She found some cold Diet Coke stocked in the refrigerator, poured it over a fresh cup of ice, and added a shot of rum. Make that two shots, she thought, pouring another. A few swigs later and Sydney felt a little more relaxed. It was impossible to process the situation mentally, because the sheer gravity of it threatened to knock her over like a tidal wave. She was anxious to see Marissa but also dreading it.
Sydney was not a good liar.
She was sure that Marissa would pick up on her uneasiness and forced behavior. Not to mention, they needed to talk about Lizzy. Facing Marissa meant facing the truth that her friend was gone. She walked to the other end of the room and pulled open the wide glass door leading out to the balcony. There was a small private hot tub bubbling quietly just outside their door.
The beach stretched out in front of the window. Thatched roof cabanas shaded soft lounge chairs that were set in pairs to welcome the next couple. The water was dotted with anchored boats quietly waiting to host guests on their next excursion. A couple of young men in life jackets were loading two couples onto a yellow and black tube tied behind a small speed boat. She could see the sun descending lazily toward the water. Every opportunity for fun, excitement, and romantic joy were available.
Available to everyone but me, she thought, staring down at her glass. She wondered what Marissa and Ethan were doing right now, how they were handling this entire situation. It was evident that the wedding was still happening. Sydney was sure that had been a difficult decision for them as a couple.
She sighed as she turned and walked back into the room. She carefully dressed herself in the sleeveless Carolina Herrera dress she had packed from Rent the Runway. The emerald green fabric cascaded over her curves in a mixture of ruffles and folds, and she caught a look at herself in the mirror. Picture perfect, she thought staring at her reflection. She wished the rest of her life fit as well as her dress.
“You look gorgeous,” Alex said as he stepped into the room. Sydney turned around to face him and immediately blushed. He was standing at the edge of the bed, wrapped only in a towel. Beads of water from the shower trickled down his muscular physique. She stared a few extra seconds, in spite of herself.
“Thanks,” she said, stumbling over her words. “I’ll just finish my makeup while you get dressed.”
She carefully applied her makeup, barely thinking through the steps as she concentrated on what to do once they reached the cocktail party. She needed to speak to Will, see his face for herself. Then she could decide if she believed he was truly capable of murder. As she hung a set of gold tasseled earrings on her ear lobes, Alex peeked into the bathroom.
“Ready to do this?” he said, giving her a reassuring smile.
She sprayed a bit of Chanel No. 5 on her neck, then turned back to him.
“Ready.”
Fourteen
Sydney
Sydney could hear the sound of faint piano music drifting over the ocean waves as she and Alex ambled along an elegantly paved path toward the piano bar. The giant white arms of the bar’s roofline loomed in the distance, a brightly lit oasis against the dark sky. The sun had officially settled in for the night, leaving the pathway to be lit only by a series of small luminaries. Alex stayed close by her side, brushing up against her arm as they walked. It seemed as if they were alone. She assumed the rest of the guests had most likely arrived at the party.
The crowd grew louder and more dense as they approached. Alex placed his hand on her back as they drew closer. She could see at least a hundred people milling about the space, carrying small cocktail and wine glasses. A group of people crowded around a large white piano on the east end of the bar that was elevated by a tiled platform. She could barely see the top of a piano player’s tan fedora bobbing along to the loud music.
“Can I offer you a drink?” said a woman wearing a tight white tuxedo dress.
“I’ll have a rum and Diet Coke,” said Alex, turning to the women with a smile. “Sydney?”
“Same,” she said, barely looking at the waitress as she scanned the room.
“I figured you were more of a champagne-only kind of girl,” said Alex as the waitress walked away. Sydney turned to looked at him, curling up a corner of her mouth.
“You were wrong,” she said.
Sydney wondered what other assumptions Alex had already made about her. She knew that many people had false assumptions about who she was. Some people would certainly have classified her as “high maintenance.” But to her, it was part of a job.
Their drinks arrived moments later. She hooked an arm around Alex’s.
“Let’s walk around and see if we can find Will,” she whispered in his ear. The music and the sounds of conversation boomed around them. The layout of the space made it easy to see everyone but difficult to hear. As she leaned into Alex, she could feel the heat from his body and smell the hotel soap on his skin.
Just as they were about to make a full loop around the bar, she heard the PA system crackle overhead.
“Hello everyone,” said a familiar voice. She looked over people’s heads and saw Ethan standing on a platform behind the piano. He was dressed in a beige sport coat, his dark brown hair carefully styled and his face freshly shaved. “I just wanted to take a moment to welcome all of you to the resort.”
She saw Marissa standing next to him, looking anxious as he spoke. She fingered a small tissue in her hands, keeping her eyes steadily on Ethan. She was wearing a long champagne-colored gown that shimmered in the torch lights that flickered around the room.
Ethan cleared his throat. “As many of you have heard, there was a tragic accident on our way here to Jamaica.” He took a breath. “Our dear friend Lizzy Ortez has passed away.” He paused and reached an arm around Marissa, who leaned into him. A hush fell over the crowd, as all heads in the room turned to watch the couple. Marissa began to quickly dab her eyes with the tissue. “After a long discussion, we have decided to move forward with the wedding. We believe that’s what Lizzy would have wanted.”
He looked down at Marissa, who nodded her approval. “Lizzy was a beautiful soul, and we will miss her deeply.” He waited, letting the sentiment sink in with the crowd. “She also loved a good party. So this weekend, we will not only be celebrating our wedding, but also celebrating the life of our dear friend.”
Marissa shifted her stance, looking around the room as Ethan raised his glass. A server quickly approached them and handed a glass to her.
“So please raise your glasses and help us honor our dear friend.” He raised his glass. “To Lizzy.”
“To Lizzy,” the crowd echoed.
Sydney and Alex joined the rest of the room and raised their glasses. After everyone had taken a collective drink, the piano music began to play. People returned to their conservations and their phones, feverishly talking and texting. She could practically see the news of Lizzy’s death flooding the social media feeds.
Sydney wobbled a bit, a rush of emotions surging through her. Her eyes began to fill with tears as she thought of the collective sadness and shock people must be feeling. She wanted to find Marissa and hug her. Share the intense grief that they must both be feeling. But the less time Alex spent with Marissa and Ethan the better. There was enough suspicion surrounding them, and she was sure any conversation with Alex would only make things worse.