Death by Engagement (Caribbean Murder Series, Book 12)

“Well, Tad’s on the way down right now, too,” Cindy said. “It’s going to be very important to talk to him.”


“Why? What are you trying to make of all this?” Mattheus wasn’t impressed. “Are you looking for reasons to prolong the investigation?”

Cindy’s heart missed a beat. Mattheus wasn’t truly on board, certainly not the way he used to be. He had jumped in, as he said, to expedite matters. But he wasn’t here wholeheartedly, truly open to exploring the possibility that something here was deeply amiss, and there was a deeper reason why Shari had lost her life.

“Listen, we’ll talk to Doug’s family first thing in the morning.” Mattheus interrupted Cindy’s train of thought. “They’ve come down to comfort their son. If there’s any hidden mystery waiting, there’s a good chance they’ll let us know.”

“Okay,” Cindy agreed, trying to act cheerful but feeling deeply crestfallen within.

“And for now, finally, we can spend a little time alone.” Mattheus reached out to Cindy. “We’ll order dinner in, watch a movie, hang out in each other’s arms.”

“Sounds great,” said Cindy, but was distressed to notice that deep within, she was pulling away.

*

First thing the next morning, Cindy and Mattheus spoke with Doug’s family. They all decided to meet downstairs in the outdoor gazebo, located on the rim of beautiful walking paths that wound through the hotel grounds.

Cindy and Mattheus walked there together slowly. “You don’t seem yourself,” Mattheus commented lightly as they approached. “You didn’t seem yourself last night, either.”

“Just a lot going on,” Cindy responded as they moved along, spotting the gazebo close up ahead. The gazebo was open in all directions to trees, sky, hills and a magnificent flower garden that stretched out to the side. Little tables and chairs were placed inside, so guests could stop there for a while to refresh themselves.

When Cindy and Mattheus arrived, she saw a few tables pulled together. Four people were already seated, and there was easily room for a few others to join in. The group had to be Doug’s family, Cindy thought as she and Mattheus walked in.

“Good of you to join us.” An older man, dressed in linen slacks and expensive shirt, stood up and walked over to Mattheus. “Doug tells us fine things about the two of you.” This had to be Doug’s father, thought Cindy.

“Thanks for taking the time to talk to us in the midst of your ordeal,” Mattheus replied.

Doug’s father nodded briskly and led Cindy and Mattheus over to the tables.

“This is my wife, Andrea, and my daughter, Kate,” he went on.

Cindy smiled at the two women who looked up and scanned her quickly from top to toe. Andrea was an attractive, well-groomed middle-aged woman who sat there stone-faced, as if she were doing her best to distance herself from these terrible events. The daughter, Kate, was more animated. She had long dark hair and flashing eyes which lingered on Cindy curiously. Cindy slid into the chair beside Kate as Mattheus sat near the father.

“Cindy and I will just take a few moments of your time,” Mattheus started.

“Take all the time you need,” Andrea responded flatly, looking past Mattheus into the distance.

“I know this must come as a terrible shock to all of you,” Mattheus continued, obviously probing for a response.

“Not for all of us,” Kate piped up vividly.

“Tone it down, Kate.” Her father raised his hand toward her.

“Sorry,” Kate said and retreated, unsure of how to go on.

“Kate and Shari were never the very best of friends,” Andrea spoke flatly. “They got along decently, of course, but big sisters can be overly protective of their younger brothers.”

“You didn’t like Shari?” Cindy asked Kate, wanting to go forward with the line of questioning.

“Of course I liked her,” Kate backed off. “Everyone liked her, she was very likeable. She made a point of being that way.”

“Shari was gracious to everyone,” Andrea chimed in, once again. “That was a lovely quality about her.”

“I just never thought she and Doug were the best suited couple.” Kate tried to elaborate on how she felt.

“Family members are not in a position to determine who is best suited to their loved ones,” Doug’s father piped up. “We have to honor the choices our children make. Doug and Shari knew each other for years, they had plenty of time to find out about each other for themselves and make their own decisions.”

Doug looked at his father thankfully. Obviously Doug and his father got on well, and it also seemed that Doug’s father’s opinion of him mattered a great deal to Doug.

“Thanks for that, Dad,” Doug commented.

“I’m proud of my son,” Doug’s father continued. “He’s handling this better than any of us could have ever imagined.”

“None of us could ever have imagined anything like this, Fred,” Andrea piped up then. “Doug’s still numb, the reality can’t have possibly hit him yet.”