Death by Engagement (Caribbean Murder Series, Book 12)

“Suicide is getting this far,” Marla interrupted. “No one could ever imagine a loved one could do something like that.”


“Shari got very sad at times,” Deidre suddenly began speaking. “She couldn’t help it. It was who she was and we were all used to it.”

“Did you get sad, too?” Cindy asked Deidre quickly.

“Not like Shari did,” said Deidre. “And I never really understood why she felt so bad, either. All the boys really liked her, she had all the dates, I didn’t have any. She was the one with the good grades and I had to stay up all night studying. I used to look at her and think to myself, what have you got to be so sad about, tell me!“

“Did you ask her that?” Cindy was quick on the draw.

“Once or twice I did ask,” said Deidre, “but she didn’t like it. She looked at me strange and wouldn’t say.”

“She didn’t know herself,” Marla interrupted. “Shari suffered from bouts of depression all her life. It was basically a medical condition.”

“And Deidre didn’t have it?” Cindy was somehow fascinated that twins could be so different.

“No, Deidre never did.” Edward stepped forward then. “Even though Shari and Deidre look similar, they’re not identical twins. Depression runs in my side of the family, not on Marla’s. I believe Deidre got more of Marla’s genes. The two of them have a more similar nature.”

Marla made a sour face. “Edward has a strange answer for everything,” she murmured.

“Do you also suffer from depression?” Cindy asked Edward then.

“Not me,” he answered in a forthright manner, “but my sister Clara does.”

“My father suffers from paranoia though.” Deidre practically smiled. “He suspects everything and everyone, all the time.”

“Shari’s condition was treated all through her life,” Marla interrupted, speaking as if she were defending her honor. “She saw a psychiatrist regularly and was on medication. There was absolutely no sign of things worsening. In fact, we were all delighted when she got engaged.”

“Especially to Doug,” Deidre chimed in. “My mother wanted Shari to marry Doug for a very long time.”

“Why?” asked Cindy.

Marla didn’t appreciate the question. “Why not?” she quipped. “Take a look for yourself. He’s a fine young man, successful, from a solid, established family. Wouldn’t any mother want that for her daughter? Doug and Shari dated for years, all through college. He was a good choice, a well thought out decision. “

Cindy noticed Deidre wince as her mother spoke. She could understand why. Marla made the relationship sound so cut and dry and calculated.

Did Shari love Doug?” Cindy suddenly asked Deidre.

A strange frown passed over Deidre’s face, but before she could respond, Edward burst in, answering for her.

“Of course Shari loved Doug. Shari told me how much she loved him again and again.”

Deidre noticeably flinched.

“Did Shari tell you that she loved Doug, too?” Cindy asked Deidre.

Deidre said nothing, though, just turned and walked back out toward the patio.

“This is too much for Deidre now,” Marla interrupted, approaching Cindy. “And from my point of view there’s no reason to take this investigation one step further, not even for one moment. My husband has some idea that Shari did not die by her own hand, but, as Deidre said, Edward always thinks the worst about everything. By going along with this investigation, you’re just indulging him in a dark fantasy. Edward clearly doesn’t want to accept the truth. But sooner or later, he’ll have to, won’t he? Why prolong the agony?”

Then, before Cindy could reply, Marla turned away to join Deidre back out on the patio.

*

Cindy had a few more words with Edward, promised to carry on and stay in touch, and then left the suite. As she walked down the hallway to the elevator, for a fleeting moment Cindy considered whether or not Marla might be right. Was she playing along with some paranoia the husband was suffering from? Was there really any reason to go forward with the case? Then Cindy thought of the suicide note, written in such a graceful hand, using words Shari’s father said were not part of her vocabulary. Cindy decided to take the note with her to the police station, ask them to check with a professional handwriting analyst to see if the handwriting was the same as Shari’s, and find out what else they might have to say.





Chapter 6


Before going to the police station Cindy called to let them know she was on the way. She also wanted to request a forensic graphologist to go over the suicide note more carefully.

“You’re stubborn as an ox, aren’t you?” Ben replied. “Okay, come on over, I’ll be here. From where the police stand there’s nothing at all in the note that’s suspicious. But if it will put things to rest, we’ve got a good forensic graphologist who lives just a few blocks away. I’ll see if she’s free to come over.”