Death by Jealousy (Caribbean Murder #6)

“Seems like a strange time to have a wedding,” Mattheus commented.

“No, it’s a grand time,” said Edward, proudly. “Our family comes down for the festival every year. Everyone loves it. The wedding would have been over by the time it began and then the guests could have stayed and enjoyed it. The Batabano festival is a salute to Cayman’s turtling heritage. Batabano refers to tracks left in the sand by sea turtles as they crawled onto the beach to nest. Finding these tracks was a reason to celebrate! It still is.”

Cindy was fascinated. A yearly festival to celebrate the tracks of a turtle in the sand! And what about the tracks of killers she’d discovered, sprawled all through the Caribbean? Was that a cause for celebration as well?

“The festival reflects the heritage and vibrant rhythms of island life,” Edward was speaking as though he were standing at a podium, giving a yearly report. “Did you know that the Cayman Islands are home to a melting pot of over one hundred nationalities? We’re proud of it! One country celebrating many cultures. Multi-culturalism at its best.”

“I wouldn’t have thought that would be something you’d be proud of,” Mattheus commented.

Edward stopped short. “Why not?”

“Most wealthy folks are only interested in keeping their own clan safe and secure.”

Dana pulled her chair back from the table, offended.

“Excuse me, but my husband runs the largest charity on Long Island. He’s a well-known benefactor, concerned with the needs of many.”

Dana wasn’t getting through to Mattheus and Cindy jumped into the breach immediately.

“I told Mattheus, what a fine family you all were, how proud I was to know you,” Cindy exclaimed.

Dana’s face flushed as she reached out her hands for Cindy.

“Thank you for that, Cindy,” she said, “thank you so much.”

Edward stood up from his chair then and pushed himself away from the table.

“I believe it’s time for us all to go to the Interrogation room now,” he said. “They’re questioning Peter again right now. It’s time for you to join them and see for yourself.”





CHAPTER 4


The Interrogation room was a long, narrow conference room on the Mezzanine. One by one the guests and wedding party had been called down here to be interviewed by the police. Peter was called down every day and kept there the longest.

When they entered, Cindy saw a tall, handsome, lanky guy sitting at the front of the table, his head in his hands. Dana and Edward immediately sat down at the opposite end of the table, near the door. Clearly, the police had been informed that they all would be here.

Cindy and Mattheus walked up to the front of the table where two police officers were sitting across from Peter.

“C and M Investigations,” said Mattheus, introducing himself and Cindy.

The two police officers looked up and nodded.

“We heard from Lance that you guys had arrived on the Island,” a small, heavy cop said.

“We’d appreciate the chance to talk to Peter alone,” said Mattheus.

The cops looked at each other. “Okay,” the small one said, “you got half an hour with him, that’s all.” They started to the door. “You want his parents in the room while you’re talking to him?”

“They can come back in half an hour, too,” said Mattheus.



As soon as they all left, Peter took his head out of his hands and looked up. He was a handsome, clean cut young man with chiseled features and large, green eyes that looked dazed and forlorn.

“Really glad you’re here,” he said, “the cops are driving me crazy. They keep asking the same things over and over. Do they think I’m some kind of a fool?”

“They’re trying to break you down,” said Mattheus, “that’s how they get you to tell them things you’re hiding.”

“I’m not hiding anything,” Peter looked bewildered.

“We’re all hiding something,” Mattheus interjected, “even if we don’t realize it at the time. “When we go over things again and again, something new turns up.”

Cindy looked closely at Peter. He had a direct, forthright quality about him, and she liked him immediately.

Mattheus paused. “I’m sorry we have to go through all this again,” he said to Peter, seemingly feeling the same way Cindy did.

“I don’t have anything new to add,” Peter remarked, plaintively. “I have no idea what happened to Allie, none at all. I wish I did.”

“Tell us what you can,” said Cindy, eager for Peter to have a sympathetic ear.

“Allie and I went down for a dive the evening before the wedding,” Peter spoke as if he were suddenly picturing it all again. “Night dives are beautiful. The sun going down creates a glow under the water that you can’t even dream of up here. This time was different, though, there’d been strong winds all day long. The winds and late hour made visibility poor. Sometimes at this time of year, you get nor’ Easters. It wasn’t that bad, but it wasn’t good.”