by Jaden Skye
Cindy went into their suite, took a quick shower, put on a pair of lime green silk lounging pajamas, and curled up on the couch, waiting to hear from him. Hopefully, he would locate Sparks quickly and be back up here with her soon. Cindy especially enjoyed the wonderful moments she and Mattheus had together after the day was over, before they went to sleep. She was sad that he wasn’t here with her now just before the wedding; she missed him.
After about half an hour of hearing nothing, Cindy took out her cell phone and called Mattheus.
“What’s going on?” she asked, relieved that he answered immediately.
“No luck so far.” Mattheus seemed glad to hear from Cindy as well. “He’s not in his room, I went up myself and knocked on the door. Finally, I got the bellman to open it. The room’s fine, though. No sign of a struggle. Nothing’s out of place.”
“Benita isn’t there?” asked Cindy immediately.
“No, she isn’t, it’s empty,” said Mattheus. “So they’re obviously somewhere together.”
“Not so obvious,” Cindy replied. “Why would they be together and not come to the dinner? Where did they go?”
“That’s what I’m trying to find right out.” Mattheus grew a bit on edge.
Cindy breathed heavily. “Where are you now?”
“I’ve checked two of the bars on the property so far,” Mattheus continued. “Now I’m asking workers in the hotel if they’ve seen Sparks anywhere around.”
A quick chill raced through Cindy. “You shouldn’t be doing this alone, Mattheus,” she insisted. “If you don’t want me to help you, why not call Nick or Lanny? They’re both cops, after all.”
“No.” Mattheus was adamant. “There’s no reason for that. I’m not upgrading the search.”
“No sign of Benita yet, either, right?” Cindy continued.
“Not so far,” Mattheus said.
“Mattheus, get a few of your buddies and fan out over the grounds,” Cindy repeated. “You can’t do all this alone. And for all you know, time is of the essence.”
Mattheus got quiet then. “You’re right,” he finally agreed. “I haven’t been thinking clearly.”
Cindy felt relieved. “Good,” she whispered. “Do you want me calling anyone for you?”
Mattheus took over. “No, I’ll take care of it. Thanks, Cindy, this is helpful. You have a way of setting me on the right course.”
Cindy shivered lightly. “Do what you have to and keep in close touch. I’m sitting here on the sofa, waiting to hear from you.”
“It’s going to be fine, I’m sure. Go to sleep,” Mattheus said. “I’ll wake you up the second I come in. I can’t wait to see you. Love you, Cindy.” Then his voice trailed off.
“I love you, too,” Cindy whispered, slowly hanging up the phone.
*
Of course, Cindy could not sleep. She picked up a casual magazine in their suite and riffled through the pages slowly. It was filled with photos of wonderful things to do in Belize, many of which she and Mattheus had already planned for their honeymoon. Cindy then thought about Sparks and Benita. They were actually a stunning couple who seemed to be living the high life happily. The little she’d seen of them didn’t add up to them skipping out on the rehearsal dinner. They didn’t seem like the kind who couldn’t be counted on, or who would create a stir the night before the wedding.
Another half hour passed with no call from Mattheus. Cindy grew both tired and edgy.
She texted Mattheus, irritated. Where are you? What’s going on? Keep me informed.
To Cindy’s distress there was no answer.
After another fifteen minutes of silence, Cindy got up from the couch and called him again. Mattheus’s voicemail came on. Something was definitely wrong. Wide awake suddenly, Cindy felt a long chill run through her back. She desperately needed to talk to somebody, but this late at night, who could she call?
Cindy went outside to the beautiful patio attached to their room, which overlooked manicured gardens and the distant surf. After taking a moment to look out into the dark night, Cindy called out.
“Mattheus, get in touch with me now!” It was as if he could hear her urgent command wherever he was. “Right now!” she repeated for emphasis.
Only the sound of the rumbling ocean below could be heard in response. Cindy gripped the railing of the patio hard, and decided to calm down. For all she knew, Mattheus had long ago located Sparks and they were having a late-night chat, catching up, or maybe grabbing a drink for old times’ sake. For all she knew, Cindy was just dreaming up a frightening scenario that had nothing to do with what was going on. Cindy decided to go inside, lie down on the couch, and try to rest. Sooner or later Mattheus would get in touch with her. What choice did she have but to wait?
Cindy went inside, lay down on the sofa and closed her eyes. To her great relief, in just a few minutes her phone rang. Cindy bolted up, grabbed her phone, and answered immediately.
“Yes?” she said in a loud, shrill tone.
To her amazement it wasn’t Mattheus, but Nick. “Cindy, are you awake?” Nick asked quietly.
“Of course I am.” Cindy felt jarred. “Where’s Mattheus? What’s going on?”
“Can I come upstairs and talk to you?” Nick continued.
Cindy froze. “Where’s Mattheus? Is he all right?” Her voice rose.
“Yes, he’s fine,” Nick replied.
“So, why are you calling? Why isn’t he here?” Cindy demanded.
“Cindy, let me come upstairs and talk to you,” Nick responded.
“Okay, come up,” she relented and hung up. Then Cindy ran to the bedroom and threw a robe over her lounging pajamas.
In a few moments there was a knock on the door and Cindy ran to open it.
“Okay, what is it? I know something is wrong,” Cindy exclaimed the moment Nick walked in.
“Sit down, Cindy,” Nick said quietly.
“First tell me where Mattheus is!” Cindy insisted.
“Mattheus is at the police station,” Nick said in a gravelly tone.
“The police station? Why? You have to tell me.” Cindy felt white with fear.
“Sit down first,” Nick insisted.
“I want to stand up.” Cindy began trembling.
“Mattheus found Sparks dead on the beach,” Nick responded.
“Dead?” Cindy shouted.
“Sparks was shot in the head and also slashed a bunch of times,” Nick went on. “Mattheus totally freaked out. Thankfully, he’d called us to help so we knew where he was. He was sobbing when we found him. We called the police and they came immediately. Mattheus stayed with Sparks on the beach for a while and then went with the cops to the station.”
“Oh my God!” breathed Cindy, unable to make sense of anything.
“Butchered like a dog,” Nick echoed.
“What about Benita? Where is she?” Cindy uttered. “Does she know what happened? Is she alive?”
“We found Benita with a friend of hers, Kiera, who had just arrived on the island for the wedding.”
“Does Benita know Sparks is dead?” Cindy’s voice trembled in horror.
“By now she must know,” Nick answered softly. “Thank goodness Kiera is with her. The news will break in the morning. The guests in the hotel will be shaken to the core, not to mention the residents of the island. We have to stay as calm and measured as we can.”
Cindy looked at Nick as though she were in a daze. It was hard to believe this was happening the night before the wedding.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Nick said quietly, taking a step closer to Cindy.
“What?” Cindy was aghast.
“You’re thinking about your wedding tomorrow,” he murmured.
“That’s the least of it,” breathed Cindy.
“The least?” Nick was startled.
“I mean a man has died, been killed heartlessly, a good friend of Mattheus’s.” Cindy’s words tripped over one another. “Why did this happen? Who did it?”<
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“That’s the real question,” Nick responded. “Who was Sparks, anyway? Mattheus never mentioned him to us in all the years we worked together.”
Cindy and Nick stared at each other blankly. “He barely mentioned him to me, either,” said Cindy. “I have no idea who could have done this or why he killed him down in Belize.”
“I’m sorry to bring news like this.” Nick looked around the room. “Mattheus probably won’t be back for a while yet. We didn’t want you waiting, not knowing.”
“Thank you for coming up and telling me,” Cindy whispered.
“Try to rest the best you can.” Nick’s voice lowered as well, as he turned to the door. “It’s going to be crazy once the news hits in the morning.”
“I will,” said Cindy, knowing that a long, sleepless night stretched out before her, and Mattheus as well.
*
True to Nick’s words, in the morning the news had spread, not only over the hotel, but the entire island. Hysteria hit both the hotel and the island, with everyone having all kinds of opinions about who did it. Police were out in force, roping off the hotel and the part of the beach where Sparks was found. Benita, in shock, was sequestered in her room. Some of Benita and Sparks’s friends from the celebrity yacht who had heard the news were with her, wouldn’t leave her alone.
Others on the yacht, Sparks’s employees and friends, called the police constantly. Two of Sparks’s bodyguards, Bat and Gregg, were down at the police station being questioned.
Everyone was asked to be as calm as possible, to stay strong and wait for the facts. Some feared that the killer was loose at the hotel. Extra police were sent to the hotel to guard it. Others were convinced the killer was part of one of the gangs that roamed the island. Law enforcement was stationed all over the roads. Authorities promised that a news conference, giving all the facts they had so far, would be held as soon as possible.
Mattheus had returned in the middle of the night and was in bed now, staring at the ceiling. The wedding guests kept calling ceaselessly. What was going to happen to the wedding? Would it be postponed? Cindy had no answer. She had to wait for Mattheus to come to himself a bit so they could talk it over.
When Cindy went into the bedroom to speak to Mattheus, he was chalk white, looking as if he were about to pass out. There was no way Cindy could bring the wedding up now, or answer the endless questions from guests about what they were going to do next, or what was going to happen to their celebration.
CHAPTER FOUR
As they promised, by late morning, the police had scheduled a televised news conference. It was necessary, of course, to calm the rising fears of tourists and quiet the rumors that were spreading uncontrollably.
Cindy and Mattheus sat on the couch in their hotel room and flipped on the TV. Chief of police Mark Watson, a large, burly, stone-faced man, was preparing to say a few words. After tapping the microphone at the podium a few times, he began to speak.
“News of the awful slashing of Sparks Redding here in Belize last night came to our attention. He was found dead on the beach by his friend and colleague, Mattheus, of CM Investigations. The moment police heard the news we rushed to the scene. Sparks had come down to Belize to be the best man at Mattheus’s wedding, which was to take place this evening at the Hotel Azure.”
Cindy and Mattheus sighed at exactly the same moment, and reached for one another’s hands.
“We extend our deepest sympathies not only to Sparks’s fiancée, Benita, but to all friends and family concerned,” the chief went on. “At the moment, it looks clear that the cause of death is homicide. If anyone happened to have seen anything related to the crime, please contact us immediately. Law enforcement is engaged in a thorough and careful investigation, which can take some time. We ask for the support and patience of all. Please stay as calm as possible, and continue your activities as before. Needless to say, both the hotel Sparks stayed in and the beach where he was found will be considered a crime scene for now.”
Mark Watson nodded abruptly and wiped his face with the back of his big hand. “Okay,” he continued, as if eager to be finished, “we will bring you updates as we have them. Regular press conferences will be held.”
As soon as the press conference ended, Mattheus slumped over, his head falling into his lap.
Cindy put her hands on his shoulders. “Mattheus, I’m so, so sorry,” she murmured. “It’s going to be all right. The killer will be found.”
“How will that make it all right?” Mattheus could barely speak. “Nothing will. He died a horrible death.”
“Awful.” Cindy shuddered.
“It’s my fault.” Mattheus’s voice became more garbled.
Cindy became afraid. “Your fault? How? What are you talking about?”
“Sparks wouldn’t have been in Belize if I hadn’t invited him.” Mattheus sat up a bit now. “He would have been safe, back in the States, surrounded by people he knew, who took good care of him.”
Mattheus’s comment made Cindy angry. “You don’t know that,” she replied. “In fact, you don’t know much about Sparks at all, do you?”
Mattheus turned to her swiftly, startled by Cindy’s response. “Of course I know the guy. I loved him.”
“You knew him a long time ago,” Cindy continued. “But you know nothing about the life he was living now or about these people who follow him around. Why did he need bodyguards, anyway?”
Mattheus shook his head slowly. “I have no idea,” he conceded.
“We have to find out that,” Cindy continued. “And is this the only time he’s been down here? It seems that Sparks’s pals come down to Belize regularly to party on that yacht. Does he come down with them? What goes on when he does?”
Mattheus rubbed his eyes, as if trying to wake up. “When I found him he had such a terrified look on his face,” Mattheus uttered. “What was the last thing he saw? Who was it?”
Cindy put her hand on Mattheus’s shoulder. “We’ll find the killer,” she promised.
“I will, not you,” said Mattheus. “You’re down here for our wedding. Your friends are here, your family. You’ll stay with them while I search.”
Cindy took a deep breath, now feeling dizzy herself. That was impossible, of course, though Mattheus didn’t realize it yet. She couldn’t stay on the side and leave him alone with this.
“And our wedding, Mattheus?” Cindy asked slowly then, feeling awful about even bringing it up.
But obviously Mattheus had thought about it as well. “It’ll go on in just a few days.” His voice became throaty. “The killer has to be close by. Chances are great that he’s among us right now. I’ll work with the cops to grab him fast. Then the wedding can go on. In the meantime, you stay with the guests, keep them company. People will understand.”
Of course people will understand, thought Cindy. There was no way she and Mattheus could marry tonight with this having happened. The guests would also do fine without her keeping them company. There was plenty for them to do at the hotel and on the island of Belize. Cindy had every intention of accompanying Mattheus in the search. Their entire relationship had been built upon working together. There was no way in the world she would opt out now. Besides, the crime was also calling to her to be solved. Cindy wanted to do everything she could to help find the killer. She couldn’t walk down the aisle until she did.
*
The next call that came in was from Cindy’s brother-in-law, Frank. Naturally, everyone was wondering what was happening tonight. Was the wedding going on? Cindy was relieved that Frank was the one calling about it. Frank had a balanced, practical side and would relay the news to the others in a good way. He would calm them down, allay their concerns. Since Cindy’s sister Ann’s death, Frank had become particularly close to Cindy’s mother. Now he would certainly help her with this shocking turn of events.
“The wedding’s postponed for just a little while,” Cindy said right after Frank asked how she was doing. “We’ve got to help th
e police nab the killer first.”
“Of course,” Frank remarked and then grew strangely silent.
“It shouldn’t take that long,” Cindy spoke rapidly then. “Whoever did it is still on the island. All roadways, ports, and airports are shut down. There’s no way anyone can get out.”
Frank mumbled something Cindy couldn’t quite hear.
“We have no choice about postponing the wedding,” Cindy said again, clearly. “Will you tell the guests? Ask them to be patient. It’s just for a few days, I’m sure.”
“You’re sure?” Frank responded heavily then, a sense of weariness in his tone.
“As sure as I can be of anything,” said Cindy sharply.
“You plan to help with the case?” Frank’s voice grew heavier.
“Of course, Frank. How can I not?” Cindy remarked icily.
“Your mother would feel better if you spent some of the time with her, as well,” Frank finally managed to say. “So would the other guests, I imagine.”
Cindy felt both pressure and annoyance, knowing Frank was right. “I’ll try,” she uttered, “but time is of the essence. It’s an emergency.”
“It’s not an emergency,” Frank rebutted her. “Sparks is dead already. The crime has been committed.”
“Wrong!” Cindy was angered by his comment. “Time is of the essence. The trail of a killer gets cold very fast. Witnesses go underground or forget what happened. A witness can be threatened, they can hide the killer or become part of the alibi. There’s all kinds of cover-ups. I’ve seen it all.”
Frank said nothing.
“And for all we know, the killer could strike again at any moment,” Cindy continued heatedly. “Anyone can become the next victim.”
Of course, Frank knew this was all true, but still he wasn’t going along. “I really hope you will try to spend time with your friends and family,” he continued. “It will be important to them and you’re not very good at staying in touch once you’re working a case.”
