went directly to the hotel pool, which was sprawled luxuriously at the side of the hotel, under a grove of orange trees. Cindy had arranged to meet with some of the girls at the party, who were waiting to see her eagerly.

  To her surprise, when she got there, Lance was among the girls at poolside, chatting in the sun.

  “Hi,” Cindy said brightly as she quickly joined the gathering.

  “Hey, Cindy.” Lance rushed over to greet her. “Here she is, girls, the one you’ve all been waiting to meet.”

  Carrie approached Cindy immediately. “Thank God, you’re here,” she breathed. “We’re all a mess. Lance has convinced us to get out of the room and come down to the pool for a little while. Some of the girls are still upstairs, crying. Everyone’s devastated, some can’t sleep. I’m trying to calm everyone down, but I’m not doing a great job.”

  “I’m sure you’re helping very much.” Cindy had liked Carrie when she originally met her and she liked her now. The maid of honor, she seemed to take her role very seriously.

  “I can’t get any one of the girls to jump into the pool for a swim.” Lance joined the conversation. “I just want to help them unwind.”

  “It’s going to be a long time before we unwind and feel normal again.” Carrie looked at Lance uneasily. “Tell us what you know, Cindy, please. A little information would go a long way to helping.”

  “I wish I had information to give you,” said Cindy, “but I actually need that from all of you, now.”

  Two other young women approached then. “This is Kimberly and Marge,” Carrie introduced them.

  Kimberly, the one Lance had been chatting with at the bar, was slender with long, dark hair. She was wearing a beach cover over her golden bathing suit. Marge, who had light brown hair which was bluntly cut, looked more formal in a printed summer dress.

  “Nobody can believe this happened,” Kimberly started.

  “We need as much information as we can get.” Marge was agitated. “What happened to her exactly?”

  “What do you think happened?” asked Cindy.

  “Why not sit down at the poolside table and talk while I go get some drinks for everyone,” Lance suggested. “Then I’m giving you all some privacy. It’s got to be harder to talk with a guy around.”

  “Good idea,” said Cindy, as Lance led them to a table and then went off to bring back some drinks.

  “He’s such a dear,” said Kimberly, as they sat down. “Any one of us would be lucky to have a guy like him.”

  Cindy was actually touched and surprised by Lance’s behavior as well. “Yes, he’s a good guy,” she agreed, “and tell me about Dale.”

  Marge grimaced immediately, while Kimberly began playing with her hair. The two of them looked at each other cautiously, while Carrie closed her eyes and said nothing.

  “It depends what day you’re talking about,” Kimberly started. “Dale could be charming, he could be fun.”

  Marge grimaced more intensely as Carrie slowly opened her eyes.

  “It also depends what you mean by fun,” Marge joined in. “Dale was never my idea of fun. Fern’s maybe?”

  “How long have you known Fern and Dale?” Cindy asked her.

  “I’ve known Fern since high school,” Marge replied. “Kimberly’s known her since college and Fern and Carrie grew up a few blocks away. They’ve known each other their entire life long.”

  Carrie’s eyes began to tear up. “Fern and I were family,” she said. “But we’re all a tight group, we stick together, no matter what.”