Death by Engagement (Caribbean Murder Series, Book 12)

“Either?” What do you mean,” asked Cindy. “Shari wasn’t thrilled?”


“Shari said she was thrilled, she acted thrilled, but I had my doubts. After all, even though she was engaged she was still writing to Tad every day and hearing back from him.”

“Who’s Tad?” asked Cindy, afraid.

“He’s a guy Shari went out with when she and Doug were broken up the last time,” Deidre went on. “They were broken up for at least six months, not long ago. You know Shari and Doug were always on and off.”

A few bats woke up and suddenly fluttered past the ledge Cindy and Deidre sat on.

“Shari just met Tad when she was recently broken up?” asked Cindy.

“No, they all knew each other in college. Tad and Shari were friends for a long time. They only just began dating though, when she and Doug broke up this last time. I was happy about it, it made sense to me. Tad was more Shari’s kind of guy.”





“What kind was that?” asked Cindy.

“Tad’s a simple guy who wears his heart on his sleeve,” said Deidre. “Tad’s not sophisticated and tricky like Doug is, who’s always keeping you guessing. Shari didn’t have to be anyone special for Tad. He was crazy about her just as she was. Anyone could see that.”

“You dislike Doug?” Cindy asked carefully then.

“No, just the opposite,” said Deidre, waving away a new string of bats. “I like Doug, I always did. He knows what he wants and he gets it. I respect him.”

“And Shari was what he wanted,” Cindy commented.

“Yeah, I guess so,” said Deidre, suddenly deflated, “maybe she was.”

“Maybe?” Cindy was stunned.

“I always thought that Cayenne, the woman Doug was seeing when he and Shari broke up, was much better for him. She was smart like him and tricky. Things finally seemed to fall into place when Doug was dating Cayenne and Shari was with Tad. I liked it.”

“And then what happened?” Cindy was intrigued.

“That’s the real question, isn’t it?” said Deidre, wrinkling her brow.

“Have any ideas?” asked Cindy.

“Sure, I have ideas,” said Deidre, “but why don’t you ask Tad that directly yourself.”

“Does Tad know what happened to Shari?” Cindy asked, nervously.

“I don’t think anyone’s told him yet,” said Deidre. “My father forbid us to put it on Facebook, or say anything about it to the world, yet.”

“Will you give me Tad’s number?” asked Cindy then quietly.

“I definitely will,” said Deidre, as wave upon wave of sleeping bats awoke, stretched their wings and headed for the opening of the cave, desperate to find supper.





Chapter 10


The minute Cindy returned to the hotel and got into her room, she put a call in to Tad. Thankfully, Mattheus wasn’t there yet, and she could do this in private.

A soft male voice picked up the phone as soon as it rang. “Yes?” he asked expectantly.

For a moment Cindy couldn’t say a word.

“Is this you, Shari? Are you calling from Aruba?” The excitement grew as he spoke.

“Tad?” Cindy replied in response. “This is Cindy Blaine calling from Aruba.”

“Cindy who? Do I know you?” he asked, taken aback.

“No, you don’t,” replied Cindy. “I got your contact information from Shari’s sister, Deidre.”

“Are you a friend of Shari’s?” Tad went on, nervously.

“I met Shari, but I’m not exactly her friend,” Cindy spoke slowly and methodically.

“What’s this about?” Tad was becoming anxious. “Why are you calling?”

Cindy wanted to break the news slowly and carefully to him. “Shari’s sister Deidre said you were an important person to Shari,” Cindy went on.

“I was? I am,” Tad replied.

“The two of you dated recently?” Cindy asked cautiously.

“We were friends for years and then we dated.” Tad’s voice became pressured and tense.

Cindy felt saddened by the sincerity in Tad’s voice.

“There’s been some trouble down here,” Cindy went on softly.

“The engagement’s been called off?” Tad started to get excited.

“No, nothing like that,” Cindy replied, jarred.

“What then?” Now Tad sounded frightened.

Cindy knew she had to get it over with, tell him what had happened. “Shari took her life, two days ago,” Cindy spoke in just a barely audible tone.

The horror on the other side of the phone was palpable. ““What? What do you mean took her life?”

“Shari was found at the bottom of a cliff, here in Aruba. She left a suicide note,” Cindy said.

“I don’t believe you,” Tad started screaming. “It didn’t happen. Is this some kind of horrible joke?”

“I wish it was,” said Cindy.

“It’s not possible.” Tad became adamant then. “Shari didn’t kill herself, she never would. She loved life too much, she loved me too much.” Then he became utterly silent.

“She loved you too much?” Cindy didn’t know what to make of it.