Death by Jealousy (Caribbean Murder #6)

All eyes were turned to Dana, as she left.

“That was gutsy of you,” Elizabeth said to Cindy, when Dana was out of sight. “Dana’s a good woman, but you’re right.”

“Thank you,” Cindy replied. “I need full cooperation. I need to know anything any of you can think of - the most personal details about Allie, Peter, their relationship, and anything else!”

“Is this being recorded?” asked Nora quickly.

“Everything is in total confidence,” Cindy assured her.

“There are cameras and recorders hidden everywhere in the hotel,” Nora continued. “Any fool can realize that.”

“Is there something you want to tell me, Nora?” Cindy asked quickly.

“I’m scared,” said Nora, “terrified. I think someone among us knows something that they’re not willing to reveal.”

At that the girls shuddered, as if a wave of fear encompassed them all.

“Nonsense,” Elizabeth interrupted. “Nora exaggerates things in her mind. There’s no reason to think that anyone here is hiding anything. There’s nothing to hide. Allie lived her life straight out. She had two boyfriends before Peter and the minute she met him, that was it.”

“They fell in love?” asked Cindy.

“That’s putting it mildly,” said Elizabeth. “Peter was all she could talk about, or think about. She couldn’t stand being away from him for a minute. He was definitely the man of her dreams.”

“What about him?” asked Cindy.

“That’s a strange question,” Elizabeth paused. “Who knows what it is about a guy that makes a woman feel he’s her dream? Personally, I could never see it. But then, Peter’s not the one for me.”

“Peter’s a wonderful guy,” Robyn defended him. “He’s been good to Allie, extremely generous - gives her incredible gifts all the time, and I mean incredible.”

“So what? He can afford it,” Elizabeth piped up. “Who knows how much these gifts really mean to him?”

“They mean a lot to Allie though,” said Robyn, “that’s what matters, isn’t it?”

“I guess it matters,” Elizabeth shrugged, “if you’re into collecting jewels.”

“Was Allie into collecting jewels?” Cindy asked methodically.

“Of course she wasn’t,” Laura interrupted. “She had a wonderful, sweet heart.”

“She liked showing them off, though” said Elizabeth.

“I wouldn’t say Allie showed off her jewels, she just wore them,” Laura was determined to protect her dear friend. “The jewels were a sign to Allie how much Peter cared. Allie always needed reassurance. She used to model in high school. She had the perfect body and was incredibly beautiful, but she was always insecure.”

“Why?” asked Cindy.

Laura looked at Cindy distressed. “Who knows why a beautiful woman is insecure? It happens all the time.”

“It will help me to know why Allie was insecure,” Cindy repeated.

No one said a word for a moment.

“An insecure woman can do things that inadvertently lead her to harm,” Cindy continued. “It could have led to what happened here.”

“Allie’s mom was terrifically hard on her,” Robyn piped up, “Allie always wanted to make her mother proud and it wasn’t easy. Whatever she did was never good enough. I saw it myself, over and over.”

This was something Cindy hadn’t heard before.

“When Allie nabbed Peter it was a real coup,” Nora agreed. “Her mom couldn’t put her down so much anymore. After all, Allie had gotten the richest bachelor around.”

“Nabbed Peter?” Cindy was struck with the expression.

“She went after him hard,” Nora continued, “just like any woman who really wants her man.”

“Allie was tough?” asked Cindy.

Robyn had enough of this. She waved her hand back and forth as if to wipe out the picture they were painting of Allie.

“Are we blaming the victim now?” asked Robyn, perturbed. “Allie was not tough. She was single minded. She loved Peter and did all she could to hold onto him. Is there anything wrong with that?”

“Of course not,” answered Elizabeth. “You’d do it, too, wouldn’t you?” she asked Cindy.

Cindy smiled. “Of course,” she said, to make them feel as though she were one of the crowd. But for a moment, she wondered whether she would really try to nab a guy she loved? She didn’t have to do that with Clint, everything had happened naturally between them, and mutually. It all just worked, it was comforting. That’s what she loved so much about it.

“So Allie’s mother couldn’t be pleased,” Cindy needed to know more, “What about her father?”

“When you meet him you’ll see, he’s quiet,” said Elizabeth, “goes along with the mom. He’s moderately successful, but not successful enough for his wife. Never will be.”

“I need to know something that may sound harsh to you,” Cindy prepared the girls for what she had to say next.

A silence fell over all of them and the sound of the waves on the shore grew louder.