Cindy opened Ann’s Facebook page right after she spoke to Mattheus. He’d probably be away for a couple of hours and she wanted to use the time to complete her investigation of Ann’s online world. As Cindy expected, everything looked the same. There was no sense that tragedy had struck, life looked calm and happy. Familiar faces that Cindy had seen over and over were still posted. This was the world Ann had lived in, the friends who circled around her with love. They created a sense that her life was secure and balanced. Cindy looked at the assorted pictures of Ann and Frank smiling along with their other couple friends. There were pictures of restaurants that Ann and Frank frequented and a snapshot of them at a carnival. Everything looked in perfect order, only it wasn’t. Ann had been skating on thin ice, about to be killed.
Cindy scanned through Ann’s messages carefully, but nothing special came up. One friend Loretta mentioned how beautiful Bermuda was and that she wanted to hear all about the trip. A rich uncle of hers had a yacht there, did business in Bermuda with the biggest firm around, Evan Price, Inc. Loretta asked Ann to post pictures, Ann had said she would. What kind of photo could Ann ever post now?
Restless, Cindy picked up the phone and called Mattheus, just to see how it was going.
“Any news?” she asked as he picked up.
“Torbbit’s clean,” answered Mattheus, seeming grateful to talk. “He wasn’t even in town when the murders happened. He said the hotel killings had to be linked to big business here. Nothing else makes sense, does it?”
“That leaves Ann out then,” Cindy said despondently.
“Why?” asked Mattheus.
“She wasn’t linked to big business, neither was Frank, ever. He did well enough in his own world, got some more clients, maybe? But big business, no.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Mattheus murmured. “Let’s talk more when I get back. Where are you now?”
“In my room,” said Cindy. “Still going over Ann’s Facebook page.”
“See you in a few minutes,” said Mattheus, as he hung up.
Cindy read Ann’s Facebook messages one more time before deciding to sign off. This time she read them she paused at Loretta’s comment. Her uncle worked in Bermuda, knew the territory, worked for a top guy here, Evan Price. Price was clearly involved in big business. Perhaps he’d have some ideas about who Cindy and Mattheus could look into? Of course Cindy would first have to call Loretta, ask her to get in touch with her uncle and tell her about Ann’s death. The news would spread like wildfire. Cindy wasn’t ready to do that yet. Maybe she could find out more about Evan Price directly, even talk to him. Right now any lead would be a help. Cindy wanted to do it on her own though, not check with Trage about it. She signed off Ann’s Facebook page and decided to look up Evan Price online, find out more about him herself.
To Cindy’s complete surprise, one article after another about Evan Price popped up online. A huge business magnet, heading a major hedge fund, his name came up again and again. There were pieces written about him in connection with everything –A line parties, charity events, the International Festival of films. Cindy was surprised that Loretta’s uncle worked for someone like him. If the hotel murders had been connected to big business, it seemed that Evan Price would definitely be the man to talk to.
Cindy decided then to put a call into Trage first, to get the whole picture.
“How’s it going, Cindy?” Trage asked the minute he recognized her voice.
“We’re working hard,” Cindy replied, “I’m not sure where we’re going next though.”
“This is a rough one,” Trage agreed, “without some kind of motive for your sister’s killing, it’s hard to know where to turn.”
How could there be a motive for Ann’s killing, Cindy suddenly said. “Ann never did a thing to harm anyone. Maybe the killer was an insane, a random psychopath, preying on anyone they could find. It was definitely someone vicious, judging by the marks on Ann’s neck. Possibly they were high on drugs at the time Ann was slaughtered. Is there someone like that floating around?”
Trage got quiet. “No one we can put our finger on,” he said slowly.
“Anything new come in?” asked Cindy, “even one, small lead?”
“I’m sorry,” Trage replied. “I sent Mattheus down to talk to Leon Torbitt, a big drug honcho, a little while ago.”
“It didn’t pan out to be much,” Cindy responded.
“I didn’t think it would,” said Trage. “Mattheus wanted to go, though. He told me one lead always brings another, even when you least expect it. You got a good man there, Cindy.”
“Who’s Evan Price?” Cindy asked suddenly, wanting to take Trage down a new road.
“Why do you ask about him?” Trage sounded unsettled.
“I just read about him online,” Cindy remarked casually, not wanting to influence Trage’s response.
“Where’d you find his name?” Trage didn’t seem to like it.
Cindy wasn’t going to tell Trage she saw Evan Price mentioned in passing on Ann’s Facebook page. That seemed foolish.
“I’m not sure where he first came up,” Cindy said slowly.
“Not sure? You need better than that. You don’t go into the water, swim with sharks and ruffle their territory without having a good reason to do so.”
The sound of Trage’s voice troubled Cindy. It was interesting to her that he considered Evan Price a shark.
“Anyone who could lead me to Ann’s killer is someone I want to talk to,” Cindy said staunchly.