Death by Request (Caribbean Murder #11)

“You’re important to us, you have important information,” Cindy’s voice grew deeper through the megaphone as she called.

Suddenly Alana raised her head and stared straight down. “You’re right, I have important information,” she shrieked in the wind at the top of her lungs, “but you’ll never get it. Not now.”





Then she spun around and without warning, flung herself off the bridge into the fierce, merciless currents below.

“Jumped! Jumped! The suspect’s jumped,” the cops announced through their megaphones as they started running together to the water’s edge.

Cindy ran with them, trembling and sobbing as she got to the water and watched the ruthless current carrying Alana with it wherever it liked.

“Suspect down, suspect down,” the megaphones resonated as Mattheus ran up beside Cindy.

“She’s dead, she’s gone,” Cindy was sobbing.

Mattheus put his strong hands on Cindy’s shoulders. “There was nothing we could do, nothing,” Mattheus said softly.

Cindy turned and buried her face in his chest. “The ocean’s taking her away,” sobbed Cindy.

“The ocean knows best,” Mattheus whispered somberly. “Who are we to hold the currents back?”

*

In a few minutes a crew of police jumped into boats and piled out onto the water searching for Alana’s body. Mattheus and Cindy got back into the police car and drove with them to the station. A terrible silence filled the car as they drove.

“I’ve seen it before,” the cop driving finally spoke. “It never makes sense.”

Mattheus held Cindy’s hand more tightly.

“Let’s hope she’s at peace now,” Mattheus said, looking at Cindy sadly.

Impossible, thought Cindy. How can someone be at peace dying that way?

The car drove a little further and parked in front of the station.

“We’ll just stay a little while,” said Mattheus as he helped Cindy out of the car. “Then we’ll go back and unwind.” Despite his trying to stay strong for Cindy, she could see that Mattheus was shaken as well. Cindy was grateful that Mattheus was there, and grateful for his being the person he was. What more could she ask for, especially at a moment like this.

*

The police station was filled with a flurry of cops and reporters all trying to sort things out.

“We hear the administrator of the Ranges Hospital, Konrad Dalskin has been fired as well,” a reporter was shooting questions at one of the policemen.

“Correct,” the officer replied.

“Fired for what?” the reporter probed.

“According to what I’ve heard,” the cop continued, “the hospital administrator’s been implicated in the drug scheme as well.”

Cindy raised her eyebrows as she listened to this story. She didn’t believe a word of it, but it certainly took the focus off Tara’s death.

“Where is the hospital administrator now?” the reporter pursued.

“Konrad is presently in custody,” the cop went on. “He’s just been informed of the death of Alana and is momentarily out of control.”

“I’ve heard the two of them were in a personal relationship,” the reporter couldn’t stop.

“That’s what we’ve heard, too,” the police confirmed it.

“Will charges be placed against him?” the reporter continued.

“That’s yet to be seen,” the policeman was growing tired of the questions.

“And what about Owen Danden, suspect in his wife’s murder?” the reporter threw the cop a left curve then.

Cindy leaned in closely to hear what he said.

“Charges against Owen Danden are being dropped,” the cop announced briskly. “We have enough on the nurse who jumped now. It’s clear she’s responsible for the death of the comatose patient as well.”

Cindy’s heart started pounding. What was clear about it? This was a trumped up story concocted to close the case and get reporters off their back.

“There’s nothing clear about it,” Cindy said to Mattheus.

“Shhhh,” Mattheus said, “it’s over. Let’s hear what else they have to say.”

The rest of the interview covered basic details. The cop was not at liberty to say when Owen would be released, but it would be very soon, most likely today.

“How does Owen feel about it?” the reporter continued.

“Elated,” the policeman reported, “vindicated. Owen praised the wonderful detective work of C and M Investigations as well.”

Cindy flushed all over when she heard that. What wonderful work was he referring to, their getting Alana killed?

“We’re coming to the finish line,” Mattheus whispered.

But the image of the current racing away with Alana’s body would not leave Cindy’s mind. Had Alana deserved a fate like that? And there was something else Alana had to tell them? What could it have been? Now they would never know.