Death by Devotion (Caribbean Murder #9)

“I’d met her for just for a short while in St. Martin,” Mattheus corrected him. “Cindy

wanted me to meet her before Cindy and I got engaged. So, I tracked her down and we met at a hotel there.”

“Was Cindy present when the two of you met?” Sean seemed fascinated.

“Yes, she was,” said Mattheus. “I can’t say my daughter took a liking to her, though. In fact, it was exactly the opposite. Andrea invited me to come down to Anguilla to get to know her, but only if I left Cindy behind.”

“That’s quite an invitation,” Sean murmured.

“I could see where it would be hard for Andrea to deal with another woman at my side before she even knew me,” Mattheus felt compelled to defend her. “‘I’d left her mother before she was born, and I realized it could be hard for her to see me with someone else now. And beyond that, obviously, Petra filled her head with lots of negative stuff about me over the years.”

“Like what?” Sean listened closely.

“Petra told her that I didn’t care about either of them, just ran off,” Mattheus grumbled. “I was a kid, my relationship with Petra was just a one night stand. I actually spent a little time with Petra after I found out she was pregnant. In fact, I recall giving Petra some money. Then, she’s right, I left and didn’t look back.”

“You never wondered about your daughter?” Sean continued.

“Look, what is this?” Mattheus flared up. “What has this got to do with anything?”

“Just trying to find out more about you,” said Sean quietly.

“Hell, it’s a pretty common story,” Mattheus tried to toss if off. “It was Cindy who pushed me to find Andrea. If I didn’t care about Cindy, I never would have.”

Sean looked at Mattheus closely then. “But you agreed to leave Cindy behind and come down to be with your daughter instead.”

“For a little while, not a lifetime,” Mattheus got more irritated.

“Did you talk it over with Cindy first?” Sean seemed fascinated.

“No, I didn’t,” Mattheus suddenly felt like getting out of there, fast. “There was nothing to talk over. I’d found my daughter and needed to spend some time with her. I had no choice about it. And, I had no idea, that Cindy would be so upset about it, either.”

“Maybe she was upset by the way you did it,” Sean suggested.

“Maybe?” said Mattheus, “but I’m sick of it.”

“Sick of Cindy?”

“No, sick of the way our relationship goes up and down in a flash. Sick of the way she’s always looking for a reason to pull out on me. Okay, so she can go now. I’m finished.”

“You’re finished, but you called Cindy down here?” Sean dug right in.

“I called her to help in an emergency,” said Mattheus, my daughter’s life’s in danger. Cindy’s a fabulous detective. She’s down here on business, wants to help me.”

Sean nodded, taking it in. “What about your reunion with Petra?” he asked.

“Reunion?” Mattheus stood up. “This is getting ridiculous. It was a one night stand, fifteen years ago.”

“You must have thought about her over the years, though?” Sean wouldn’t be side tracked. “You must have had fantasies about what it would be like to see her again?”

“The truth is, I never thought about Petra at all,” said Mattheus, as he started towards the door. “I had more important things to think about.”

“Stay here awhile,” Sean got up and followed him. “I need to know more. Are you still in love with Cindy?”

Mattheus stopped a second and stared at him. “Why do you ask?” he spit back. “Are you?”





Chapter 10


Mattheus returned to his hotel in a flurry, went straight to Cindy’s room and knocked on the door, loud. It was just before lunch time and he hoped she’d be there. Where else could she have gone? They had work to do. They hadn’t sat down and planned out the investigation yet, hadn’t decided who would do what.

“Open up, Cindy,” Mattheus called.

To his surprise and delight, the door opened immediately and Cindy stood there looking rested and freshened up, in a light blue summer skirt, printed T shirt and sandals.

“Thank God, you’re here,” he barged into the room without a moment’s hesitation. “What are you doing?”

Cindy was startled to see him in such disarray. “I’m taking notes on what’s happened so far,” she said, soothingly. “I’m thinking it all over.”

Mattheus sat down on the thin, rickety sofa near the window and put his head in his hands.

“I just met with Andrea at jail,” he uttered. “She’s a mess, she hates my guts, and she’s pointing the finger at me.”

Cindy gasped and went over to him, “she has to be in complete shock. She doesn’t know what she’s doing or saying.”

“Maybe?” said Mattheus, throwing his head back and looking up at the ceiling.

For a second Cindy remembered then how much she’d cared about him, how vulnerable and also powerful he could be.