by Jaden Skye
“What is it then?” Cindy didn’t miss a beat.
“Shelly got sick,” Mattheus proclaimed. It seemed as if he’d been dwelling on the situation and had come to that conclusion. “She must have snapped, it’s happened to others. She came from an unstable family. Her younger brother Mike was retarded and it could have been something in the genes.”
“What was the brother like? Was there trouble between them?” Cindy probed.
“Shelly was always jealous of her brother for taking her parents away. He needed so much attention, they hardly bothered with her. I tried to make it up to her.”
Cindy felt sad for him. “You can’t heal someone else’s wounds,” she said.
“Well, I thought I could,” said Mattheus.
Cindy sighed. Everyone thought that they could make up for what happened a long time ago to someone they loved. But they couldn’t. It didn’t work like that.
“When the police tried to reach Shelly’s family to tell them what happened, they couldn’t. The family moved and left no forwarding address,” he continued.
Cindy was stunned. This was very strange news.
“Could the family be involved with her death?” asked Cindy.
Mattheus shook his head. “Ridiculous.”
“Are the police trying to track them down?”
“No, of course not. There’s no way they would harm Shelly. I’m just pointing out they’re all unstable.”
Cindy made a note to herself to check this further with the police. It was nerve wracking news and peculiar timing.
“So, what I was saying,” Mattheus continued, “is that it makes sense that Shelly snapped.”
“Does it make it easier for you thinking of it that way?” asked Cindy.
“It does,” said Mattheus. “It doesn’t completely invalidate me or wipe out our marriage. Seems that lots of people think I’m to blame - that I should have seen it coming. Or, maybe I did something to drive her away?
“Shelly’s death wasn’t your fault,” said Cindy.
“That’s a hard case to make. Now even the cops are pointing a finger at me. I feel like I’m one of their suspects,” Mattheus added glumly.
Cindy felt chilled.
“The cops think you’re involved in Shelly’s murder?” Cindy had to be sure.
“Nobody’s said that out loud,” said Mattheus, “but it’s in the air. A few hours ago they called and asked me where I was when she was killed. Thank God I was in Grenada, or there would be hell to pay.”
In her wildest dreams Cindy hadn’t imagined that Mattheus could be considered a suspect.
“Why would they suspect you? Why?”
“Maybe they think I wanted revenge of some kind,” Mattheus mused. “Maybe they think I found out where Shelly was, and sent someone else to finish her off? Who knows? It’s normal to suspect the people she was closest to.”
“You were not one of the people she was closest to!” Cindy was emphatic.
“Of course I was,” Mattheus insisted.
“What are you talking about? For the past six years you two weren’t in contact. You thought she was dead. You Isn’t that true?” Cindy demanded.
“Of course it’s true,” snapped Mattheus.
“How exactly did the police find you?” Cindy continued.
“The authorities in New Orleans knew where I was,” said Mattheus. “I kept in touch with them in case something turned up.”
“Then you’re completely off the hook,” said Cindy. “There’s no link at all between the two of you.”
“Maybe off the hook legally,” said Mattheus, “but not in everyone’s eyes.” “That’s why we have to find out more about her,” Cindy exclaimed. “To set the record straight!”
“Why do you think I’m going to Rancher’s Bar to talk to Anthony’s friend Tommy?” Mattheus said.
“That’s a good move,” said Cindy.
“Why do you think I was waiting for you here, to find out what they said at the Shelter?”
That was the first time Mattheus said he’d actually been waiting for her, wanted information.
“You going back to the Shelter again tomorrow?” he asked.
“Yes, I am,” Cindy said. “I have to. There’s a lot more information waiting there.”
“Good,” said Mattheus, standing up.
You want to come along?” asked Cindy.
“Don’t pressure me,” said Mattheus, “you’ve turned into ball rolling fire, and I can’t take it.”
A ball of rolling fire? That must be how the whole world felt to Mattheus now. Even though he was investigating Shelly’s murder, he was also in the process of mourning not only his marriage, but the person he thought he was. That had to be hardest of all.
Cindy desperately wanted to get through to him. “What Shelly did, doesn’t reflect on you. You said yourself that she snapped.”
“Yeah, I said that,” said Mattheus, “but what do I really know? Her murder was brutal. She was not only strangled, but scratched viciously. Whoever did it, really hated her guts. And that’s not all - her whole head was cracked wide open. Why? Tell me that!”
CHAPTER 15
After Mattheus left for Rancher’s Bar, Cindy went to the piano lounge in the hotel to unwind. Not only had the day at the Shelter been long and exhausting, her discussion with Mattheus left her unnerved. It hadn’t occurred to her that the police would suspect him. She wondered if it were true? It was easy to become paranoid on a case, suspecting everyone and end up believing the police were suspecting you, too. Still, Cindy couldn’t help wondering if the police knew something about Mattheus she didn’t? The fervor with which Mattheus clung to his memory of his relationship with Shelly was alarming. Clearly, he’d blocked a lot out about his marriage. There might have been something else important that Cindy had no idea of.
She sat down on a plush sofa in the lounge, as soft jazz filled the dimly lit room. Cindy put her head back on the sofa and wondered how she’d gotten herself into all this. Just a couple of years ago, her life had been simple. She’s been part of the mainstream, had a regular job, a fiancée, and upbeat circle of friends. Now she lived on the edge of a world that was dangerous, confusing, dark and could become lethal in a moment’s flash. It was hard working on this case without a stable partner, too. At times Mattheus became the person she once knew, but then Cindy would say something and his mood would suddenly turn. His intense reactions were understandable, but didn’t leave Cindy feeling supported. She desperately needed to bounce her thoughts off someone stable, who knew the ins and outs of the case.
It suddenly struck Cindy that she hadn’t personally yet checked in with the police. It was important that she do that, as soon as possible. If it was true that Mattheus was suspected in anyway, it was definitely something she needed to know. When she thought about it, Cindy was surprised that the police hadn’t taken the initiative to call her in and talk everything over. Obviously they didn’t think she mattered much, probably thought of her as a side line on the case.
Cindy decided to dial the station right now and make an appointment to go in and talk. She called Rodney’s number, but to her surprise Alex quickly picked up.
“This is Cindy Blaine,” she started.
“Great to hear from you,” Alex responded immediately.
Cindy was surprised by his reaction, and again wondered why he hadn’t contacted her first.
“There’s a lot going on in the case,” Cindy reported.
“Something new?” Alex interrupted eagerly.
“I was actually calling to set up a time to come over talk in person,” she said.
“Terrific,” said Alex. “I was just wondering what you were up to.”
“I’ve been spending most of my time at the Shelter,” said Cindy. “It’s a gold mine,” She was glad to be checking in with someone, and also had her own questions that she wanted answered. Especially about Mattheus.
“Listen,” Alex said, suddenly, “I know it’s last
minute, but I’m going to be near your hotel in about fifteen minutes for a quick stop. How about having dinner in half an hour? You can fill me in on everything then.”
Cindy was delighted. “I’d really love that, “she said.
Alex caught the urgency. “Great. Sorry it took so long to get together. Meet you in the lobby in half an hour.”
Cindy went up to her room to freshen up. She washed her face quickly, brushed her hair, and slipped on a rose, silk, sleeveless dress and sandals that always felt comfortable. Mattheus would be gone for most of the evening at Rancher’s Bar, and she couldn’t have been more grateful both for the company and support.
*
Alex walked into the lobby in exactly half an hour, dressed in slacks and a plaid shirt, looking for Cindy. With his slender, toned body and tousled, dirty blonde hair he looked younger than she’d remembered. Cindy wondered how long he’d been on the police force.
“Hey,” Alex walked over to Cindy the moment he saw her. “Thanks for contacting us.”
“It’s my pleasure,” said Cindy, “you guys must be very busy with all kinds of cases.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Alex breathed. “It’s never dull down here, that’s for sure.”
Cindy smiled and wondered if that was why he chose to work here.
“I made a quick, dinner reservation,” said Alex. He seemed to know the place like the back of his hand. “There’s a very good restaurant right in this hotel.”
“I know,” said Cindy as they walked down a few steps in its direction.
As soon as they were seated and had ordered dinner, Alex got right to the point.
“Love to hear whatever you’ve got,” he said.
To her amazement, Cindy’s eyes filled with tears.
Alerted, Alex leaned forward, “What’s wrong?”
“You tell me,” said Cindy.
He was taken aback. “What do you mean?”
Cindy couldn’t hold back, put it right out there, “Is Mattheus a suspect or not?” she asked. She hadn’t realized how disturbed she was by the thought of it.
Alex’s brow crinkled. It wasn’t what he’d expected, and he looked confused.
“What makes you say something like that?” he asked carefully.
“Mattheus said you guys are pointing the finger at him,” Cindy went on.
“Really?” Alex took it in.
Do you believe he’s a suspect?” Cindy pinned him down.
“Do you?” Alex countered.
“Of course not,” said Cindy. “The whole idea is preposterous.”
“Look,” Alex said to Cindy, “Rodney turns the heat up on everyone. That’s how he gets the information he needs. He’s good at rattling people, making them think he’s about to throw them into jail.”
“Mattheus isn’t just people,” Cindy felt heated, “he’s a fantastic detective who’s just discovered that his wife was killed. It doesn’t make sense to rattle him anymore than he already is.”
“I get what you’re saying,” said Alex slowly.
“He’s not so stable right now,” said Cindy softly. “How could he be?”
“He couldn’t,” said Alex, “we get that. And I’m really sorry you guys have to go through something like this.”
Cindy looked at his clear blue eyes, which had a strange innocence about them for a cop. She wondered again how he got into this profession, what exactly he was doing here.
“Mattheus was in Grenada when Shelly was murdered?” Alex asked in the most soothing of tones then, looking at Cindy closely.
“Of course he was,” answered Cindy.
“So why would he think he was a suspect?” Alex was careful. “His alibi cleared. He told us he was with you in Grenada when Shelly was killed. We have that on the record.”
Cindy bristled a moment. Mattheus said he was with her in Grenada when Shelly was killed? Was he? Cindy wasn’t sure. When exactly was Shelly killed? When had Cindy flown back home?
“I was with Mattheus in Grenada,” Cindy clarified, “until a little over a week ago. Then I returned to the States.”
“Did you come back before Shelly was killed?” Alex looked momentarily alarmed.
“I need to know the exact time she was killed,” said Cindy. “But whether I was there or not, there were plenty of other people in Grenada Mattheus were in touch with.”
“That’s right,” Alex mused. “He told us you left. He said you guys were in the process of moving in together, then you had a falling out and you decided to leave,” Alex was trying to get the facts straight.
“Right,” said Cindy.
“He said your departure was unexpected,” Alex continued.
“True,” said Cindy.
Alex looked straight at her. “He was actually vague about it. Do you mind if I ask you what happened?”
“We got together too soon,” Cindy said. “Neither of us was ready.”
“What exactly triggered your leaving?” Alex was being methodical.
“Mattheus wanted to go out on another case right after I’d moved in. I needed time to unwind, for us to be together, build the relationship, be a woman again, not just a cop.”
Alex nodded sweetly, “I completely understand.”
Cindy was very grateful that he did.
“This work can really take a toll, if you’re not careful. We all need time like that,” Alex said.
The waiter brought their dinner and put it down before them, but Cindy’s appetite suddenly dimmed. She’d appreciated telling Alex her concerns, but also wanted more information from him. There were questions she had that hadn’t yet been answered.
“I heard that Shelly’s family moved and left no forwarding address,” Cindy started.
“That’s right,” said Alex, looking up at her again. “It’s a strange touch, if you asked me.”
“Very strange,” Cindy agreed. “Are you guys looking for them?”
“We did. No luck.” He took a bite of his food.
“Could Shelly’s brother be dangerous?” This seemed like an area worth investigating.
“Doubt it,” said Alex, “but you can never tell. Eat your dinner.”
“I’m not so hungry all of a sudden,” said Cindy.
“Eat it anyway,” said Alex. “You’ve got to take care of yourself.”
Cindy smiled. It had been quite a while since anyone had been concerned with whether or not she ate her dinner.
“Thanks,” said Cindy, picking at the food.
“You’re still in love with Mattheus?” Alex asked. “Is that what’s upsetting you so much?”
Cindy didn’t realize she seemed so upset.
“The whole case is nerve wracking,” she side stepped the question about how she felt about Mattheus. “It’ unnerving spending time at the Shelter, too.”
“Certainly is,” said Alex. “Everyone there has a story, everyone heard something, rumors float around there a mile a minute. It’s a web you can really get caught in.”
“Why haven’t you guys gone there?”
“We don’t have the man power or the time. Besides, the evidence keeps piling up around Anthony.”
“Like what?” asked Cindy. “The women in the Shelter all loved Anthony. Not one of them thinks he killed Shelly.”
Alex cracked his boyish smile. “I’m sure they all love him,” he said. “Anthony’s got women swooning over him all over town.”
“Could have been one of the fans who killed Shelly,” Cindy said, “that’s something worth checking.”
“Nah,” said Alex. “There’s no one of them that stands out. It’s usually the stalkers who kill. There wasn’t anybody stalking. From where we stand now, it looks clear that Anthony’s the one.”
“Mattheus didn’t think Anthony did it, either,” Cindy pressed on. She felt a great need to contest the point. How could Alex be so sure? So far she hadn’t heard of any specific evidence linking Anthony to the crime.
“Listen,” said Alex, openly, “
Anthony was seen getting more and more threatening with Shelly the last couple of weeks before she died. People heard him yelling threats at her, said he was going to leave her flat. And, between you and me, we just found Anthony’s journal, where he kept notes about all kinds of things.”
Cindy listened, all ears.
“He talked a lot about the songs he was writing about his relationship with Shelly. One of his songs is about how rough she was on him, how he prayed to get free, and didn’t know how. Now, if that’s not damning I don’t know what is.”
“Circumstantial,” said Cindy, though she had to agree that it didn’t sound good.
“You never met Shelly, right?” Alex continued.
Cindy was startled. “Never – when I met Mattheus we both thought she was dead. I met him years after she went missing.”
“So, why was it too soon for the two of you to move in?” Alex couldn’t help asking.
“We hadn’t been together long enough,” said Cindy.
Alex nodded and smiled. “Some people down here move in together after only a few dates.”
“I’ve recently lost my husband, too,” said Cindy.
“That’s right, I remember,” said Alex softly, “I’m really sorry about that.”
It seemed as if he wanted to reach out for her at that moment, take her hand, do something. Cindy moved away, though.
“So, how can I help you with all this?” asked Alex
“I wanted to go over details with you,” said Cindy, “and I needed to know how you felt about Mattheus.”
“We think he’s in one hell of a rough spot, definitely having a hard time keeping it together, too,” said Alex. “I personally think he’s in shock, and has been for a long time. I don’t think he ever really knew what went on his marriage. I’ve seen guys like that. They think everything’s great, then one day wake up and find everything’s fallen apart. Most of the time they never get over it. Their women say they’d been telling these guys how they felt all along, but the guys couldn’t hear them.”
Cindy could relate. Mattheus hadn’t really been able to hear how much she needed down time, even though she’d told him again and again.
“I think Mattheus wants to help,” Alex went on, “and we’re letting him do whatever he can. As far as I know, he plans to go to the Rancher’s Bar and talk to Anthony’s friend, Tommy. Tommy has absolutely no credibility, but we’re letting him go. Maybe it will make him feel better, learn something new.”
