Death by Devotion (Caribbean Murder #9)

Sean became silent, and then spoke. “This idiot could easily mess up our efforts, barge into places that will create blowback, big time. We have our informants in place. They’re not going to like him snooping around.”


Cindy wanted to know more. “Like who?” she asked, though Sean remained silent.

“If you don’t tell me where the danger is, Sean, I can’t keep Mattheus away from it.”

“Doesn’t seem like you can do much to reign him in, anyway, can you?” Sean replied.

Cindy took offense at that. It made her feel as though her presence here didn’t matter much.

“You don’t know Mattheus’s true involvement in the murder, either,” Sean continued, turning to Cindy directly. “Remember, he had public run ins with Cain before he was killed.”

“That’s not proof of anything,” Cindy replied.

But Sean continued, methodically. “Mattheus doesn’t have an alibi for that afternoon, either,” he said.

Cindy grew cold. “You asked him for an alibi?”

“Of course we did,” Sean answered matter of factly. “We asked him where he was that afternoon and if anyone saw him?”

“What did he say?” Cindy felt the blood draining from her face.

“He said he was at the beach, thinking things over, then wandering around in town.”

“That makes sense,” said Cindy. “Nothing so bad about that. There wasn’t a case to solve yet. He was just down here trying to bond with his daughter at that point.”

“There are lots of ways you can look at his actions,” Sean replied.

“Yes there are,” Cindy agreed, “but you need hard evidence, before you can call him a suspect.”

“Hard evidence comes in all kind of ways,” Sean reminded her. “Piece by piece a case gets built, the trail becomes clear, a person’s nature becomes revealed.”

Cindy tossed her head back and swallowed hard as Sean suddenly changed the topic.

“Okay, listen, I don’t want you staying at this hotel. Whoever threw the note through the taxi window knows where you are. It’s a shabby place, too. You deserve something better – and definitely safer.”

Cindy couldn’t help but agree about that.

“I’d like you to transfer to the Hotel Washington. It’s a nice place and near where I live. I can keep an eye on you then, easily.”

Cindy was caught for a second between crying and laughing. She could only imagine how Mattheus would take that.

“Let me think about it for a little while,” she answered. “And let me ask Mattheus to transfer there, too.”

Sean raised his eyebrows.

“In his own room, of course,” Cindy replied.

“Of course,” Sean emphasized, scrutinizing Cindy carefully. “Why in the world would I think anything different? After all, you guys are broken up, aren’t you?”

Cindy took a few steps away to a small chair and sat down on it. “I’ll talk to Mattheus and call you about it,” she answered succinctly. “Of course we’re broken up, but we’re still working a case together here.”

“I realize that,” said Sean briskly, “but that doesn’t mean you stay in the same room.”

*

Sean left soon after and Cindy noticed that he hadn’t asked her anything at all about her interview with Natalie. Didn’t it matter, didn’t he care? Or, did he know the answers already, and was just letting Cindy spin her wheels? Andrea had said that the police couldn’t care less about what she’d told them. Cindy stopped and wondered if the police had already decided Andrea was the killer and were basically closed to looking further. If they pulled Mattheus in as an accessory to the crime, that would certainly tighten their case.

Cindy liked Sean, but wasn’t totally sure about him yet, either. Yes, he was strong and uncompromising, but there were strange lapses in his behavior that were unaccounted for. She didn’t like that he withheld information from her, or that there were questions he’d never answer. Cindy had to face the fact that Sean was definitely still an unknown.

*

An hour later, after Cindy had a light dinner and was preparing to go to bed, there was suddenly a loud knock on her door. She wasn’t expecting anyone and startled, she ran and double locked the door.

“Who is it?” Cindy demanded.

“Mattheus, open up,” the voice outside answered.

Cindy sighed a breath of relief and opened the door slowly. Mattheus stood there, looking exhausted and disheveled.

“Where did you go when you left here?” Cindy asked as she stepped to the side to let him in.

Mattheus walked in staunchly. “I have people I’m working with down here, I went to see them,” Mattheus replied.

Cindy knew that Mattheus had a wide network of people all over the Islands who respected him and would help with all kinds of connections and support. Especially in a case like this, so directly connected to him.

“Sit down,” Cindy offered.

Mattheus kept standing. “I don’t trust that Sean guy one bit,” he started. “I don’t like that you called him and that he was in your room when I got here.”

Cindy took a deep, swift breath. “I’m working with the police on this, Mattheus. He’s the point man for the case.”