by Jaden Skye
“That’s wonderful,” said Cindy, “and when you find out, I hope you’ll let me and my partner know.”
*
Dan and Margaret Peters left quickly to return to their son, and Cindy took the elevator up to her room. It seemed they felt that Cindy was their enemy and she wondered why? Was there something they were hiding about Clay, or was it just the shock of finding their son engaged to someone they’d never met. And then finding that young woman suddenly dead. It all had to be overwhelming for them.
Cindy got to her room and went into the bathroom to shower and change. She turned on the shower and let the hot water beat down on her back, soothing and refreshing her. She stood like that for a long time, until she heard someone come to the bathroom door.
“Let’s get going Cindy,” it was Mattheus. Cindy hadn’t heard him come in. “Sean’s in the gym and he’s expecting us.”
Cindy had half hoped that Mattheus would come all the way into the bathroom to find her, that they’d have a moment or two for themselves. Right now she needed the comfort of being alone with him, spending a little while in his arms. But it was true, once the energy of a case got going it took on a life of its own. Before long it ran rough shod over all personal feelings and desires.
Cindy quickly got out of the shower, dried off and pulled on a brightly printed, silk summer dress with sprays of hand painted tropical flowers on it. Then she went out to greet Mattheus.
He looked at her slowly for a moment and whistled.
“Fabulous” he said, “sexy, enticing, inviting.”
Cindy laughed. “Maybe we could find a way to take some time to ourselves, in between interviews,” she snuggled up to him.
Mattheus raised his eyebrows and smiled. “Not so easy is it?” he said.
“Who said it has to be easy?” said Cindy. “After we talk to Sean and Riva, and go through Kate and Clay’s online correspondence, we should be able to grab some time. Don’t you think so?” Cindy felt eager to be closer to Mattheus again.
“Everything is possible, anything can happen,” said Mattheus, backing slightly away. “We could even get a few hours to go kite boarding at Fisherman’s Hut. But first we’ve got to focus and get the basics under our belt. There’s a lot to do and time is short.”
Cindy knew he was right and greatly appreciated his dedication.
“That’s what first made me fall in love you with Mattheus,” she said, playfully.
“In love with me?” He truly looked surprised. “What made you feel that way?”
“The fact that you care about what you’re doing, and do it with all your heart.”
Mattheus took a few steps back, held Cindy at arms distance and smiled. “That’s what intrigues me about you,” he murmured, “the way things go up and down with us, high tide, low tide.”
“It’s natural, isn’t it?” asked Cindy.
“Maybe,” Mattheus replied, “but also a bit dangerous.”
“Dangerous?” the word struck at Cindy.
“Yes,” Mattheus said softly, “it can be rough and confusing never knowing what’s coming next.”
CHAPTER 12
Cindy felt put in her place as she and Mattheus left their room and went straight to the gym on the third floor.
“Sean’s waiting for us there,” Mattheus mentioned as they got into the elevator. “It’s high time someone talked to him.”
“What did you find out about him so far?” Cindy asked, switching into professional mode.
“Not much yet,” said Mattheus, “I’ve been busy investigating Kate and Clay and their families first. Nothing worth reporting. Everything with them is on the up and up. They both come from terrific families, had everything they ever needed. There’s nothing in either of their backgrounds that would lead to this.”
The elevator door slid open and Cindy and Mattheus walked down the hall to the gym at the end. They walked through large double doors and Cindy looked around. The gym was a huge and well equipped with big glass windows, overlooking the ocean. Right now it was practically empty with a few people on treadmills and a guy doing weights.
“We’re here to talk to Sean McKenzie,” Mattheus said to the young woman who was sitting at the front table. “He’s expecting us.”
“Yes, he told me to tell you he’s boxing in the back,” she said, casually, as if the visit were the most natural thing in the world.
Mattheus nodded and Cindy glanced around. Two punching bags hung down at the end of the room with someone in the distance, skirting around. It had to be Sean.
“He’s over there,” Cindy motioned to Mattheus.
“Figures the guy would be punching something out,” said Mattheus.
“There’s all kinds of ways to get frustration out,” said Cindy. “Don’t be too quick on the draw.”
Mattheus smiled, put his arm around Cindy and hugged her for a second.
“Okay, I won’t,” he said. “And I hope you’re not upset with what I said a little while ago.”
Even though she knew what he was talking about, Cindy pretended she didn’t. There was no reason to make a big deal about it now.
“What did you say?” she asked lightly.
“About our relationship changing all the time, high tide and low tide,” Mattheus reminded her.
Cindy laughed. “Oh yes, you said it was dangerous.”
“It can be dangerous when the tide comes in and you’re not expecting it,” Mattheus joked back.
“Life is dangerous, Mattheus,” Cindy said then, “but it’s also amazing. Low tide is beautiful and high tide is too.”
“Yeah,” he replied, “as long as you’re not thrown up against the rocks by it. As long as you’re not found dead on the pavement early in the morning right after you just got engaged.”
“Even that,” Cindy responded, “it’s amazing, too. It’s worth the risk, isn’t it?”
Mattheus looked at her and smiled, impressed. “You’re right,” he said. “Forget it, I mouth off sometimes.” Then he zeroed in as they approached the figure in the back, now punching the boxing bags for all he was worth.
As Cindy and Mattheus came closer, Sean wiped the sweat off his face with the back of his arm, tossed his dark hair off his forehead, and looked up at them.
“What brings you two here?” he started, his feet still dancing around.
“How about we go and sit and the bench near the window?” Mattheus started.
“I like it here,” said Sean.
Mattheus took a step closer. “It’s better to sit at the window,” he repeated.
“Have it your way,” said Sean, joining them and sitting down.
Cindy looked out at the vast sky behind them, and the surf rolling up on the shore. The day was still cloudy and unsettled, just like the case, she thought.
“We hear you and Kate knew each other for a long time,” Mattheus started.
A swift look of pain crossed Sean’s face, “Yeah,” he said. “I’m surprised the cops didn’t come and talk to me sooner.”
“Me too,” said Cindy.
“You guys aren’t the police?” asked Sean, quickly.
“We’re private detectives,” said Cindy.
“Working for who?” Sean seemed more nervous.
“We were hired by Kate’s family,” Mattheus said.
“It figures,” said Sean.
“It was a good move by them, don’t you think?” asked Cindy. “I mean you want to find out what happened to Kate, too, right?”
The question threw Sean off balance. “Do I want to find out? What kind of question is that? You better believe I want to know exactly what happened. But, it’s obvious, isn’t it?”
“Nothing is obvious in a criminal case,” Mattheus responded tartly.
“Now it’s a criminal case?” Sean flared up. “I heard on the radio they were calling it suicide.”
“That’s one of the possibilities,” Mattheus put his face close to Sean’s. He was obviously trying to unnerve him,
get him to spill whatever was on his mind. “But it’s not definite yet.”
Strangely enough, Sean seemed relieved that the case wasn’t settled.
“Good,” he said, “I can’t imagine that it was suicide. Kate wasn’t like that.”
“We heard that Kate was suffering pretty badly after you guys broke up,” Cindy intervened.
Sean straightened up and looked over at her. “We broke up and got together a thousand times,” he said, his voice huskier. “We never broke up for good.”
“This time you did, though,” said Mattheus, grimly.
Sean seemed punched in the belly by that. “I didn’t think it was for good,” he replied. “I tried to get back with her. She was giving me a hard time, just wouldn’t do it.”
“Was this the first time she wouldn’t?” asked Cindy.
“Sometimes she said she wouldn’t,” Sean continued, “but she always did. We just waited it out, missed each other, said we were sorry and promised things would be good this time. Then we got back together.”
“Kate said she was sorry or just you?” asked Mattheus, his face darkening. This interview was obviously upsetting him. It was easy to see he didn’t like Sean, or believe what he was telling him.
“Yeah, sometimes Kate was sorry,” Sean answered fitfully. “Why? You think I was the only one who ever did something wrong?”
“Were you?” asked Mattheus.
“Hell, no,” Sean threw his hair back off his forehead ahead and stared down Mattheus. “You think she was some kind of angel or something?”
Cindy could suddenly see why Kate had been so attracted to Sean. He was very good looking and had a tough, animal energy that didn’t back down. On the surface he and Kate seemed very different. It must have been a perfect balance between them.”
“What did Kate do wrong, Sean?” Cindy broke in. “How did she hurt you?”
Sean swallowed hard. “It’s about time someone asked me that,” he started, “everyone always said I was the bad guy, but I wasn’t. Kate had her moods, believe me. She could be warm one minute and cold as ice the next. It got to me. I hated it. Some of my friends even finally said she enjoyed playing me.”
“What do you mean playing you?” asked Mattheus, alerted.
“They said Kate enjoyed seeing me need her, dangling me on the edge of a string,” said Sean.
“She did that?” asked Mattheus, his eyes narrowing.
“Sometimes she did,” said Sean.
“That must have pissed you off, big time,” said Mattheus.
“And what did you do about it?” Cindy interrupted.
“I told you, when I had enough, we broke up. Or, when she was sick of me, we took a break. Then we missed each, talked it over and got back together again. It was an old story. Everyone knew it. Ask anyone you want.”
“There’s no getting back now, though, is there?” asked Mattheus.
Sean looked as though it had just hit him.
“Did you also bring other girls you were dating to see Kate?” Mattheus asked, trying to smoke him out.
Sean lurched up, ran over to the boxing bags, and began dancing around them again.
“Get back here, Sean, sit down on the bench,” Mattheus ordered.
“I never brought any other girl to see her, ever,” cried Sean. “I never cheated on Kate before, ever.”
“You two were broken up when you went out with Riva?” asked Mattheus.
“Yes, we were,” Sean seemed sadder.
“So, it wasn’t cheating exactly, was it?” Mattheus said.
Sean’s eyes opened wide. “You can say that again,” he shouted. “That’s what I told her again and again. I said I was sorry and it wasn’t cheating. We were broken up.”
“She didn’t buy it though, did she?” Mattheus kept the pressure up.
“No, she didn’t,” said Sean, “no matter what I said, she refused to forgive me. She wouldn’t even talk. That’s why I brought Riva with me. I wanted her to tell Kate exactly when we got together, that it was after Kate and I broke up.”
“I saw you and Riva at Kate’s table in the dining room, the night she died,” said Cindy abruptly, shifting the tone of the conversation and throwing Sean off balance.
Sean spun around. “What the hell do you mean you saw me there?” He was discombobulated.
“Mattheus and I just happened to be having dinner at the table next to Kate’s.”
“Yeah, I believe that, like I believe a horse became a fish and started to swim,” Sean spit out.
“It’s true though,” said Cindy.
“Kate’s uncle put you up it? He told you to go sit there next to her table? “asked Sean.
“Not at all,” said Cindy. “We sat there before we ever met Kate’s uncle. It was the night before she died.”
“I don’t believe a word of this,” Sean growled.
“Okay,” Mattheus moved in on him fiercely. “You let us know whatever you got, right now. None of this looks good for you, buddy.”
Sean punched his fists against the wall then. “Nothing ever looks good for me, does it?” he murmured. “I’m used to it.”
“Tell us what you know,” Mattheus insisted.
“I told you the truth, like it or not,” Sean spoke faster, scared. “When I knocked at her door and yelled that night, it made me crazy to think that Kate was in there with someone else. Crazy. How dare she? I knocked and begged her to come back! I banged at the door, but she didn’t answer. No one did. It was dead quiet inside.”
Cindy froze, unmoving. Sean had just admitted that it was him banging at the door and yelling. That was huge. It opened a new window for them. She and Mattheus had to let the police know about this immediately. The police would have to take Sean in for questioning, they wouldn’t be able to wrap up the case up as a suicide so fast.
“When you knocked on the door, was she already dead?” Mattheus’s eyes squinted. That was shocking information for him as well.
“How the hell do I know?” Sean looked like he was about to gag. “No one answered. There was not a sound inside. Who knows who this guy she was with really is? Who knows what he did to her?”
“There’s absolutely no evidence in Clay’s past that points to anything suspicious,” said Mattheus.
“Kate met him online,” said Cindy, wanting more from Sean.
Sean put his hands over his ears. “I know she did. I don’t want to hear any more about him.”
“Where did you meet Riva?” Cindy asked.
“Both Kate and I knew her a long time,” said Sean, suddenly looking like a scared kid. “Riva went to school with us. She’s from a poor family and hung out with a different crowd.”
“It must have been awful for Kate to see Riva here with you,” Cindy insisted.
“Yeah, that’s right,” Sean’s face curled up in a look of contempt, “and it was awful for me to see her with that guy. He wasn’t her type anyway. Seemed like some kind of boring stiff, if you asked me.”
“Okay,” Mattheus said, disgusted. “We’re going to have to call this in, Sean. You told us yourself you were the one banging on Kate’s door.”
“Sure I was, but so what?” Sean yelled.
“People on Kate’s floor reported they heard someone banging on the door and yelling,” Mattheus said. “No one said they saw who it was though.”
“That’s not true,” Sean spit out. “Someone at the end of the hall on the right side opened their door and looked at me. A lady in a pink bathrobe.”
“You’re sure of that?” asked Mattheus.
“Positive. She kept saying, be quiet, so I turned and looked at her. About thirty years old.”
“We’ll check it out,” said Cindy.
“What difference does it make, anyway?” asked Sean. “Kate never opened her door. I never got in to see her.”
“That’s what you say,” said Mattheus.
Sean took a few steps back, suddenly shocked. “You guys think I’m involved? You think I di
d it?”
“We got motive here,” said Mattheus.
“You got to be crazy,” Sean started yelling, as the veins in his neck stuck out. “I loved Kate, ask anyone. I made a mistake when I cheated on her. I told her I was sorry, and I was. I even told Riva. Riva understood. But Kate wouldn’t forgive me, though. She put me through hell.”
“So you took your revenge, didn’t you?” asked Mattheus, closing in.
“Never,” breathed Sean. “I said forgive me, forgive me, but she wouldn’t listen. If you ask me, it’s her Uncle Carl’s fault. He wouldn’t let her. He made her start dating right away. It’s his fault this happened. Not mine.”
Sean stood there defiantly, as Mattheus took a few steps away, opened his phone and called in what he found to the police.
“You guys turning me in?” the look or horror that crossed Sean’s face upset Cindy.
“We’re not turning you in,” Cindy said quietly. “We’re just letting the police know we found out who was knocking at the door and yelling that night. It’s important information.”
“Yeah, everything’s important. But no one wants to do the real job, so they look for a patsy to pin it on. And that’s me, isn’t it?” said Sean.
“No, it isn’t you,” Cindy was stung. “And, Mattheus and I are doing the job. We’re exploring every possibility.”
“Then explore Kate’s family. Give them the once over. They’re a bunch of creeps,” said Sean.
“I’ll definitely look into it further,” said Cindy.
Sean stepped back for a second and looked at her appreciatively. “You don’t seem like a girl who’s a detective,” he said then in a small voice.
Cindy’s heart clenched and went out to him. Of course it was possible that everything he said was true, that Kate’s death had been a suicide, or that someone else had done her in. And it was also clear that Sean was suffering as much or more than any of them.
Cindy thought of the note from Kate she still had in her pocket, and pulled it out quickly.
