“I know he isn’t,” said Barbara, “but if you want to know all about Shelly, you have to know what happened between her and Mattheus. And, she told us what happened clearly. He abused her. So, who do we believe? Her, or what they put on the record? Abused women go through this all the time. Their stories are discounted, their husbands are believed. It’s a man’s world we live in.”
Cindy wanted to try one more time. “I’m not saying Shelly didn’t experience emotional abuse. No one is saying that. What we’re saying is that we need specific examples of it, in order to round the picture out. From her point of view, he may have been abusing her. From his point of view, he was not. So we need facts and details.”
Barbara threw her hands up in the air. “I’ve heard that rap, over and over. It’s just another way of de-valuing the woman.”
Angie came closer to Cindy then. “Listen,” she said, “We’re going to have to cut this short, now. I’ve really told you all I can. Shelly was lonely, desperate with Mattheus. She needed to find someone to give her the love she craved. It’s not such an unusual story.”
“No, it’s not,” said Cindy. “And what about her relationship with Anthony?”
“It was good as far as I know,” said Angie. “He was smart, he gave her lots of freedom. Shelly needed space. She liked time to herself, to go places alone, to dance and have a good time. She felt so trapped her entire life that this was absolutely necessary now.”
“What exactly was necessary?” Cindy was fascinated.
“Use your imagination. Shelly’d go out on the town alone, from time to time.”
“She’d go out alone and meet other guys?” Cindy was blown away.
“Yes, she did, Shelly did what she needed to do and Anthony was good about it,” said Barbara as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “It was fine with him. He’d be busy rehearsing with his band anyway. The relationship worked for both of them.”
“Whoah, hold up a minute,” said Cindy emphatically. “If Shelly got involved with other guys that could be related to her murder. We have to know who.”
Angie looked at Barbara, who suddenly nodded quickly.
“I just know that she went out with other guys here and there, Angie said briskly, “Anthony was cool with it.”
This was entirely new to Cindy. Why hadn’t she heard about it before? It was pivotal to finding the killer.
“Wait a minute,” said Cindy, slowing this all down, “if Shelly played around with other guys – “.
Barbara burst in furiously. “See how you put it! Played around! It’s demeaning her.”
“I’m not demeaning anybody!” Cindy stood up to Barbara forcefully. “I’m respecting Shelly by finding her killer. I can’t find her killer if I don’t know the whole truth!”
Barbara quieted down.
“Cindy’s right,” Angie jumped in, “the truth will save some other women from getting killed.
“So, tell Cindy what you want,” Barbara relented, “but do it with kindness, with respect.”
“Shelly needed lots of affection, and lots of attention,” Angie said. “Anthony got busy and couldn’t give it to her all the time - so, if there was a dry spell, she went out on the town and found what she needed. It’s not such a big deal down here.”
Cindy purposely kept her face impassive. “Do you know some of the guys she fooled around with?” Cindy asked.
“Not really,” said Angie. “Shelly didn’t want to talk about that. Once in a while she’d tell me that she’d had a great night. You could see it on her face when it happened, too. There was no lying to Anthony about it, either. The situation was just what it was.”
“I’d really like to know who some of those guys were,” Cindy repeated.
“Some of those guys?” Barbara flared up. “You act like she had a whole army of them!”
“Did she?” asked Cindy.
“We don’t know who and how many,” Angie answered calmly. “That’s the truth. If I knew I would tell you.”
Cindy believed her.
“Enough,” Barbara burst in, “the interview is over.”
“I think it’s important for you to talk to Katrina,” Angie said quickly then.
“Who’s Katrina?” asked Cindy. The picture was changing by the minute.
“She was one of Shelly’s long term clients,” Angie said. “They were close for a long time, then things got strange. Katrina recently left the Shelter and moved back home with her volatile husband.”
“Why should I talk to her?” Cindy felt wired.
“Katrina knew Shelly better than most. She had a lot to say about her, too. If you’re trying to uncover every corner, you’ve got to speak to her. Something weird just happened between them too, and it worried me.”
Cindy shivered and the very same moment as Barbara.
“What happened?” Cindy asked urgently.