The Circle was a group Ann had belonged to forever. It was composed of women who raised money for local charities. Ann had led the group and loved it. Cindy couldn’t bear the thought of writing to these women and letting them know what had happened.
The third unanswered email was from their mom. “Ann, dear, have a lovely holiday with Frank. Make it all you have dreamt of. I’m so glad the two of you took my advice and decided to get away. Love, mom.”
Cindy stopped and read that one a few times. Why did her mother give Ann advice to get away with Frank? Was it just her usual meddling? Was Cindy trying to read something into the email that had no bearing at all?
Cindy scrolled down and read the other emails. Most were ordinary, even dull. Arrangements for the meetings of the Circle, luncheon dates, exchange of pleasantries. From what Cindy read it seemed that Ann lived her life mainly on the surface. Cindy had never perceived Ann that way before. She’d always thought of her sister as having rich, full, busy days. Maybe she didn’t? Maybe that was why Ann was always so ready to leave and come to meet Cindy at the airport when she returned. Had Ann needed Cindy and the excitement she provided more than Ann had let on?
One email caught Cindy’s attention. Ann was apologizing to a friend for not being able to make a lunch date. “I have so much to do to prepare for Frank’s return,” Ann had stated. “He’s so busy these days, I’m never exactly sure when he’s coming home.” Cindy wasn’t sure what this referred to. What was Frank so busy with? Where had he gone?
The friend had answered nicely enough. “Of course, of course, I understand. It’s hard when business takes them all over the place.”
Where was business taking Frank? Ann had only mentioned in passing to Cindy that Frank had been traveling a bit more for business. Cindy wondered now why Ann hadn’t filled her in on more details. Probably because it hadn’t bothered Ann much. Most likely Ann just took it as a matter of course, the way she took everything. Was Frank’s busy schedule the reason they were taking time alone together now in Bermuda? Was he trying to make it up to her, give Ann the attention she’d been wanting?
Cindy took a deep breath and kept scrolling. Finally, she found an email from Frank to Ann.
“Be back home on the six forty five flight,” it announced. “Looking forward to seeing you. Frank.”
Nice enough, thought Cindy, but where was the word love?
“Six forty five?” Ann had answered. “I thought you were landing at five?”
Cindy noticed herself wanting to make something of this, too. There seemed to be an edge to Ann’s tone here that Cindy hadn’t noticed before. Was this just more paranoia? Cindy stared at the emails and then stopped herself. She was grasping at straws. Wasn’t it perfectly usual for couples who’d been married for many years to forget about signing off with the word love? And so what if he took a flight that landed a bit later? Cindy realized that she could lose reality quickly if she let herself obsess about every word.
Cindy pushed the computer away for a moment. This was not only arduous, it was unsettling to look so closely at her sister’s personal life. She’d open just one more email before going onto Ann’s Facebook page.
Oddly enough, the next email had a different tone. It was to another friend of Ann’s, May.
“Hi, May,” Ann wrote, “so sorry I can’t meet you for coffee later. Frank will be coming home tonight and I’m cooking and baking for him all afternoon. So excited to see him and get things ready.”
After all these years, Ann was excited to welcome Frank home. The reality of it hit Cindy undeniably. It was hard for Cindy to imagine how this could be, what it was about Frank her sister loved so much and felt so excited by? But there was never any telling what brought two people together, what they got from one another that kept their love alive.
Cindy sighed, ran her hands through her hair. Next she’d have to go onto Ann’s Facebook page. That wouldn’t be as personal. Cindy had been on it many times. It was filled with pictures of Ann’s local friends and their activities, announcing times and dates of events, inviting others to them. Cindy had to check though, to see if there was any hint here of something that had gone amiss. Was Ann in a fight with anyone? Was someone jealous of her for some reason?
To Cindy’s great relief, just as she was about to go back into the computer, the phone rang.
Even without picking up, she knew it was Mattheus.
“I’m down at the police station,” Mattheus started.
Cindy appreciated that he was keeping in close touch.
“Trage’s here with me, helping me out,” Mattheus went on. “He’s been digging through these files again, since we’re re-opening the hotel murders investigation.
“Great,” said Cindy, thrilled that they were working on two fronts now. Mattheus coming down seemed to have energized everybody.
“There’s a drug ring that comes up again and again,” Mattheus continued. “They’re based at the south of the island, not far from where that guy Alain lives.”