by Jaden Skye
“What’s wrong? Come in,” Cindy mumbled quickly.
“You look hell warmed over,” Charlie said kindly as he closed the door behind him.
Cindy felt happy to have him here with her now. “Sit down Uncle Charlie,” she said.
“Cindy, sweetheart, is this too much for you?” Charlie asked without moving.
“Yes, it is,” Cindy remarked, “but I have to do it anyway.”
“Your friend Mattheus is a good man,” Charlie went on, “let him do the brunt of it.”
“Ann was my sister, Charlie,” Cindy remarked, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. “You can’t pass something like this off on others.”
“No, you can’t,” Charlie agreed, slowly. “You’ve been a wonderful sister, in life and in death,” he continued slowly.
The simple sincerity in his tone touched Cindy deeply. “Why did you come here now, Charlie?” she asked.
“I know where Frank is staying,” he said plainly then.
Cindy’s heart started beating wildly.
“I know they’re out looking for him, too,” Charlie went on. “I don’t want the police to catch him and pull him in like a dog.
Despite herself Cindy started sobbing, “My God, my God, do you think Frank did it?”
“I didn’t say that,” said Charlie, “I have no idea. I only know where he is.”
Cindy ran over to him and threw her arms around him. “Thank you, thank you for coming to tell me.”
“You’re a brave woman, Cindy, you can find out the truth,” he went on.
“Does my mother know you’re here?” Cindy asked haltingly.
“No, she doesn’t know I’m here,” Charlie answered, “and she doesn’t know where Frank is either.”
Cindy was stunned and relieved to hear that at least.
“Your Uncle Ben knew all the time though, and he finally told me,” Charlie continued. “I figured it would be better off for everybody if I told you.”
“Thank you, thank you,” Cindy murmured. “You’re right, so right. I’ll go see him immediately.”
“I’ll go with you if you want me to,” Charlie offered.
Cindy would have loved that, but it wouldn’t work. Frank was going to feel exposed enough as it was when he saw Cindy. She’d have to do it alone.
“Where is he?” Cindy asked, breathless.
“In a small boarding house on the edge of the Island,” Charlie replied. “He wanted to get away from everyone.”
“Give me the address,” said Cindy trembling.
Charlie handed her a piece of paper that was half wrinkled, half smooth. “I’m sorry to put you through this, Cindy,” he murmured.
“No, just the opposite,” she said, grabbing the paper tight in her hand. “You’ve given me a way to do what has to be done carefully. You’ve made it easier for everyone. Don’t breathe a word of this though. Keep it secret. I’m going right now, on my own.”
Charlie flushed a little and shook his head. “Anything I can ever do to help, I’m right nearby.”
Chapter 19
Cindy flew downstairs without a moment’s hesitation, grabbed a cab and headed down to the edge of the Island where Frank was holed up. She’d be the last one he’d expect to see and Cindy knew she had to approach him carefully.
The trip took awhile and Cindy was grateful for that. It gave her time to compose herself and her thoughts. Her interview with Ronnelle had disturbed her. At first it was the opposite of what Cindy expected, she liked Ronnelle and believed her completely. Then when she’d learned that Ronnelle was from Wisconsin, a sense of dread filled Cindy’s bones. Could Ronnelle be a charming psychopath who lied naturally with great ease?
The taxi left the main road and went down through narrow streets, and across vacant fields.
Finally, it arrived at a juncture, turned left, climbed a hill and then found a street of small houses packed close together. Most of them had little porches in the front. A large Wisteria tree stood in front of one of the houses and Cindy immediately knew that was where Frank was hiding.
“That’s the one,” she pointed to the taxi driver without even looking at the address.
“Okay,” he said, pulling up in front of it.
Cindy checked the address and she was right on. “Thanks,” she said giving him the fee plus a good tip and then watching him drive away. Cindy stood there alone for a few moments before going up the front steps of the house and knocking on the door.
“Come in, it’s open,” a voice called from inside.
Cindy pushed the creaky door open and walked into the small, dark place.
“Be with you in a minute,” the voice kept calling. “Just take a seat and wait.”
“I’m here to see Frank,” Cindy called back then.
“Who?” a tall, Caribbean man walked into the room there, looking carefully at her.
“I’m Frank’s sister in law,” said Cindy quickly.
“Oh I see,” the man felt better to hear that. “He’s resting in the hammock in the back, like usual,” he said to Cindy. “Come say hello.”
Cindy was grateful for his sweetness and trust in her as she followed him to the back garden.
“Frank, man, you got company,” the guy said in a lilting tone.
Frank, who was indeed resting in the hammock, opened his eyes quickly and then jumped up and crouched like a frightened animal.
“What in hell are you doing here?” he exclaimed.
“It’s okay, Frank,” Cindy said softly, drawing closer. Then she turned to the Caribbean guy. “We need to be alone for a little while,” she remarked.
“Sure thing,” he answered, turning to leave. “See you both later on.”
“What are you doing here? What?” Frank looked flushed and belligerent.
“I’m on your side, Frank,” Cindy softly replied.
“Like hell you are. You’re working with the cops,” he shot back.
“I know you didn’t do it, Frank,” Cindy replied.
At that he stopped dead on in his tracks. “How do you know that?”
“I just do,” said Cindy. “I’ve known you all my life.”
His head hung down then.
“But you got to help me,” she went on. “You’ve got to trust me.”
“But I don’t,” he mumbled.
“You have no other choice,” Cindy’s voice got louder. “The police are looking for you.”
He trembled at that. “They know where I am?”
“No, I haven’t told anyone. I want to speak to you alone,” Cindy said. “Why are you here, anyway?”
“I couldn’t take it,” Frank’s voice suddenly fell. “Oh God, oh God, I needed some peace.”
Cindy could understand that.
“First Ann killed and then they think it’s me,” he moaned.
“Horrible,” Cindy echoed.
“Better believe that,” Frank agreed.
“So, talk to me Frank,” Cindy took a tiny step closer. “Tell me about your life down here. The police found your hidden cell phone number – they found your account with Beggio.”
“Okay, okay, is it so terrible?” he moaned louder. “Lots of people have these lousy off shore accounts. I wanted more money to make Ann happy.”
“Ann didn’t need lots of money,” Cindy quickly chimed in.
“So, I needed more money anyway,” his voice got louder.
“You’ve got to be honest with me, Frank,” Cindy’s voice grew tough.
Frank’s head suddenly shot up like a cornered animal. “I needed more money for something else,” he blurted out.
“Another woman?” Cindy’s heart stopped for a second.
Frank started to sob. “God forgive me, yes. I got involved with someone,” his voice sounded like a bleating calf. “I didn’t mean to, I didn’t want to. I never stopped loving Ann.”
“Someone named Ronnelle?” Cindy stepped in quickly.
Frank looked scared. “How do you know?” he barely
got the words out.
“You defriended her from your Facebook page, the day before Ann was killed,” Cindy said.
Frank suddenly looked dizzy, struggling to remember the chain of events. “Did I do that a day before the murder?” he asked.
“Yes, you did,” Cindy filled in.
“Oh my God, my God,” he started sobbing again.
“Talk to me, Frank, this second,” said Cindy.
“You won’t tell anyone, will you?” be begged, crawling closer. “I couldn’t stand to live if anyone knew.”
“Don’t tell anyone what?” Cindy started trembling.
“I met Ronnelle at a business lunch in the States. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t help it. I needed something, I was getting old. I couldn’t stand looking in the mirror. She was young, she was beautiful. Why the hell did she like me?”
Cindy felt like throwing up.
“First it was just a drink or two together, then more,” his voice became garbled.
“You slept with her?” Cindy could barely get the words out.
“I didn’t mean to, believe me,” Frank seemed totally devastated. “One thing led to another. She came down to Bermuda for work and so did I. What the hell, I thought, a passing affair. Who would know about it? Who could it hurt?”
“What about Ann?” Cindy couldn’t keep from shouting.
“I still loved, Ann, I promise,” Frank shouted. “Ronnelle was just something on the side to make me feel better - like a good drink when you’re thirsty.”
“Did Ann ever find out?” Cindy felt the veins in her neck protruding. She couldn’t bear the thought of her sister suffering like that.
“At the very end, she suspected” Frank broke down crying again. “I didn’t tell her all of it, but she knew there was someone in my life.”
“My God, my God,” Cindy whimpered, “poor Ann.”
“But it wasn’t like that,” Frank perked up suddenly. “It just made me realize how much I loved Ann - that I couldn’t and wouldn’t ever live without her. I told her that. I swore it was true. She believed me.”
“That’s why you came down here with Ann for a vacation?” Cindy bristled.
“To reconcile,” Frank bleated loudly. “It was supposed to be a second honeymoon.”
Cindy shivered at that deeply. “Honeymoons down in the Caribbean seem to end in disaster,” she muttered.
“Oh God, I’m so sorry,” Frank kept pleading.
“How did Ronnelle take all this?” Cindy shot out.
“I told her that I was coming down to Bermuda with Ann this time. She was surprised,” Frank said. “She said she thought what we had was stronger than that. I said I didn’t know what she was talking about.”
A huge welter of feelings rose up in Cindy. “What do you mean you didn’t know what Ronnelle was talking about? You sleep with a woman and she always wants more, always thinks that you love her.”
“I never told her I loved her, not once,” Frank defended himself crazily, flailing his arms up over his head. “It was Ann I loved, always.”
“Did you tell Ronnelle that?” Cindy demanded. “Did you say it’s my wife I love even though I’m sleeping with you?”
“Of course not,” Frank mumbled.
Cindy wanted to slap him in the face, wake him up, make him realize. “Then why did you defriend Ronnelle?” Cindy continued.
“Ann and I were reconciling,” Frank spoke slowly. “I wanted to put Ronnelle in the past.”
“You think with a click of a button you put someone in the past?” Cindy kept at it, feeling more and more sickened with each word Frank uttered. “Did you tell Ronnelle she was being defriended?”
“No, of course I didn’t tell her,” said Frank. “I only told her that Ann knew something was wrong and we were coming down here to reconcile.”
“Oh God,” breathed Cindy, a sharp pain stabbing through her head. “Then what happened to Ann? What happened to her, Frank?”
“I have no idea,” Frank mumbled. “I’ve thought about it every day. I think about it constantly. Maybe one of the guys who did the hotel murders came after Ann by mistake. Maybe they thought I was a big hitter. I wasn’t. Maybe somebody told them I was.”
“Why would they do that? Who would tell them?” Cindy was unstoppable.
Frank dissolved onto a chair then and started sobbing again, “Believe me, believe me, I have no idea.”
To her deep consternation, Cindy believed him.
“What do I do now?” Frank asked, a little boy suddenly.
“The police are looking for you,” Cindy said quietly.
“They’re pinning it on me?” he was beside himself.
“They want to, but they don’t have enough direct evidence,” Cindy said. “They’ll need a confession.”
“But I didn’t do it,” Frank wailed again.
“I know, I know,” said Cindy both wanting to soothe him and hating him at the same time.
“Let me go back and talk to Mattheus about this. The best protection for you will be for us to find the real killer.”
Frank looked up at her gratitude shining from his bloodshot eyes. “I never thought what I did would lead to this ever,” he mumbled, “you’ve got to believe me.”
“I do,” Cindy said.
*
Cindy was tremendously relieved to find Mattheus waiting in her room when she got back to the hotel. It seemed like forever since they’d caught up.
“Where were you?” Mattheus seemed agitated when she walked into the room. “I expected you here long ago. How long could it have taken to get back from the Cricket Match?”
The Cricket Match seemed like years ago to Cindy.
“You haven’t told any of us what you felt about your talk with Ronnelle yet,” Mattheus proclaimed. “Everyone’s waiting to hear your take on it.”
“You mean the police?” asked Cindy.
“Of course the police. Who else?” asked Mattheus.
Cindy had been so caught up with her interview with Frank she’d completely forgotten to call into the police about her talk with Ronnelle.
“I got distracted,” she said to Mattheus now.
He looked at her strangely.
“Right after I spoke to Ronnelle, I went to talk to Frank,” she proclaimed.
“What?” The hairs seemed to stand up on Mattheus’s neck. “Where is he? We’ve been searching high and low.”
“Calm down, Mattheus, listen to me,” said Cindy.
But Mattheus was having trouble taking it in. “How the hell did you find him? Why didn’t you call me immediately and let me know?”
“I wanted to see him alone,” said Cindy. “It would be less threatening for him that way.”
“We’ve been searching for him high and low,” Mattheus repeated.
“I know, but I needed to see him alone,” Cindy’s voice got louder.
“You should have told us where he was anyway,” Mattheus insisted.
“Not at all,” Cindy declared. “He’s my brother in law.”
“You’ve withheld important information from a murder investigation,” Mattheus sounded grim.
“What are you going to do now? Lock me up?” asked Cindy, upset by his response.
“Tell me about both interviews,” Mattheus was forcing himself to calm down and listen.
“Do you really want to hear?” asked Cindy.
“Of course I do, how could you ask me that?” said Mattheus. “I was just worried about you. No one knew where you were.”
“My interview with Ronnelle yielded nothing at first,” Cindy decided to get it all out. “She’s charming, delightful -.”
“How well I know,” Mattheus chimed in.
“You know?” Cindy flinched and continued. “Ronnelle told me again that she had no idea who Frank was. I told her he defriended her on Facebook and she just shrugged it off and laughed and said she didn’t even know she’d been defriended. The police heard all this on the recording.”
> “But we want to know what you think,” Mattheus repeated.
“I think it’s entirely possible,” Cindy said.
“And I agree,” Mattheus concurred.
“So then just before I left, for no reason at all I happened to ask Ronnelle where she was from. She lightly replied Wisconsin.” Cindy paused.
“So?” asked Mattheus.
“So Ann and Frank are from Wisconsin,” said Cindy disconsolately.
“Well, that’s something,” Mattheus yielded a moment, “but not much. Entirely circumstantial.”
But Cindy was on fire. “Then, when I got back to the hotel, unexpectedly, my Uncle Charlie came to my room. He’d heard that the police were looking for Frank and decided to give me his address.”
Mattheus whistled under his breath. “He knew where Frank was all along?”
“No, Ben knew. He finally told Charlie,” said Cindy.
“Ben should have called the police,” Mattheus bristled.
“No, he should not have,” Cindy held her ground.
“Your mother must have known as well,” Mattheus was dwelling on it.
“Ben was taking care of my mother and Charlie did the right thing,” Cindy said. “As soon as he found out he told me, not the police. Charlie didn’t want Frank cornered like a trapped rat, he wanted him handled with compassion. After all, Frank’s just lost his wife.”
“Okay, go on,” Mattheus was uneasy. “So, you took Frank’s address and went to see him immediately?”
“Exactly,” Cindy replied.
Mattheus was bolt upright now, paying total attention. “And you found him?”
“Yes, I did,” said Cindy. “I had the talk we needed to have, and he finally admitted to knowing Ronnelle. He had a passing affair with her.”
“A passing affair?” Mattheus sounded entirely skeptical though he was listening now with every pore of his body.
“Frank also admitted having a small offshore account with Beggio,” Cindy went on at top speed. “He said he and Ann had come down to Bermuda to reconcile. Ann knew there was someone in his life at the end, but it was over - they were reconciling.”
“According to Frank,” Mattheus muttered.
“Ann also knew that Frank only loved her, the affair was just a pastime.”
Mattheus cleared his throat. “I wonder if Ronnelle felt the same way about it?”
