Cindy only half heard what Mattheus was saying, her mind was racing uncontrollably. In a few
minutes he was going to take off and meet that woman again. Was it so urgent that he had to see her on Christmas day? Why he really was going back? How much information could she really have?
Cindy didn’t say a thing to him, just drank the water near her plate.
“Hey,” Mattheus said then, “you haven’t eaten even a bite of lunch.”
“I’ll eat later,” Cindy said lightly, her stomach clenched in a knot.
CHAPTER 19
After Mattheus left for his appointment Cindy stayed downstairs, walking along the winding stone paths that surrounded the hotel, leading to the edge of the water. It had been a wild holiday so far, and she wondered what was to come next. There were a few hours left before sun down. Cindy especially loved this time of day. She slowed down as she walked and basked in the soft light that filtered through the clouds. More than ever now, she realized what a rocky path she had chosen. Danger lurked everywhere, not only from those she encountered, but from the emotion and confusion that arose within. To Cindy’s dismay, she didn’t know now whether or not she could trust Mattheus. Her confusion and suspicion about him, distressed her most of all. Was Mattheus simply a ladies man, as Hanuah had claimed? Was Mattheus playing with her, relishing her need for him, enjoying the power? That would be entirely unacceptable. If it were so, there would be no way they could go forward. Or, was it only her loneliness and longing for a partner that had allowed fantasies to develop about him?
She sat down on the edge of a rock then, close to the water. No matter how she tried to rationalize it though, the plain fact of the matter was that something was off. Right now Mattheus was with the red head, taking her out for a drink. They’d made the date last night. Part of Cindy wished she could follow him and see for herself exactly what was going on. Another part was ashamed for even having those thoughts.
As she sat there, wondering, the water splashed close to where she was sitting. She snapped back, startled, and woke up. How she could even be wasting another moment dwelling on this? Time was of the essence. She was here for a purpose. There was so much more to be done. Cindy took her phone and quickly dialed the number of Tiffany’s pusher. He was an important lead and she’d get on it right away.
His phone rang and rang. No one answered. Cindy wouldn’t be put off. She got up from the rock and decided to grab a cab and go in person to his address to see what she could find. After all, Mattheus was out there, investigating, there was no reason she shouldn’t be as well.
*
The roads were not as crowded today and taxi drove quickly over a hill, down a ravine, through a narrow cluster of spindly trees and straight to a tiny fishing village in an out of the way spot. Cindy enjoyed looking out the window, watching the scenery fly by. There was no end of nooks and crannies on the island with unexpected flowers, bramble, trees and rocks.
They arrived at the bottom of a hill and the driver stopped.
“Should I wait for you to take you back?” he asked.
Cindy was surprised. “No, it’ll be a while,” she said.
“May not be so easy to get a cab back,” he said, “especially today.”
Cindy hadn’t thought of that.
“How long will you be?” he continued.
She had no idea. The guy might not even be around.
“It could take a few minutes,” she said, “or I could be here for half an hour, or more.”
“I’ll wait,” the driver said nonchalantly, inspecting Cindy out of the corner of his eye.
Cindy appreciated it, but it also made her uneasy. Why did he want to wait so much, she wondered? Maybe he’d also have a hard time getting another fare today.
“Okay, thanks,” she said
*
A few, small, wooden shacks lined the bottom of the sloping hill he’d taken her to. Cindy walked along the tiny road in front of them. Loud music was playing in the first shack Cindy passed. The next one was dead silent. The third one, dark grey and broken down was a bit further away. The place had a seedy, moldy feeling about it. The paint was peeling and the fence in the front, cracked. Cindy walked up closer to it and checked the address on the front door. This was it, the place Rori had said Tiffany came to buy her drugs.
Cindy walked up to the front door and knocked on it, loud.
No one answered. Who knows where he could be today, Cindy thought. She knocked once again and waited.
No answer again.
Cindy turned and was about to go back to the cab, when someone came to the front door and opened it slowly, peering out. The door creaked as he opened it wider.
A small man with thick lips and beady eyes stood there, rumpled and worn.
“Yeah? Who are you?” he said.
Cindy was taken aback. He looked as if he had either just woken up or was high on something himself.
“Cindy Blaine,” she said.