Death by Engagement (19 page)

“Glenna?
That was the name of the woman on Shari’s Facebook page who warned her not to
marry Doug,” Cindy retorted.

“I
didn’t see that message,” said Cayenne, “but I know Glenna, and it will be
useful to talk to her. She and Shari were very tight. Doug couldn’t stand her.
Anyway, Glenna knows everything that was going on in Shari’s life.”

“Cayenne,
tell me, do you think Doug harmed Shari?” Cindy tried one more time to get
beneath her cover.

Cayenne’s
eyes started fluttering. “I didn’t say that, I’m not accusing anyone. But I had
terrible nightmares after I heard that Shari died. I couldn’t rest. I kept
thinking of what I’d gone through with Doug. I was frightened. I just wanted to
come down and tell someone what was on my mind.”

“Thank
you so much, Cayenne.” Cindy reached out and squeezed her hands. “You’ve done a
wonderful thing to talk so honestly. If someone killed Shari, it could happen
again. You’ve helped to even possibly save someone else’s life.”

“I
know, I realize that.” Cayenne suddenly looked frazzled. “Please, please, call
Glenna right away.”

“I
will,” said Cindy as the two of them got up from the bench and, a bit wobbly,
walked out the door of the Cave into the battering winds.

Cindy
quickly returned to her hotel room, half hoping Mattheus would be back by now.

The
room was still empty though, and Cindy immediately flipped on the news.

“Level
two Hurricane Anna about to hit Aruba,” the reporter proclaimed. Then he
pointed to a map of low-lying areas that were in the greatest danger of harm.

Cindy
immediately took her phone and texted Mattheus.

Where
are you? Are you safe? What’s happening?

Then
she sat down on the sofa waiting for an answer and realized she was trembling.
Mattheus had never behaved like this before. Had he turned against her? Cindy
suddenly felt a great sense of both fear and loss. No matter what Mattheus was
going through, this was no way to handle it. There was no reason for him to
leave without letting her know where he was.

Suddenly,
the phone rang then. Completely relieved, Cindy quickly picked it up, expecting
Mattheus on the other end.

To
Cindy’s surprise it was Frank, calling from the States.

“Your
mother and I can’t stop thinking about you,” Frank started immediately. “They
say a terrible storm is about to hit Aruba. Are you safe? Are you well?”

“I’m
safe in the hotel,” Cindy murmured, shocked to hear from him.

“Really,
Cindy, are you okay?” Frank asked breathlessly. “Please let us know.”

For
a moment Cindy wanted to break down and tell him that she wasn’t okay. Mattheus
wasn’t here and she had no idea where he’d gone. She couldn’t say that, of
course, it would only give more fuel to their flame.

“We’re
so upset about what happened when we visited,” Frank continued. “We want to
make it right, to talk to you.”

“Thank
you so much, Frank,” Cindy breathed, “I appreciate that. I really do.”

“Thank
God.” Frank sounded relieved as well. “There’s so much I need to fill you in on
about what happened with Ann as well. I hope you won’t hate me forever for
having that other relationship?”

“I
don’t hate you at all, Frank,” Cindy replied. “Life takes all kinds of turns.
I’d love to hear more about Ann though later on, and I am very grateful for
your call.”

“Thank
you, Cindy, thank you,” Frank mumbled then. “You’re sure you’re okay? You don’t
need any help?”

Cindy
could not bring herself to tell him what was happening, though. “I’m fine,
Frank,” she said quietly. “And I’ll be in touch when the case is over and I
leave Aruba.”

“The
case?” Frank sounded confused. “I thought you and Mattheus were there to find a
wedding venue.”

“We
were,” said Cindy, “and then a case appeared. A young woman who just got
engaged, who fell from a cliff.”

“I
didn’t realize,” Frank mumbled.

“They
think it’s a suicide, but I’m investigating, to be sure. It’s okay, it’s fine,”
Cindy tried to reassure him. “It will be over soon and I’ll be home.”

“Home?”
Frank’s voice got louder. “Where is home, Cindy, where?”

His
question startled her. She couldn’t tell her brother-in-law that she had no
idea. But this wasn’t the time to go into it, either.

“I’ll
call you soon, Frank,” Cindy insisted, entirely bypassing the question of where
her home was or where she planned to go next.

“I’ll
look forward to it, Cindy, I really will,” Frank replied. “And so will your
mother.”

Cindy
hung up and then kept glancing at her cell phone to see if Mattheus would text
her back. He didn’t. Of course it was possible he wasn’t getting phone service
due to the oncoming storm, Cindy thought. It was also possible he was on the
way back right now. Anything was possible, but in truth, she had no idea.

Cindy
listened to the wind roar outside the window and while her phone service still
lasted, decided to call Shari’s friend Glenna immediately. She quickly found
Glenna’s contact information and put in a call.

 As
soon as the phone rang, Glenna picked up.

“Glenna,
this is Cindy Blaine calling from Aruba,” Cindy started. “I’m a private
detective working for your friend Shari’s father.”

“My
God, my God.” Glenna could barely speak. “I’m so horrified, so horrified,” she
gasped.

“We
all are,” said Cindy quickly. “How long have you known the news?”

“Deidre
just called and told me,” said Glenna. “Deidre knew Shari and I were best
friends. She made me promise to keep it quiet for a while, said Shari’s death
was being investigated.”

“Yes,
it is,” said Cindy.

“Thank
God for that,” said Glenna. “I can’t believe that Shari jumped. I just can’t
believe it.”

“Shari
suffered from depression though, didn’t she?” Cindy questioned.

“Sometimes
she did, but she wouldn’t jump,” Glenna insisted.

“She
actually left a suicide note behind,” said Cindy softly.

At
that Glenna got quiet. “I didn’t hear that,” she murmured. “What did she say?”

“Shari
apologized for the pain she would be causing,” Cindy responded.

“That’s
not her, it just isn’t,” Glenna insisted. “Someone else could have written the
note.”

Cindy
bristled. “Who?”

“I
have no idea,” said Glenna.

“Do
you think Deidre could have written it?” asked Cindy softly, remembering how
similar her handwriting was to Shari’s.

“Deidre?
That’s crazy!” Glenna was shocked. “Deidre loved and adored Shari. Her whole
life was about making things good for her.”

“Really?”
This was the first time Cindy had heard that.

“I’ve
known Deidre for years, we’re always in touch,” Glenna insisted. “We’ve
actually talked about Shari’s wedding a lot.”

Cindy
felt uneasy about that. It seemed as if Deidre was like a shadow, hovering over
Shari’s life.

“Did
you happen to hear from Shari herself while she was down here in Aruba?” Cindy
asked.

“Yes,
I did,” Glenna exclaimed. “In fact, Shari called me the day she died.”

“What?”
Cindy was stunned. “Why didn’t you call and tell us?”

“I
just found out what happened a little while ago,” Glenna said. “And, anyway, I
promised Shari I wouldn’t tell anyone what she said.”

“What
did she tell you? You have to let us know!” Cindy was adamant.

“Shari
was agitated, she was crying on the phone. She told me she was going to call
the engagement off.” Glenna sighed deeply then, a great weight now off her
heart. “But she made me swear not to tell anyone.”

“Why?”
asked Cindy.

“That’s
what best friends are for, to keep your secrets,” Glenna swiftly replied. “But
Shari had told me that plenty of times, I didn’t know whether or not to believe
her. She’d always say she was breaking off for good, and then she’d go back to
Doug later.”

“So
you weren’t positive she was really calling it off?” Cindy had to be certain.

“I’d
hoped she would, but I wasn’t sure,” Glenna said. “I told her to do it. I said
it was a good idea. And I wasn’t the only one who encouraged her either. Deidre
was also constantly trying to convince her sister to break off with Doug.”

“Why?”
Cindy’d had no idea about that.

“If
you want to know Shari’s secrets, ask Deidre,” Glenna went on. “She knows a lot
of things.”

“I
want to hear it from you, too,” Cindy demanded.

“If
I knew I would tell you, wouldn’t I?” Glenna became agitated. “But Deidre knows
things I don’t. Once Deidre even told me she planned to do all she could to get
Shari to break off the engagement.”

Cindy
felt as though she’d been punched in the gut. She wondered why Deidre hadn’t
told her about this herself. Could be Glenna was just trying to pass the buck,
though? Cindy decided not to let her off the hook so easily.

 “But
you must have known something when you wrote that message on Shari’s Facebook
page, and told her she couldn’t handle Doug.” Cindy wouldn’t let go.

Glenna
backed down a bit. “I wrote that before Shari called and told me she was
planning to break up the engagement.”

“What
couldn’t Shari handle about Doug?” Cindy asked, trying to ease the tension
which was growing between her and Glenna now.

“Doug
was tough and very opinionated. Shari gave in to everything he wanted all the
time,” Glenna went on. “I didn’t think the relationship would be good for her
for the long run, and I told her that plenty of times. I don’t know if she ever
really listened, though. She and Doug broke up and got back together over and
over again. Every time they broke up I told her it was the right thing to do,
and when they got back again, I told her not to.”

“Why
did Shari keep getting back with him?” Cindy had to ask again.

“Her
mother and father pushed her to do it, if you asked me,” Glenna replied. “They
think the world of Doug and were convinced that Shari needed him. They kept
saying he’d take good care of her.”

“And
how did Doug’s family feel about the wedding?” asked Cindy.

“Doug’s
family wasn’t so excited about it, though, especially his sister, Kate,” Glenna
said. “But it didn’t matter. Doug’s family couldn’t influence him. No one
could.”

“Did
anyone tell Doug to break up with Shari?” Cindy asked.

“I
don’t know, I’m not sure,” Glenna backed down. “I think maybe Deidre tried, but
I’m not positive. I know that Deidre spoke to Doug’s sister, Kate, about it
several times.”

“Seems
like Deidre played a big role behind the scenes.” Cindy flushed with sudden
anger.

“Not
really.” Glenna’s voice got softer. “Deidre tried, but no one much listened to
her. Most people think she’s pathetic.”

That
disturbed Cindy even more. “Why?”

“Deidre’s
off in some ways,” Glenna went on, her voice getting even lower now. “Don’t you
dare ever tell her I said that!”

“Of
course I won’t,” Cindy assured her. “Our discussion is totally confidential.”

“Okay,
well, I’m glad I talked to you, then,” Glenna said quickly, wanting to finish
up. “Be safe in the storm and get home easily.”

“Thanks,”
Cindy said, as Glenna quickly hung up.

*

Cindy looked at the phone in her hand as
Glenna hung up. There was obviously a lot more going on in Shari and Doug’s
relationship than Cindy had imagined. She definitely needed to speak to Deidre
again. And she had to do it quickly. Deidre could be the key to what truly
happened. Cindy decided to contact her immediately and started to call, when
suddenly a text flashed onto her phone.

I’m close by, I’m well.
It was
Mattheus.
I needed some time alone to think things over and I fell asleep.

Cindy looked at the text and shuddered.
Fell
asleep where?
She texted back, upset to be even having this conversation.

I’ll be back soon, and we’ll talk
, he quickly
responded.

It doesn’t happen quite like that,
thought Cindy, but texted nothing back in reply. She felt caught in the middle
of a physical and emotional storm right now, and didn’t want to react
impulsively. Cindy needed time to think things over as well.

Instead of texting back, Cindy lifted
her phone and quickly called Deidre.

“I’m on the way over to your hotel right
now,” Deidre replied the moment she picked up. “I just heard from Glenna that
you two spoke. Our family’s leaving Aruba soon and I have to talk you, too,
before we go.”

 “Come right over,” said Cindy, “I’m
here.” Then she hung up.

Another text flashed on the screen from
Mattheus then.
Did you get my last text? Do you still have phone service?

Got it,
Cindy replied
simply.

Right now she had no idea where Mattheus
was or how long it would take him to get back to the hotel. She realized, of
course, what he’d been thinking over. Undoubtedly, he was not sure of the
engagement any longer, and if truth be told, neither was Cindy.

At that moment someone started knocking
hard on Cindy’s door. Cindy ran to the door to open it up.

Deidre stood there, wet and flustered.
“There’s just a few planes leaving the island in about an hour,” she said as
she burst into Cindy’s room. “My family’s packing up, but Shari’s not coming
back with us.”

Cindy tried to calm Deidre down. Of
course a moment like this made the reality of Shari’s death real. It was
horrible and shocking.

 “It’s okay, I’m here. Talk to me,
Deidre,” Cindy replied.

“I talked to you already,” Deidre
pouted.

“I know, but there’s more you have to
tell me,” Cindy insisted. “Talk to me, tell me about Shari and Doug’s
relationship. I know that you were trying to get Shari to break it off for a
long time now.”