“Why are you convinced her death is connected to the hotel murders?” Evan went on.
Cindy looked over at him plainly, “I’m not convinced, I just don’t know what else to think,” she said, at a loss. “It’s just strange that my sister died in the same hotel as the other women.”
“Yes, it is,” Evan snapped to attention. “You working with the police?”
“Yes, we are,” said Cindy.
“We?” Evan looked curious.
“My partner, Mattheus, is down here helping me with the case,” Cindy replied.
“Lucky guy,” said Evan.
“I’m lucky to have him as well,” said Cindy, wanting to keep things clear. “We investigate murders in the Caribbean mainly.”
“This time it hit too close to home, though,” Evan remarked.
“Much too close,” said Cindy, sadly.
“You’re honest, you’re frank, I like it,” said Evan. “Did the police tell you to come here and talk to me?”
Cindy relaxed a bit then. “No, just the opposite,” she smiled at him. “They told me to leave you alone, that you’d already been questioned.”
“So, why are you here?” he asked, taken by surprise.
“I don’t usually listen to what people tell me,” said Cindy. “I have a radar inside that keeps me on course.”
“Good for you,” Evan liked her answer and looked at her appreciatively. “And what does your radar tell you about me?”
“That you know the lay of the land, you’re at the center of it. Most people believe that the hotel murders were somehow connected to big business.”
“We talked about that already,” said Evan quickly. “When they don’t know where to look, they blame big business. Did the police tell you that?”
“No, if fact they did not. They’ve been quiet about it, said they know nothing.”
“And you don’t believe them?”
“I’m not trained to believe, I’m trained to find out what’s real and what isn’t,” said Cindy definitively.
“A woman after my own heart,” Evan said and picked up his wine glass. “Let’s drink, let’s toast.”
Cindy picked up her glass and lifted it opposite his. Trage was right she thought, Evan was suave, he was glib. He was also smart with a streak of no nonsense plain talk that Cindy liked very much.
“To us,” said Evan promptly, “to finding out the truth about everything, the murders, your sister, and who’s behind the bloodshed on this island that’s been spilling over onto me as well.”
Cindy drank to that eagerly, draining her glass in one long drink.
Evan laughed, “Wow, you’re thirstier than you think.”
“This is great wine, said Cindy, holding out her glass as he poured another.
“How has the bloodshed been spilling over onto you?” Cindy wanted to hear more, as Evan poured himself a second glass of wine.
“The first thing you’ve got to know,” he said as he drank more wine, is about business on this island.” People in Bermuda have one of the highest pay scales in the world. But although there’s no sales or income tax, the cost of goods, including food is pretty high. So, they also have one of the highest costs of living, have to spend a lot to survive. That’s because eighty per cent of everything is imported. Bermuda has no natural resources like oil, gas, gold or anything.”
Cindy wondered why he was telling her all this and what bearing it had upon what happened to Ann. She did her best to listen closely and hear what he was really saying beneath the words, what he really had in mind.
“So, what are the main industries in Bermuda?” Evan went on. “The two top industries that control of economy are the International Business and Tourism Industry. Over fifteen thousand international companies have set up operations here. The international business is mainly around insurance, re-insurance and fund and trust management. Bermuda runs the third largest re-insurance in the world. This has made it a global magnet for international business - that and the fact that there’s no taxes for business here. The BMA oversees things making sure there’s no money laundering, fraud or other financial crimes.” And he smiled.
Cindy recalled then that he’d been brought up on charges on different counts. “You’ve never run into trouble?” she asked innocently, wanting to flush him out.
“Sure I’ve run into trouble,” he answered swiftly. “When you’re at the top of the mountain, everyone underneath wants to bring you down. It’s human nature and I’m used to it.”
“A terrible way to live,” said Cindy.
“I like it, myself,” Evan grinned. “Let them try all they want - no one’s ever pinned a thing on me, and no one ever will.”
“How can you be so sure?” asked Cindy, bristling at his arrogance.
“Because I don’t do anything to deserve it,” he quipped. “I live straight, do my business straight and am just smarter than most folks.” He drank the rest of the wine in his glass then and quickly poured another.