Death by Jealousy (Caribbean Murder #6)

“I’m sorry,” said Cindy. She liked Jared, he seemed forthright.

“Sorry is not even the word for it,” Jared, becoming nervous, spoke under the force of pressure. “Listen this is the place locals dive from, it’s where Divemasters from other dive shops come to dive on their day off. It’s all about our staff and team. Little things make a difference, always full 3000 psi tanks, always 80 cu ft. dive tanks, always diver freedom with more bottom time. You also find the little extra touches here, dry towels, refreshments on board, digital photo services.”

“Did Peter and Allie take photos of the dive?” Cindy was quick to ask.

“I think she took her own camera down for this one,” said Jared.

“Did they find it?”

“No, she must have been strapped around her hand,” said Jared.

“You knew Peter and Allie well?” said Cindy.

“They were here all the time, for years,” he said. “I took them out on the boat myself that night. The police asked me all about it. I answered every question they asked,” Jared fidgeted a little looking at both of them closely. “I don’t know what else to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything special,” said Mattheus then, “we’d just like to hear it for ourselves.” Cindy felt Mattheus focusing intently as he and Jared spoke. “Maybe you’ll remember a detail you forgot that will help us sort things out.”

Jared looked dubious. The door to the shop opened and a few tourists came in.

“Things get busy during the festival for a few days,” Jared remarked, looking over his shoulder at them.

“This won’t take long,” said Mattheus.

“Sure, of course, whatever you need,” said Jared.

“Was there anything different between those two the night they went for the dive?” Mattheus asked.

“Not really,” said Jared, his foot scraping the floor, looking for a second at Douglas and Lance who stood beside them, listening.

“Not really?” asked Mattheus. “What do you mean really?”

“Something’s always a little different every time two people are together,” Jared said, seeming a little nervous. “I mean it was the night before their wedding, tension with high. I’m sure they wanted to dive to calm down. You know lots of people dive to take off the stress. They love dropping down into another world where everything looks beautiful.”

“Allie and Peter’s world wasn’t as beautiful as it seemed, was it?” asked Mattheus.

“Heck, how do I know?” said Jared, “all couples have something or other to deal with.”

“Are you in a relationship, Jared?” Mattheus asked.

“What in hell does that have to do with anything?” Jared’s blurry eyes closed a little.

“I mean what difference does that make?”

“I agree,” Douglas interjected, “it’s an irrelevant question.”

“You never know what question leads to what,” said Mattheus, turning to Jared then. “Do you object to my asking you personal questions?”

“Hell, no,” Jared shifted back and forth from one leg to another, “ask me whatever you like. Right now I’m not in a relationship. I’ve been in my share, there is no shortage of women around. These things can be a little time consuming, so for now I’m taking a much needed break.”

Mattheus smiled. “How would you describe Peter and Allie’s relationship?”

“Fine, terrific, heck they were getting married, weren’t they?”

“Did they fight on the boat as you were going out for the dive?”

“Definitely not, just the opposite if you asked me,” Jared said. “She kept telling him how much she loved him, over and over again.”

A little sweat broke out on Jared’s face.

“How did Peter react when Allie kept telling him that?” asked Mattheus.

“How do I know?” shrugged Jared. “Hell, how would you react? He was happy, I guess.”

“Was he?” Mattheus zoned in, “it was the night before his wedding. Was he feeling happy about it?”

“I didn’t ask him if he was happy,” Jared replied.

“What did Peter say to Allie when she kept telling him she loved him?” Cindy took over now.

“Peter said me too,” Jared remembered.

“That’s all, me too?” Cindy asked.

“What’s wrong with me, too? What’s he supposed to do, write love poems to her at night?” asked Jared.

Mattheus smirked.

“Did he say it, begrudgingly?” asked Cindy.

“Man, I feel like I’m in over my head,” Jared remarked. Obviously the police had not grilled him about these details. “I think Peter said, you told me already. Hell, she did - she said it over and over, I love you, I love you. I mean, a guy doesn’t listen in to every detail of his friend’ conversation with his fiancée, does he?”

“You consider Peter your friend?” Cindy asked.

“Of course he’s my friend, so is Allie. We all dived together a lot.”