Death by Proposal (5 page)

“We
can put time into the case and then after it’s over, continue our vacation. We’ll
both feel better then,” Cindy was adamant.

“Put
time in? It’s not so simple.”  

“Could
be it’s a suicide?” Cindy pleaded. “That will be simple.”

“And
if it’s not?” Mattheus shook his head back and forth. “I don’t like this.”

“I’m
sorry, Mattheus.”

“Just
like that? You’re sorry. You’ve made up your mind? It doesn’t matter if I
agree?”

“I’ve
got to do it, I’m sorry, Mattheus,” Cindy repeated. “I won’t be able to live
with myself if I don’t.”

“You’ve
got a problem, Cindy,” Mattheus said, looking away. “I’ve seen it happen to
detectives before. They become addicted to the chase, a normal life becomes
boring, a regular relationship unfulfilling.  I’ll never be able to compete
with a hidden murderer floating around.  Once the addiction sets in, all you
really want, all you live for, is to nail down the next culprit, see them
brought to justice. Only then can you sleep at night. “

“It’s
not like that with me,” Cindy protested. “I sleep very well at night.”

“Yes,
it is that way, and you don’t even realize it,” Mattheus was on a roll.

“You’re
describing yourself, the way you used to be,” Cindy breathed.

“That’s
how come I can recognize this a mile away,” Mattheus grumbled. “But I’m over it
now. I’ve detoxed. Now it’s your turn.”

“I’m
not addicted,” Cindy demanded, “I’m just doing what’s right. I want you,
Mattheus. I want a normal relationship and a normal life.”

But
Mattheus wouldn’t listen. He believed what he believed. “Come on,” he said, “let’s
get out of here.”  

*

Once
out on the street Mattheus grew silent as they walked along the festive street
back to the hotel.

“Always
something between us,” he muttered as they moved along, “always something.”

Cindy
felt he was being unfair, but she also wondered if destiny was taking a stab at
their relationship as well. Were they meant to be together? Was there something
or someone else they both needed that would make them happier and more
fulfilled?

    
The next morning Cindy awoke very early, just as the sun was coming up. It had
been a rough night for her and Mattheus, back to sleeping on their own sides of
the bed again. Before they fell asleep, Cindy had reached out to him, but he’d
just rolled over, nursing his wounds. Mattheus was hard to be with when he didn’t
get his way about something that mattered to him. Cindy understood that, but
this was important to her as well.

As
soon as Cindy awoke she jumped out of bed, showered and dressed as he lay there
sleeping. She didn’t want to wake him up, and instead of ordering in coffee,
Cindy decided to go downstairs and eat breakfast alone. After that she’d find
Kate’s mother and uncle and tell them she was on board. Too much time had
passed already, and she was eager to get going.

When
Cindy got down to the lobby it was practically empty, due to the early hour. 
Cindy went to the front desk to get the room number for Kate’s family.

“The
mother and uncle just went out to the back restaurant for breakfast,” the clerk
at the desk informed her. “They just asked me where it was.”

“Great,”
said Cindy, “thanks.” Again, perfect timing. Cindy took this as an added support
for what she had decided to do.

She
went out through the back doors and walked on the fresh grass filled with the
early morning dew. The morning light was soft and sparing, heralding a perfect
day. Cindy picked up her pace as she walked, eager to see Carl and Tyra again,
thrilled to let them know that she was coming on board. Everything about it
felt right.

 Cindy
took a narrow stone path that went beneath an arbor of trees then back to a
restaurant in a garden, nestled in the back. A perfect place for breakfast,
thought Cindy, a wonderful way to start the day. Cindy walked into the wooden
and bamboo restaurant, which was empty except for two people sitting at a table
in the corner. They had to be Carl and Tyra.

Cindy
walked straight over to them, slowing down as she got closer.

Carl,
who sat facing in her direction, noticed Cindy approach.  Surprised, he half
got up, to greet her.

“No,
it’s fine, sit down,” Cindy said brightly as she got to the table. “Mind if I join
you?”

Tyra,
startled, looked at her pleadingly. Cindy could see what a rough time she was
having. Despite her perfect grooming, she looked pale and unruly, her eyes
fluttering back and forth.

“Of
course, sit down,” Tyra waved her hands up and down, not knowing what else to
do with them.

Carl
immediately rose and pulled over a seat from a nearby table, so Cindy could join
them.

“To
what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?” he asked, looking at Cindy
admiringly.

Cindy
didn’t want to waste a moment. “I’ve decided to take the case,” she announced.

Both
Carl and Tyra became silent.

“Why?”
asked Tyra. “What else happened?”

“Nothing
else happened,” said Cindy calmly, “I’ve been carefully thinking about it.”

“And
what about your fiancée?” Tyra asked, dazed.

Strange
that Tyra called Mattheus her fiancée. “Mattheus and I work together,” Cindy
corrected her, “he’s my business partner.”

“Well,
he’s more than that, dear,” Tyra’s eyes continued to flutter. “The two of you
are here on vacation. He said he needs his time alone with you. What has
changed things?”

Cindy
smiled. Odd, the details that people remembered at times like these.

“Where
is Mattheus now?” asked Carl, focusing in on Cindy.

“Mattheus
is upstairs, sleeping,” said Cindy, “it still quite early.”

“I
recognize that,” said Carl, “just wondering why you’re down here alone? And
what made you change your mind?”

The
waiter came by, looking at the three of them curiously.

“Can
I order you breakfast?” Carl asked.

“Scrambled
eggs, muffins and coffee,” said Cindy.

“On
me,” said Carl.

“Thanks,”
Cindy said.

Carl
turned full face towards her then. He had a wonderful face, strong, handsome
and clearly weathered by many storms. This was hard for him though,
understandably.

“I
don’t even know how to begin to thank you,” he started. “We need your help.”

“I
know you do,” Cindy said, “and that’s what’s changed things.”

“How
do you know it?” Tyra murmured. “How does anyone know anything anymore?”

“It’s
okay, Tyra,” Carl put his hand on her arm.

“I
haven’t been able to stop thinking about Kate,” Cindy started slowly.

Tyra
put her head down and began to cry.

“Did
you know her at all? Did you speak to her before she died?” Carl was on the
alert.

“No,
I didn’t know her or speak to her,” said Cindy, “but Kate and her fiancée sat
next to our table in the dining room the night she died. I noticed her. We
exchanged glances and smiles.”

“Oh
God, oh God,” Tyra was wringing her hands now.

“Kate
was incredible,” Carl interjected.

Cindy
leaned closer to him. “You’ll tell me all about her. There’s a lot I have to
learn.”

Carl
stood up suddenly and reached out his arms. “God bless you, young lady,” he
said, “Come here, let me give you a thank you hug.”

Cindy
stood up a Carl reached his strong arms around her, filled with gratitude, in a
bear hug.

“Oh
my, oh my,” Tyra said then.

Cindy
turned around in Carl’s arms to see Mattheus quickly approaching.

“What’s
going on here?” Mattheus asked, as Carl opened his arms to let Cindy free.

“It’s
a thank you hug,” said Tyra, nervously.

“Thank
you? For what?” Mattheus seemed to be growing increasingly agitated.

“Cindy
just informed us that she’s on the case,” Carl said unflinchingly. “We’re
incredibly grateful. I’m thanking her.”

“With
a hug?” asked Mattheus.

“And
plenty of cash,” Carl added vehemently.

“Stop
it, Mattheus,” Cindy was annoyed. This was no time for him to indulge his old suspiciousness
again. “I got up early, came downstairs and found Carl and Tyra back here in
the restaurant.”

“That’s
obvious,” said Mattheus. “When I woke up and you were gone, I came down to find
you and the clerk at the desk told me where all of you were.”

“I
came here to give Kate’s family solace,” said Cindy, feeling as though she were
defending herself.

“She’s
taking the case,” Carl added swiftly.

Mattheus
paused, startled.  “You came down here to tell them that on your own, without
consulting me about it? You’re taking the case? Am I in on it, too?”

“Do
you want to be?” Carl zeroed in.

“This
is between me and Cindy,” Mattheus bristled, turning his back to Carl.

“Of
course you’re in on it,” Cindy stepped closer to Mattheus. “And I did tell you
about it, last night.”

“You
told me how you were feeling, not that you were going downstairs in the morning
and make it official.”

Cindy
took a step back. “Mattheus, time is passing. We’ve let too much time go as it
is. For all we know the police are about to finish up interviewing the guests.
Then people can leave. Valuable evidence goes with them. This isn’t a game.”

“The
police do plan to finish up interviewing guests this afternoon,” Carl added
swiftly.

Cindy
looked at Mattheus with alarm. “There’s no way the police can do this
thoroughly and finish up today,” she insisted. “We should have been on it from
the start.”

Tyra
stood up, swaying a bit, holding her face in her hands, “Oh I’m sorry, I’m
sorry,” she began murmuring. “I never wanted to cause any harm, never, ever.”

Carl
walked over to her swiftly. “You didn’t cause any harm, Tyra. This is not your
fault.”

“But
he’s so angry with us,” Tyra pointed to Mattheus.

Mattheus
shook his head and took a step closer. “I’m not at all angry with you,” he said
in a softer tone, “I’m just upset with the way all this has gone down.”

“He’s
upset with me,” Cindy said to Tyra.

“That’s
not good either, is it?” Tyra turned to Carl.

“That’s
what happens in cases,” Mattheus spoke slowly, trying to calm the waters. “Pain
erupts, suspicion, horror, one misunderstanding after another. Everyone
involved becomes upset.”

“Then
misunderstandings turn into understanding. Flashes of insight come. Truth prevails,”
Cindy spoke strongly.

“But
he’s mad at you,” Tyra kept looking back and forth from Cindy to Mattheus.

“I
don’t take it personally,” said Cindy, as Carl stared protectively at her.

“Neither
did Kate,” Tyra went on, “she never, ever took anything personally. When
someone was mad at her, she made excuses. Carl always begged her to do
something, but she never would. She also used to say she didn’t take it
personally. But, look where it got her. Look.”

Mattheus
and Cindy sighed deeply together at the same moment.

“Cindy’s
right,” Mattheus said softly. “I am not angry with her, it’s not personal. I’m
just upset at the turn of events. I was hoping for something else. I was
looking forward to it.”

“Us,
too,” said Carl, between gritted teeth. “We were hoping to see Kate come home,
happy and refreshed. We were hoping to see her live a life, get married, have
kids.”

Cindy’s
head spun as Carl spoke. She knew she’d done the right thing.  Was it suicide?
That had to be proven as well. It would be too easy to tie the case up quickly
and throw away the value of this young woman’s life. Cindy knew how important
it was to find out what truly happened and give Kate’s family some measure of
peace.

“I’m
also sorry for your loss,” Mattheus added. “Don’t think the case doesn’t matter
to me.”

“You’re
on board then?” Carl asked Mattheus quickly, as his hands clenched at his
sides.

“Yes,
I’m on board,” Mattheus agreed quietly.

“Thank
you,” Carl nodded formally then. “I’m sure that will make a huge difference to
Cindy.”

 “Yes,
it will,” Cindy added promptly, “I need Mattheus. He’s a wonderful detective. I’m
not the same person without him.”

A
smile played around the corner of Mattheus’s mouth, as Cindy spoke.

*

The
four of them had a quick, tense breakfast and then Cindy and Mattheus went
straight to the police to let them know they were on board. Before they left, Cindy
told Carl and Tyra that she and Mattheus would be talking to them in depth
later on, and would keep them informed of their progress.

Carl
grabbed Cindy’s hands to thank her once again.

“I
don’t know you very well,” he said emotionally, “but my gut tells me, you’re
the best.”

“We’re
the best,” Cindy smiled, “Mattheus and I, together.”

*

The
police station was in a low, clean, building on a wide road. As soon as Cindy
and Mattheus entered and said who they were, the front cop at the desk called
to the back room. In a few seconds both Rod and Spike ambled down the corridor
together.

Rod
had a grin on his face and grabbed Mattheus’s hand in a strong shake.  “Can’t
tell you how good it is to see you again.”

Spike
looked both of them over carefully, especially Cindy.

“We’re
on board,” said Mattheus directly, taking the lead.

“Great,”
Rod said gruffly. “We both knew you guys would jump in. Just a matter of time.  Couldn’t
be better timing. There’s more to do here than we can manage.”

“What
changed your mind?” Spike was curious, more laid back.

“Ask
Cindy that,” said Mattheus.

Spike
turned to her slowly, a funny smile in his eyes. He probably wasn’t used to
working with women detectives, Cindy thought.

“It’s
the right thing to do,” said Cindy simply.

Spike
cocked his head to the side. It wasn’t the answer he’d expected.

“Pay’s
pretty good, too, I imagine,” he added, breaking into a small smile.

Mattheus
didn’t like that.  “They couldn’t pay us enough to do this,” he said. “Cindy
feels it’s right, she feels it’s fair.”

Both
Rod and Spike stared at both of them.

 “Okay,”
Mattheus had enough. “Let’s go into your office. Fill us in on what’s to be
done next.”

The
four of them went into the back office and sat down, while Rod fumbled with
papers.

“This
is what we got so far,” Rod launched into the case. “We’re interviewing guests
at hotel. Most who saw Kate and Clay said the two of them looked happy. No
signs of any problems. Most important thing now is to find out who was yelling
and knocking on their door. “