Death by Devotion (Caribbean Murder #9)

That surprised Mattheus. “Why Hotel Washington, and why me?” he replied.

“However you feel at the moment, we are still working this case together. We need to share information.”

“I got that,” said Mattheus, seemingly relieved, “but why Hotel Washington?”

“Sean asked us to transfer to it,” Cindy replied matter of factly. “We’ll be safer there, they can keep a better eye on us.”

“He wants us to transfer there?” Mattheus asked, agitated.

“Yes,” said Cindy, “in different rooms on the same floor.”

“And where to from there?” asked Mattheus then. “What’s next?”

“For me, more research for me into Andrea, her family and friends,” Cindy replied.

“What did you find out about Andrea from Natalie?” Mattheus suddenly shot to attention.

“More than you want to know,” said Cindy, “much, much more.”





Chapter 13


Hotel Washington was a few miles away, up on a hill, overlooking the ocean. It had all the amenities anyone could want, including a beautiful pool, wonderful restaurants, a top notch bar and rooms with large balconies. Sean arranged for the move first thing the next morning and Cindy and Mattheus got there just before breakfast. It was a tremendous relief to leave the other hotel. Cindy wanted to ask Mattheus if he wanted to grab breakfast before they went to their separate rooms, but was afraid it would seem too much like old times.

“Let’s grab a bite of breakfast before we go to our rooms,” Mattheus jumped the gun.

Cindy was hungry and she also wanted to normalize things between them. “Sure,” she said quickly. It couldn’t hurt, and there was a lot they had to cover anyway.

*

Cindy and Mattheus were quickly seated in a large, airy coffee shop, ordered breakfast and breathed the sweet, refreshing ocean air. Cindy hadn’t felt so comfortable since she’d arrived on the island.

Once breakfast came and they started eating, Mattheus looked over at her. “I hope you don’t totally hate me,” he said under his breath.

“Of course I don’t hate you,” Cindy said casually.

“There’s no excuse for some of the things I said last night,” Mattheus wouldn’t drop it. “I was accusing you and that was awful.”

“It wasn’t pleasant,” Cindy agreed. “You get like that, Mattheus, jealous and suspicious. You lose perspective.”

“I’m under terrible pressure,” Mattheus tried to defend himself.

“I know,” said Cindy. “The case hits way too close to home.”

“It’s tricky for me down in the underworld, too,” Mattheus continued. “Slimy beyond words, so many rotten things happening down here, it’s hard to keep focus. These gangs have their hands into everything, and I mean everything.”

“What are you looking for, exactly?” asked Cindy.

“I’m talking to people who knew Cain. I found out he was part of everything. Cain worked for a guy named Pedro who orders routine executions of anyone who gets in his way. Cain took the job on, did the dirty work, contracted the hits out to people he knew.”

“The middleman?” asked Cindy.

“You could call him that,” said Mattheus.

“There’s got to be lots of people who wanted Cain dead,” said Cindy.

“Absolutely,” said Mattheus, “but no one messes with Cain, or they’re messing with Pedro. And I heard Pedro’s fuming about Cain’s death.”

“Is he trying to find out who killed Cain?”

“I’m sure he is,” said Mattheus, “and most likely he knows.”

“Personal vendetta?” mused Cindy, “or, maybe Pedro did it himself?”

“That’s what I thought, too,” said Mattheus, “but the guys laughed when I asked that. They say Pedro loved Cain like a brother.”

“So, he’s got to know who did it, “Cindy felt nervous. How could something like this happen under his watch and he not know?

“It’s also possible this could have come out of left field,” Mattheus was musing, “could have knocked Pedro for a loop as well?”

“Can you get to talk to Pedro directly?” Cindy was fascinated. “He’s probably doing our work for us, tracking down the killer as we speak.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do,” said Mattheus. “I’m getting closer, too.”

“The guys down there also have to know who threw the rock in my window,” Cindy suddenly realized.

“No, they don’t. They sneer when I ask them. That’s baby stuff, not even on their radar. You don’t count with them. I do, because Cain was my daughter’s stepfather.”

“Nobody suspects you?” Cindy was surprised.

“They like me,” Mattheus started to grin. “Damned if I know why, but they like having me around. I meet them in a shack down in the lowlands, under a bunch of scraggly trees. They know I’m a detective who’s in trouble himself and that gives them a boost.”