Death by Seduction (Book #13 in the Caribbean Murder series)

Death by Seduction (Book #13 in the Caribbean Murder series)

Jaden Skye




Chapter 1


Cindy stared out of the window as Mattheus sat on the leather stool in the hotel room, drumming his fingers on the small wooden table beside him. The day had turned cloudy with unexpectedly dark skies closing in on them.

“You’re not answering me,” Mattheus repeated once again. “Are we getting married, are we eloping?”

The endless conversation they’d been having seemed to have no end. Cindy couldn’t bring herself to respond one more time. Mattheus was on a roll and unable to hear anything she had to say, anyway. They were not eloping, she never wanted to elope. That was not the way to start a life together.

Thankfully, the sudden ring of the phone broke into the tension quickly building between them.

Cindy grabbed the phone, “Yes?” she replied, grateful for the interruption.

“Cindy, do you remember me? Do you?” a breathless woman’s voice was on the other end. “It’s Loretta Twain.”

The familiar name rolled around in Cindy’s mind, though she couldn’t place it.

“University of Wisconsin,” Loretta continued, “Jeb Lavit’s poetry class. We were in it together, that’s where we met.”

“Of course, of course,” a strange smile swept across Cindy’s face. It had been so long since she’d thought of her college days, especially Jeb Lavit’s poetry class.

“We loved that class,” Loretta continued.

“I remember you, Loretta,” Cindy broke in. “How could I forget?”

“Thank God,” Loretta grew calmer. “I’m so sorry we lost touch, Cindy, I really am.”

Cindy had lost touch with so many people by now, not to speak of old friends from her college days. It was actually wonderful hearing from Loretta.

“Do you remember how we double dated?” Loretta went on now frantically, trying to capture Cindy’s attention. “Your date was Harvey and mine was Frank? We went to Gingerman’s Pub.”

The smile on Cindy’s face grew broader. Of course she’d completely forgotten about Gingerman’s Pub until this unexpected call. Her college days seemed like another world, almost a different lifetime. Cindy could barely remember the person she was then, or what she’d wanted.

“I remember you, Loretta,” Cindy reassured her old friend, relishing the memory of the two of them back together in college. Cindy remembered the long walks she and Loretta had taken on campus and wonderful discussions they’d had about poetry, love and building a future that meant something. “I’m delighted to hear from you,” Cindy continued, “but why now?”

“Everyone back home’s heard about the work you’re doing down here in the Caribbean,” Loretta managed to continue. “Right now I’m down in the Dominican Republic, too.” Once again Loretta grew breathless. “I need your help and I need it badly. Oh God, how did this happen to me?”

“What happened, Loretta?” Cindy grew nervous.

“Do you remember Pete?” Loretta’s voice shook.

Cindy raced through her memory and recalled hearing that Loretta had married her college sweetheart, Pete.

“The man you married?” asked Cindy.

“Yes,” Loretta’s voice dropped to a hoarse whisper then. “He’s been killed. His body was just found.”

Cindy felt a long, slow chill. “My God, I’m so sorry,” she responded, suddenly remembering how desperate she’d felt when she’d found Clint dead on their honeymoon.

“It gets worse,” Loretta spoke quickly. “Please, I beg you, come here and help me. I need you so badly.”

Cindy took a painful breath. How could it get worse? she wondered.

“The police say they know who did it,” Loretta rambled, “they say the case is open and shut. But they’re wrong and I know it.”

Nothing was ever open and shut, Cindy agreed. The police loved closing cases, much too fast, usually.

“I’m in danger, too,” Loretta sounded panicky. “There’s someone out there who hated both of us and they’ll get me too, if you don’t get them first.”

“How do you know there’s someone out there who hates you?” Cindy focused sharply, wondering if Loretta and her husband were victims of stalking.