Death by Devotion (Book #9 in the Caribbean Murder Series) (18 page)

Cindy began to tremble as well. “Who’s gonna kill
you, Andrea?” she asked in a soft voice.

“You’ve got to tell me.”

“I never will,” Andrea hissed, “or they’ll kill my
mom, too.”

“Who? Who?” Cindy demanded.

“I can’t tell you,” Andrea broke into sobs.

“Is the person connected with the guy who loves you?”
Cindy had to know.

“I said I can’t tell you, and I can’t,” Andrea went
on, yanking away from Cindy. “I want to go back to my cell now,” she yelled in
a loud voice. “I want to go back to my cell, I want to go back to my cell.”
In a minute the guard came rushing down the hallway. “What’s the commotion
here? What’s going on?” he asked.

“I want to go back to my cell,” Andrea kept
shouting.

He put his arms on her shoulders, “Okay, okay, you’re
going,” he said, throwing Cindy a nasty glance. “What the hell did you say to
upset her so much?”

Cindy shook her head slowly. Obviously, Andrea felt
her life was in danger.

“Is Sean around?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah, he’s around,” the guard looked put out. “In
fact, I already let him know you’re here.” Then he disappeared with Andrea,
back to the holding cell.

Stunned and agitated, Cindy got up and walked back
to the front. As soon as she got there, Sean was waiting. He came over to her
quickly.

“What happened?” he asked, concerned

“I’m not really sure,” said Cindy disheartened.

“Come on,” said Sean, putting his hand on Cindy’s
elbow, “I’m taking you back to the hotel.”

*

Cindy was actually delighted to have Sean with her
during the ride back.  She was over tired as it was, and she’d had enough
shocks for one night. It was good not to be going back alone.

“Thanks for the lift, Sean,” she said, as they got
into the car.

“I told you I was here to help you, and I meant it,”
Sean replied . “You don’t trust me, you don’t trust any guy by now, but I’m
trustworthy.”

Cindy looked at him with gratitude. “It’s not that I
don’t trust you, it’s just that I don’t know what to think at this point.”

Sean turned, smiled at her and nodded. “Totally
understandable,” he responded. “It will take time for you to get to know me,
but when you do, you’ll see who I am. I’m completely trustworthy, Cindy.”

Cindy wasn’t at all sure what he was talking about.
Did he think she was staying down here for a long while?

 “I have no plans to spend much time down here,” she
responded, not wanting to lead him on.  “Once this case is over, I’m gone.”

Sean was quiet for a few moments. “Gone?” he finally
said.

“Back to the States,” said Cindy. “In fact, I have a
court case to deal with once I return.”

“Your ex in laws and the house?” he remarked.

Cindy was surprised that he’d remembered. “Yes.”

“See, I don’t forget anything you tell me,” Sean
reached out and stroked her hand. “So, tell me one more thing, please. What
brought you down here to the holding cell so late?”

They were almost at the hotel by now and Cindy
wanted to ask him to join her at the restaurant for a cup of coffee. It would
be good to process the events of the day.

“Want to come in and have some coffee in the coffee
shop?” Cindy asked as the car pulled up the main driveway.

“I do,” said Sean, “but I can’t. I have to be up
first thing in the morning. I’ll take a rain check. I’d love a rain check.”

“Okay,” said Cindy.

“But before you get out of the car, answer my
question, I need to know,” Sean replied. “What brought you down to the holding
cell so late at night? The guard said it was urgent.”

“I thought it was,” said Cindy. “I checked out Andrea’s
alibi at Magenta Tavern this afternoon,” Cindy continued.

“That wasn’t a smart thing to have done,” Sean
interrupted.

Cindy had no idea why not. “The bartender said he
saw Andrea there during the day Cain was killed. She was with some guy.”

“Did the bartender give you the name of the guy or
the time she was seen with him?” Sean turned completely professional.

“No,” said Cindy. “He didn’t know. He just said he
saw them.”

Sean sighed. “Remember I told you not to poke around
in certain places,” he started.

“This is Andrea’s alibi, Sean,” Cindy exclaimed. “Someone
had to go down there and check it.”

“What makes you think we didn’t?” asked Sean, a
muscle in his cheek working.

“Because if you did no one told me a thing about it,”
Cindy was adamant.

Sean nodded crisply. “You’re a fabulous detective,
Cindy,” he exclaimed. “You do your job down to the last detail. “

“You’re all hiding something from me, though,” Cindy
exclaimed. “You are, Andrea is, even Mattheus.”

“You might be right about that,” Sean said quietly, “but
someone got into the holding cell and beat Andrea once. It was a warning. We
don’t want it happening again.”

“You’re telling me Andrea’s in danger?” Cindy asked
breathlessly.

“More than you realize,” Sean responded.

“You’re telling me you’re protecting her?” Cindy
kept going.

“Exactly right,” Sean responded. “And I can’t say
more. I want to, but I can’t. Let’s leave it at that. Please respect my
professional position. I’m not authorized to say another word.”

*

When Cindy got out of the car and went into the
hotel, Mattheus was waiting in the lobby, distraught.

“Did you see Andrea? What happened?” he asked the minute
Cindy walked in.

“Yes, I saw her and she wouldn’t give me any more
information,” Cindy said in a clipped tone. “She’s convinced if she does
someone will her.”

“Maybe she’s right?” Mattheus breathed.

“And maybe she isn’t,” Cindy was at her rope’s end. “She’s
actually safer if we know who the guy is that she was seen with.”

“And maybe she isn’t?” Mattheus mused. His face was
flushed and he looked wrung out.

“Well, it’s enough for one day now,” Cindy said,
exhausted.

“I need to talk to you, Cindy,” Mattheus reached for
her hands.

She pulled them away. “I’m exhausted, Mattheus.”

“You’re furious that I was at Petra’s,” he
responded.

“That too,” she replied. “Though I wouldn’t say
furious, I would say confused, betrayed, fed up.”

“You’re reading this wrong, though,” Mattheus
insisted. “It’s purely professional between me and her. I was just trying to
find out more about Andrea, and who she was with.”

“It didn’t look that way, Mattheus,” Cindy flushed, “though
it’s no business of mine, we’re broken up.”

“You’re getting over sensitive,” Mattheus wouldn’t
let it pass.

“You’re only half with me on this case,” Cindy
replied. “I didn’t come down for a romance with you, I came to help find a
killer and get your daughter out of a mess. That’s the reality. Let’s hold onto
it.

Still, given our task, I need your help. I need you
to be totally forthright with me.”

“I have been,” Mattheus insisted.

“You haven’t,” Cindy insisted.

“Tell me how?” Mattheus demanded.

“I’m too tired now, way too tired,” said Cindy. “Let’s
leave this discussion for another day.”

“We can’t leave it for another day, Andrea is
definitely in danger,” he breathed.

“Yes, I agree,” said Cindy, focusing in on him. “And
what better way to protect her than to find the truth?”

“I agree,” said Mattheus, “I want the truth too. And
there’s something I also have to ask you.”

“Go ahead,” said Cindy, “what is it?”

“Is there something going on between you and Sean?
Do you like the guy?”

“Yes, I do,” Cindy answered, to her surprise.

Cindy slept fitfully, with troubling dreams. She saw
Mattheus in them, laughing with Petra on the beach and then in the middle of a
beautiful day, there was Andrea on the gallows, being hung. Mattheus and Petra
were watching on from the distance, seemingly unconcerned.  Cindy kept
desperately trying to stop the execution. Drenched with perspiration, Cindy suddenly
woke up, to her great relief. These dreams don’t mean a thing, she told herself
as she rushed to the bathroom. It’s only my fear surfacing, warning me of what
could come.

Cindy splashed cold water on her face and showered
quickly to wake up.  When she was fully dressed in linen slacks and a lime green
print shirt, she decided to call Sean to check on Andrea’s safety. But the
phone rang first.

“Yes?” Cindy answered, still a bit rattled. She half
expected it to be either Sean or Mattheus on the other end. To her surprise, a
young woman answered.

“Cindy, this is Natalie, remember me? I’m Andrea’s
friend, we talked a while ago.”

“Of course I remember,” Cindy replied.

“I know it’s early to call,” Natalie continued, “but
I really need to talk to you about something important. Time is of the essence.
Can you meet me at Thompsons Coffee Shop? It’s a few blocks away from your
hotel.”

Cindy didn’t hesitate for a moment. “Definitely,” she
said, on the alert. Cindy was surprised that Natalie knew where she was
staying. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Does that work?”

“Absolutely,” Natalie breathed. “Thank you so very
much.”

*

Natalie was sitting at a little table near the door
when Cindy entered the coffee shop.

The place was quite full as it was still the
breakfast hour and it was lucky that they got a spot.

“Here, here,” said Natalie, getting up from her seat
and waving at Cindy the minute she walked in.

Cindy went right over to Natalie who greeted her
with a little hug.

“It’s so wonderful of you to meet me here like this,”
Natalie said in a low voice. “Thank you again, thank you.”

“It’s fine,” said Cindy, sitting down, concerned. “What’s
happening?”

“Let’s order breakfast,” said Natalie, “and then I’ll
tell you everything.”

Finally, Cindy hoped she’d get filled in on details. 
They ordered breakfast and after the waiter took their orders, he brought them
both café latte, which hit the spot.

“Okay go ahead, talk to me, Natalie,” Cindy said as
she practically drank the whole cup in one gulp.

“It’s about Andrea,” Natalie whispered, looking
nervous. “She in danger.”

“I know she is,” Cindy responded.

“You know?” Natalie looked alarmed. “How?”

“I’ve been working this case since I saw you,” Cindy
replied.

“But who told you? She was in danger?” asked
Natalie, wide eyed.

Cindy wondered why it mattered. “What difference does
it make?” she asked.

“It makes a world of difference,” Natalie continued.
“Nobody’s supposed to know a thing.”

“But we do know,” Cindy whispered, hoping to get
more from Natalie. “The word is out.”

Natalie looked horrified. “The word is out? It’s
worse than I thought.”

“What do you want to tell me?” Cindy persisted.

Natalie jumped in, “Pedro’s guys are really on edge
now - hungry to find the real killer.”

“I need to know how you know that?” Cindy replied.

“I was afraid you would ask me that question,” said
Natalie as their breakfast was served.

“Don’t be afraid of me, Natalie,” Cindy reassured
her. “Whoever your friends are, whatever you know, whoever told you, it’s safe
with me.”

“You swear to death?” asked Natalie, pushing her
eggs from one side of the plate to the other.

“Yes,” said Cindy. “All I care about is finding Cain’s
killer and learning who beat Andrea up.”

“It’s horrible, horrible,” Natalie whispered, “and
it’s going to get worse.”

“More beatings?” asked Cindy.

“Or, she could get killed in jail, for all we know,”
Natalie was practically whimpering.  The guys told me Andrea’s gonna get it,
one way or another. “

“Why?” Cindy asked. “Do Pedro’s guys think Andrea
killed Cain?”

“Some people think she did it,” Natalie spoke heatedly,
“others are convinced she’s taking the wrap. But whoever it is, they definitely
want Andrea out of the way.”

“Who’s Andrea taking the wrap for?”  Cindy demanded.

“Nobody’s sure,” whispered Natalie. “Could be her
mom.”

“Her mom?” Cindy’s blood started boiling.

 “At the end Petra hated Cain like poison and made
no bones about it,” Natalie went on. “And Andrea’s whole life was about
protecting her mom. And also about protecting about the guy she said loved her.
Who knows if he ever really did? Andrea had a lot of hopes about everything.”

“A lot of fantasies,” Cindy interjected. “Natalie,
whether he loved Andrea or not, I need to speak to this guy.”

“Why?” Natalie seemed ill at ease.

“Because he and Andrea have some kind of connection
and I need to know more about it.”

“This guy has absolutely nothing to do with it,”
Natalie insisted. “He doesn’t do drugs, he’s not part of a gang, he’s
absolutely fringe. He loved Andrea and she wants to protect him.”

“Just give me his name at least and let me talk to
him,” Cindy pleaded.

“I promised Andrea I wouldn’t tell anyone who he
was.  I’m the only one she ever told,” Natalie cringed.

“But you called me here for a reason, didn’t you?
You know your friend’s in danger,” said Cindy.

“She is,” Natalie cried out, tears filling her eyes.
“I don’t want her killed in a horrible way, even if she did kill the rotten
bastard.”

“Did she?” Cindy asked, appalled.

“I really don’t know at this point,” said Natalie. “But
if she did it or not, she had a good reason, and she doesn’t deserve to die
like this. At least let them give her a fair trial.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Cindy agreed.

“Yes, I am,” Natalie’s spirits lifted.

“So, let’s give her a chance to get that fair trial,”
Cindy continued, adamant. “Give me the name of the guy who loves her and his
address if you have it.”

“I do,” Natalie whispered.

“Great,” Cindy breathed. “We can’t leave any stone
unturned. For starters, he knows Andrea better than anyone else.”

“Not better than me,” Natalie was offended. “I’m
Andrea’s best friend.”

“It’s possible he can tell me something that don’t
know. It could be an important clue,” Cindy went on. “That’s how it works when
you’re a detective. You hunt for clues everywhere, even in places you’d never
expect to find them.”

Natalie suddenly got quiet and listened. “That’s how
it works?” she finally asked.

“Yes,” said Cindy, “you follow a trail, you never
know where it leads you, you talk to all the people a person knew well.”

“That’s cool,” replied Natalie. “Maybe someday I’ll
be a detective, too. Okay, I’ll give you his name and address, but never, ever
tell anyone you got it from me. He’s from a big, rich, prominent family. They’ll
go crazy if they find out he’s had anything to do with someone like Andrea.”

“I won’t tell a soul,” said Cindy, “and thank you. I
just can’t thank you enough.”

*

Natalie and Cindy parted quickly as soon as Cindy
had the information . Cindy thanked her again and immediately left the coffee
shop. There was no reason to be sitting there, in full view of everyone.

As Cindy stepped out of the coffee shop, to her amazement
there was Mattheus, waiting for her.  Had he been following her, watching her
every move?

“What are you doing here? Cindy asked right away,
uneasy.

“I’ve been following you,” Mattheus said with his
quirky, sweet smile that had always melted Cindy’s heart.  It didn’t now.  “Let’s
take a walk and talk things over, please.”

Cindy had no desire to talk about their
relationship, but she did need to tell him that she’d found out who the guy Andrea
had been involved with was.

“It’s good timing,” Cindy continued professionally. “I’ve
got a huge piece of new information.”

“What?” asked Mattheus, surprised.

“I’ve got the name of the guy over on the East Side
of the island that Andrea claims she was with the day Cain was killed.”

Mattheus’s mouth hung open for a second. “You’re
amazing,” he breathed. “How in the world did you get this? No one could.”

“You’ve got to keep it close to the chest,” Cindy
demanded. “None of those guys you talk to can know.”

“Okay,” he replied.

“In fact, I’m going over to the East side of the
island to see him this minute,” Cindy decided on the spot.  

“Yes, you are,” said Mattheus heatedly, “and I’m
going over there with you.”

Cindy paused for a moment.

“Just business,” said Mattheus to allay her fears. “But
serious business and I need to be there.”

“Yes, you do,” agreed Cindy. “Let’s go.”

*

It was actually a balmy, beautiful day
and the ride over to the East side of the island was pleasant. Fortunately,
Mattheus seemed calm and rested and resumed a low key, professional manner as
they drove along. Cindy appreciated that. She needed to maintain focus and so
did he. Mattheus probably sensed how dire the situation was and didn’t want to
allow anything to get in the way.

“Just fill me in a little more about who
this guy is supposed to be?” Mattheus said as they drove over the bridge onto
the better paved roads, and beautiful homes that lined them.

“Andrea told Natalie that there was
someone who loved her,” Cindy repeated quietly. “This has been top secret and
Natalie insists we keep it that way.”

“Why?” Mattheus asked surprised. “Usually
girls tell everyone when they have a boyfriend.”

“Your daughter doesn’t live that kind of
life, Mattheus,” Cindy said quietly.  “This relationship is top secret for her.”

“Then how could she let herself be seen
with him at Magenta’s Tavern?” Mattheus asked.

“It’s on another part of the island,”
Cindy retorted, “people don’t know her here.”

“You mean they don’t know that she’s a
prostitute?” Mattheus answered, suddenly edgy again.

Cindy could only imagine how hard it must
be for Mattheus to say this about his daughter.

“Maybe?” Cindy mused.

“What else could it be?” Mattheus’s
voice got steely.

Cindy wanted to comfort him as she
usually did, but, this time, didn’t. “I don’t know exactly why else it’s top
secret,” she replied. “Natalie mentioned that the guy’s from a rich, prominent
family, who wouldn’t take well to Andrea.”

“So, you’d think he’d take her out
somewhere else then, not right under his family’s nose,” Mattheus was brooding.

“You’d think a lot of things,” Cindy
agreed, “but we’re almost here and soon we’re going to find out for ourselves.”

Cindy opened the paper in her pocket
again and read out the address where he lived.  It was a few blocks away,
located on a long road overlooking the ocean. As they turned onto the road they
saw two luxurious villasapart set far apart from each other, on top of a hill.
A lush valley spread out beneath them.

“Wow,” said Mattheus as they turned down
the street.  “Far cry from Petra’s house.”

“Speak about trading up,” Cindy smiled.

They drove slowly along as the road
curved. As they turned the bend they saw the address they were looking for. It
was a gorgeous villa, surrounded by trees and beds of orange and red tropical
flowers that occupied the entire block. The place had an isolated, distant
feeling, though.

“Wait a second,” Cindy said as Mattheus
was about to park.  “I don’t think we should drive into the driveway.  They’re
not expecting us and we could scare someone off.”

Mattheus agreed. “I’ll park down at the
bottom of the hill, in the valley, and we’ll go on foot to their door. You’re
right, it’s more casual.”

Cindy nodded. It was good to be back
working in synch with Mattheus again.

*

They drove down a steep road and found a
spot for the car under a group of trees. A silence descended upon them as they
got out of the car and climbed back up on foot.  Soft, fresh breezes from the
ocean wafted over Cindy as she swept her hair back off her face, and
straightened her clothes. As they came closer to the top of hill, they walked
to the villa’s door.  Cindy was glad Mattheus was with her, too. The place was
set away from everything, and it probably wouldn’t have been a good idea to
come here alone.