Jaden Skye - Caribbean Murder 07 - Death by Proposal

by Jaden Skye

  “The people who heard the banging need to be interviewed carefully,” said Cindy, growing nervous.

  Mattheus put his hand on hers, to calm her down.

  Spike shook his head slowly and looked up at Cindy under thick eyelids. “We got lots and lots of people to talk to at this place,” he said. “Can’t spend forever trying to squeeze the truth out of the ones who want to back away. Can we?”

  This is complicated,” said Cindy. “You’ve got to know who it was that was banging on the door.”

  “You never know,” Rod continued, seemingly gratified to see that at least Cindy cared. “It could have been the boyfriend. The couple could have been fighting, maybe she locked the guy out of the room and he was trying to get back in. She couldn’t handle the pressure and jumped off the patio in the heat of pain.”

  It was a tidy scenario, much too tidy for Cindy’s taste. Obviously they were trying to wrap things up in a neat, little package.

  “Or someone else could have been shouting and banging on the door?” Cindy suggested. “Someone who was involved in the death?”

  “Unlikely, but possible,” Rod conceded, looking less than enthused about checking it out.

  “You’ve got to find out who was at the door that night,” Cindy felt increasingly uneasy. “Whoever did it could still be loose? He could bang on someone else’s door tonight. How would that look for the police force here?”

  Spike gave her a wide smile then, exposing a front, golden tooth. “Nothing ever looks good for the police, honey. You should know that.”

  “Guess you guys didn’t hear anything last night?” Rod interrupted, directing his question to Mattheus.

  “Nothing,” Mattheus said, “our room isn’t on their floor.”

  “Some heard the banging on other floors too,” Rod insisted.

  “We had our music on all night long,” said Mattheus.

  Spike leered at him, “Nice, romantic getaway,” he crooned.

  Mattheus ignored him, and quickly drank his coffee down.

  “Did anyone at the hotel hear the young woman fall to her death?” Cindy promptly asked. “If she jumped it would have made a tremendous thud.”

  “Funny,” Rod scratched his head slowly, “no one heard that.”

  “There’s too much noise and excitement at the hotel in the busy season to hear someone falling dead onto the ground,” Spike commented.

  “Could be she didn’t jump at all,” Cindy shot back. “Could be she was killed somewhere else and the killer brought her here, to make it look like she jumped. You guys gotta check.”

  “You’re one hot detective,” Spike leered again, “love to have you on our team.”

  The waiter brought steamy, delicious eggs and home fries, and Spike dug right in.

  Cindy shuddered at the thought of the unknown young woman, a floor below her, meeting her death so unexpectedly.

  “I’m so sorry,” Cindy said, half to herself, unable to take a bite of the food.

  “Sorry gets us nowhere,” Spike spoke with his mouth half full. “Manpower is what we need now.”

  “You can say that again,” said Rod as he continued to fill them in. “Last one to see her alive was the guy she was here with, Clay Peters, thirty one, from Atlanta Georgia. Great kid, works as a chemist in a big firm down there.”

  “Was he the one yelling for help this morning?” asked Cindy.

  “Yelling’s not the word for it,” said Spike. “The guy’s still jumping out of his skin. We’re holding him for questioning. He was the last one to see her alive.”

  Cindy suddenly felt nauseous. The reality of what had happened became more vivid as she was filled in. She knew how hard it would be for the police to come up with answers, and knew they didn’t much care to try. These were rich folks, from another country, coming down and going crazy on their turf. What business was it of theirs?

  “Thanks for filling us in,” said Mattheus, “we’re both very sorry to hear what happened.”

  “That’s all you have to say?” asked Rod.

  “What else?” asked Mattheus. “I work hard all year, do my part. I deserve a week off, don’t I?”

  “We all deserve something,” Spike piped up, “even that girl who’s laying there dead.”

  “Well,” Rod pushed his chair back from the table, “the girl’s parents are on the way down as we speak and so are Clay’s parents. Can’t imagine how they’re gonna handle it. They’ve got plenty of money to hire someone, too.”

  “Thanks for thinking of us,” said Mattheus, “but we’re off duty.”

  “Lucky you,” Spike snarled, as both of them got up and took off.

  *

  “Someone’s got to be lucky,” Mattheus said to Cindy after the cops had gone.

  “You sounded heartless,” Cindy replied.

  “I’m not heartless, we’re on vacation. Eat your eggs.”

  “I’m not hungry,” said Cindy looking at them, uninterested.

  “Eat your eggs, Cindy,” Mattheus repeated. “We can’t help anyone if we don’t take care of ourselves. We need each other to solve cases and we need each other to build a life. It’s not always possible to do both at the same time.”

  The fervent plea of Mattheus touched Cindy. Of course she understood how he felt. She’d felt exactly the same way a while ago. She’d actually left him when he’d ruined their vacation to go out on a case that suddenly came up. It was definitely a fine line between taking care of others and yourself.

  Cindy put her hand over Mattheus’s. “I get what you’re saying and I love you,” she whispered.

  Mattheus paused a long, long moment. “You love me?” his voice dropped a notch.

  Cindy smiled. “Yes, I do.”

  His face lit up completely then in a breathtaking smile.

  “And that’s how you finally tell me, sitting here over cold eggs?”

  CHAPTER 5

  Even though they were technically free to leave the hotel, Cindy and Mattheus decided to go to the pool, freshen up with a swim and relax on the lounge chairs for awhile. Then they could plan the rest of the trip out, decide where to go, and when.

  It felt like a new life together walking to the pool, holding hands. The love word had been spoken. A sense of peace and security surrounded them. Mattheus seemed to be brimming with exhilaration.

  “The last thing I ever expected was to hear that you loved me so casually,” he teased.

  Cindy held his hand tighter. “As a detective I thought you’d figured it out long ago,” she laughed.

  “I thought I did, too,” he laughed as well. “Only things keep changing between us so fast.”

  “A good detective would have realized that means nothing,” said Cindy. “Change or not, we always return to each other. That means we love.”

  Mattheus’s nose wrinkled and for a second he looked like a little boy. “Really?” he said.

  “Come on, let’s stop deciphering clues and thinking of the past,” Cindy felt happy, too. “We’re in a new phase now, let’s celebrate that.”

  They arrived at the huge, sprawling, luxurious pool on the hotel grounds. Bordered by beautiful palm trees and a low, wooden gate, it seemed particularly inviting at the moment. They walked through the gate and then a few steps further to find their place in the sun.

  The pool was surrounded by lounge chairs, striped umbrellas over them, and tables for poolside drinks on. Thankfully, as it was so early, the lounge chairs were only half full. Some of the ones at the center were filled with people, talking to each other, undoubtedly about what happened last night. It was better for now, to get away from that.

  Cindy and Mattheus chose two chairs off to the side, under a large palm tree, where gentle, refreshing breezes blew. It was a wonderful idea to come here, thought Cindy, a great way to debrief before they planned other outings on the island.

  “If this isn’t paradise, I don’t know where it is,” Mattheus grinned as he stretched his towel out on the chair.

>   Of course, even though the two of them spent all their time down in the Caribbean, this was different. They weren’t on a case. They could relax and enjoy each other and the new turn their relationship had taken. They could talk about the future. Cindy could even wonder about an old dream of hers, if a family for them might be in the works.

  Cindy stretched out her towel, as Mattheus took sun tan lotion from his bag and gently rubbed it over her arms and shoulders. When they were ready to lay down, a waiter came over to take their orders and handed them a local newspaper.

  Mattheus ordered drinks and cheese and Cindy took the paper as she stretched out on the lounge. Once comfortable, she lazily opened it up.

  The picture of the young woman who had died was plastered across the front page.

  Shocked, Cindy stared at it, unable to move. “Mattheus,” she finally said, in a thin voice.

  “What?” he turned his head towards her.

  “Look at this,” she held the paper up.

  Mattheus looked at the photo, not registering anything.

  “Look, don’t you recognize her?” Cindy’s voice trembled.

  Mattheus looked more closely. “She looks familiar, but I don’t remember exactly where I’ve seen her before.”

  “Please look more closely,” Cindy felt troubled.

  “Who is she?” Mattheus finally asked point blank.

  “She’s the young woman who was sitting at the table next to ours in the dining room. The beautiful one, the ash blonde.”

  “God,” said Mattheus, “I remember. She was wearing the bracelet you wanted me to look at.”

  Cindy kept staring at the young, perfect face, a wave of grief flowing through her. She’d looked so happy and so beautiful that night, everything before her. Now she was dead and gone. It was hard for Cindy to digest it.

  “The headlines say she’d just gotten engaged the night she died and was so thrilled and happy,” said Cindy.

  Mattheus shook his head slowly. “Awful,” he murmured. “That’s why we do the work we do.”

  “What happened to her?” Cindy couldn’t help asking. “The whole situation reminded her so much of what had happened with her and Clint. Losing him at the peak of her happiness, during the honeymoon.”

  “I have no idea what happened,” Mattheus said softly, “none at all. Please, let it go.”

  “She and her fiancé seemed fine together,” Cindy ruminated.

  “We all seem something,” said Mattheus. “Things turn around in an instant. A flash flood, a sudden misunderstanding, a terrible fight, summer storm.”

  “It’s not that simple,” said Cindy.

  “Sometimes it can be,” said Mattheus.

  “No,” Cindy didn’t buy it. “There’s a trail that leads to something like this, tiny moments, small events, a buildup of strange passions.”

  Cindy couldn’t help think of the way she and the young woman had exchanged brief glances and smiles. There had been something about her that had struck Cindy forcefully. Cindy remembered the sadness in her smile. Why would there be sadness, right after she’d gotten engaged? The headlines said she was thrilled, happy.

  “There’s no reason to speculate now,” Mattheus said. “Facts are one thing, speculation another. We’re not going to gather facts this time, and just speculating can drive you crazy. So, let it be.”

  But Cindy could not. How strange that this young woman had been seated at the table right next to theirs. How odd that Cindy actually knew who she was. She was so young and alive last night and now gone? How come?

  Cindy could not stop staring at her photo. The woman’s fiancé must be Clay Peters, the guy being held for questioning now. Cindy remembered him well. He’d also seemed lovely, regal and quiet, focused on the woman he’d loved. The two of them had seemed so well suited, but of course, who knew? Then, suddenly, Cindy remembered the other couple who’d unexpectedly joined them. Could they have had anything to do with what happened? Were they still at the hotel? That had to be explored immediately.

  Cindy lifted the paper to read more about it, but Mattheus leaned his hand over and put the paper down.

  “Let it go, Cindy,” he said softly.

  “Do you remember that other couple who arrived unexpectedly and joined her and her boyfriend at their table?” Cindy asked.

  “No,” said Mattheus, “I was focused on you. You were focused on them, it seems.”

  “They made an impression on me,” Cindy replied.

  “I thought it was me making an impression on you,” Mattheus smiled.

  “Mattheus, that other couple could have something to do with what happened. I wonder if they’re still at the hotel.”

  “It’s not for you to wonder,” said Mattheus.

  The waiter arrived with drinks, cheese and crackers.

  Cindy couldn’t drink or eat. It was entire possible that this young woman been murdered. What if others at the hotel were also in danger now?

  Mattheus looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “Cindy, there’s a time to work and a time to stop,” he said more firmly. “This is the time to stop.”

  “There could be danger at the hotel right now,” Cindy murmured. “Who knows who’s next?”

  Mattheus spread some cheese on a cracker, and gave it to her.

  “Eat this,” he said, “lay back, relax. There are police on the island, security guards at the hotel. We’re not the only ones who can handle it. The whole world doesn’t rest on our shoulders.”

  Cindy relaxed a moment. Of course what he was saying was true, the whole world didn’t rest on their shoulders. But this seemed different. The young woman who died had been sitting right next to them. There had to be a reason she’d been brought into their world.

  “Are you eating your cracker?” Mattheus smiled.

  Cindy lifted it to her mouth and nibbled it slowly.

  Mattheus rolled over on his lounge chair towards her then. “Good,” he said softly. “Now, eat another. Unwind, relax, I love you, Cindy.”

  “And I love you,” she murmured back, in return.

  They finished the crackers, jumped into the pool, swam, splashed, hugged and returned to their lounge chairs, ready to order lunch.

  When the waiter came to take their orders, Cindy noticed a man and woman walking close behind him, coming their way.

  “Here they are,” said the waiter, as they got closer.

  Cindy and Mattheus sat straight up.

  “Excuse me,” said the waiter, as though Cindy and Mattheus had been waiting to meet the couple, “this is Tyra Hallerson and Carl Duncan.”

  Carl nodded to the waiter, “Thank you. Please come back to take orders a little later.” Then he pulled some nearby lounge chairs close to Cindy and Mattheus.

  Carl seemed to be in his mid-fifties. He had dark hair, was tall, in charge, well dressed, and nervous. Tyra, blonde and exquisitely groomed was bleary eyed and seemed a few years younger.

  Carl began speaking quickly. “I’m Kate’s uncle. This is Kate’s mother, Tyra.”

  For a moment Cindy and Mattheus were uncomprehending.

  “Kate Hallerson was the young woman found dead,” Carl spoke fitfully. “We arrived on a private jet as soon as we heard the news.”

  “I am so sorry,” Cindy said to him.

  Carl nodded his head and looked at his sister, who crept closer to him as he spoke. She seemed unable to register what he was saying, kept running her hand across her face.

  Carl cleared his throat and continued. “We heard from the police that two incredible private detectives happened to be staying at the hotel right now,” and he looked back and forth between Cindy and Mattheus.

  Cindy and Mattheus sat quietly, saying nothing.

  “You’ve got a great reputation for busting strange cases wide open. Especially in the Caribbean.”

  Tyra started to cry softly then. “Why are we talking to detectives, Carl? I don’t understand it. I can’t believe this is happening,” she mumbled. “I wa
nt to see Kate myself.”

  Cindy reached out her hand to comfort Tyra. “It takes a long, long while to realize what happened when there’s a terrible shock,” she said softly.

  Carl looked at Cindy gratefully as his hands clenched into fists.

  “We don’t have much time,” Carl spoke fervently. “Time is the enemy, they get away. Before you know it, the case goes cold. We’ve got to nab the killer right away.”

  “The police say it looks like a suicide,” Mattheus broke in calmly.

  “Suicide, my ass,” Carl shot back. “Kate was beautiful, happy, she loved life. I was there the day she was born and watched her grow up into a star. There was nothing she lacked, nothing. We were always close, she told me everything, came to me if there was something wrong. There’s no reason in the world she would have killed herself. Absolutely none.”

  “Everything he says is true,” Tyra started weeping.

  Obviously, both of them were in terrible pain. Cindy wondered how she could help ease their agony.

  “I’m so sorry,” she repeated, though it sounded empty to her.

  Carl barely heard anyway. “Kate had everything ahead of her,” he went on, “she had everything anyone could have wanted. She had friends, money, talent, a fantastic family. Why in hell would she ever kill herself? She wouldn’t. Someone came and snuffed out her life. Who?” He zeroed in on Cindy.

  Cindy took a deep, painful breath. “I know this is a nightmare,” she said.

  “The medical examiner will go over the body and determine the cause of death,” Mattheus continued, trying to ground things as best he could.

  “Medical examiner, my ass,” Carl shot back. “You think I give a damn about what some idiot guy says happened to her? Someone did it. Just let me find out who! Let me get my hands on him.”

  Tyra gasped, “Stop it Carl, you’re making it worse.”

  “Nothing can be worse,” he bit his lips hard, in rage.

  “You’re hurting me, Carl, you have to calm down,” Tyra insisted.

  “I’m not hurting you Tyra, I’m trying to help,” he insisted.

  “I know you are, but it hurts me when you get so angry like this.”