Death by Proposal (Caribbean Murder #7)

“Yeah, yeah, Clay’s just a regular prince,” scoffed Sean.

“You have some proof that says otherwise?” asked Cindy.

“The guy looked spacey to me at dinner that night,” said Sean. “Didn’t seem like a normal dude.”

“That’s not evidence,” said Cindy. “But tell me more about Clay, I’m interested.”

“Thank God someone’s interested in finding out the truth, not just jumping all over me. They’re never going to be able to lock me up, because I didn’t do it,” said Sean. “Talk to Clay’s family. Find out more about him.”

“That’s a good suggestion, thanks for it,” said Cindy.

Sean let out a long jagged breath. “Kate got with Sean much too quick. It had to be on the rebound. That’s where the problem is, between her and him. What has it got to do with Riva?”

For a second Cindy wanted to mention that Riva had been emailing Clay, but stopped herself instantly. If what Mattheus thought about Sean was true, that could put Riva in danger.

“We need to talk to Riva, just to cover all bases,” said Cindy.

“Yeah, I heard that before,” Sean quipped. “How’s she involved in all this?”

“No one said she’s involved,” Cindy said. “Riva knew Kate though, didn’t she?”

“A little,” said Sean. “Kate didn’t usually socialize with the girls from Riva’s crowd.”

“What kind of crowd was that?” asked Cindy.

“Poorer, a little on the edge. So what?” said Sean.

“Are you and Riva are tight?” asked Cindy.

“We’re friends – friends with benefits,” he chuckled. “Ever hear of that? I was never as tight with her as I was with Kate.”

“Kate was the one for you?” Cindy said.

Sean became silent. Cindy felt his hurt over the phone.

“I realize that you loved her,” Cindy continued.

Sean could not speak. Finally, he recovered himself. “So, what else do you want from me?” he muttered.

“What do you think happened to her, Sean?” Cindy wanted to hear more of what he thought.

“That’s just it, I’m not sure,” Sean’s voice deepened and hardened. “I don’t know, but I don’t think Kate killed herself. Not Kate, no way. Not only should you dig into Clay’s family, but also talk to Kate’s Uncle Carl. Kate and Carl were way too close, always. She told him every little thing. He’s the one who can give you a lead, if he wants to. He probably won’t want to exposure the family dirt, though. That family keeps everything looking pretty. Their lives are based on it.”

“What dirt?” asked Cindy, alerted.

“Dirt, dirt, dirt,” said Sean. “Ask Carl, he knows.”

Cindy hung up the phone, shaken. True Sean was rough, but there was also something plain and direct about him that Cindy resonated with. And, clearly, Sean loved Kate. Cindy felt certain of it. No matter how hurt Sean had been, Cindy didn’t feel he’d push her to her death.

*

Cindy and Mattheus caught up with Riva in Monte’s, a trendy bar in a nook. People started gathering there in the afternoon, and the bar was hopping all through the night. When they spotted her, Riva was sitting at the bar with a bunch of girls, drinking Marguerites, as if everything was fine with the world.

Cindy and Mattheus made their way over to her easily, recognizing her photo. She was slim with long, chestnut brown hair, dark eyes, too much make up and a great figure. She was dressed in very tight jeans and low shirt

“Riva?” asked Mattheus, standing beside her.

Riva looked up, startled. “Who are you?” she asked.

Mattheus moved in closer, “I’m a private detective working on the case,” he said in a hushed tone.

Riva squinted her eyes. “It’s terrible, awful, isn’t it,” she breathed, putting her drink down on the bar.

As Riva put her drink down, Cindy moved in as well. As she did, to Cindy’s amazement, she saw a beautiful amber bracelet that Riva was wearing that looked incredibly familiar to her.

Riva turned her head and looked over at Cindy then. “Who are you?” she asked, defensive.

“I’m working with Mattheus on the case,” Cindy said.

“You guys cornering me or something?” asked Riva.

“I wouldn’t put it that way,” said Cindy, remembering Riva from the dinner that night.

Riva’s eyes squinted further. She didn’t seem to like Cindy, looked back over at Mattheus, far more comfortable.

“What do you both want from me?” Riva asked him pointedly.

“We’d just like to talk to you alone for a few minutes,” said Mattheus.

“Alone? I’m here with a tour.”

“It’ll only take a few minutes,” Cindy interjected, “how about we go to a quiet table in the back.”

“How long?” Riva’s eyelids fluttered.

“Just a few minutes,” Mattheus interjected, going closer to her and calming her down.

“Okay,” she said, blocking Cindy out, and smiling at him.