Death by Engagement (Caribbean Murder Series, Book 12)

Mattheus looked over at her and smiled warmly then, putting his hand on hers. “It’s okay, I can live with it. I just miss you, that’s all.”

“But I’m right here, “Cindy pouted.

“No, you’re not, your head’s completely somewhere else. You’re with Shari and her family right now.”

“Work the case with me and we’ll be in the same place together then,” Cindy pleaded one more time.

“No.” Mattheus shook his head slowly. “Just do this quickly, please, and get it over with.”

Cindy was surprised by Mattheus’s refusal to jump in, but could accept it. She’d stay focused on

what she had to do, and from the looks of it, it would be over quickly, anyhow.

“I’ll be all yours in no time at all,” she quipped lightly then, as the waiter came bringing them their wine. “Just a few more things to look into and it’s done.”

*

After lunch Mattheus left to play a round of golf and Cindy slowly took the suicide note out of the envelope he’d given her. The first thing that struck her was the beautiful, graceful handwriting the note was written in. It showed no sign of discomfort or upset at all. Cindy began reading the words and her heart beat faster.

I am so sorry to have to leave you all this way, the note began. Please forgive me for any pain I’m

causing, but there’s no other choice. It’s too hard to go on living this way, much too hard, way too hard.

Then, a few spaces down, in a sprawling hand, she signed her name, Shari.

What was so hard about living now? Cindy wondered immediately. The note was disturbing, raising more questions than it answered. Cindy read it once again and her puzzlement increased. She wondered if the police had checked the handwriting to make definitely sure it was Shari’s. That was almost too obvious a question to ask, but Cindy decided to check it out anyway. The tone of the note was too gracious and controlled, not the way Cindy would imagine someone feeling before they were about to take their life.

As Cindy sat musing about the letter, her phone rang. To her surprise and delight it was Edward Twain, Shari’s father. Perfect timing, she thought.

“How are you doing? What have you found so far?” His voice had an urgency to it, as if he were positive something was coming along to prove that his daughter was the victim of foul play.

“I’ve spoken to Doug,” Cindy started to fill him in, “we had a good talk.”

“A waste of time,” Edward said, conspiratorially. “Doug has no idea who did it. He was in the bar downstairs with me anyway when Shari was killed.”

“We always first speak to the person who last saw the victim alive,” Cindy explained.

“The victim?” Edward’s voice became piping thin. “That’s right, now you’ve got it. Shari was definitely a victim. I’m relieved that someone finally agrees with me.”

“We can’t jump to conclusions yet, Edward.” Cindy wanted to calm him down.





“Who’s jumping? It’s obvious,” he insisted. “Tell me more. What are you doing right now?”

“I’m actually reading the suicide note, as we speak,” Cindy replied.

“Nonsense, Shari didn’t write that note,” his words burst forth. “She didn’t talk that way. Shari could never say I’m sorry easily. The word forgive was not in her vocabulary. I never heard her say forgive me! Go find the person who uses words like those. They’re the one who forged it.”

Cindy felt short-circuited by his remarks. Although his certainty was unnerving, some points he made hit home. If the words forgive me were not in Shari’s vocabulary why did they appear so emphatically in the note? Cindy considered asking Shari’s father about the handwriting as well then, but immediately thought better of it. He would jump on any little thing as surefire proof that his daughter was killed. Cindy didn’t want to fuel his suspicion. There was no immediate evidence to give him any ammunition to support his belief.

“I plan to visit the crime scene, check your daughter’s social media, and get a better picture of her,” Cindy continued, wanting instead to give him a larger picture of what she was about to do.

“Before you go to the crime scene, come talk to the family,” Edward insisted. “Shari’s mother and twin sister, Deidre, are here. Even though they’re both destroyed, they’ll still talk. It will help you understand Shari better.”

*