Cindy couldn’t help but probe. “Tiffany had many sides to her,”
“We all have many sides to us,” Tad held strong. “Different people bring out different parts of each other. Tiffany brought out only the best in me.”
“And what did you bring out in her?” Cindy couldn’t help asking.
Tad grew a bit pale. “You really want the answer to that question?” he said quickly.
“Very much,” Cindy whispered.
“Okay, before you leave for the States, come to my home for an hour or so, and I’ll show you a whole scrapbook I have of our relationship. There are letters to me, photos, mementos. I have poems she wrote.”
“I’d love to see that,” Cindy said, her heart starting to beat faster. It would be a wonderful closure for her on the case, show her a more intimate side of Tiffany. Cindy didn’t want to be left with only the sordid stories she had heard.
“Great,” said Tad, excited.
“It’s very generous of you to offer to share that with me,” Cindy said.
Tad’s eyes shone brightly. “It’s the least I can do,” he said. “Especially if you’re not giving up, and plan to return to hunt the killer down!”
Cindy didn’t realize he’d taken her comment so seriously. Obviously, it had touched a chord. She didn’t want to go back on it now and tell him she was just joking. It didn’t feel right to joke about Tiffany, anyway. Cindy’s feelings about Tiffany had deepened as the investigation went on. She really wanted to see the scrapbook, learn as much about her as she could, leave on a positive note. How else could she ever put the case to rest?
“What time is your discharge?” Tad asked lightly.
“Around eleven,” said Cindy, “then I’ll be taken to the airport to fly back to St. Bart’s. Mattheus is meeting me there a little later there. We’re scheduled to be on a flight at three back to the States.”
“Perfect,” said Tad. “I’ll pick you up at the airport at noon. My home is only about ten minutes away. That should give us at least an hour before you meet up with Mattheus.”
“Wonderful,” said Cindy, very much looking forward to it. “Tad, you’re a doll.”
“You have no idea how much of a doll I truly am,” Tad smiled appreciatively. “Wait until tomorrow, and you’ll find out.
CHAPTER 21
The discharge from the hospital and flight back to St. Bart’s went easily. Cindy was amazed at how much better she felt, and how good it was to be out of the hospital, headed back to the island. She’d developed a fondness for St. Bart’s, and missed being there. As the plane hovered over the airport getting ready to land, it slowly struck her that she and Mattheus would be leaving for the States in a few hours. A pit in her stomach began to form. How could she leave like this, with Tiffany’s killer on the loose? Who knew when or where he’d strike again?
The plane flew down and landed like a bird drifting off a cloud. Cindy suddenly realized she’d promised Mattheus she’d let him know when she’d arrived. They’d been checking in so much with each other these past days that it almost slipped her mind.
She stepped out of the plane, took out her phone, and gave Mattheus a quick call. As she was dialing, she saw Tad coming up to her, thrilled to see her there. He must have gotten to the airport early and been waiting for her to arrive. Cindy couldn’t remember whether or not she’d told Mattheus she was going to spend a little while at Tad’s house before she and Mattheus met up at the airport. She didn’t even remember if she’d told him about the scrapbook.
Mattheus picked up the phone right away. “You’ve landed?”
“I have,” said Cindy, “easy flight.”
“How are feeling?”
“Great,” said Cindy, “as if it never happened.”
“Whew,” Mattheus sounded relieved. “Take it easy, have some coffee in the airport, read a magazine. I’ll be there in about an hour or so.”
“Actually, Tad’s here at the airport,” Cindy filled him in. “I’m going back with him to his house nearby for a little while. He wants to show me the scrapbook he has of his relationship with Tiffany. I’ll be back at the airport in a little over an hour, before you get there.”
Mattheus grew silent. “What are you talking about?”
“Tad has kept a lot of mementos and he thought it would be meaningful for me to see them.”
“We’re off the case, Cindy,” Mattheus sounded jarred.
“I know, but Tad offered to show it to me when he visited at the hospital, and I wanted to see what he had. It will help me put things to rest.”
“He could have just brought what he had to the airport,” Mattheus didn’t like it.
Cindy hadn’t thought of that. “I guess he thought I’d be more comfortable at his home. It’s only ten minutes away from here. No big deal. I’ll stay there for about half an hour, then he’ll drive me back and I’ll meet you here.”