EP: I hope you don’t object to me recording our conversation?

[Pause]

This is Eshanya Padmaraj, carrying out this investigation at the behest of the Fonseka family. Please state your name and address for the record.

MS: My name is Matthew Spencer. I am temporarily residing at the Emperor Residencies, in Colombo 08.

[Pause]

Do you know anything yet? One of the lobby managers mentioned to a guest that this was being treated as a homicide. Is that true? Is Kaavi—is she—have you found anything?

EP: Mr. Spencer, I understand that you’re upset, but time is of the essence right now and we need to get to the bottom of things. Could you please outline for us the events leading up to Miss Fonseka’s disappearance?

MS: Of course.

[Pause]

Sorry, my apologies. It’s just that this is rather difficult for me. I—if something has happened to her—you know I told her to please not be stubborn. To please just room in the new wing of the hotel with the rest of the bridal party. But she insisted she would be fine. The rooms were so much bigger in the old wing, and apparently the lighting was perfect for photos and makeup? I guess that’s a thing. Her photos were a really big deal to her—for her social media posts, you see. She’s so determined. So independent.

[Pause]

You know, it’s what I love most about her. Her fearlessness.

EP: Mr. Spencer, like I said, we need to move through this investigation quickly—

MS: Yes. Yes, of course. Sorry, I—yes. How early would you like me to start?

EP: The days leading up to the wedding will be fine for now. Did you notice anything strange? Anyone unknown hanging around?

MS: Anyone unknown? I don’t think so. Not really. Well . . .

[Pause]

I am quite new to this whole, you know, setup. There were tons of relatives and service staff and suppliers coming and going. I suppose, if you’re looking at it that way, it could be anyone.

EP: And what about Miss Fonseka? Did she seem upset in any way? Distant, perhaps?

MS: Oh gosh, I don’t think so. She was, well, she was preoccupied with the wedding, of course. There was quite a bit of pressure on her, I think. More than there was on me, you know. Being an outsider, it’s easier for everyone to forgive any slipups I’d make. But she, well, she was always held to this ridiculously high standard. It almost felt like there was no winning, sometimes. There were a lot of customs and traditions that she, that we both, had to be sensitive to.

EP: Tell me about the day just before she went missing. Did you notice anything strange about her? Did she mention anything out of the ordinary?

MS: What? You mean yesterday? Well, you already know that it was the day of the Poruwa ceremony, of course. We couldn’t speak much in the lead-up. She spent the whole morning getting ready, and then there was a photo shoot, and the ceremony itself.

EP: And you didn’t speak to each other much during this time?

MS: No, of course we spoke. Just not about anything meaningful, I suppose. Mostly about who we were supposed to greet and what we were supposed to do. We were both so exhausted at the end of it, and of course the full-blown church ceremony and the reception was meant to be, well—

[Pause]

It was meant to be this afternoon. So we had both decided to turn in early and get some rest.

EP: And afterward?

MS: Well, I was hoping to sleep in a little this morning, you know? [Laughs quietly] Figured I’d get some rest before the big day. But then I was woken up by Kaavi’s mother. She was upset—asking if Kaavi was in my room. She wasn’t, of course. Kaavi would never risk something like that with the hotel being so full of wedding guests.

EP: Mr. Spencer, there were reports of strange sounds coming from Miss Fonseka’s room last night. Sounds of a struggle. Would you happen to know anything about this?

MS: Sounds of a struggle? [Pause] No.

EP: And we also have a report from one of our room service waiters, who said he saw you go into Miss Fonseka’s room last night.

MS: Um, yes. About that—

[Pause]

EP: Mr. Spencer?

MS: Yes. Sorry, sorry. [Sighs] My head’s just in such a muddle. Look, I didn’t mention it because Kaavi would be really upset if it got out. She’s very particular about her reputation, you see, and we aren’t technically married yet, and her mother would have had a fit if she knew I was in her room alone last night. Kaavi texted me and asked me to come see her. I thought—well, I thought it might be last-minute nerves or something. But it wasn’t. She just wanted—

[Pause]

Well, Kaavi was always quite, um, demonstrative, I guess you could say. We’ve always been—oh gosh, she would hate me if she found out I said this—quite amorous. And last night, she asked me to come to her room, and, well, I’m sure I don’t need to spell it out for you. We just spent some time alone. For the first time in days. It was reassuring. Which is why—

[Pause]

I just know something has happened to her. This isn’t just cold feet or something like that.

EP: So last night, you went into her room, and then you left?

MS: Yes.

[Pause]

I don’t think I’m missing anything.

EP: Are you sure?

MS: [Pause] Yes—yes, I believe so.

EP: And how did you get that scratch on your face?

MS: [Pause] This?

[Touches face]

Oh, I didn’t even realize it was visible. It happened when we were, um, well, you know. Kaavi reached out for me, and her nail—she had these long false nails done for the wedding—caught me on my cheek. I think she was a little upset that it would ruin the wedding photos, but I figured the photographer could photoshop it out or something, you know.

EP: Tell me more about your relationship with Kaavindi Fonseka. I gather it’s been quite the whirlwind romance.

MS: I guess you could call it that. Kaavi and I, well, we’ve known each other for years. We met first when she was in college in San Francisco, and we reconnected again a few years ago.

I—I know that every man probably thinks the woman he’s marrying is wonderful, but Kaavi, well, Kaavi is truly spectacular. I admire her so deeply. The work she does through her charity, the way she’s seamlessly taking over her father’s business, but more than that, the way she carries herself. She’s been such a strength to me, through and through. I get asked, sometimes, whether it’s too much for me—everything she does. My own friends told me that if I married her, I’d be left holding her purse while she took the spotlight. And they are right. Kaavi’s a strong woman. The strongest. And I’m honored that she chose me to be her partner. Maybe some men would feel intimidated by her. But not me. I love her for everything she is. If something has happened to her I—I don’t know what I would do.

[Voice breaks]

She’s a part of me. She’s everything good in my life.

EP: I understand.

[Pause]

I still have a few more questions. Can we continue?

MS: Yes, yes. I’m sorry. Please, go on.

EP: We understand that you had a prior relationship with Miss Fonseka’s friend. One Miss Amaya Bloom. Could you tell us a little bit about that?

MS: [Pause]

EP: Mr. Spencer?

MS: Yes, Amaya. We dated for a while when Amaya was in college. It’s how I first met Kaavi, actually. But Amaya was quite young back then. So was I, I suppose. It was nothing too serious. Our relationship fizzled out around the time she graduated. We were both taking new directions in life, I guess.

EP: And did she end the relationship, or did you?

MS: It was mutual, at first anyway. I actually thought we ended on good terms. But then I heard that—well, look, this probably isn’t fair of me to say. I know how it sounds. I don’t want to be the kind of asshole guy saying that my ex-girlfriend is crazy. I hate it when men do that—makes us all look bad, you know. I don’t think she’s crazy. Not at all. But Amaya was, she is, complicated, I guess.

EP: Complicated in what way?

MS: Um, well, look—I don’t want to be harsh here, but, well, to use the word obsessed doesn’t seem fair, but she certainly had boundary issues. With me, certainly, and from what I saw, with Kaavi. But, well, I assumed they also drifted apart after graduation or something. I wasn’t sure of the reasons. I never read too much into it. I hadn’t met either of them for years when I reconnected with Kaavi, and I just assumed they’d stopped being friends.

[Pause]

But then, well, Amaya turned up to the wedding. It left everyone feeling quite uncomfortable.