Read Death by Engagement for Free Online

though.”
    “Do
what you want.” Ben backed down. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
    “Warn
me about what?” Cindy was irritated.
    “About
wasting your time, and the family’s too,” he mumbled. “And the police’s.”
    “Warned
or not, I’ll need to get hold of the suicide note,” Cindy retorted.
    “For
what reason?” Ben was suddenly defensive about it.
    “I
just want to go over the note with my own eyes,” Cindy replied.
    “I’d
like to talk to your partner,” Ben said then, trying to act as though Cindy was
irrelevant.
    Cindy
didn’t buy into it. “Mattheus and I work as a unit.” Her voice grew clipped and
professional. “I’ll come by to pick up the note in a little while.”
    “Forget
about it,” Ben retorted. “We don’t need to see you. I’ll have someone deliver
it to your hotel.”
    “That’s
even better,” Cindy replied, as Ben hung up in the middle of her sentence.
    Cindy
hung up the phone feeling edgy and raw. This blowback was the last thing she’d
expected, but she’d been up against it before. The police didn’t like their
routines questioned or shaken up. But, like it or not, Cindy’s mind was made
up. Shari’s father deserved knowing the truth, and so did Shari.
    The
next step was simple. Cindy quickly called Doug’s room and asked if they could
meet. To her surprise, not only was he receptive, he asked her to come over as
soon as she could.
    “How
about ten minutes?” asked Cindy.
    “Perfect,”
Doug replied.
    *
    Cindy
stood outside Doug’s room for a long moment before ringing the bell. She
wondered if he’d be alone and what condition she’d find him in. Instead of
ringing, she decided to gently knock. To Cindy’s surprise as soon as she tapped
on the door, Doug opened it, eager to let her in.
    “Thanks
for having me,” Cindy said softly as she walked into the beautiful suite he and
Shari had shared. Doug looked worn and distraught. Clearly, the strain had
taken a toll.
    “Thanks
for stopping by,” he replied quickly, in a craggy tone.
    “I
know what a horrible shock this has to be,” Cindy murmured.
    “Unbelievable,”
Doug echoed as he motioned to Cindy to sit down on a small settee at the side.
Then he sat opposite her on a blue upholstered chair and began tapping his foot
on the ground.
    “Did
you have any sign, any at all, that this could happen?” Cindy started the
conversation softly.
    “Absolutely
none.” Doug was emphatic.
    Cindy
realized that most loved ones often missed many signs that a suicide was about
to happen.
    “Was
Shari depressed?” Cindy continued, leading him on.
    “Who
isn’t depressed?” Doug answered, flippantly.
    “Did
she act strange at other times you visited the cliff?” Cindy continued.
    “Shari
was never there before,” Doug responded quickly. “I was never there, either.
She took off on her own that night and said she was going to take a long walk.
Shari loved to walk. It didn’t mean anything. She often walked alone at night.
When she left I was in the bar having a couple of drinks with her father, ask
anybody.”
    “I’m
not questioning whether or not you were in the bar.” Cindy rephrased her
question. “I just meant did Shari say or do anything at all during the trip
that might have let you know that she could do something like this?”
    “Nothing,”
said Doug forcefully, meaning it. “Why would I ever marry a woman who could do
something like this to herself? And to all of us!”
    Cindy
nodded, quickly looking over the room. Everything seemed in perfect order.
    “You
knew Shari quite a while, didn’t you?” Cindy mused, wanting to draw him out, to
see if he would say something questionable on his own.
    “Shari
and I started dating in college.” Doug seemed eager to talk. It had to be a
relief to have someone here now, listening. “I feel like I knew her forever.”
    “Love
at first sight?” asked Cindy lightly.
    “No,
not at all.” Doug grimaced. “I’m not a love at first