“Frank’s busy with the police,” Cindy said then, in an extremely even tone. “He’ll be available in a little while. Don’t worry yourselves about it.”
Her mother let out a little sigh of relief. “At least that’s something,” she breathed. “I’ll feel better when I see him. After all, he’s part of Ann, isn’t he?”
“Yes, he is,” said Cindy.
“And so is Cindy a part of Ann,” Charlie chimed in. “Personally, I feel better now that I see her.”
Charlie’s words flowed through Cindy like warm ambrosia. But Cindy’s mother looked at him oddly.
“What do you know about Cindy and Ann’s relationship?” she asked him.
“Doesn’t take much to see that Ann had a beautiful and devoted sister,” Charlie responded.
“You just see the tip of the iceberg, Charlie,” Cindy’s mother scoffed.
To Cindy’s great delight, Charlie stood up to her mother. “I don’t see any iceberg, Claudia,” he replied. “I see a warm, devoted, caring sister.”
“Who ran away and left the family,” Cindy’s mother burst in. “Who lives and works in the Caribbean with some kind of crazy, detective partner that none of us have even met.”
Cindy knew her mother was referring to Mattheus.
Charlie looked interested, “Is that right, Cindy?”
“Mattheus is far from crazy,” Cindy said quietly.
“Where is he then?” asked her mother. “What kind of partner leaves a woman alone to deal with something like this?”
Cindy turned her back to her mother. What went on between her and Mattheus was absolutely none of her business.
“Have you told your partner what happened?” Charlie asked warmly.
“When I’m ready,” Cindy responded to him. “He’s on another case right now.”
Charlie took a step closer to her. “Everything happens when the time is right,” he comforted her.
Cindy was grateful for his comment, but had nothing further to say to anyone then. Thankfully just at that moment her phone rang. She picked it up immediately, and to her surprise, Trage was on the other end.
“I’ve got a piece of news for you,” Trage started, “are you up for it?”
“Definitely,” Cindy replied. She couldn’t think of anything she’d rather have now that a piece of news or lead to follow.
“Okay,” Trage continued, “we just heard that a guy named Alain, who was on the hotel staff was suddenly fired. No one knows why.”
“Yes?” Cindy wanted more.
“The point is,” Trage continued, “Alain personally delivered room service to Ann and Frank’s room twice since they were here.”
“Why was he suddenly fired?” Cindy asked interested.
“That’s for us to find out,” Trage replied. “The guy lives in a shanty home in a local village about fifteen miles away. We thought you could get more out of him than if he were visited by police.”
“I’m on it,” said Cindy, mobilized.
“Great. I’ll text you his address and directions to get there,” said Trage.
“I’ll leave immediately,” Cindy replied and hung up the phone.
“Leave to go where?” Cindy’s mother’s eyes flew open, alarmed.
“There’s a new lead on the case I have to check out,” Cindy replied methodically.
“They don’t have a police force who can do it themselves?” her mother grew more agitated. “They need to put my other daughter in harm’s way?”
Cindy turned and looked at her mother directly. “This is my work, mom,” she replied. “I do it all the time, I’m good at it. I’m not in danger, just exploring a lead.”
Charlie took a step closer to Cindy then. “Maybe I can go with you?” he asked tenderly.
“Thanks, Charlie,” Cindy looked at him warmly. “It’s best if I handle this one alone.”
Chapter 6
Grateful for any excuse to get away, Cindy raced out of her mother’s room and down to the lobby. Then she took the first cab she could get to Back o’ Town, where Alain lived. As she got into the cab, Cindy decided not to call and let him know she was arriving. It would be better to take him by surprise; that would be the best way to get him to talk.
The taxi wound its way along the roads, crisscrossing the beautiful Island. The mist had lifted and the trees, shrubs and local buildings looked pristine in the afternoon light. Bermuda was manicured, and exquisitely designed without the least hint of the chaos and disorder you found on other islands in the Caribbean.
“Back o Town is not the best destination,” the driver remarked as they approached. “Not a good idea for a woman to spend time here alone.”
“Why not?” Cindy was interested.
“We got our share of drug dealers hanging around the island, like anywhere else,” the driver spoke plainly. “This is where most of them live. You get gang on gang crime here – a few shootings. No one can stop some of this junk from slipping in. Otherwise, we’re one of the safest places you can find. We’re under British rule, and the British know what they’re doing.”