“Katrina’s been a resident here a few times. She comes and goes, can’t stay away from her husband Flan, no matter how much he beats her,” Angie continued. “They’re a crazy couple, and one day, Shelly realized something weird was going on. She mentioned it to me a few times. She found out that Katrina would sneak out of the Shelter and meet Flan down the road, in a secret spot. That is absolutely forbidden here. I told the authorities, and they wanted to know if Katrina came back at night. She did. So, that was enough. They didn’t do anything else about it. “
Barbara got up then and started pacing back and off.
“Shelly was pissed off big time that the authorities let it go on. One day, she got fed up, followed Katrina and caught her and Flan together. Then she got between them.”
“I don’t know how in the world she thought she could do that,” Barbara was at her wit’s end. “No one here authorized that behavior. It came purely out of her own dedication.”
“Shelly told me she faced off with Flan, told him to leave Katrina alone!” said Angie.
“You’ve got to keep this quiet,” Barbara was beside herself.
“I can’t keep quiet, it’s important,” said Angie, “and I always knew it was.
“You’ll bring down the whole Shelter,” warned Barbara.
“No, I won’t. I’ll protect another woman from getting killed,” Angie proclaimed. Then she turned back to Cindy. “Katrina returned to the Shelter for a little while after the confrontation, but things spiraled downwards and pretty soon she left again and went back home with Flan.”
“Give me Katrina’s address immediately,” said Cindy. This was a huge lead. It was impossible to believe that no one knew about the fact that Shelly had gone head to head with a volatile, abusive guy.
“We’re not allowed to give out a former resident’s address,” said Barbara, coldly.
“This is a police matter,” Cindy replied fiercely. “There was unusual involvement between Shelly, Katrina and Katrina’s husband Flan. It has to be investigated. Time is of the essence. And, it‘s also definitely possible that the wrong man is being held in custody as we speak.”
Again, Barbara and Angie looked at each other. Barbara seemed weakened and sad.
“This won’t hurt the Shelter,” Angie said to Barbara, “ultimately it will help us to find out what happened. Give Cindy Katrina’s address. It’s the only right thing to do.”
*
When Cindy returned from the Shelter it was just past lunch time. The new information she’d received was so urgent, that she had to get in touch with Mattheus immediately. There was a new viable lead to explore and they had to get right on it. Cindy was sure Mattheus had no idea that Shelly had gotten between an abused woman and her violent husband. Who knows what that encounter could have led to? Domestic violence escalates and affects all who stand in its trail, Cindy remembered. Both she and Mattheus had to speak to Katrina and her husband immediately.
As soon as she got to the hotel lobby, Cindy dialed upstairs to Mattheus’s room. There was no answer. She called his cell phone; he didn’t pick up. Cindy then left a message saying there was a new, urgent development - he had to call her as soon as possible.
Where was he? Why wasn’t he picking up? Cindy was disconcerted. She went over to the desk to find out if they’d seen him. Nobody had. He hadn’t left a message for Cindy either, at the desk. Cindy guessed that this was his childish way of letting her know their partnership was over. It was crazy though, they were in the middle of a case. Had he flipped out?
Cindy wanted to talk to Katrina as soon as possible but couldn’t go without back up. She decided to call Alex then and let him know what she’d found. When she dialed Alex’s phone, he didn’t pick up either. Cindy left him a quick message, telling him to call, and then decided to take a few minutes to unwind at the pool. She would have a drink on a lounge chair out there, and get her thoughts together.
This was way more than she’d bargained for, but she decided not to jump to conclusions, thought Cindy, as she walked to the back of the hotel, where a large pool, surrounded by lounge chairs and little tables awaited her. There were a few guests scattered here and there, but basically the pool felt empty and it was soothing to be here.
Cindy sat down on a lounge and reminded herself that sooner or later either Alex or Mattheus would have to call back. She ordered a drink and put her head back, trying to put together the information she’d uncovered. Obviously, they were scared to death at the Shelter of having any misdoing exposed, afraid of being closed down. It seemed clear to Cindy that Shelly had exposed herself to danger by getting between Katrina and Flan. The only way Cindy would find out for sure, would be to go and talk to them herself.
The frosty, iced drink came and she sipped it slowly, suddenly missing Mattheus terribly. It had been so reassuring going over cases with him, feeling cared for and supported. She and Mattheus had balanced each other perfectly and both of them taken it for granted. Was it possible that he would ever come back to his senses, that they’d be able to be working partners again?
CHAPTER 17