Death by Engagement

by Jaden Skye

  “How did I guess?” said Mattheus. “In fact, you’ve got someone coming to see you in an hour, a guy named Tad. He called, desperate, half an hour ago. I told him to come over, you should be back then.”

  “Thank you, Mattheus.” Cindy was touched. “Tad was Shari’s last boyfriend, the one she dated before she got engaged to Doug.”

  “I remember,” said Mattheus. “Like it or not, I’m keeping track of all the characters you’re telling me about.”

  “I appreciate your setting up the interview for me,” said Cindy.

  “Do I have a choice?” asked Mattheus.

  “Yes, definitely, you have a choice.” Cindy was insistent. “You could say no, take off, or do a bunch of other things. And you have a right to be upset with my family, too.” Cindy made sure to include that. “I never meant you to think that I was on board with the way they treated you.”

  “Thanks for that,” said Mattheus, clenching his jaw.

  “My family doesn’t hold so much power over me, either,” Cindy added. “If what they said could break up our relationship, then it wasn’t very strong to begin with, was it?”

  Mattheus looked sheepish for a moment. “I’ve seen much less break up relationships,” he said.

  “Being engaged is tricky. Lots of couples don’t make it through all the rough spots that engagements can bring. Shari and Doug didn’t, did they?”

  “Shari was killed,” Cindy whispered then, “who knows by whom? Who knows how she really died? That’s not a good example. And couples make it if they want to.” Cindy tossed her hair back over her shoulders then. “They make it if they can give each other the space to be who they are, and also be together.”

  Mattheus took Cindy’s hands and pulled them to him. “I can do that, Cindy,” he said, swiftly.

  “Can you, really?” she asked.

  “Yes, I definitely can,” he replied. “And how about you?”

  “I can,” said Cindy, “and if sometimes I can’t, I want you to let me know and remind me.”

  Mattheus grinned. “You got a deal, my beautiful lady,” he laughed. “And let’s toast to that decision with a quick lunch. We have about an hour before Tad arrives on the scene to take you away from me.”

  “Cut it out, Mattheus,” Cindy said then, “nothing takes me away from you. It’s not a good way to think about it.”

  Chapter 17

  Cindy and Mattheus ate quickly in order to be done in time for Tad’s visit.

  “He’s not coming to take me away from you,” Cindy commented again as Mattheus paid the check. “He’s coming to help me find out what happened to Shari. Actually, I feel even closer to you when I do my work.”

  “I realize that, of course,” said Mattheus, grinning sheepishly. “I was just playing with you.”

  “Well, don’t,” Cindy shot back. “As they say, there’s always truth in jest.”

  “Yes, there is,” Mattheus answered, an edge to his voice as well.

  *

  Cindy spotted Tad the minute he walked into the hotel lobby. Tall with rumpled sandy hair, pale blue eyes, and dressed in khakis and a light shirt, he looked around the lobby helplessly, seemed at loose ends. For no particular reason at all, Cindy liked him immediately.

  “Tad,” Cindy called out, getting up quickly and going right over to him.

  “Cindy Blaine?” he asked as she approached.

  “Yes,” she responded, “thank you so much for coming to see me.”

  Tad reached out and took her hands. “No, thank you,” he replied, his eyes filling with tears. “You’ll never know how grateful I am to you for doing this.”

  Cindy was moved.

  “It would be so easy to blow Shari’s death off as a suicide,” he went on, “but I just don’t believe it is.”

  Cindy loved Tad’s straightforward, no-nonsense manner. He wasn’t playing any games and that was a tremendous relief. I do believe you, she wanted to say, but had to hold back, so he could tell her more.

  “Okay,” she responded, “let’s get out of here so we can talk privately. I can’t wait to hear what you have to tell me.”

  “Where should we go?” Tad was right on board.

  “How about the gazebo in the back of the hotel?” Cindy suggested. “It’s quiet, private and hidden.”

  “Perfect,” he said, “let’s do it.” Then he looked over toward Mattheus, who had walked over to join them. “Is your partner coming?”

  “This is Mattheus,” said Cindy, introducing them. “How did you know he was my partner?”

  “I figured,” said Tad. “We talked a little on the phone. “ Then he turned to Mattheus. “Cindy and I will be in the gazebo in back, do you want to join us?”

  “Not right now, but thanks,” said Mattheus. “I’ll wait here in the lobby until you’re done.”

  Cindy knew it was often better and less intimidating to have one person to talk to at a time.

  “Great,” said Tad, eager to go.

  “Take as long as you need,” Mattheus called after them as Cindy and Tad turned and left to wind their way down to the beautiful gazebo in the back of the hotel.

  “Shari didn’t kill herself, she didn’t kill herself,” Tad kept repeating as they walked along the bumpy road. It seemed like he couldn’t hold back.

  Cindy wanted to wait until they were comfortably seated, with no distractions, to talk more.

  “We’ll be at the gazebo in just a few minutes,” she said to Tad as a brisk wind blew up and whirled over them harshly.

  “Wow, some wind.” Tad leaned back away from it. “The weather’s turning rougher. I heard it’s even possible the passing storm may hit the island this time.”

  Cindy hadn’t heard that. “That’s unusual for Aruba, isn’t it?” she asked.

  “Yeah, but I heard it,” Tad repeated. “This isn’t exactly paradise, every island does get hit sometimes.”

  “We all get hit sometimes,” Cindy murmured as they turned a corner and saw the gazebo just straight ahead.

  As Cindy expected, the gazebo was completely empty when they walked in. The winds tossed roughly outside it, but it was a safe haven within.

  Tad and Cindy sat down and huddled next to each other on a wooden bench.

  “This is a great place to talk,” Tad said the minute he got comfortable. “I have only one thing to tell you. Shari was not suicidal. Believe me.”

  “I do believe you,” Cindy replied. And she did. There was nothing at all affected or pretentious about Tad. This was not a guy who would lead you astray. “This has hit you so hard, Tad,” Cindy continued. “How long ago did you and Shari break up?”

  Tad looked over at Cindy slowly. “I wouldn’t exactly call it breaking up,” he said. “Even though Shari went back to Doug, we were in constant touch.”

  “That’s unusual, isn’t it?” asked Cindy.

  “Not for us,” Tad insisted.

  Cindy nodded, realizing that Doug had also remained friends with his past girlfriends.

  “Doug was okay with that, right?” Cindy asked anyway, just to cover bases.

  Tad made a strange face. “Was he okay with it? Who the hell cares? Doug stayed friends with everyone he ever dated. And Shari had to live with that.”

  “Was that hard for her?” asked Cindy, fascinated.

  “Shari said it wasn’t, but who really knows? She accepted Doug’s terms, no matter what. That’s the way it went,” Tad pouted.

  “You weren’t the one who broke up with Shari, were you?” Cindy wanted to be sure. “You weren’t the one who wanted to become just friends?”

  “Of course not, I loved her,” said Tad. “And she loved me.”

  Cindy grew silent to honor the depth of Tad’s feelings.

  “Why did she leave you for Doug, then?” Cindy finally asked in a very soft tone.

  “I wouldn’t say she exactly left me for him.” Tad grimaced.

  “What happened, Tad?” Cindy moved closer in.

  Tad paused a mo
ment. “Shari always had a hunger to be with controlling men,” he finally said. “Don’t take this as if I’m saying anything bad about her. I’m not. She was the best, she is the best. She’ll always be the best to me. The time we had together was fabulous. I loved her just the way she was.”

  “She was fortunate to have been with you,” said Cindy quietly.

  “Thank you for saying that, thank you so much.” Tad’s eyes filled with tears again.

  “Not every woman has such an unconditional love in their life,” Cindy went on. Tad needed to hear it and Cindy needed to say it. Tad’s love for Shari reminded Cindy of her relationship with Clint. Their love had also been unconditional and that experience would always sustain her, even though it hadn’t lasted for long. “Can you tell me more about why Shari left you?” Cindy continued gently.

  “Shari felt better around guys who took over, told her what to do,” Tad mumbled.

  “How painful,” said Cindy. “You’re not like that.”

  “No, I’m not,” Tad quickly agreed, “and I couldn’t turn myself into that kind of person, either.”

  “That’s not love, anyway,” Cindy insisted.

  “Don’t get me wrong though.” Tad rubbed his face roughly. “Shari really loved me. She and I were so happy together. I don’t think she was able to deal with how happy she was. Everyone always told her she was depressed with weird mood swings. Well, she didn’t have them with me!”

  “So, why did she end it?” Cindy was confused.

  Tad seemed confused as well. He shrugged lightly. “She finally told me that she felt more secure around a stronger guy.”

  “Stronger?” The word hurt Cindy. “It takes much more strength to be flexible and kind,” Cindy retorted.

  “Thanks for saying that.” Tad looked up at her.

  “I mean it, Tad,” Cindy insisted. “Being tough and controlling just means deep down a person’s insecure.”

  Tad smiled slowly. “That’s what I told her, but she didn’t get that point right away. I think she did, later.”

  “What do you think happened to Shari?” Cindy’s need to know intensified as the air grew colder and the sky more threatening.

  “Someone pushed her, I’m positive,” Tad declared.

  “How can you be positive?” Cindy was breathless.

  “I just can,” Tad repeated when just at that moment Cindy looked up and saw someone approaching the gazebo quickly.

  “Who’s coming?” Cindy stood up, alarmed.

  Tad jumped up beside her as well. “Oh God, it’s Deidre,” he cried out. “She’s been hounding me since I got here.”

  “You’re her link to Shari,” Cindy declared.

  “I don’t know who I’m her link to,” Tad answered as Deidre burst into the gazebo, staring at both of them.

  “Mattheus told me you guys were down here,” she started. “He was in the lobby when I arrived.”

  “What do you want, Deidre?” Tad was exasperated. “Why are you following me?”

  “I’m not following you.” Deidre’s eyes flashed. “Why would I follow you?”

  “So why are you here?” Tad confronted her directly.

  “Why are you here? That’s the question, isn’t it?” she shot back vividly.

  “Your father told me that Cindy and Mattheus were on the case.” Tad spoke to her as though he were talking to a troublesome child.

  “Who cares what my father says about anything?” Deidre replied.

  “Your father asked me to talk to Cindy and Mattheus,” Tad continued. “He wanted them to know more about Shari.”

  Deidre made a strange guffawing sound then. “Really? So you’re prepared to tell the whole truth?”

  Cindy stiffened in fear. What was the whole truth? What was Tad hiding?

  Deidre approached him methodically, each footstep echoing through the gazebo.

  “Are you prepared to tell Cindy everything?” Deidre repeated threateningly.

  “You’re insane, Deidre,” Tad replied. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but back off from me.”

  “What are you prepared to tell Cindy?” Deidre demanded.

  Cindy broke into their conversation, heatedly. “If there is some important information either of you have that I don’t, I beg both of you to tell me. Time is getting shorter! I won’t be able to be on the case for much longer.”

  “Why not?” Tad spun around and stared at Cindy.

  “A storm’s coming to the island,” Deidre hissed. “None of us have much time together here.”

  “Tell me, Tad! What is it?” begged Cindy.

  In total dismay, Tad just whirled around then, ran out of the gazebo and fled down the winding trail.

  Cindy wanted to run after him, but a sudden peal of thunder stopped her.

  “Stay here with me,” Deidre demanded.

  “You tell me what Tad’s hiding,” Cindy demanded in return.

  “I can’t,” Deidre breathed. “It won’t mean anything coming from me. Nobody believes me about anything.”

  “I do,” Cindy insisted.

  “Yeah, maybe you do,” said Deidre, “but it has to come straight from Tad.”

  “It’s something awful?” asked Cindy.

  At that Deidre smiled oddly. “No, it’s not awful, it’s just the way things are. You’ll get a better picture of my sister when you hear it all from Tad.”

  Cindy wondered what more was left to learn.

  “And you need to know something else.” Deidre moved closer, her strange smile widening. “My father told me that Cayenne is on her way down now, too. You have to stay and talk to her, too.”

  “Cayenne? Doug’s former girlfriend?” Cindy was surprised.

  “Yeah, my father called her, told her what happened and begged her to come down,” Deidre said.

  “How does your father have Doug’s ex-girlfriend’s number?” Cindy was unnerved.

  “It’s not such a secret,” said Deidre. “Cayenne and Shari knew each other. Cayenne even came over to our house once. I told you, when Shari and Doug were broken up, they still stayed in touch. They were always friends.”

  “That’s strange.” Cindy felt more and more odd about it.

  “That’s not considered strange in our lives,” Deidre said. “Everyone was friends with everyone else.”

  “And how about you?” Cindy couldn’t help but ask. “Were they friends with you, too?”

  Deidre frowned as another peal of thunder rolled in. “Not all of them,” she whispered. “I did know Cayenne though. I liked her. She was nice to me.”

  “How about Tad and Doug?” Cindy quickly asked. “Were you friends with them?”

  “I didn’t care much about Tad,” Deidre said, “but boy, were he and Shari happy! The two of them fit.”

  “And Shari and Doug?” Cindy probed.

  “Doug was different,” Deidre continued. “Basically, I would have been better for him, smarter, tougher, more his type, but he never realized it.”

  Cindy felt shaky. “Were you jealous that Shari and Doug were together, when you would have been better for him?” Cindy demanded.

  “Nah.” Deidre made a strange face. “If a guy can’t see what I’ve got to offer, who needs him anyway. Lots of guys want girls who’ll listen to them! I’m not like that at all.”

  Cindy was suddenly seized with sadness for Deidre. “I’m sure there’s someone wonderful waiting for you, too,” Cindy said as rain slashed the roof of the gazebo.

  “I hope so, too,” Deidre agreed, moving back from the rain. “If the odds go up that the storm will hit the island, my dad said we’re packing up and going home. Before that happens, let me give you one more quick suggestion. Spend more time on Shari’s Facebook page. Scroll down further. Read all her messages!”

  “Why didn’t you tell me this before, Deidre?” Cindy grew agitated. She’d done a careful scan of the page and nothing seemed out of order. But, of course, something could always have slipped by.

 
“You’re the detective,” Deidre remarked. “You’re being paid to do this. It’s not my job to tell you everything! Scroll all the way down, read every single message. Follow the chains of messages Shari received, you’ll see what I mean.”

  “Why can’t you tell me directly?” Cindy felt irritated.

  “Because you have to see it for yourself,” Deidre remarked.

  “You’ll save us all time if you just tell me,” said Cindy.

  “It won’t take long,” Deidre flung back. “Just go now and check.”

  Chapter 18

  As soon as Cindy got back to her room, she immediately went back onto Shari’s Facebook. It was possible there was something she’d previously missed. As she sat there scrolling and checking things out, Cindy wondered where Mattheus was. She’d been so engrossed working, he’d completely slipped her mind.

  Cindy quickly sent him a text. Where are you? What are you doing?

  Where are you? he quickly texted back.

  In the room, going over Shari’s Facebook page, Cindy responded.

  You did it already, he replied.

  I’m doing it again, she answered.

  I’ll be up in a few minutes, Mattheus answered. Then let’s go to the beach. You could use a break and the ocean’s wild. It’s always beautiful before a storm.

  Cindy knew that Mattheus loved walking on the beach when the surf was rough. The thrill of extreme weather invigorated him.

  Love to, Cindy responded. Let me just go over her page first, quickly.

  *

  Just as before, Shari’s Facebook page showed nothing at all unusual. There were lots of pictures of her family, Doug, friends, and all kinds of chit-chat. As Deidre suggested, Cindy scrolled down, followed chains of messages, digging deeper. Suddenly, a message Cindy hadn’t seen before appeared. It was a short note from someone named Glenna.

  Don’t marry Doug, the note declared. You’re not in shape to do it. You can’t handle a guy like him.

  Cindy was stunned that something like that would be right out there in full view for the public.

  Shari had only made a brief response. Have confidence in me, Glenna. Everyone else has. Why not you?