by Jaden Skye
“Here, take a look at this,” she said to Sean.
Sean stepped back and didn’t take it. “What’s this? Another trap?”
“It’s a note Kate wrote to you before she died,” said Cindy, “the police found it and gave it to us.”
Sean’s eyes opened wide and he shook his head, disbelieving.
“Take it, read it,” said Cindy.
Sean slowly took the note in his hands. As he started to read, his face crumpled and his body suddenly shook with sobs.
“Oh my God, my God, Kate,” he cried as he held the note close to him, “I love you, too. I always have. Oh my God, what’s happened to you?”
“Did she kill herself? Is it possible?” Cindy whispered.
“I don’t know, I don’t know,” Sean’s sobs deepened. “Her whole family hates me, except for her father. Talk to him too and see what he has to say.”
CHAPTER 13
After speaking to Sean Cindy wanted to go immediately and talk to Kate’s father. She knew that Mattheus had to stay with Sean until the police arrived to take him in for questioning. She could go talk to Cindy’s father alone. It would be better that way, anyway.
“This does it,” Mattheus whispered to Cindy, as Sean went back to the punching bags.
“We got our guy. He’s ready to bust. He himself admitted he was yelling at the door. And there’s plenty of motive.”
“Don’t be so sure about it, don’t be so quick,” Cindy retorted. There was something about Sean that touched her. She wasn’t at all sure he was the one. “There’s absolutely no physical evidence.”
“People have been convicted on a lot less than we have,” said Mattheus. “I’ve got to wait here with him until the police arrive. We can unwind a little after this.”
“While you’re waiting with Sean, I’m going to talk to Kate’s father,” said Cindy.
Mattheus seemed surprised. Not much had been said about him. “Fine, and after you talk to him, and the police take Sean in, you and I can take some time. How about a hike through Arikok National Park?”
A hike sounded good to Cindy. “Great, we’ll chill a bit and talk things over.”
“Chill a lot,” smiled Mattheus. “This is it, I feel it. The pressure’s off now.”
The pressure off? Cindy didn’t like that Mattheus had come to such a quick conclusion. Was he just throwing the case to the wind because he’d found one suspect? That wasn’t like him.
“I’m not so sure at all,” she said.
“Not so sure about what?” asked Mattheus, unnerved. “Not sure you want to take time with me?”
Cindy was startled. “I’m not so sure we should take the pressure off,” she answered quietly, “or that Sean’s our man.”
Mattheus shook his head in disagreement. “So far, everything points to him,” he said.”I know I need to investigate him further, and I will. Go talk to Kate’s father and afterwards, we’ll meet and go for a hike at the Arikok National Park.”
“Sounds like you’ve got it all planned out,” said Cindy.
“Well, shouldn’t I have?” Mattheus sounded snippy. “Did you think this case was going to go on forever, that we wouldn’t get our time?”
“I haven’t thought about it that way,” said Cindy.
“Cindy,” Mattheus walked over and took her hands, “we’ve got our man, he’s a sleaze and I’m personally seeing to it that the case closes up.”
Cindy looked at him somewhat alarmed. She wasn’t sure what brought this on. Obviously Sean stirred Mattheus up. Was it because Sean had brought another woman along to confront Kate? Was it because he was still with Riva at the hotel? Cindy wondered what made Mattheus dislike him so intensely.
“We’ll go for a hike and figure things out,” said Mattheus. “Balance is where it’s at.”
“Of course that’s true,” said Cindy.
“I’m glad we’re finally on the same page” said Mattheus. “So, after you talk to Kate’s father are we on for a hike at Arikok National Park?”
“We’re on,” said Cindy, though at the moment, the last thing she felt like doing was going on a hike in the National Park with Mattheus. She knew she needed to confront him about his reaction to Sean, but this wasn’t the time for it.
“Great,” said Mattheus, turning back to Sean. “I’ll see you after the police take this scumbag in and after your interview with Kate’s dad.”
*
Agitated, Cindy left the gym and immediately called Carl, asking him to arrange an interview with Kate’s father right then. Time was short and she had to see him.
“How come?” asked Carl phone, taken aback. “Did something new develop?”
“Things are developing all the time,” said Cindy. “You guys said Kate’s dad stayed in his room.”
“Right,” said Carl, “he’s still there.”
“Good,” said Cindy. “It won’t take long. I need to see him alone.”
“I’ll set it up right away, but you’ve got to keep me in the loop,” Carl said quickly.
“Of course, I will,” said Cindy, “as soon as there’s something definite, you’ll be the first to know. But for now I have to speak to Kate’s dad.”
“Absolutely,” said Carl. “Come to Room 82, on the fifth floor, left wing. He’ll be waiting for you.”
“Thanks,” said Cindy, grateful.
“Do you want me to be there as well? I’d love to see you again. I’ve been thinking of you,” said Carl, hopefully.
“No, thanks,” said Cindy, “not right now. I need to see Kate’s dad alone.”
“Not right now, later maybe?” Carl pressed the point.
“We’ll definitely get together and talk,” said Cindy, “when the time is right.”
“Great,” said Carl.
Cindy felt it was a stroke of good luck that she could go right then and talk to Kate’s dad right away. He hadn’t been much on anyone’s radar, but the look in Sean’s eyes when he mentioned him, stirred Cindy up. Despite herself she liked Sean, felt the depth of his connection to Kate and his suffering. And what about his date, Riva? Cindy wondered. Was she bringing Sean comfort with his ordeal? Somehow Cindy didn’t think so. Sean seemed to be dealing with this on his own.
Cindy arrived at Kate’s father’s room, knocked on the door, and to her surprise a tall, very thin, somewhat frail man with alabaster hair, answered the door.
“Come in,” he said in a hoarse tone.
Cindy immediately saw the resemblance between him and Kate. He walked shakily as he led her to the sofa and motioned for her to sit down. Then he took the seat opposite Cindy and put his head in his hands.
“Please excuse my condition,” he spoke softly.
“I am sorry for your loss,” said Cindy warmly.
He looked up and her and rubbed his temples slowly.
“My name is Wendell,” he said gazing at her as though he were in a dream. “And who are you? A friend of Kate’s?”
“I’m a private detective,” said Cindy, “I’m here to help find out what happened to Kate.”
Wendell nodded soulfully. “Quite a job for such a beautiful, young woman,” he said.
“I am extremely sorry to bother you,” Cindy went on, “but I just wanted a few minutes to hear whatever it was you could tell me about your daughter.”
Wendell winced at the thought of it.
“My only, beloved daughter,” he said, “I couldn’t have asked for anyone better. Kate looked just like my sister Flora from the day she was born. I told Tyra that, but she never agreed.”
“Tyra is your wife?” asked Cindy.
“My beloved lifelong partner,” he said.
“Is your sister Flora coming down to join you?” asked Cindy. “Were she and Kate close?”
Wendell drew back and looked up at the ceiling.
“Flora is dead,” he said in a matter of fact tone. “She died at exactly the same age as Kate did. Self-inflicted, an overdose of drugs.”
Cindy felt
a long chill creep over her body. “Flora killed herself?”
“Yes,” Wendell said, “seems it runs in the family. My mother, Bell, also killed herself a few years after Kate was born.”
“I am very, very sorry,” said Cindy, not knowing what to make of this strange development.
“It was what I always feared would happen to Kate, too,” Wendell said grimly. “I felt from the day she was born, that it was written for her in the stars.”
“That’s dreadful,” Cindy shuddered.
“Yes, but life proved it,” he said.
“Proved what?” asked Cindy, growing alarmed.
“Proved that I was right,” mumbled Wendell, “that destiny reigns.”
“Was Kate depressed?” Cindy asked sharply then, trying to break through the dreamy state Wendell seemed to be in.
“To the public’s eye, Kate was perfect,” he said, “cheerful, optimistic. But I knew better. I always felt how sad she was deep down.”
Cindy looked around the room they were in now. Wendell had placed photos of Kate, beautifully framed, everywhere. Alongside them were photos of two other women, who looked a great deal like her. They were probably Wendell’s mother and sister, thought Cindy.
Wendell glanced over at the photos along with Cindy. “Kate was beautiful, magnificent, wasn’t she?” he remarked.
“Very much so,” said Cindy.
“Do you notice that she looked a lot like my mother and sister?” Wendell went on.
“Yes, I do,” said Cindy uneasy.
“It’s possible, of course, that suicide runs in the genes,” Wendell mused slowly. “There are medical reports that suggest it. I’ve read them from time to time.”
“How exactly was Kate depressed?” Cindy needed more specifics.
Wendell looked up at Cindy, his eyes clouded. “Kate would sit at the dinner table and not say a word for long, long intervals,” he started. “My sister, Flora, used to do that as well. I recognized the pattern immediately, felt it was a sign of danger. I mentioned it to Tyra too, but she said I was being morose, and to forget it. I didn’t do much about it, beyond that, though.”
“How old was Kate when she did that?” asked Cindy.
“On and off her whole life long,” said Wendell.
“Did you ask her what was bothering her?” asked Cindy.
“No, in truth, I did not,” Wendell began rubbing his hands on his temples again. “I was afraid to hear. Deep down I knew she was brooding about how difficult and lonely life can be.”
“But Kate had many friends and a wonderful family, she had everything she needed,” Cindy interrupted.
“On the surface perhaps, but what difference does that make, really?” said Wendell. “Deep down Kate was still very lonely. I knew that about her and about my sister and mother as well.”
“You knew it because you’d lost them both? “asked Cindy.
“Precisely,” said Wendell, relieved that someone finally understood. “Loneliness like that is hard to bear. I never asked Kate about it, but I did make sure that her uncle Carl came over as often as possible.”
“Kate felt better when Carl was around?” asked Cindy.
Wendell’s face lit up. “Yes, she did. Much better. Kate and Carl had an uncanny bond. Of course, on the one hand, I was a bit jealous. But, on the other hand, I was also grateful for it. Tyra was grateful as well. She never spent much time with Kate either. Tyra’s quite the society lady running around.”
“Did that suit you?” asked Cindy.
“Indeed,” said Wendell. “In fact I needed it. You’ve met Tyra, I assume? You see how charming and affable she can be. She keeps my spirits lifted. So, it was fine with both of us to have Carl take over Kate.”
“Take over?” That was quite a way to put it. Cindy wondered about it. “So, basically Carl was in charge?”
“I knew they were too close and that Kate was overly attached to him,” Wendell said softly, “but there was nothing I could do about it, or wanted to do about it, truthfully. Let her be attached to someone, I thought. Then, maybe she wouldn’t die, too.”
Cindy appreciated Wendell’s honesty. “What about Kate and Sean?” she asked. “How did they do together? I heard that she loved him a lot.”
“She needed him desperately,” whispered Wendell, “Kate was always in a bad way when she and Sean broke up.”
“That must have been rough on Sean,” said Cindy.
“I’m sure it was,” said Wendell, “Kate depended on him way too much.”
“I heard the family didn’t much like Sean though?” Cindy probed, wanting more.
“It was Carl who didn’t like him,” Wendell corrected her. “I saw nothing at all wrong with the boy. A bit hot headed at times and impulsive, but he was devoted to Kate. Very devoted, for years and years. I felt that she was fortunate to have him. I hoped he could pull her through.”
Cindy was surprised. “Pull her through?” she asked.
“Kate could be very moody,” Wendell continued. “Sean handled it well.”
“But they broke up all the time,” said Cindy.
A small smile crept around the edge of Wendell’s mouth. “Well, maybe they did, but they also always got back together again. In fact, as I understood it, Kate and Sean were thinking of becoming engaged quite soon.”
Cindy was stunned. She hadn’t heard they’d been planning an engagement soon. The irony of it stung.
“Was the upcoming engagement a cause of celebration in the family?” asked Cindy.
“Not exactly,” said Wendell. “And of course, word is that Sean suddenly took up with someone else. Maybe Kate was too much for him? Who knows? Carl blamed this breakup on Sean’s cheating. But frankly, Carl seemed relieved, he’d always begged Kate to get rid of Sean. When Carl heard that Sean had a new girlfriend, he practically insisted that Kate go online and find someone else right away. It was Carl who urged her to do this, to get Sean out of the picture for good.”
“Sounds like he was being protective of her,” said Cindy.
“Protective or overly involved,” Wendell murmured. “Of course, I didn’t approve of Kate searching so quickly. But, there was no stopping her. I saw her at her computer night and day, talking to different guys.”
“Are you sure they were different guys?” Cindy felt alarmed.
“No, I’m not sure,” said Wendell, “I just assumed they were.”
“You didn’t ask her?”
“Never,” said Wendell, “I just saw her there, desperate. Believe me, I can feel it when someone is desperate. I lived with it all my life. Kate was desperate.”
“Did you know that she’d actually met a new guy, Clay?” Cindy asked, frightened for Kate now.
“No, I didn’t,” said Wendell, tapping his fingers together. “I was even more horrified to learn that she’d taken a trip like this with a stranger. Of course as soon as I heard that, I knew trouble was coming. She barely knew this young man; the trip had to be doomed. I knew the loneliness would hit her again. And most likely it did.”
“You seem so sure of it,” mused Cindy.
“I am,” said Wendell. “And do you want the real truth?” He leaned closer to Cindy.
“Yes,” said Cindy, “I do.”
“When I heard that Kate had died, it didn’t really surprise me. There was something inevitable about it. I saw it coming, it had to happen. She must have jumped off the patio in desperation, at the very same age and same time of year that my dear sister Flora killed herself.”
“That’s awful,” said Cindy, “just awful.”
“Yes,” Wendell agreed, trembling again, “but awful or not, what can you do when something is written in the stars?”
*
After the interview, Cindy felt deeply shaken. Her talk with Wendell had unnerved her completely. She wasn’t sure whether or not Kate’s father was insane, or just reacting wildly to the horrible events he’d gone through in his life. Wendell’s strange certainty about Kate’s de
ath was disturbing, though. In his mind Kate had simply joined his mother and sister in a similar fate. He’d been preparing for it since Kate had been born. Was that why he never got close to her and she’d felt such terrible loneliness? Naturally Wendell had to find some way to make sense of all the suicides, so he’d decided it was all written in the stars. Was there truth in what he’d concluded? Was there a larger destiny that was in control of how long and in what way we lived and died? These questions tossed around and around in Cindy’s mind, though she knew there was no definite answer to any of them.
Cindy felt relieved then that she and Mattheus were planning to leave the hotel and go hiking together. She definitely needed time away to clear her mind. As the case progressed, Cindy felt more and more troubled. Was there even a way to know for sure, whether or not Kate had taken her own life? Could they find solid evidence that would point to Sean?
Cindy stepped out onto the patio for a moment and looked into the ocean below. She wondered why had this breakup had been so different from the others for Sean? Was it because Kate was with someone else now? It would be easy to say that Sean’s jealous rage had taken him over the edge and caused him to kill Kate. But that wasn’t a leap Cindy wasn’t ready to make.
As the waves tumbled over each other, it suddenly struck Cindy that no one had focused much on Kate’s relationship with Clay. Cindy wanted to look over their email correspondence, as soon as she and Mattheus returned from the hike. Not only would she learn more about Kate and Clay’s relationship, but significant clues about Sean could be waiting in the emails as well. It made sense that Kate might have talked to Clay about him.
Cindy left the room, went down the elevator and stepped out to the front of the hotel now, where she was to meet Mattheus. It was good to smell the fresh salt air and feel the breezes blowing on her. As she waited, images of Kate and her family came up in Cindy’s mind. Despite Wendell’s grim predictions, Cindy didn’t feel as though Kate had taken her own life. In fact, Cindy could almost feel Kate’s presence around her now, still here, wandering around. It was as if Kate were urging Cindy to keep going, find out more, let the whole truth be told.