Death by Engagement (16 page)

“I’m
never going to be gone forever,” said Cindy. “Not unless you want me to.”

Mattheus
grimaced and slowly pulled Cindy to him. “This is a rough patch we’re going
through, isn’t it?” he murmured, his face in her hair.

“Yes,
it is,” Cindy whispered back. “But we can make it anyhow. We can go right
through the rough patches and be stronger for it. Can’t we?”

“We
have to,” said Mattheus, “and that’s what I love about you, Cindy. You bounce
back, you’re resilient.”

“And
so are you,” she whispered. “This wasn’t what you bargained for on our trip
down to Aruba, and I realize the case just seems to go on and on.”

“That’s
what I was worried about in the beginning,” he said. “One lead brings another
and time stretches out.”

“You’re
right, and I need a couple more days on it now,” Cindy said then quietly,
drawing apart.

“How
did I guess?” said Mattheus. “In fact, you’ve got someone coming to see you in
an hour, a guy named Tad. He called, desperate, half an hour ago. I told him to
come over, you should be back then.”

“Thank
you, Mattheus.” Cindy was touched. “Tad was Shari’s last boyfriend, the one she
dated before she got engaged to Doug.”

“I
remember,” said Mattheus. “Like it or not, I’m keeping track of all the
characters you’re telling me about.”

“I
appreciate your setting up the interview for me,” said Cindy.

“Do
I have a choice?” asked Mattheus.

“Yes,
definitely, you have a choice.” Cindy was insistent. “You could say no, take
off, or do a bunch of other things. And you have a right to be upset with my
family, too.” Cindy made sure to include that. “I never meant you to think that
I was on board with the way they treated you.”

“Thanks
for that,” said Mattheus, clenching his jaw.

“My
family doesn’t hold so much power over me, either,” Cindy added. “If what they
said could break up our relationship, then it wasn’t very strong to begin with,
was it?”

Mattheus
looked sheepish for a moment. “I’ve seen much less break up relationships,” he
said.

“Being
engaged is tricky. Lots of couples don’t make it through all the rough spots
that engagements can bring. Shari and Doug didn’t, did they?”

“Shari
was killed,” Cindy whispered then, “who knows by whom? Who knows how she really
died? That’s not a good example. And couples make it if they want to.” Cindy
tossed her hair back over her shoulders then. “They make it if they can give
each other the space to be who they are, and also be together.”

Mattheus
took Cindy’s hands and pulled them to him. “I can do that, Cindy,” he said,
swiftly.

“Can
you, really?” she asked.

“Yes,
I definitely can,” he replied. “And how about you?”

“I
can,” said Cindy, “and if sometimes I can’t, I want you to let me know and
remind me.”

Mattheus
grinned. “You got a deal, my beautiful lady,” he laughed. “And let’s toast to
that decision with a quick lunch. We have about an hour before Tad arrives on
the scene to take you away from me.”

“Cut
it out, Mattheus,” Cindy said then, “nothing takes me away from you. It’s not a
good way to think about it.”

Cindy
and Mattheus ate quickly in order to be done in time for Tad’s visit.

“He’s
not coming to take me away from you,” Cindy commented again as Mattheus paid
the check. “He’s coming to help me find out what happened to Shari. Actually, I
feel even closer to you when I do my work.”

“I
realize that, of course,” said Mattheus, grinning sheepishly. “I was just
playing with you.”

“Well,
don’t,” Cindy shot back. “As they say, there’s always truth in jest.”

“Yes,
there is,” Mattheus answered, an edge to his voice as well.

*

Cindy
spotted Tad the minute he walked into the hotel lobby. Tall with rumpled sandy
hair, pale blue eyes, and dressed in khakis and a light shirt, he looked around
the lobby helplessly, seemed at loose ends. For no particular reason at all,
Cindy liked him immediately.

“Tad,”
Cindy called out, getting up quickly and going right over to him.

“Cindy
Blaine?” he asked as she approached.

“Yes,”
she responded, “thank you so much for coming to see me.”

Tad
reached out and took her hands. “No, thank you,” he replied, his eyes filling
with tears. “You’ll never know how grateful I am to you for doing this.”

Cindy
was moved.

“It
would be so easy to blow Shari’s death off as a suicide,” he went on, “but I
just don’t believe it is.”

Cindy
loved Tad’s straightforward, no-nonsense manner. He wasn’t playing any games
and that was a tremendous relief. I do believe you, she wanted to say, but had
to hold back, so he could tell her more.

“Okay,”
she responded, “let’s get out of here so we can talk privately. I can’t wait to
hear what you have to tell me.”

“Where
should we go?” Tad was right on board.

“How
about the gazebo in the back of the hotel?” Cindy suggested. “It’s quiet,
private and hidden.”

“Perfect,”
he said, “let’s do it.” Then he looked over toward Mattheus, who had walked
over to join them. “Is your partner coming?”

“This
is Mattheus,” said Cindy, introducing them. “How did you know he was my
partner?”

“I
figured,” said Tad. “We talked a little on the phone. “ Then he turned to
Mattheus. “Cindy and I will be in the gazebo in back, do you want to join us?”

“Not
right now, but thanks,” said Mattheus. “I’ll wait here in the lobby until
you’re done.”

Cindy
knew it was often better and less intimidating to have one person to talk to at
a time.

“Great,”
said Tad, eager to go.

“Take
as long as you need,” Mattheus called after them as Cindy and Tad turned and
left to wind their way down to the beautiful gazebo in the back of the hotel.

“Shari
didn’t kill herself, she didn’t kill herself,” Tad kept repeating as they
walked along the bumpy road. It seemed like he couldn’t hold back.

Cindy
wanted to wait until they were comfortably seated, with no distractions, to
talk more.

“We’ll
be at the gazebo in just a few minutes,” she said to Tad as a brisk wind blew
up and whirled over them harshly.

“Wow,
some wind.” Tad leaned back away from it. “The weather’s turning rougher. I
heard it’s even possible the passing storm may hit the island this time.”

Cindy
hadn’t heard that. “That’s unusual for Aruba, isn’t it?” she asked.

“Yeah,
but I heard it,” Tad repeated. “This isn’t exactly paradise, every island does
get hit sometimes.”

“We
all get hit sometimes,” Cindy murmured as they turned a corner and saw the
gazebo just straight ahead.

As
Cindy expected, the gazebo was completely empty when they walked in. The winds
tossed roughly outside it, but it was a safe haven within.

Tad
and Cindy sat down and huddled next to each other on a wooden bench.

“This
is a great place to talk,” Tad said the minute he got comfortable. “I have only
one thing to tell you. Shari was not suicidal. Believe me.”

“I
do believe you,” Cindy replied. And she did. There was nothing at all affected
or pretentious about Tad. This was not a guy who would lead you astray. “This
has hit you so hard, Tad,” Cindy continued. “How long ago did you and Shari
break up?”

Tad
looked over at Cindy slowly. “I wouldn’t exactly call it breaking up,” he said.
“Even though Shari went back to Doug, we were in constant touch.”

“That’s
unusual, isn’t it?” asked Cindy.

“Not
for us,” Tad insisted.

Cindy
nodded, realizing that Doug had also remained friends with his past
girlfriends.

“Doug
was okay with that, right?” Cindy asked anyway, just to cover bases.

Tad
made a strange face. “Was he okay with it? Who the hell cares? Doug stayed
friends with everyone he ever dated. And Shari had to live with that.”

“Was
that hard for her?” asked Cindy, fascinated.

“Shari
said it wasn’t, but who really knows? She accepted Doug’s terms, no matter
what. That’s the way it went,” Tad pouted.

“You
weren’t the one who broke up with Shari, were you?” Cindy wanted to be sure.
“You weren’t the one who wanted to become just friends?”

“Of
course not, I loved her,” said Tad. “And she loved me.”

Cindy
grew silent to honor the depth of Tad’s feelings.

“Why
did she leave you for Doug, then?” Cindy finally asked in a very soft tone.

“I
wouldn’t say she exactly left me for him.” Tad grimaced.

“What
happened, Tad?” Cindy moved closer in.

Tad
paused a moment. “Shari always had a hunger to be with controlling men,” he
finally said. “Don’t take this as if I’m saying anything bad about her. I’m
not. She was the best, she is the best. She’ll always be the best to me. The
time we had together was fabulous. I loved her just the way she was.”

“She
was fortunate to have been with you,” said Cindy quietly.

“Thank
you for saying that, thank you so much.” Tad’s eyes filled with tears again.

“Not
every woman has such an unconditional love in their life,” Cindy went on. Tad
needed to hear it and Cindy needed to say it. Tad’s love for Shari reminded
Cindy of her relationship with Clint. Their love had also been unconditional
and that experience would always sustain her, even though it hadn’t lasted for
long. “Can you tell me more about why Shari left you?” Cindy continued gently.

“Shari
felt better around guys who took over, told her what to do,” Tad mumbled.

“How
painful,” said Cindy. “You’re not like that.”

“No,
I’m not,” Tad quickly agreed, “and I couldn’t turn myself into that kind of
person, either.”

“That’s
not love, anyway,” Cindy insisted.

“Don’t
get me wrong though.” Tad rubbed his face roughly. “Shari really loved me. She
and I were so happy together. I don’t think she was able to deal with how happy
she was. Everyone always told her she was depressed with weird mood swings.
Well, she didn’t have them with me!”

“So,
why did she end it?” Cindy was confused.

Tad
seemed confused as well. He shrugged lightly. “She finally told me that she
felt more secure around a stronger guy.”

“Stronger?”
The word hurt Cindy. “It takes much more strength to be flexible and kind,”
Cindy retorted.

“Thanks
for saying that.” Tad looked up at her.

“I
mean it, Tad,” Cindy insisted. “Being tough and controlling just means deep
down a person’s insecure.”

Tad
smiled slowly. “That’s what I told her, but she didn’t get that point right
away. I think she did, later.”

“What
do you think happened to Shari?” Cindy’s need to know intensified as the air
grew colder and the sky more threatening.

“Someone
pushed her, I’m positive,” Tad declared.

“How
can you be positive?” Cindy was breathless.

“I
just can,” Tad repeated when just at that moment Cindy looked up and saw
someone approaching the gazebo quickly.

“Who’s
coming?” Cindy stood up, alarmed.

Tad
jumped up beside her as well. “Oh God, it’s Deidre,” he cried out. “She’s been
hounding me since I got here.”

“You’re
her link to Shari,” Cindy declared.

“I
don’t know who I’m her link to,” Tad answered as Deidre burst into the gazebo,
staring at both of them.

“Mattheus
told me you guys were down here,” she started. “He was in the lobby when I
arrived.”

“What
do you want, Deidre?” Tad was exasperated. “Why are you following me?”

“I’m
not following you.” Deidre’s eyes flashed. “Why would I follow you?”

“So
why are you here?” Tad confronted her directly.

“Why
are you here? That’s the question, isn’t it?” she shot back vividly.

“Your
father told me that Cindy and Mattheus were on the case.” Tad spoke to her as
though he were talking to a troublesome child.

“Who
cares what my father says about anything?” Deidre replied.

“Your
father asked me to talk to Cindy and Mattheus,” Tad continued. “He wanted them
to know more about Shari.”

Deidre
made a strange guffawing sound then. “Really? So you’re prepared to tell the
whole truth?”

Cindy
stiffened in fear. What was the whole truth? What was Tad hiding?

Deidre
approached him methodically, each footstep echoing through the gazebo.

“Are
you prepared to tell Cindy everything?” Deidre repeated threateningly.

“You’re
insane, Deidre,” Tad replied. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but back
off from me.”

“What
are you prepared to tell Cindy?” Deidre demanded.

Cindy
broke into their conversation, heatedly. “If there is some important
information either of you have that I don’t, I beg both of you to tell me. Time
is getting shorter! I won’t be able to be on the case for much longer.”

“Why
not?” Tad spun around and stared at Cindy.

“A
storm’s coming to the island,” Deidre hissed. “None of us have much time
together here.”

“Tell
me, Tad! What is it?” begged Cindy.

In
total dismay, Tad just whirled around then, ran out of the gazebo and fled down
the winding trail.

Cindy
wanted to run after him, but a sudden peal of thunder stopped her.

“Stay
here with me,” Deidre demanded.

“You
tell me what Tad’s hiding,” Cindy demanded in return.

“I
can’t,” Deidre breathed. “It won’t mean anything coming from me. Nobody
believes me about anything.”

“I
do,” Cindy insisted.

“Yeah,
maybe you do,” said Deidre, “but it has to come straight from Tad.”

“It’s
something awful?” asked Cindy.

At
that Deidre smiled oddly. “No, it’s not awful, it’s just the way things are.
You’ll get a better picture of my sister when you hear it all from Tad.”

Cindy
wondered what more was left to learn.

“And
you need to know something else.” Deidre moved closer, her strange smile
widening. “My father told me that Cayenne is on her way down now, too. You have
to stay and talk to her, too.”

“Cayenne?
Doug’s former girlfriend?” Cindy was surprised.

“Yeah,
my father called her, told her what happened and begged her to come down,”
Deidre said.

“How
does your father have Doug’s ex-girlfriend’s number?” Cindy was unnerved.

“It’s
not such a secret,” said Deidre. “Cayenne and Shari knew each other. Cayenne
even came over to our house once. I told you, when Shari and Doug were broken
up, they still stayed in touch. They were always friends.”

“That’s
strange.” Cindy felt more and more odd about it.

“That’s
not considered strange in our lives,” Deidre said. “Everyone was friends with everyone
else.”

“And
how about you?” Cindy couldn’t help but ask. “Were they friends with you, too?”

Deidre
frowned as another peal of thunder rolled in. “Not all of them,” she whispered.
“I did know Cayenne though. I liked her. She was nice to me.”

“How
about Tad and Doug?” Cindy quickly asked. “Were you friends with them?”

“I
didn’t care much about Tad,” Deidre said, “but boy, were he and Shari happy!
The two of them fit.”

“And
Shari and Doug?” Cindy probed.

“Doug
was different,” Deidre continued. “Basically, I would have been better for him,
smarter, tougher, more his type, but he never realized it.”

Cindy
felt shaky. “Were you jealous that Shari and Doug were together, when you would
have been better for him?” Cindy demanded.

“Nah.”
Deidre made a strange face. “If a guy can’t see what I’ve got to offer, who
needs him anyway. Lots of guys want girls who’ll listen to them! I’m not like
that at all.”