Taken aback by the strength of his feeling, Raina quieted down. “What are the police going to do?” she asked, taking it in, and growing alarmed.
“They’re going to search for Tara,” Mattheus replied.
“We can obviously do that for ourselves,” Raina shot back.
Cindy, who’d been listening a few feet behind, came over and joined the conversation. “When someone disappears, time is of the essence, she said. “The police are best equipped to cover all bases.”
“What bases?” Raina flung back. “And, Tara has not disappeared. She’s gotten cold feet, and will obviously turn up in a little while. You’ll both look like fools.”
“There’s nothing I’d like better than to look like a fool,” replied Cindy.
Raina turned her attention to the guests at the party then. People stood huddled together, whispering, watching the police. “I have no idea what our guests could be thinking,” Raina hissed. “This is atrocious. It will hurt our business. Now not only do I have to explain Tara’s lateness, but the arrival of the police as well. I have to make it all seem normal, nothing to fuss over.”
It struck Cindy that Raina was more concerned about how her guests were reacting than what had happened to Tara.
“It’s a good idea to get your guests ready,” Cindy wanted to bring some reality in. “These police will be questioning everyone to see if they have any idea about where Tara might be, or if they ‘ve heard anything. And, right now, other police are already out on the island searching, checking airports, hospitals.”
“Dear God,” breathed Raina, as Aldon came over, agitated.
“What the hell is this?” Aldon demanded. “What are the police doing here? Where is my daughter?”
“Tara was not in her room when I went to look for her,” Cindy began speaking to him slowly.“Good, very good,” Aldon flung back. “She’s seen the light, taken off. At the last minute she had the sense not to go through with this miserable charade.”
“I beg your pardon?” Raina’s teeth clenched and her eyes narrowed.
“Who in their right mind goes through with a marriage when faced with secrets and lies?” Aldon demanded.
Raina took a tiny step closer. “We agree about one thing, Aldon. Obviously your daughter is not in her right mind.”
“Look in the mirror, dear Raina,” Aldon replied, a strange smile at the corner of his tight lips.
It was painful for Cindy to see their dislike for each other so blatantly on display. She wanted to defuse the situation. “Where would Tara go to if she had decided not to go through with the wedding?” Cindy asked Aldon point blank.
“That is exactly the question you should have asked before humiliating us by calling the police!” Raina declared forcefully.
Lynch came over then, distraught and flustered. “Who called the police?”
“Tara’s gone,” Mattheus said slowly.
“She’s here somewhere,” Lynch exclaimed. “This was completely unnecessary. The police told me she was not in her room. So what? She must have simply gone somewhere to think things over. Tara loves to take long walks and think everything over.”
“Where?” asked Cindy on the spot.
“I have no idea,” said Lynch hurriedly. “Absolutely none. Last I knew she was excited about the dinner, couldn’t wait to come.”
“So, why isn’t she here?” asked Cindy.
“You two resolved your differences?” Mattheus joined in.
“Yes, of course we did,” said Lynch, on edge. “What happened before was only a slight bump in the road and we passed over it quickly. Why wouldn’t we? We worked it out!”
Lynch was so distraught and engaging that Cindy could not help but believe him for a moment. Then she remembered her trip with Tara to see Bala and the child. This was more than a bump in the road they’d come to, much, much more.
“Did you agree to include your son in your life?” Cindy continued, confronting Lynch head on.
Lynch blanched. “How do you know about that?” he was taken off guard.
“Tara told me about it,” Cindy replied.
“Tara told you what?” Aldon seemed totally confused. ‘I thought you two were off the case.”
“Temporarily,” said Cindy. “Tara called me and asked me accompany her to see Bala and the boy one more time.”
“You were off the case and you had no business encouraging her to do that!” Raina jumped in immediately.
“I didn’t encourage her, I just accompanied her,” Cindy said defiantly.
“Cindy was trying to help your daughter,” Mattheus said to Aldon.
“Well, I thank her for that,” Aldon remarked, unsettled.
“Your precious daughter insisted that Lynch include his illegitimate son in their lives,” Raina jumped in. “I know all about it, Lynch told me. And, I advised him to ignore it. People have all sorts of strange ideas before they walk down the aisle. Of course I never thought she’d actually go to see the boy again on her own. Tara was obviously having a mini breakdown. I thought she’d forget all about it after the honeymoon and I told Lynch so.”