Cindy bit her lip until it was practically bleeding. Sorry for her loss? The words felt like knives flying through her heart. What loss? Cindy wanted to cry out.
“I’ll help you check in,” Trage continued, taking Cindy’s bags from her. “You won’t be along long. I heard your mother and uncles are also on their way down.”
“I want to speak to Frank as soon as possible,” Cindy interrupted as she and Trage walked to the front desk. “How is he doing?”
Trage looked down. “Right now we’re holding him for questioning at the jailhouse,” he replied.
Cindy was stunned. “Why?”
“Routine procedure,” Trage continued, “he’s next of kin and the last one to see your sister alive.”
“Frank loved Ann with all his heart,” Cindy suddenly burst out wailing, frozen with horror at the implication that Frank could be involved. “They’ve been together for years, he’s always loved her. He’s been tremendously good to her.”
“He said he was swimming in the pool when your sister was killed,” Trage broke in. “But no one saw him there.” The sound of Cindy’s wailing clearly disturbed him.
“That’s no reason to hold him,” Cindy insisted.
“He has no alibi,” Trage went on.
“So what? That’s not evidence of anything,”Cindy’s eyes flared.
“It’s enough for us to hold him,” Trage looked directly at her.
His strange look woke Cindy up, shook her out of her reveries and filled her with fear. This was a grim reality she was dealing with. She had to be as clear and keen as she could be. There’d be plenty of time for grieving later. For all she knew Frank could be in danger now as well.
“We also need to question you about your sister,” Trage continued. “We need to know as much as we can about Ann.”
“You can ask me anything you like,” Cindy flipped into a professional stance, “and I need to question you as well. I’m working this case right along with you.”
Trage stepped back and shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he started.
“Oh, yes it is,” Cindy interrupted.
“You’re way too involved,” he said kindly. “This is family we’re talking about.”
“I’m not involved barely enough,” Cindy’s eyes flashed at him. “You’re right, this is my sister and I intend to work full out on the case. I need your support.”
Trage grew quiet, rubbing his foot back and forth on the floor.
“You need me too,” Cindy then said, her voice rising. “So does Ann and Frank.”
A look of sadness crossed Trage’s face. “Alright,” he said finally. “Doesn’t seem like you’ll take no for an answer, anyway.”
“Of course I won’t,” said Cindy fiercely. “Ann is not only my sister, she’s my best friend.”
Trage went along with Cindy. “First we have to check into the hotel,” he said quietly.
“Then I want see the crime scene immediately,” Cindy demanded, feeling waves of adrenalin soaring through her. “After that I have to speak to Frank.”
“Whoah, calm down there,” said Trage in a throaty tone. “One thing at a time.”
“There’s no time to lose, none,” answered Cindy.
“Cindy,” Trage put his hand gently on her shoulder, “you have to calm down. Investigations take time. There’s no imminent danger, no rush to save anyone. Your sister is gone.”
*
Gone, the word echoed through Cindy’s mind as Trage checked in for her at the front desk. The reality of what had happened to her sister flashed through Cindy suddenly like a wave of lightening, that struck fiercely and then disappeared.
“Was Ann in pain?” Cindy asked, her voice choking, as Trage turned from the desk.
“We have no way of knowing that yet,” he replied softly.
“You are sure this was a crime? She didn’t have a heart attack?” Cindy had a thousand questions for him.
“There were scratches on the neck that showed evidence of a struggle,” Trage responded quietly. “
“What kind of scratches? Who made them?” Cindy had to know.
“The body’s in the morgue right now. Soon it will be seen by the medical examiner,” Trage replied. “We’ll know more later on.”
Cindy’s heart clutched. “I want to see my sister as soon as possible,” her words fell over one another.
“Cindy, are you sure you’re ready for this?” Trage responded as they walked to the elevator to visit the crime scene on the third floor.
“Of course not. No one is ever ready for something like this,” Cindy replied fitfully, “but where else could I be? What else can I do?”
*
The elevator rose to the third floor quickly, opened and let them out just a few steps from the room Ann and Frank had been staying in. A policeman stood guard outside the door. He was young, very slim and jittery, looked like he was new on the force.
Trage walked over to him and said something under his breath, and the cop looked over at Cindy furtively.
“Sorry about what happened,” he said, nodding to her. It obviously upset him to see her.
“Thanks for helping,” Cindy responded.