Death by Devotion (Caribbean Murder #9)

“And what did you find?” asked Cindy with baited breath.

Sean stopped and looked at her closely. “It still matters so much to you whether or not Mattheus has a relationship with Petra, if he’s going back with her?”

“Of course it matters,” Cindy replied.

“I thought the two of you were broken up,” the smile left Sean’s face quickly.

“Yes, we are broken up,” Cindy repeated, “but I don’t like being lied to. If it’s true it means Mattheus has lied to me. He never said a word about it.”

Sean seemed to understand that. “What else does it mean?” he continued.

“It could cause me to suspect Mattheus,” Cindy replied quietly.

“It’s what caused us to suspect him in the first place,” Sean answered calmly.

“But I thought you said Andrea was unreliable? How can you put confidence in what she said about Petra and Mattheus?” Cindy questioned.

“We didn’t,” said Sean calmly, “we checked it out for ourselves. And it’s true. Mattheus spent a lot of time at Petra’s home. The question we didn’t answer though was, did he go there to be with Petra or with Andrea?”

Cindy sighed with relief. “That’s a good question,” she agreed.

“And why are you so relieved by it?” Sean seemed to feel slightly uneasy.

“Because whatever else Mattheus is or isn’t, I know he didn’t commit murder, “

Cindy insisted, “and I don’t like having suspicion on him.”

Sean nodded, “Good point and duly noted,” he replied professionally.

Cindy wanted to change the direction the conversation was going in. “It’s really not about Mattheus,” she tossed her hair back off her face. “We have to find out exactly where Andrea was when Cain was killed.”

Oddly enough, Sean looked disinterested.

“Even though Andrea wouldn’t give me details,” Cindy went on, “she said that she was at a fancy bar at the other end of the Island and that people saw her there.”

“That’s not news,” Sean replied. “She told us that a while ago.”

“So, why didn’t you check it out?” Cindy was adamant.

“Andrea fantasizes about lots of things,” Sean started. “If we followed every little thing she said, we’d be using police time to run all over the place. She refused to be specific with us, so we never took it further.”

“I’m going to take it further,” Cindy proclaimed. “I need to. What bar is she referring to?”

Sean smiled. “I believe she told us it was the Magenta Tavern.”

“Why are you smiling?” Cindy didn’t like it.

“Hell, that’s one of the classiest spot in town, filled with rich tourists and wealthy ex pats with Villas on the water. Not exactly a place a girl like Andrea would frequent,” Sean remarked.

“You never know,” Cindy was offended. “She might have had a John who took her there for a lark.”

“Come on now, Cindy,” Sean looked at her skeptically. “You don’t really believe that? Hell, there are beautiful women down there, hungry for company. No one needs a young, snippy kid from the poor side of town. That place if way out of her league.”

Cindy wasn’t buying it though. “Anything is possible,” she murmured.

“Listen, our time is valuable,” Sean said curtly. “If we let ourselves get distracted by improbable suggestions, we’d end up nowhere fast.”

“That’s true,” said Cindy, “but where have you ended up now? I’m going to Magenta’s Tavern and sniffing around.”

“Going alone or with Mattheus?” Sean asked unexpectedly then.

Cindy noticed Sean looking at her strangely. She hoped he wouldn’t ask to go along, she wanted to be alone for this trip, not influenced by his opinions.

“Going alone,” Cindy answered quickly. “Mattheus is busy talking to the guys in the gangs, getting more of the inside story on Cain.

“Still?” said Sean. “He won’t let go?”

“That’s Mattheus,” Cindy smiled lightly. “Once he’s on a trail, he follows it to the bitter end.”

“And it this one can end up pretty bitter. Look, his behavior doesn’t work for us,” Sean grew irritated. “I told him before and I’ll say it again. He can mess up the works, get in the way. Please tell him!”

“I told him,” said Cindy.

“And it doesn’t mean a damn what you say to him, does it?”

“Of course it matters,” Cindy felt hurt

“From the looks of it, it doesn’t,” Sean replied. “Cindy, please wake up, your life’s at stake here. Let me come with you to Magenta Tavern, I want to come with you.”

Cindy was taken aback. “Why?”