Death by Devotion (Caribbean Murder #9)

“It’s great to be here,” said Cindy, sitting down at the stool beside Natalie.

Natalie took a glass that was on the bar and downed it fast. “It’s lemonade,” she said with a little grin. “Drinking laws.”





Cindy smiled.

“Do you know Andrea well?” Natalie started talking, as if she couldn’t wait to say all she had on her mind.

“I don’t know her at all,” said Cindy, feeling thirsty and wanting something to drink as well. “I’m her father’s business partner.”

“I know,” Natalie nodded quickly and ran her hand along the bar. “We all heard everything about you. Andrea told us when she came back from St. Martin. She couldn’t believe her real father found her, and actually wanted to see her. It was like a dream come true.”

“And she couldn’t stand me,” Cindy quickly filled in. “Did she tell you that, too?”

“Yes, she did,” Natalie’s voice got lower, as she looked aside. “Are you thirsty or something?”she said then. “Want something to drink?”

“I’d love a lemonade like you’re having,” said Cindy, making Natalie laugh.

“You got it,” Natalie said fast, called the waiter and ordered one.

“Why didn’t Andrea like me?” Cindy had to know more when Natalie had finished ordering the drink.

“She just didn’t want another woman around,” Natalie answered, her eyes rising slowly to look at Cindy. “I think deep, deep down she was hoping that Mattheus and her mother would get back together again and that she’d finally have a real family. Everyone wants that.”

“But Andrea’s mother was already married,” Cindy remarked, nervously.

“It was a horrible marriage,” Natalie’s voice dropped lower again. “Cain beat her and beat Andrea. Her mother kept threatening to leave him every day and Andrea kept praying that she would. I guess when Andrea met Mattheus she thought he was the answers to her prayers.”

“That’s quite a jump to think that,” said Cindy.

“I know, I told her to cool it, too,” said Natalie. “I said let things take their course.”

“And, what was her reaction?” Cindy was enthralled.

“Andrea’s not the kind of girl who cools it,” Natalie spoke quickly now. “She goes up and down in a second, she’s emotional and gets upset. She’s also very attached to her mother, does whatever she can to take care of her. But she also knows how to have a good time, if you know what I mean?” Natalie leaned closer to Cindy, as if she were making sure that no one could hear her.

“What do you mean?” Cindy egged her on.

“Listen, there’s stuff about Andrea that everyone knows -.”

“Go on,” said Cindy so grateful to have met Natalie.

“Andrea’s big into drugs and dealing,” Natalie looked at Cindy, who showed no reaction. “Lots of kids who live here do that,” Natalie continued, “it’s not really such a big deal.”

Cindy wanted to ask if Natalie were too, but she thought better of it. She was so wonderful and such a rich source of information, Cindy didn’t want to put her on the spot.

“What else?” said Cindy, “lots of sex, boyfriends?”

Natalie looked surprised at the question. “Well, of course everyone has sex and boyfriends.”

“Of course,” Cindy replied as if she were one of the crowd. “But there’s more than just plain sex that goes on down here, isn’t there?” Cindy thought of the information she’d received about prostitution and trafficking. Was it possible that Andrea was involved in that?

Natalie brushed her hair back from her neck. This was getting intense for her. “There’s all kinds of sex down here and people get involved in it for all kinds of reasons, including for pay,” she said. Then she paused for a long time, as if worried that she may have said too much.

Cindy quickly jumped in. “It’s alright, Natalie, you’re helping Andrea by telling me. The more I know the better, right now she’s the main suspect and it doesn’t look good.”

Natalie’s eyes grew wide with fear. “I heard that and it terrifies me. You’ve got to free her, I don’t want to lose her, she’s my best friend. And besides, I’m positive she didn’t do it.”

“Why are you so positive?” Cindy jumped in.

“Because I know her since we were kids. Andrea could never hurt anyone. Even when her stepfathers beat her, she couldn’t raise a hand to fight back. I told her, fight, Andrea, but she always just said, I can’t.”

“Maybe she finally had enough?” said Cindy. “Maybe this was one time too many and she just let loose. It would be understandable, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes, it would,” Natalie agreed, “but that’s not what happened. She didn’t do it, she’s innocent.”

“What do the other kids think?” asked Cindy.