“What was the attraction Shelly had for a guy like that?” Mattheus was trying to make sense of the nightmare he was in.
Cindy didn’t want to tell him what Katrina said about his marriage. But there was no point keeping the rest from him. He had to know the truth, ultimately it would heal.
“Katrina said Shelly went after all kinds of guys, flirted with them, had to have them.”
Mattheus stared at her blankly. “The longer we were married, the colder she became – finally I had to beg her for whatever I got.”
“I’m sorry, Mattheus.”
Mattheus started gnawing on his lip. “Tommy said the same thing about her,” he muttered, “that Shelly came to his bar all the time and had a grand time – carried on like a wildcat.”
“When enough people confirm it, you have a fact,” Cindy replied.
“Okay, okay,” Mattheus was starting to get upset again. “So, I’m a complete jackass and cuckold! One thing I do know for sure, though, is that Anthony didn’t kill her. They got the wrong guy locked up.”
“Did you find out more about that?” Cindy was relieved to change the subject for a second.
“Yeah, I went to visit his cousin’s neighborhood, where he moved in. It’s a ratty place where people don’t easily surface. So, I spent time scouring the neighborhood, talking to folks who stay under the radar. I found two people who actually saw Anthony right around the time Shelly was killed, before he went to sleep that night. They saw him out at the corner shop, getting beer. The time these folks saw him made it impossible for him to have killed her. The shopkeeper at the place confirmed it, too. Anthony probably forgot all about it. They said he was stoned.”
“Why didn’t they come forward?”
“Nobody got to them. They didn’t know the information was needed.”
Cindy took Mattheus’s hand and held it close to her.
“You’ve done a wonderful job, Mattheus. You’ve saved a guy’s life.”
Mattheus smiled and looked at her deeply. “Thank you.”
“But it’s not over yet,” Cindy went on. “We’ve got to close in on the killer. I’m going to speak to Flan right away.”
“You mean we’re going to speak to him,” Mattheus bristled.
“No,” said Cindy, definitely. “If this guy’s got so much going on with women, there’s a better chance of cracking him if I go alone.”
Mattheus stopped and considered for a moment. “You’re right,” he said, “you can do the talking, but I’m going to be hanging close behind.”
“Not too close though,” Cindy was insistent. “I’ll see Flan out in the open, out on the pier near his ships. There’ll be plenty of people around. If you’re too close by, he’ll smell it. It’s better for me to go alone.”
Mattheus’s eyes grew narrow. “I need to see the monster myself,” he breathed. “I’m gonna wring his neck with my very own hands. I’ve been waiting for this for a very long time.”
Yes, I know you have, Mattheus,” said Cindy, shaken. “That’s why I have to go alone.”
*
The pier Flan’s boats were docked at was about two miles away, not far from the Police Station. Cindy got there easily, in a taxi and promised to call Mattheus as soon as she was done.
The second she got out of the cab, Cindy saw a large sign, Flan’s Shark Fishing. It was late-afternoon, but the sun was still warm, shining down on the boats, the glistening water and the people milling around. Cindy walked down the runway to one of his boats to find out when Flan was expected in.
A small, heavy man, drinking a beer was squatting on a low stool outside the entrance. It looked like it was his job to direct people to the boats, to sign up for the next fishing expedition.
Cindy went up to him. “Where can I find Flan?”
Without even looking up, he answered, not missing a beat.
“Hell, Flan’s right inside that boat over there,” he pointed. “He’s been in for two hours now. Boats leave early in the morning and get back late afternoon. If you want to sign up for the next day, you come early that morning.”
Cindy’s stomach clenched. Flan was right there where she needed him. The timing was perfect, everything was lining up. When things lined up like this, it was usually a sign of a big find.
Cindy brushed her hair back off her face and walked up to the boat, went right onto the deck and let the cool breezes wash over her. It was hard to believe that she hadn’t even heard this guy’s name until that morning. It was amazing how quickly things could turn around, in a second a case that was sealed tight could flash open. That’s what she loved about the work so much.
“Anyone here?” Cindy called out along the boat’s deck. No answer. Could be that guy drinking beer was wrong, she thought. This might not be as easy as she thought. She tried again, “Hello, anyone there?” Then she heard a noise and spun around quickly.
An absolutely gorgeous, suntanned, powerful, guy with wavy blonde hair, green eyes, and no shirt, was staring at her. She’d barely heard him come out on deck.