“Good,” said the Senator, all business now. “Then you know how hard I’ve fought for issues that are important to me - the environment, solar energy, protecting wild life?”
“Yes,” said Mattheus.
“Did you also have time to research what’s going on here on the island?”
Mattheus perked up. “Like what?”
The Senator’s eyes were gleaming. “Things here aren’t the perfect heaven they seem. They used to be. This place used to be an incredible corner of the earth, unspoiled, hidden away, a sanctuary for nature and people. Up until recently they only had one practically dirt road to drive on. It’s only recently that well paved roads were built.”
Mattheus wasn’t sure what he was getting at.
“That’s one of the reasons our family loved this place so much. Not only our family, plenty of others. People come down here to leave the world behind.”
“And?” Mattheus didn’t need a tourist guide to natural beauty. He had a killer to find.
“The place is now being flooded with rich Russian Moguls. They’re coming in and buying up homes and land for millions way more than they’re worth. The Moguls plan to make big bucks on this place and the rich people who live here smell even more money coming into their pockets. There are battles going on about ransacking natural habitats to build new hotels and casinos, turning this place into a high traffic, drug infested spot, like plenty of others around.” The Senator stood up and ran his hands through his hair. “I objected to that. I fought it. I fight it still. I will not give in.” His hands were shaking.
Mattheus moved closer to him.
“Sasha Petrovich is the name of the guy who heads up this group who plans to build a casino here,” the Senator continued. “He came to me to help him, to throw political power his way. He said there was plenty in it for me. I turned him down flat.”
Mattheus took a swift breath. They were in deeper waters than he had imagined.
“This guy has a villa down here. He has his own security force. He comes and goes and thinks he owns the island, or is about to. He warned me it wouldn’t be pretty if I fought on the other side.”
The Senator began pacing. “I never imagined he would do something like this.”
“You believe he did it?” Mattheus asked alarmed.
“Him or one of his flunkies,” the Senator said. “These guys are heartless, they’re gangsters. They live and die for money. He was warning me about trouble, but I had no idea what he really had in mind.”
“Have you told the police?” Mattheus asked.
“What police? There’s never any crime here. We have a few gendarmes on the island set up in a little police house. They’re in the pocket of the President, his own personal corps. When someone goes against the President’s wishes, these guys find ways to harass them. Do I have to tell you that Petrovich and the President are also tight?”
These were serious accusations the Senator was making. Mattheus pulled out a pad and started to take careful notes.
“You’ve got to report this to the authorities,” Mattheus stated.
The Senator’s voice turned bitter. “I told the gendarmes, naturally. They just looked at me blankly. This is was way beyond what they’re able to handle. The real police for the island, the ones who are used to handling crime, are down on Guadeloupe. I demanded that they be sent for. The only reason the gendarmes called for them is because of who I am. They’re on their way as we speak.”
“But a U.S. Senator’s daughter has been killed down here. You’ve got to be able to bring help in from the U.S.”
“Right now we’re in the hands of the French. We can call on Interpol later on if we have to.”
“Do the gendarmes down here know you’ve hired a couple of private detectives?” Mattheus asked.
“I mentioned the two of you in passing,” said the Senator. “It didn’t much sink in. Listen, I want you to get all the evidence you can on Petrovich. Meet him, snoop around. Nail him. Gather as much information about them as you can, and I’ll pass it to my U.S. connections. The local politicians want me to keep it quiet, but I don’t give a damn how much noise you make. My daughter’s dead. That’s all I care about. And I want her killer ripped from limb to limb.”
Mattheus looked up as the Senator spoke and was startled for a moment as he saw Tad standing in the doorway, listening in.
The Senator paused, followed Mattheus’ glance, and took a deep breath.
“Come on in, Tad,” he said.
Tad walked over to the Senator, who put his arm around him.
“This is the son I always wanted,” the Senator said. “This is one terrific young man, and look what they’ve done to his life.”
Tad smiled wanly, looking strained and sad. Mattheus could see how close the two of them had been.
“And to top it off,” the Senator continued, “all their focus is on Tad. It’s ridiculous.”
Mattheus looked at Tad closely. He had a distant quality about him, as if he barely registered what was going on.
“I’m sure you have a solid alibi,” Mattheus said to Tad, routinely.