by Jaden Skye
“Very nice,” said Mattheus, sarcastically. “These charities could also be wonderful cover ups, a great way for money to shift hands.”
“That’s going too far,” said Cindy. “Clint’s family and Edward and Dana have been friends for years. Edward is well known in the States.”
“We’ll see,” said Mattheus, “and what makes you think Mac will give us clearance to get into Peter’s accounts?”
“He said he’d help us with whatever we needed,” Cindy replied.
“Isn’t Mac a partner in the company?” Mattheus commented. “Doesn’t Peter answer to him?”
“That’s right,” said Cindy, “he and Edward are partners.”
“And what about Tad?” Mattheus seemed as if he were sniffing out a trail, onto something.
“Tad’s Peter’s personal right hand man,” said Cindy.
“Pretty cozy,” said Mattheus.
Cindy was suddenly tired of sitting here talking to him. The wind was getting stronger, and the biting, sarcastic edge to his voice was getting to her. She wanted to get back to the hotel and start interviewing Vivien and Tad. She slid down the rock and stepped on the warm earth beneath her, breathing the exquisite aroma of flowers, trees and moist earth.
“Wind’s sure blowing up,” said Mattheus.
“Sure is,” said Cindy, “hope it doesn’t affect the festival.”
“It won’t, “said Mattheus, “people are gonna have a good time here, no matter what how much the wind blows and no matter who did or didn’t drown a few feet away.”
*
As they walked back to the hotel, an exciting sense of Mardi Gras was in the air. They could see more cars along the roads with banners, and groups of people along the sides of the roads making music, holding hands. Floats had started drifting down the main streets in town with people gathering to watch them along the route, cheering them on. All kinds of shops along the streets were open everywhere with food, souvenirs, and drinks. These were a few glorious days down in the Cayman Islands despite the fact that a nor Easter seemed to be on its way.
“This is a lousy time to track down a murder,” Cindy remarked, “too many strangers upsetting the equilibrium.”
“Could be a perfect time,” Mattheus said. “The murderer could feel safer, hidden by the crowds. For all we know they’ve come out of hiding and are joining in the celebration.”
“The wedding guests aren’t allowed to leave the hotel grounds,” said Cindy.
“That’s assuming the murderer is one of the guests,” Mattheus said. “How do you know the killer isn’t a local? How do you know there’s not a deeper reason someone wanted to make sure Allie was dead? We’ve got to open up to all possibilities.”
Cindy felt startled, though she knew he was right. They hadn’t explored who might be living and working on the Island who might benefit from Allie’s disappearance.
“At this moment, there’s no one and nothing that isn’t under suspicion,” Mattheus gritted his teeth.
Mattheus’s determination to find Allie’s killer was commendable, but there was also a quality about him that now frightened Cindy - desperation and a sense of personal revenge. That’s what had caused Cindy to leave after they’d started living together a few months ago. Even though, they were supposedly on a vacation, the minute a call for a case came in, Mattheus became consumed with finding the killer. He’d dropped their plans, couldn’t allow himself to have a life of his own. It seemed as if with each case they worked on, the compulsion grew stronger, like a strange addiction of some kind.
Now, once again Cindy felt as though the relationship between them that had been so beautiful in the beginning of their outing, had taken a back seat. She wanted to take his hand and say I love you, Mattheus. I’m here for you. We can have a life together, too, but she couldn’t. He frightened her.
Mattheus was going over their next steps as they returned to the hotel. “As soon as we get back I’m going to research the company and get clearance to go into Peter’s email accounts. You go talk to Vivien and Tad, and anyone else you want to. When we’re done, we’ll catch up back at the hotel room and fill each other in.”
“First I’ve got to talk to Nora,” Cindy mentioned.
“Who’s Nora?” Mattheus perked up.
“She’s one of the bridesmaids,” Cindy replied. “Nora’s devoted to Allie and the girls think she’s a bit paranoid. Maybe she is, but I came across some emails between her and Allie that surprised me.”
Mattheus stopped walking. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“I didn’t have a chance,” said Cindy, “I found them in the middle of the night.”
Mattheus looked momentarily confused. “Last night?”
“I couldn’t sleep so I went out on the patio,” said Cindy. “I opened my laptop and went into Allie’s email account. I have the password, it wasn’t a problem.”
“Sorry you couldn’t sleep,” Mattheus said more softly. “I didn’t sleep so well myself.”
“Sorry,” said Cindy.
“We do much better when we sleep together,” Mattheus said, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.
“I know,” said Cindy, not wanting the conversation to go in that direction again. “Anyway, I found a few emails where Nora warned Allie that there could be trouble if she kept something up.”
Mattheus sprung to attention. “Kept what up? That’s important.”
“It is,” said Cindy, and “I ‘m going to speak to Nora about it today.”
Mattheus nodded, “You’re a fabulous detective, Cindy,” he said.
Cindy was surprised how good it felt to hear that. For a second she had her old Mattheus back with his support and acknowledgment.
“You’re not so bad yourself,” she replied.
“I’m proud to be working with you,” Mattheus turned to her then and flashed his old, warm, beautiful smile.
CHAPTER 10
As soon as they returned, Mattheus and Cindy went their separate ways. Cindy decided to speak with Vivien first, then Tad, then Nora. She phoned upstairs to the Interrogation room, where the police were stationed. They had agreed to put her and Mattheus in touch with whomever they needed when they needed it. Cindy asked to speak to Vivien.
The police called back in a few moments and told her that as luck would have it, Vivien and Tad were together at the moment, downstairs at the pool. They’d been notified that she wanted to speak to them and were waiting for her there.
Cindy went straight out back to the sprawling pool at the side of the hotel. It was surrounded by beach chairs, umbrellas and small wooden tables, where waiters came regularly, serving drinks. The day had grown cloudier and cooler and Cindy wondered why Vivien and Tad had chosen to spend time there. Most of the chairs at the pool were empty and it was easy to see them sitting close together, towels around their shoulders, waiting for her.
When Cindy approached the two of them stood up and faced her. Vivien wore a black bikini with a net cover up, and her long, red hair hung down to her shoulders. Mattheus was right, she was a total knockout, with huge green eyes and a sensual energy that wove a web around her.
Vivien ran her hand through her hair as Cindy got closer.
“I knew you’d want to talk to me,” she said in a breathy tone that betrayed her anxiety.
“Thanks for your time,” Cindy replied, also glancing over at Tad. He had a steady, cam quality to him. “Thanks to both of you.”
Tad simply nodded. “Of course I’ll be glad to speak to you, but I’ve really told the police and your partner Mattheus all I know,” he said.
“I’d like to speak to you as well,” said Cindy.
Vivien reached out and took his hand. “You can talk to both of us now,” she said smiling, displaying a row of perfect, glistening, white teeth.
“I’d rather talk to each of you alone,” said Cindy.
Vivien shivered slightly, “Why?”
“There may be something personal you’ll
want to tell me,” Cindy responded.
“There’s nothing I have to tell you that Tad hasn’t heard a hundred times,” Vivien murmured. “We’re absolutely best friends.”
“I thought you and Peter were best friends,” Cindy was quick on the uptake.
“I have a lot of best friends,” Vivien replied, a little muscle near her full mouth, twitching. “I’m not the kind who needs to hide away with just one person.”
“Like Allie was?” asked Cindy.
Vivien paused, as if surprised that Cindy knew what she meant.
“You’re the one who said it, not me,” Vivien retorted.
Tad stepped in promptly, not wanting this to go further.
“Vivien’s close to lots of people and Allie was, too. They’re just very different women.”
“In what way?” asked Cindy.
“Allie couldn’t share Peter with anyone,” Vivien blurted out, in a plaintive tone. “She wanted him all for himself.”
Cindy looked at Vivien’s eyes flaming.
“I was close to Peter before he met Allie,” she went on quickly. “She couldn’t take it though, even though he told her a hundred times we were just good friends.”
“Some women have a hard time with that,” said Cindy quietly.
“Sure they do,” said Vivien, “but not the way Allie did. She wanted Peter to be her personal possession, got upset each time the two of us talked. Give me a break. I was his best friend for years. She didn’t even want me to be down here for the wedding.” Vivien’s eyes flamed once again.
Cindy decided to play the devil’s advocate. “Plenty of women wouldn’t want their groom’s ex girl friend at their wedding.”
Vivien threw her head back, “Thank God, Peter wouldn’t buy into something like that. I was more than an ex-girlfriend, I was his best friend for years.”
“This must have been hard on Peter, too,” Cindy turned to Tad then.
Tad’s face was implacable, no trace of a response.
“Peter took it in his stride,” Tad finally said in a measured tone. “By the way, aren’t you employed by Peter’s family? Didn’t they bring you down on the case?”
Obviously Tad was putting Cindy in her place. She found it startling and interesting.
“Yes, Peter’s parents hired Mattheus and I. Exactly what are you getting at?” she asked.
“I know his parents were desperate to take Peter out of the spotlight,” said Tad. “He doesn’t belong in it.”
Was Tad was suggesting that Cindy and Mattheus skew their investigation, come up with the results they were paid to find? Not only was that illegal, it was shocking that he would even bring something like that up.
“We’re committed to finding out what happened to Allie,” said Cindy. “If Peter wasn’t involved, the spotlight will be taken off him, naturally.”
“If?” Vivien almost gasped. “Are you suspecting Peter?”
“Not at all,” said Cindy. “I’m just responding to Tad’s comment.”
Again, Tad’s face was unreadable. “Peter’s been my close friend for many years. He doesn’t deserve to go through this right after his fiancée has died.”
“The only way to take the spotlight off Peter is for us to find the one who did it,” said Cindy. “I’d like to know what you think about that? And also what Vivien thinks?”
“She drowned,” said Tad, suddenly saddened. “Nobody wanted her to die.”
“What do you think, Vivien?” asked Cindy.
“I have no idea what happened down there, or what was going on in her private life. Allie shut me out of it, entirely. I’m not close to her friends. I’m close to Peter, and I’m close to Mac.”
Cindy shivered for no reason she was aware of. Vivien noticed immediately.
“Mac and I are very close, actually, “Vivien said, in a taunting tone, a little smile curling at the edge of her mouth. “He’s a wonderful man who’s always there for everybody, including me.”
“You didn’t feel badly about coming to a wedding when you knew the bride didn’t want you there?” Cindy responded tensely.
“My best friend wanted me there,” Vivien answered, staring at Cindy defiantly. “Why are you even asking, am I some kind of a suspect now?”
“Should you be?” Cindy wanted to break Vivien’s cover, expose what was beneath her silky veneer. “Seems like you had a lot to benefit from Allie’s disappearing.”
Vivien gasped and grabbed onto Tad’s arm.
“You’re totally crazy,” Vivien said, glaring at Cindy, “that’s a horrible, horrible thing to say.”
Tad didn’t like that, either. He stepped out in front, blocking Vivien.
“Peter would have been devastated if Vivien wasn’t at the wedding,” Tad defended her vehemently. “So would the rest of Peter’s family. Your line of questioning is out of order.”
“And you?” Cindy asked Tad, “Are you close to Vivien as well?”
“Not exactly,” said Tad, taking a step away. “We know each other, but close is a whole different matter.”
To Cindy’s surprise, Vivien showed no response to Tad’s odd remark. Cindy absorbed it all as the wind grew stronger, tossing the three of them about a bit.
“I think we should go in now,” Vivien said, looking at Tad. “It’s way too windy out here.”
Cindy was about to agree when she turned bit and saw someone standing on the other side of the pool, watching them all from afar.
“That’s Mac,” said Tad, “a good friend of the family.”
“Cindy knows Mac,” Vivien purred. “Mac, come over and join us. Right away!”
As soon as Vivien called out, Mac walked quickly in their direction, the wind blowing his hair as well.
“Good to see you all,” he said, as though the meeting was perfectly normal, old friends running into each other at a pool. “Nor Easter coming, I’ve heard.”
Vivien dashed over and stood close beside him, looking at Cindy dauntingly.
“Cindy has just said something awful about me,” she spoke coyly, looking up into Mac’s eyes.
“Really, what?” Mac seemed troubled.
“Cindy thinks I had something to do with Allie’s disappearance,” Vivien’s voice rose in the heightening wind.
“Silly,” Mac said to Vivien, as though he were speaking to a schoolgirl, who’d had a bad dream. He turned his glance to Cindy then, and once again she felt the magnetic attraction between them, was irritated by Vivien’s hand on his arm.
Cindy caught her breath quickly, and regained her footing. Mac could be irresistible when he wanted to be. She wasn’t going to fall for it.
Cindy looked directly into Mac’s eyes. “I actually never said that Vivien had anything to do with what happened. I was just exploring her relationship with Allie.”
Mac smiled at both of them, as if wanting to make peace. “I understand,” he said.
“It was a rough relationship,” Vivien repeated.
Mac smiled at Cindy. “You know how girls can be. Vivien and Allie loved fighting over Peter. Most gals enjoy fighting over the same guy.”
Cindy was offended. There was nothing in the world she hated more.
“In fact, it’s a national pastime down on the Island,” Mac joked, trying to melt their concerns. “The girls love seeing who’s prettier, sexier, who can win the guy’s heart.”
“Allie won, though,” Cindy answered crisply. “She was marrying Peter. The fight was over.”
“I won, too,” Vivien insisted. “Peter cared about me.”
“Yes, he did,” Mac said to Vivien. Then he turned to Cindy. “Just because Allie was marrying Peter didn’t mean she was locking him into a cage. A guy’s allowed to have other friendships.”
“A husband respects his wife’s wishes,” Cindy stood her ground staunchly. “If something bothers her – the husband respects that.”
Tad cleared his throat. “Peter respected Allie more than anyone in the world.”
Vivien winced
.
“Peter gave Allie whatever she wanted,” Tad continued, “there was no reason Allie couldn’t have allowed him to have Vivien at the wedding.”
“Thank you, Tad,” breathed Vivien.
“Was there anyone Peter didn’t respect?” Cindy jumped right back in. “Anyone he had trouble with?”
“Peter hated Allie’s mother,” Vivien burst out. “He told me that many times. Maybe he was scared Allie would turn out like her.”
“Wait a minute,” Mac chimed in. “Peter never hated anybody.”
“Why hasn’t anyone spoken to Allie’s parents?” Cindy asked abruptly then. She felt a visceral need to speak to Allie’s mother.
“The police spoke to them when it happened,” said Mac. “Since then her parents haven’t been out of their room. They demand privacy, don’t want to see Peter or his family right now.”
“Allie’s mother blames everyone for everything that’s gone wrong in her life,” Vivien continued, her voice growing rougher. “Peter told me. He told me things. We were close friends.”
Cindy shuddered. “What about your parents, Vivien? Are they at the wedding, too?”
“My parents died in a car accident when I was little,” said Vivien. “I was raised by my Aunt in Atlanta. What has this got to do with anything?”
Mac also looked curious about why Cindy asked that. Cindy wasn’t entirely sure herself.
“Just curious,” said Cindy.
“Well, I’ve had enough,” said Vivien, looking at Mac beseechingly.
“You two go upstairs,” said Mac to Vivien and Tad. “I’ll talk to Cindy alone.”
“I’m sure that will make Cindy happy,” Vivien said snidely, as she tossed her hair behind her shoulders, shook her head and fled with Tad back into the hotel.
“That was harsh,” said Mac after he and Cindy were alone together and darker clouds began covering the sky. “It’s a side of you I didn’t imagine.”
“It was only harsh in the interest of getting Vivien to open up. Sometimes there’s no other way to get at the truth.”
“Vivien’s a beautiful girl, she doesn’t need this,” Mac interjected.
