“We’ve told the police all they need to know,” Mr. Crane interrupted. “Frankly, I have no idea what relevance this has at all. What in the world difference can it make how Marge and I felt about our son’s fiancée?”
“It’s okay, Doug,” Mrs. Crane interrupted, trying to calm him down. “They’re just doing their job. This sort of thing is routine.” Then she turned to Cindy and Mattheus. “I actually liked the girl very much,” she said.
“We were as close as we needed to be,” Mr. Crane corrected her.
“You were happy about the upcoming marriage?” Cindy turned to him.
“Tad was happy and that was all my wife and I cared about. We trusted his judgment about so many things, we had to trust it about this as well.”
This was far from a strong endorsement of Tiffany, Cindy thought.
“How about the relationship between Tiffany and Tad?” asked Mattheus.
“Why they were in love, of course. Why else would they become engaged to be married?” Mrs. Crane seemed irritated by the question.
“I would say they seemed fine as well,” Mr. Crane chimed in. “I can’t say I thought Tiffany was necessarily the perfect choice, or even good for him, though. Who knows if the marriage would have lasted forever?” A muscle under his eye started twitching. “But these days, first marriages are often simply suitable for a stage of life. Tiffany wasn’t someone I would have selected, but that’s way beyond a parent’s role these days.”
“Why wouldn’t you have selected her?” Mattheus seemed fascinated.
Mr. Crane was comfortable talking to Mattheus. “Tiffany was much too extroverted for Tad. Tad was always quieter, more thoughtful, reflective. He has an individualistic way of seeing things. Tiffany seemed the opposite. Quite caught up in the social scene, if you asked me.”
“What’s wrong with that?” asked Cindy.
“Nothing, of course, it just didn’t match up with Tad. In the beginning the difference between them alarmed me. I thought she would grow tired of him, drop him like a hot coal. But then time went by, and they seemed to do well together, so I began to take it in stride.”
“And she was always quite lovely to us,” Mrs. Crane joined in, “considerate, friendly, kind. Don’t get us wrong. There’s nothing on earth she ever did to deserve this. Even my daughter Cissy grew to care for her. We’re all deeply disturbed.”
“Of course you are,” said Mattheus. “And how did you the two of you get along with Tiffany’s family?”
“They were all a little too public and noisy for our taste,” Mrs. Crane said, “but the times we spent together were fine. Perfectly cordial at all times.”
“Yes,” her husband agreed. “And beyond this, I have no idea what you want from us.”
Cindy wasn’t quite sure at that moment, either.
“We’d like any ideas you may have on who might be involved,” Mattheus said directly. “Or who could give us more information.”
“I’m afraid that’s way beyond us,” Mr. Crane stood up, as if to end the interview. “This is way beyond anything we could ever have imagined. It’s not, and never was in the range of possibilities for our lives.”
But, just at that moment, a slender, young woman with wild, curly hair walked in, wearing jeans and a ripped T shirt. She had huge brown eyes and flushed cheeks.
“Cissy, this is Cindy and Mattheus, detectives on the case,” Mr. Crane said, formally.
“Finally,” said Cissy. “I heard two far out detectives came down to the island,” Cissy’s wide eyes were staring at Cindy and Mattheus. “It’s great that you’re here. Thank God, you’ve come.”
“Thanks,” said Cindy. Cissy seemed more relieved to see them than anyone they’d met so far.
“Looking for leads?” asked Cissy, edging closer.
“Yes, we are,” said Cindy. “Any ideas?”
Cissy had a smoldering energy, as if any moment she would burst into flame, or let loose with something or other.
“I sure have, “said Cissy. “ First thing - check out Tiffany’s ex-boyfriend, Shane.”
“Why?” Cindy was alarmed by the speed at which Cissy responded.
“Shane’s a player, and everyone knows it. He and Tiffany were on and off for years. None of it ever bothered Tad, but I never felt good about it. And, if you saw Shane at the engagement party, it was truly weird. He didn’t take his eyes off Tiffany for one second. It was definitely off the deep end and gave me the spooks. I actually started to worry for my brother.”
Cindy liked her. Cissy held nothing back and didn’t want to.
“What did you worry about?” asked Cindy.
“I was worried that Shane would get between them him and Tiffany, one day. I swear, I actually thought that.”
“Cissy has always had a vivid imagination,” Mrs. Crane interrupted, her voice brittle. “Since she’s been little, she enjoys creating scenes in her mind and believing in them. In fact, Tad is and always was totally able to take care of himself. Someone like Shane could never make a dent in his life.”