by Jaden Skye
“They’ve put up her posters in some of the shops here,” Alfred mentioned as they started walking along.
Cindy felt exceptionally at ease with Alfred, as if they were old friends. As they walked his eyes kept flitting in and out of the shop’s doorways, as if hoping to spot Kara milling among the crowds.
“Did Kara ever do something like this before?” Cindy started as they walked.
“Like what?” Alfred was jarred.
“Like running away?” Cindy continued.
At that Alfred slowed down, digging his foot into the ground. “Of course not,” he answered in a throaty tone. “Kara wasn’t the kind to hide from trouble. That’s what I loved about her my whole life long.”
Cindy suddenly wondered about Alfred’s life. Did he live near Kara? Was he obsessed with her? Did he ever have a girlfriend of his own?
“You lived near Kara your whole life long?” Cindy asked then.
“That’s right, since we were kids,” he said. “I saw her grow up, met all her boyfriends, was there when she graduated from college with honors.” Alfred almost sounded like a proud father.
“And what about you, Alfred? What do you do?” Cindy asked lightly.
“I’m a graphic designer,” Alfred replied. “I design graphic horror novels .”
“That’s very impressive,” said Cindy.
“Thanks,” he replied. “Kara loves my work, too. She always encourages me.”
“Were you ever boyfriend and girlfriend?” Cindy couldn’t help but ask. “She had to get the question out there and see what happened.”
“No, we never were,” said Alfred. “We didn’t need to be. We were more than that. “
“More?” asked Cindy. “What’s more?”
“Boyfriends and girlfriends come and go, but really good friends are there for a lifetime. Kara and I talked about it lots of times.”
Cindy was fascinated by him and his relationship with Kara. “You’re fortunate that Rowley feels okay about your friendship,” Cindy couldn’t help but comment.
“Of course he feels okay, why shouldn’t he?” Alfred was offended. “It was never romantic between Kara and me, ever.”
“Still, some men could have trouble with their wives being so close to another man,” said Cindy.
“Sure, some guys could,” Alfred conceded, “but Kara would never have gotten involved with someone like that. I’ll tell you one thing right now. She would never, ever, ever let anyone get between her and me.”
Cindy swallowed hard. Alfred’s feelings for Kara were extremely intense. “And how do you feel about Rowley?” she went on.
“He’s okay.” Alfred turned and looked at Cindy with a rumpled grin. “Rowley makes Kara happy, so I have to like him.”
“But do you like him, really?” asked Cindy.
“Rowley’s not someone I’d choose myself,” Alfred continued. “Did you look at his Facebook page?”
“Not yet,” said Cindy, startled to realize that she hadn’t yet done it.
“No big deal,” Alfred went on casually, “but when you look at his page you’ll see that it’s full of pictures of all kinds of women, with messages from them, too. The women like this guy and everyone knows it. It’s his reputation. But still, Kara doesn’t mind at all.”
“How could she not mind it?” asked Cindy as they got to the end of the block and stopped in front of an outdoor café.
“Want to get some coffee?” asked Alfred before they turned the corner.
“Definitely,” said Cindy, more tired and thirsty than she realized.
*
The café was open and inviting and it was wonderful to sit down. Cindy ordered a latte and Alfred had the same. It was good that the two of them felt so comfortable with each other, thought Cindy. Alfred was obviously a treasure trove of information about Kara’s life.
Cindy decided to pick up right where they’d left off. “Why didn’t Kara mind that Rowley was a ladies’ man?” she asked as they waited for their coffee.
“Why should she?” Alfred was surprised. “Kara knew that Rowley was totally, madly in love with her. He’d do anything for her. It made her confident.”
The coffees came and Cindy took a long, slow drink of hers. It was warm, spicy, and delicious.
“Was Kara right to have that kind of confidence in Rowley?” Cindy asked as she put the glass back down on the table.
Alfred left his coffee untouched. “I always thought so,” he said, “but how can you be sure? And besides, it’s never so good for a woman to think a guy is totally, completely in love with her, either. It makes him putty in her hands.”
“Was Rowley putty in Kara’s hands?” Cindy shot back, intrigued.
“Yeah, of course he was,” said Alfred. “And how could she really respect a guy like that? It had to backfire sooner or later, I always thought.”
“Did you tell that to Kara?” Cindy was fascinated.
“Yeah, sure I told her,” said Alfred, “but she only laughed. She said it wouldn’t backfire, that she liked it. She was glad Rowley never made her feel worried or jealous.”
“Some women prefer that kind of man,” said Cindy.
Alfred looked at Cindy out of the corner of his eye. “Some women, but not most,” he answered slyly. “Most women get bored with a guy like that.”
Cindy decided to go to the heart of the matter. “What happened to Kara?” She asked the question swiftly and pointedly, letting it land like a small shaft of lightning.
“I believe Kara was taken, kidnapped.” Alfred ‘s voice got shaky.
That startled Cindy. “Kidnapped? Why? By whom?”
“It’s complicated,” Alfred mumbled.
“Right now the police believe it was an accident,” said Cindy. “They think Kara went swimming and got caught in a tide.”
“That didn’t happen.” Alfred was definite.
“How can you be so sure?” asked Cindy, alerted.
“This is off the record, okay?” said Alfred.
The hairs rose on Cindy’s arms. “Of course,” she said.
“I got an email from Kara,” Alfred continued. “She sent it after they say she disappeared. So she didn’t drown, she sent me the email!”
Cindy gasped. “Why is this off the record? It’s incredibly important! Did you show the email to the police?”
“I don’t trust the police,” Alfred whispered. “The police could be in on the kidnapping for all we know.”
“Why would they?” Cindy’s voice rose.
“There are all kinds of possibilities,” said Alfred, looking slightly unhinged.
Cindy suddenly wondered if Alfred were paranoid and dreaming this up, or if he really knew something.
“Let’s start with the email,” Cindy continued slowly. “Why do you say she wrote it after they say she disappeared?”
“Because of the time on it,” Alfred replied.
“That could just be the time you received it,” said Cindy.
“No,” he insisted, “it was the time it was sent.”
Cindy’s mouth grew dry. She was very grateful that Albert didn’t suspect her along with the police, that he was talking to her.
“Thank you so much for sharing this with me, Alfred,” she said, wanting to make sure he knew how much she appreciated his trust.
“I like you,” said Alfred, tapping his hands on the table.
“I like you, too,” Cindy replied.
“I don’t want to give anything to the police prematurely,” Alfred continued. “I want to see what they do on their own, let them flush the truth out.”
“They’re searching for Kara night and day,” whispered Cindy.
“And for all we know they’re the ones who stashed her away!” Alfred wouldn’t let that idea go.
“Why would they do that? Why, Alfred?” asked Cindy.
“I’m looking into it,” he answered slowly. “Don’t worry, pretty soon, I’ll find out.”
“What did Kara write
in the email?” Cindy asked then, flustered, wondering if Kara mentioned that the police were after her.
“Kara just said she was thinking of me, and that I never should forget her,” Alfred replied, his lower lip curling downwards as though he were about to cry.
Cindy shivered. That was definitely a strange email to write to a friend on your honeymoon. What could it possibly mean?
“Do you have a copy of the email, Alfred?” Cindy asked.
“Of course I do.” Alfred was insulted. “Why do you ask? You don’t believe me?”
“No, of course I believe you.” Cindy tried to calm him down. “I definitely believe you, I just wondered why she would write something like that. What could it mean?”
“Exactly,” said Alfred, “now you’re thinking the way I’m thinking. Right away, I knew the email was a warning.”
“What kind of warning?” Despite herself, Cindy felt afraid.
“Kara’s very sensitive,” Alfred continued, “she always has a feeling when something’s coming along. She must have felt something bad was going to happen to her. What else could that email mean?”
Cindy racked her brain quickly to come up with explanations. “It could mean that she might have been afraid that once she was married you might not feel as close,” she offered.
“Impossible,” said Alfred. “We danced at her wedding all night long.”
“It might have been her way of saying she was thinking of you?” Cindy tried again.
“Kara never put it that way before,” he continued. “I know her—she was telling me she was in trouble.”
“So why didn’t she just say it if she wrote the email after she disappeared?” asked Cindy.
“Who knows who took her?” Alfred sat up straight, digging his fists into the table. “They could have checked her emails for all we know. But she’s still alive right now, I’m positive of it. The only explanation is that whoever took her was following her all along. They knew she was here, knew all about her. Then they grabbed her when she was alone on the beach.”
“How did they know she was alone on the beach?” Cindy was all over it.
“They could have had secret security cameras videoing her wherever she went,” said Alfred.
This was beginning to sound too crazy to Cindy. “Who is they?” she asked.
“That’s the question, isn’t it?” Alfred’s eyes started to gleam.
“Why did they do it, though? What do they want from her?” Now Cindy couldn’t let go either.
“I’m not exactly sure about that yet,” mumbled Alfred, “but I will be soon, believe me. Maybe Rowley is sitting there like a lame duck, waiting for a ransom call, but me, I’m out in the thick of things. I’ve got my tentacles spread everywhere, and I’m the one who’s gonna bring Kara home! Me, not him. You just watch and see!”
CHAPTER 8
After her meeting with Alfred, Cindy returned to the hotel exhausted. She and Alfred
hugged each other and promised to stay in close touch. Cindy couldn’t decide if he was a man
on a mission, or someone living in a fantasy land. Sometimes there wasn’t that much difference between them, Cindy thought. Believing too much in a mission could block out reality in all kinds of ways.
As soon as she got to the hotel, Cindy decided to stop at Rowley’s room one more time to check in. Then she’d go back to her room and unwind. To Cindy’s surprise, when she got there, once again the door was open and Rowley was sitting next to the phone alone.
“Rowley,” said Cindy as she walked in.
“Come in, come in,” he said, relieved to see her there. “Everyone’s stepped out for a few minutes and I don’t like sitting here alone.”
Cindy walked in quickly. This was perfect timing. She’d been hungry for the opportunity to speak to him alone, and now she had it.
“Nothing yet?” she asked, as she sat down on a chair next to him.
“Nothing.” Rowley looked despairing.
“No tips, no calls of any kind?” Cindy was surprised.
“Not that I know of,” said Rowley. “Of course there could be plenty of calls going into
the police station, but no one’s told me about them yet.”
“How are you doing, Rowley?” Cindy asked as she pulled the chair closer to him. Rowley had a stalwart manner that impressed Cindy a great deal. Even through an ordeal like this, despite his upset, he seemed to be keeping a certain balance.
“I’m not totally wiped out. I’m holding out hope,” Rowley answered in a low tone.
“That’s good,” Cindy responded. “There’s never reason to give up hope, until we have
something definite.”
“Until?” Rowley’s eyes narrowed. “Is that what you believe? Is it just a matter of time?”
“I didn’t mean it that way,” said Cindy. “I meant it’s crucial to stay neutral and balanced the way you seem to be.” Cindy looked at him closely. He was very attractive, with an understated charm that projected a feeling of confidence. Cindy could see why women would be drawn to him. She wanted to talk to him about her interview with Alfred, but wasn’t sure how to bring it up.
“I just spoke with Alfred,” Cindy started, hoping to spark a response.
“Really?” Rowley looked interested. “What did he have to say?”
Cindy didn’t know exactly how much to tell him yet. She couldn’t let him know about the email Alfred received. That would be far too jarring for him and besides, Alfred wanted to keep it confidential.
“Alfred said that you’re quite the guy,” Cindy started, “so many people admire you.”
Rowley looked amused. “Yes, I know Alfred’s always looked up me,” he replied. “Of course he exaggerates. Everyone knows that.”
“It’s great that you’re fine with the relationship between Alfred and Kara,” Cindy quickly added, wanted to hear that straight from Rowley.
“Perfectly fine,” Rowley assured her. “Alfred’s harmless, like a kid in some ways, an eccentric kind of guy.”
“How is he eccentric?” Cindy was fascinated.
“He’s always dreaming things up, games, outings, horror novels. Kara thinks he’s fun and creative. Call it what you want. She likes him and I trust her judgment. That’s enough for me,” Rowley said.
“There’s nothing about Alfred you distrust?” Cindy pushed just a little further.
Rowley looked confused. “Like what?” It obviously had never even occurred to him that there was anything wrong going on.
“Alfred mentioned that lots of women pop up on your Facebook page and message you all the time,” added Cindy, digging deeper.
A proud smile flickered across Rowley’s face. “Sure,” he said, “they’re mostly patients. I do a great job for these women and they appreciate my work. I put their photos up to show the fantastic results I get. After all, I’m a plastic surgeon, that’s part of the game, isn’t it?”
“Of course,” said Cindy. “You like your work, Rowley?”
“Love it,” he said. “Do you like yours?”
Cindy was taken aback, didn’t expect to have the questioning turned toward her.
“I love it,” she added, “why?”
“Just curious.” Rowley shrugged a moment. “It’s strange work for a woman.”
“No, it’s perfect,” Cindy said. “There are things people tell me they’d never be able to tell a man.”
“Like what?” asked Rowley, interested.
“Like what’s going on under the surface in their relationship,” Cindy went on. “That can be very helpful to know. Lots of wonderful leads have come from that.” She paused then, hoping Rowley might want to fill her in on something.
He didn’t, just nodded somberly.
“Men don’t often focus on the subtlety of relationships,” Cindy continued. “But once they do, a lot comes bubbling up that can be of help.”
Rowley was just about to say something when they heard voices approaching. The door was quickl
y pushed open then and Mattheus and Rod walked in.
Rowley clammed up and Rod stopped cold on the spot when he saw Cindy sitting with Rowley.
“Well, this is cozy, isn’t it?” said Rod. He didn’t like it.
“I didn’t expect to find you here now,” Mattheus added, surprised to see Cindy as well.
“I just finished speaking with Alfred,” Cindy reported, “and dropped in to check up on Rowley before going to our room.”
“That’s okay with you, Rowley?” Rod interrupted brusquely, bypassing Cindy completely.
“Sure, it’s fine.”
Cindy didn’t know what to make of Rod’s concern.
“Well, I don’t like that Cindy sneaked in here, bombarding you with questions when you’re alone,” said Rod.
Cindy felt stunned and offended. “I beg your pardon?” she said sharply.
Rod continued talking to Rowley, however, as if Cindy wasn’t in the room. “Right now you’re in a vulnerable state and it’s best not to answer any questions unless someone in the family’s around.”
“I beg your pardon?” Cindy repeated more loudly. She was here to help and Rod was making her out to be the enemy. Perhaps he was the one with something to hide?
Once again Rod did not answer Cindy, but continued talking directly to Rowley.
“This is a complicated situation we’re in and we have to be careful of what we say and to who.”
Cindy had enough. “Careful of me?” She was appalled, turning to Mattheus quickly to see how he was taking it. Why hadn’t he intervened?
Mattheus didn’t meet Cindy’s glance though, was focused instead on Rod and Rowley, looking disturbed.
“Wait a minute.” Cindy’s voice grew edgy as she walked over to Rod. “Exactly what do you mean when you say that Rowley has to be careful of me?”
Rod just glared at Cindy, refusing to say a word.
“Rod’s heard that you’ve been talking to Alfred,” Mattheus finally intervened. “That didn’t sit well with him. Rod thought you should have cleared it with the family before you brought Alfred into it. Kara’s relationship with Alfred is a sensitive topic.”
Cindy was horrified. “Rowley’s mother gave me Alfred’s contact information,” she quickly defended herself. “Rowley’s mother originally suggested that I talk to Alfred.”
