Cindy’s heart sunk. He was covering something.
“What you’re really calling for is to find out is how the party went,” Mattheus mumbled. “You’re checking up on me.”
“Anything wrong with that?” Cindy asked. “We usually have breakfast around eight o’clock. This morning you weren’t there.”
Mattheus got quiet again. “Nothing’s wrong with it,” he said. “It’s just not a reason to wake me up.”
Cindy wanted to get off the phone quickly. This had gone further than she wanted it to.
“So, go back to sleep then,” she said, in a business like tone. “I’m going into town in a little while to meet Wynn, Rori and another one of Tiffany’s friends.”
Mattheus was taken by her change of tone.
“Okay, we’ll catch up later after your interview. I want to hear what they have to say,” he said.
“Fine,” said Cindy and hung up abruptly, her heart pounding.
This wasn’t good. Obviously, he’d stayed out late last night and clearly, it was no business of hers. She got up, changed outfits, put on a pretty, lemon, linen dress, brushed her hair and shook it out. Mattheus had every right to live his life and so did she. This was a delicate balance between them. She had to be careful about it.
Cindy took a cab into town, which was as charming and civilized as she could have imagined. The streets were lined with upscale clothing boutiques, jewelry shops, gift and wine shops, florists and cafes. The same beautiful, slim, tanned people were everywhere, milling around. Cindy felt as though she could have been walking along a street in Paris, rather than on an island out at sea.
She went to the café Wynn mentioned, and sat down on a bench outside to wait. It was still a little early, but she felt better being away from the hotel, getting distance from Mattheus, focusing on her work. It had been a long while since she’d been involved with a man and had forgotten the strange mixture of feelings that could come over her. It had been mostly easy with Clint, though. He’d never given her a reason to feel nervous or insecure. She was horrified to feel this way with Mattheus, now. It could mess up their entire relationship.
As Cindy sat there wondering how to proceed, she saw Wynn walking down the block, accompanied by two young women. Cindy stood up to greet them, and was startled as they got closer. Rori was the spitting image of her dead sister. It felt almost as if Tiffany had come back from the grave.
“Thanks so much for coming,” Wynn gave Cindy a hug.
“It’s my pleasure,” said Cindy.
“I think you’ve met Rori,” said Wynn, “and this is Tiffany’s best friend Alma.”
Alma smiled nervously and Rori looked Cindy right in the eye. Her glance had a flicker of challenge in it, as if to say, I have a right to get off the boat and move on with my life no matter what anyone says.
“I’m glad you could come into town,” Cindy commented.
“We had to get off the ship,” Rori answered. “It’s getting to be a nightmare no one can wake up from. What’s the good of all of us going crazy?”
“No good at all,” said Cindy.
Rori seemed to appreciate that.
“Let’s go for a walk,” Rori continued, flippantly. “I’ve had it with sitting in one place.”
Rori started strolling along the street and the others joined her. Clearly she was the ring leader.
“Oh my God, here’s Winstons,” Rori squealed, as they approached an expensive boutique with huge glass windows, decorated with Christmas wreaths. “I absolutely adore their clothes. Let’s look.” And with that, she plunged inside.
Cindy stood back, but Alma shrugged and followed her in.
Wynn gave Cindy a knowing look.
“It’s a distraction for Rori,” Wynn covered for her. “We all have to do something to get Tiffany off our mind. Rori’s a great shopper. Come on, let’s join them.”
Winston’s was a high end boutique with designer label clothes. Like every place else on the island, it was filled. Young and old women drifted around, inspecting the dresses, skirts and silk blouses. This was serious business, the dresses started from seven hundred and fifty dollars and up. An older woman that Cindy had seen at the hotel, accompanied a sales person who brought four dresses to the checkout counter. All together the dresses must have gone for at least five thousand dollars. The woman handed over her credit card without blinking an eye.
“This dress is perfect,” said Rori, pulling a green, silk dress off the rack. “And just my size. I’ve got to try it on.”
It was hard for Cindy to imagine how Rori could enjoy shopping for clothes so much when her twin sister had just been killed.
As if reading her mind, Wynn said quietly, “Rori’s a lot like our dad. She forges ahead, doesn’t let things knock her over. She’s dealing with the loss her way. She’s been on the phone all night with friends. Shopping is an outlet for her, a release.”