Death by Proposal (Caribbean Murder #7)

*

Agitated, Cindy left the gym and immediately called Carl, asking him to arrange an interview with Kate’s father right then. Time was short and she had to see him.

“How come?” asked Carl phone, taken aback. “Did something new develop?”

“Things are developing all the time,” said Cindy. “You guys said Kate’s dad stayed in his room.”

“Right,” said Carl, “he’s still there.”

“Good,” said Cindy. “It won’t take long. I need to see him alone.”

“I’ll set it up right away, but you’ve got to keep me in the loop,” Carl said quickly.

“Of course, I will,” said Cindy, “as soon as there’s something definite, you’ll be the first to know. But for now I have to speak to Kate’s dad.”

“Absolutely,” said Carl. “Come to Room 82, on the fifth floor, left wing. He’ll be waiting for you.”

“Thanks,” said Cindy, grateful.

“Do you want me to be there as well? I’d love to see you again. I’ve been thinking of you,” said Carl, hopefully.

“No, thanks,” said Cindy, “not right now. I need to see Kate’s dad alone.”

“Not right now, later maybe?” Carl pressed the point.

“We’ll definitely get together and talk,” said Cindy, “when the time is right.”

“Great,” said Carl.

Cindy felt it was a stroke of good luck that she could go right then and talk to Kate’s dad right away. He hadn’t been much on anyone’s radar, but the look in Sean’s eyes when he mentioned him, stirred Cindy up. Despite herself she liked Sean, felt the depth of his connection to Kate and his suffering. And what about his date, Riva? Cindy wondered. Was she bringing Sean comfort with his ordeal? Somehow Cindy didn’t think so. Sean seemed to be dealing with this on his own.

Cindy arrived at Kate’s father’s room, knocked on the door, and to her surprise a tall, very thin, somewhat frail man with alabaster hair, answered the door.

“Come in,” he said in a hoarse tone.

Cindy immediately saw the resemblance between him and Kate. He walked shakily as he led her to the sofa and motioned for her to sit down. Then he took the seat opposite Cindy and put his head in his hands.

“Please excuse my condition,” he spoke softly.

“I am sorry for your loss,” said Cindy warmly.

He looked up and her and rubbed his temples slowly.

“My name is Wendell,” he said gazing at her as though he were in a dream. “And who are you? A friend of Kate’s?”

“I’m a private detective,” said Cindy, “I’m here to help find out what happened to Kate.”

Wendell nodded soulfully. “Quite a job for such a beautiful, young woman,” he said.

“I am extremely sorry to bother you,” Cindy went on, “but I just wanted a few minutes to hear whatever it was you could tell me about your daughter.”

Wendell winced at the thought of it.

“My only, beloved daughter,” he said, “I couldn’t have asked for anyone better. Kate looked just like my sister Flora from the day she was born. I told Tyra that, but she never agreed.”

“Tyra is your wife?” asked Cindy.

“My beloved lifelong partner,” he said.

“Is your sister Flora coming down to join you?” asked Cindy. “Were she and Kate close?”

Wendell drew back and looked up at the ceiling.

“Flora is dead,” he said in a matter of fact tone. “She died at exactly the same age as Kate did. Self-inflicted, an overdose of drugs.”

Cindy felt a long chill creep over her body. “Flora killed herself?”

“Yes,” Wendell said, “seems it runs in the family. My mother, Bell, also killed herself a few years after Kate was born.”

“I am very, very sorry,” said Cindy, not knowing what to make of this strange development.

“It was what I always feared would happen to Kate, too,” Wendell said grimly. “I felt from the day she was born, that it was written for her in the stars.”

“That’s dreadful,” Cindy shuddered.

“Yes, but life proved it,” he said.

“Proved what?” asked Cindy, growing alarmed.

“Proved that I was right,” mumbled Wendell, “that destiny reigns.”

“Was Kate depressed?” Cindy asked sharply then, trying to break through the dreamy state Wendell seemed to be in.

“To the public’s eye, Kate was perfect,” he said, “cheerful, optimistic. But I knew better. I always felt how sad she was deep down.”

Cindy looked around the room they were in now. Wendell had placed photos of Kate, beautifully framed, everywhere. Alongside them were photos of two other women, who looked a great deal like her. They were probably Wendell’s mother and sister, thought Cindy.

Wendell glanced over at the photos along with Cindy. “Kate was beautiful, magnificent, wasn’t she?” he remarked.

“Very much so,” said Cindy.

“Do you notice that she looked a lot like my mother and sister?” Wendell went on.