Death by Devotion (Caribbean Murder #9)

Petra looked at Cindy with disgust. “You couldn’t know if you tried, honey. Not when you’re all pretty and fancy, like that.”


Cindy wondered why Petra disliked her so intensely? Was it really because Cindy was down here from the States, or because of her relationship with Mattheus? Did Petra secretly want him back again for herself? Why wouldn’t she? And, in all this time, Cindy hadn’t heard her say one word about Andrea. Her daughter was locked up and Petra didn’t seem to give a damn.

“I would think you’d be happy I was here to get your daughter out of jail,” Cindy tossed out at her.

“If I thought you could help my daughter, I’d be happy,” Petra, edged closer to Cindy, as if wanting to take her on. “But they got Andrea locked up. The system’s made of steel. Their minds are all made up.”

Cindy didn’t buy it. Was it just convenient for Petra to believe her daughter didn’t have a chance?

“What do you think happened to your husband, Petra?” Cindy confronted her directly.

To Cindy’s surprise Petra suddenly began trembling. Mattheus stepped closer to her to comfort her, but she jerked away. Clearly she had no love for him, either.

“What happened, Petra?” Cindy wouldn’t let up. “You know more than you’re saying.”

“Whatever the bastard got, he deserved it,” Petra suddenly hissed, between trembling lips.

“I’m not denying that,” Cindy took a step closer to her. “But did Andrea do it?”

“Never,” Petra howled. “I refuse to believe that, I refuse.” Then she looked at Cindy oddly.

“I heard your husband beat her,” Cindy kept going.

“He beat me, too. So what?” Petra kept howling. “Doesn’t mean a damn. Doesn’t mean he didn’t love both of us.”

That stopped Cindy completely. What kind of insanity was this?

“A guy can beat you and love you,” Petra was now running her shaky hands through her messy hair. “It happens all the time here – we understand it. Not you, not from where you come. Up in your world, everything’s all clean and pretty. But deep down underneath, no one gives a damn about each other. I’d rather get beat up and know someone cared.”

Cindy threw Mattheus a hurried glance. He was staring, transfixed at Petra, taking in every word she said.

“You’re right, you’re right,” Mattheus echoed, “we get beaten up in all kinds of ways.”

Petra didn’t hear a word Mattheus was saying though, just turned and pointed at him.

“This never would have happened,” she yelled, “if you hadn’t come back down here. Who asked you to come? Who needed you? You got Andrea worked up in a crazy way.”

“How?” Cindy was fascinated.

Petra turned to Cindy then. “He made my daughter think she finally had someone to protect her, a real father. But it’s not so easy to have that, is it?” Petra tossed her hair away from her face. “And look how he protected her! Cain’s blood was all over her and now she’s sitting in jail.”

“I told you I’m getting Andrea out,” Mattheus shouted, outraged.

“Yeah, yeah, tell me another,” Petra let loose. “You said lots of things to me years ago and you’re saying them again now. But did anything you said ever come true?”

“Give me a chance,” Mattheus pleaded.

A long, cold chill went through Cindy. What was Mattheus pleading for? Exoneration from the past, or a chance to save their daughter now? Probably both. But one important question hadn’t been answered. It stood there like a heavy fog around them all. Who really killed Cain? Could it have been Andrea?

Cindy tried to bring light into the situation, began going over the plain facts.

“Andrea was found beside Cain’s body when he was found. She was covered in his blood.”

Petra started sobbing. “That doesn’t mean she did it,” she gasped.

“No, it doesn’t,” said Cindy, “but then we have to find who did. And why, and how? We have to gather all kinds of evidence, go over every possible person who could have had a motive, and an opportunity to be there when he died.”

“We don’t even know the exact time of death yet,” Mattheus chimed in. “We’re still waiting for the medical examiner’s report. That’s important. We know what time they found Andrea with Cain, but we don’t know the exact time he died.”

“Andrea’s innocent, I know she’s innocent,” Petra wailed.

“And if she isn’t?” Cindy stopped her cold.

“What do you want to do, destroy our entire family?” Petra grew stone cold. “Did you come down here to take all of us out?”

“I want to know why you’re so sure Andrea’s innocent?” Cindy felt like grabbing her, shaking her, making her come to her senses. “You have to tell me everything you know – about Andrea, about Cain, about your relationship with him.”

Petra’s eyes shut again and she grew silent, as if she were hiding deep secrets inside that she could never share with anyone.