“I found it in Katrina’s drawer,” Cindy said.
Mattheus voice started cracking. “I made it for Shelly, She never took it off.”
“She didn’t take it off all the time she was here, either,” Cindy said softly.
Mattheus started to cry as he cradled the necklace in his hands.
“It was taken from Shelly’s neck after she was killed,” Cindy said. “I don’t believe Flan would done that and given it to Katrina.”
Mattheus’s voice grew darker. “So, how did Katrina get it?”
“She had to have known how much it meant to Shelly,” Cindy said. “Katrina took if off her after she was killed. Katrina did it. She was out for revenge.”
Mattheus and Cindy stared at each other.
“We’ve got to go back to Katrina’s house immediately,” said Cindy.
“The police are on their way there,” Mattheus broke in. “I called them the second after you called.”
Then he took out a handkerchief and wrapped it gently around the wound on Cindy’s neck that was still bleeding. “Are you able to go with me to Katrina? Should you go to the hospital first and get the wound dressed?”
“I can go to Katrina,” said Cindy. “I need to be there with you when the police arrive.”
“Okay,” said Mattheus. “Let’s go right away.”
*
Cindy and Mattheus walked into Katrina’s house just as the police were circling her and she was thrashing around, yelling for her lawyer.
The minute Cindy walked in, Katrina stopped and stared.
The police turned and stared at Cindy as well.
“She lunged at me, scratched and choked me, right at the spot where Shelly was killed,” Cindy said plainly, pointing to her neck.
Rodney and Alex looked daunted.
Katrina started frothing at the mouth as her words boiled over, one after the other.
“Go to hell you bitch,” she shot at Cindy. “I’m only sorry I didn’t finish you off the way I finished Shelly. She was easier than you, though, she was stupid. She got what she deserved, and you’re gonna get it, too.”
“Hold on, hold on,” Rodney was trying to hold her back from lunging at Cindy again.
“And if I don’t get you,” Katrina pressed forward, “once Flan gets out, he will.”
Rodney grabbed Katrina harder and pulled her arms back.
“Did you hear what you said?” he growled.
“What?” Katrina practically spit at him.
“You killed Shelly?”
“I did,” said Katrina, “why shouldn’t I? Did she deserve to live?”
Mattheus, tight as a drum, moved towards her. “Do you?”
Cindy held him back.
“Any idiot could see who killed your precious wife and why!” Katrina jeered at Mattheus. “And I’m gonna kill your other doll, too. And the police down here couldn’t care less. They see things like this all the time.”
“She’s high on crack,” Rodney said to Alex.
Alex turned to Mattheus, the blood drained from his face. “She’s out of her mind,” he apologized. “Of course we care.”
“I know you do,” Mattheus was trembling.
“The case is over,” Alex said quietly then. “Take Cindy to the hospital to have her wound treated. Take good care of her.”
“You better believe I’ll take good care,” said Mattheus, “she’s all I’ve got left in the world.”
*
Cindy was taken immediately at the hospital to a treatment room, where her wound was treated and bandaged. Only a couple of fly stitches were put in.
“There won’t be any scar,” the doctor assured her.
There’s all kinds of scars, thought Cindy, as Mattheus came to the edge of the door and peeked in. They hadn’t let him in before and it was wonderful to see him now.
“Sorry you had to go through this,” said the doctor, finishing up.
“I’ve been through worse things,” said Cindy.
Mattheus walked in then, holding a large bouquet of roses.
“If it weren’t for you this case wouldn’t have been solved,” Mattheus said, looking at Cindy adoringly. “No one can believe it. You did it again.”
“We did it together,” said Cindy slowly. She was tired and happy, but most of all relieved. She’d had an odd feeling about Katrina from the moment she met her, and wondered how the women at the Shelter were now taking the news that one of them was the killer. What would Barbara do?
Mattheus handed Cindy the flowers. “The story’s all over the news,” he said.
The doctor smiled and moved back a little, giving the two of them room to be together.
“I don’t know what I would have done without you?” Mattheus said as he came closer to Cindy.
She smiled. “I’m glad I could help.”
“Help? That’s not the word for it.”
The two of them looked at each other for a moment that seemed to stretch through lifetimes.
At that very moment, Alex walked into the room.
“Congratulations,” he said walking over to the bed. “You’re a star. Reporters are waiting outside to interview you—and we’ve received an urgent call for you both.”
“What about?” asked Mattheus.