Death by Jealousy (Caribbean Murder #6)

“Where the hell were you?” he asked the minute he saw her.

“I needed a few moments to myself,” said Cindy, oddly calm then.

“Allie’s family has been taken to identify the body and the British Royal Guard is here as well,” Mattheus words fell over one another. “The body was gruesome, scratched, bruised and bitten.”

“It’s been under water quite a while,” said Cindy, “all of that could have taken place after Allie drowned.”

“We’ll find out for sure in a little while,” said Mattheus. “And, they found her camera still wrapped to her wrist.”

“Good,” said Cindy, “if we’re lucky we’ll find something valuable on it.”

“You seem odd,” Mattheus stopped and looked at her slowly. “Calm in a weird way.”

“It’s a sobering moment,” Cindy said.

Mattheus quieted down. “Death is never pretty,” he agreed.

“Puts everything in perspective,” said Cindy, sadly.

“You can say that again,” Mattheus breathed. “Shows how little time all of us have.” Then he reached his hand out and took Cindy’s in his.

Cindy trembled at his touch.

“I don’t want to fight with you, Cindy,” Mattheus said, suddenly softly, “we need each other, we belong together, both of us know that.”

*

Cindy and Mattheus were still in the hotel lobby when the television screamed the news -Bride’s body washed up on shore, mangled. The reporter’s shrill voice howled through the Island, cutting into the joy of the festival, shattering the celebration. Guests in the lobby huddled together in small pockets whispering. The TV showed people on the streets, a look of fear on their faces.

“We have to speak to Allie’s parents as soon as possible,” Mattheus said to Cindy intently.

“We’ll do it together.”

“Let’s give them some more time,” said Cindy.

“They’ve had plenty of time. I’m sorry about this, but we’ve got to know everything last thing about her. Those emails I saw from Allie were creepy,” said Mattheus.

Was it possible that Allie had brought this on herself in some way? Cindy realized that they had no choice but dig into every last detail of Allie’s life.

“And we have to find out what Nora was warning her about. Immediately! Did you speak to her yet?” Mattheus was on high alert.

“No, not yet,” Cindy had it on her list.

“Call up to Nora’s room this minute,” said Mattheus.

Cindy called the police in the Interrogation room, asking to speak to Nora immediately. In a few moments they called down that they’d located her and she was on her way to see them. Cindy and Mattheus should come upstairs that minute.

The mood in the Interrogation room was grim and solemn. When Cindy and Mattheus walked in, Douglas was there, tapping his foot fiercely on the floor.

“Bad timing,” he muttered on his phone, “right in the middle of everything. This kind of news is the last thing we need.” Then he turned and looked over as Cindy and Mattheus walked in. “From now on, all the interviewing has to be done under police auspices. We need to keep track of everything said, everything seen. You’ll have to report into us immediately, whatever you do.”

“Got it,” said Mattheus.

They were tightening the reigns and Cindy understood why.

Just then Nora walked in, looking ashen. She ran over to Cindy and the two of them hugged.

“I knew it was awful. I told you,” said Nora.

Cindy nodded sadly.

“Sit down here,” Douglas said and motioned to the table, as Nora’s body jerked away.

“I’d rather talk to Cindy alone,” Nora said half under her breath.

Douglas was about to shake his head when Mattheus intervened.

“It’s fine,” said Mattheus, “let them talk by themselves. Many women feel more comfortable

talking to another woman alone.”

Douglas didn’t like it, but conceded the fact. “I’ll step outside for a little while,” he said reluctantly, and left.

Mattheus followed after him. “When you two are finished in here, let me know. I’ll wait outside and guard the door.”

“Thanks,” said Nora holding onto Cindy’s arm for all she was worth.

As soon as they were alone, Cindy started. “Nora, I saw the emails between you and Allie,” she said.

“Which emails? When?” Nora started shaking.

“Recent ones,” said Cindy, “a few days before you all left to come down for the wedding.”

“You’ve been spying on me all along?” Nora was terrified.

“Nobody’s spying on you,” Cindy tried to calm her down. “When something like this happens, we check emails, phone records, computer, everything. It’s routine procedure.”

“It’s not routine to me,” Nora looked like she would burst into tears. “I had no idea people would read what I was writing.”

“You warned Allie to cut it out,” Cindy got right to the point, “you said something bad would happen if she didn’t.”

Nora got paler then. “I was just trying to protect her,” she said.

“From what?” asked Cindy.

Nora became silent.