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A squeal came from inside.

“The bonfire! Look!”

It was time for me to go. It was dark on the beach, and security had been dismissed on account of all the women prepared to behave badly, so I had no problems slinking back inside.

But not before I heard the screams.

“What’s that on the fire?”

“Oh my god, what is that?”

“What? Is that a dress?”

I didn’t wait to hear more. It was time for me to go home.

I pulled out my phone, almost dropping it as I fumbled to type out my message to Mahesh.

Mahesh, what we talked about. I need it. Tomorrow.





MAHESH


Interview Transcript: Don Samaratungage Mahesh Senadheera (abbrev. DSMS)

Date: January 25, 2020

Location: The Mount Lavinia Hotel

DSMS: What is this now? I was just told to come down here and help with some questions. I wasn’t told anything about a statement being taken, you know. If that is the case, then I need to call my lawyer. Is the Officer in Charge here? Tell him that Mahesh Senadheera is here and wants to speak with him.

[Pause]

Are you actually recording all of this? Don’t you have to get my permission to do that first?

EP: Mr. Senadheera, my apologies. This isn’t a police investigation just yet. We are trying to gather as much information as we can first. This isn’t an official statement. We just need to ask you a few questions.

DSMS: Not official, huh? Okay, I suppose let’s get this done quickly. We are wasting time, you know. We need to find out what happened to the poor girl, and fast. This is such a shame.

EP: Could you please state your full name and address for the record?

DSMS: My name is Don Samaratungage Mahesh Senadheera. Address is 902 Lake Drive, Rajagiriya.

EP: Could you please tell us a little bit about your relationship to Kaavindi Fonseka?

DSMS: My relationship to her? Ha, that’s a hell of a how do you do, no?

[Pause]

Well, if you must know, I have no relationship to her. She was best friends with one of my relatives, so I’ve always seen her around. A bit too much of a big head, if you ask me. Thinks that just because she’s pretty she can have anyone and anything she wants. This is after she went to the US, of course. Before that she was quite a nice girl. We even had a small, you know, a small flirtation when we were teenagers, you know how it is, no, ah? Young love. Anyway, she thinks she’s too good for me now, and I think she’s too full of herself, so that’s how it is.

EP: You did meet Miss Fonseka recently, though, didn’t you?

DSMS: [Pause] I can’t really remember.

EP: Let me remind you. It was in July 2019 at one Mr. Jonathan Subramaniam’s wedding.

DSMS: Ah yes, it was Jona’s wedding. Yes, I think I remember her being there.

EP: And do you remember your conversation with her that evening?

DSMS: My conversation?

[Pause]

Listen, I had a few too many that night. You know how it is at weddings, no? Open bar and all. I think I might have said something to her. I can’t remember what.

EP: We have several witness accounts of you calling her—

[Shuffling of papers]

An “uptight bitch.”

[Pause]

There were also accounts of her telling you, in no uncertain terms, to stop stalking her and that she would never sleep with you. Or were you too inebriated to remember that as well?

DSMS: What the bloody hell is this bullshit? If you have something to ask me, then ask me. Yes, I made a pass at Her Royal Highness Princess Kaavindi Fonseka while I was drunk at a wedding. She wasn’t as innocent as she made it out to be, you know. She was a huge tease, always flirting with everyone but then pretending to be so innocent. Figures she’d finally only give it up to a suddha. She was always too posh for us locals.

Did I call her a bitch? Maybe. So what? She is a bitch.

As for the “stalking”? Please. She’s just desperate for attention. Puts on this fake face for her Instagram page. She’s the biggest hypocrite I’ve ever met. You should see how she speaks when there are no cameras around.

EP: Did you maintain a friendship with her sister, Tehani Fonseka?

DSMS: Tehani? No, not really. Though she was easily the better of the two sisters. A lot more relaxed than Kaavi, for sure.

EP: But you met her last night, at the hotel. I didn’t realize you were attending the wedding. Your name wasn’t on the guest list.

DSMS: I wasn’t here for the wedding. I was meeting my friends for a drink at the bar. I knew quite a few of the guys who were going to the wedding and they were getting a drink on the beach. Asked me to come too—one of the guys flying down from Aussie couldn’t make it, so there was a free room and everything. I was on my way down to the bar when I found Tehani. She wasn’t in a good way. Probably had one too many and passed out right there in the corridor. She’d always had problems with—you know . . .

[Makes motion of drinking from a bottle]

I helped her to her room. Her mother would have had her neck if she had found her that way.

EP: Did you know Mr. Matthew Spencer?

DSMS: I met the chap once or twice. Seems okay for a foreigner.

EP: And did you have any business with him?

DSMS: Business with him? No.

EP: The front desk at the hotel said you came to see him last night.