Death by Devotion (Caribbean Murder #9)

“Cindy, my goodness, you look wonderful,” he said, “so good to see you.”


Cindy’s eyes filled with tears at the sight of this kind man. She remembered how deeply he’d cared for her during her ordeal and the little Bible he’d left for her as a gift. It had to still be tucked away in her room.

“You’ve become a great force for the good, Cindy,” Pastor Mallord was saying now. “We’re so proud of you. You’re incredibly courageous. You’ve helped many.”

“Thank you, thank you,” Cindy felt humbled.

“Don’t give up, never give up,” he went on, “I’m sure there are many more victims of crime out there who are waiting for your help.”

Cindy shivered. She felt it too, but had no idea what her next steps would be. Was Pastor Mallord giving her a message, and what did it have to do with this job offer she’d just received from Al?





Chapter 3


After everyone had left, Ann and Cindy were sitting on bed talking and Cindy told Ann about Al’s offer.

“This is a fantastic, amazing offer,” Ann said, her eyes getting big.

“There’s no way I can make up my mind about it overnight,” Cindy replied.

“Just go meet the guy,” Ann insisted, “let him know you need a little think to think about it.”

“Maybe?” said Cindy.

“Maybe?” Ann was astonished. “This is too good to pass up. I remember all the years growing up, you always dreamt of having a column of your own.”

“That was then,” said Cindy.”There’s no reason for me to trust Al. He was involved with sending Clint that photo before the wedding, do you remember?”

“I do now that you’ve reminded me,” said Ann. “But what has that got to do with anything now?”

“Who knows?” shrugged Cindy. “Why would Al be so interested in setting this up for me? It really doesn’t make sense.”

“You’re becoming paranoid, Cindy,” Ann looked horrified.

“No, just careful,” Cindy replied. “There’s a web of strange relationships here in Cove Bay. Al’s close to Clint’s family. They couldn’t stand me from the beginning, never wished me well.”

“Marge told me she wants to straighten that all out,” Ann interrupted.

“I’m not so sure,” said Cindy. “Why would she? She’s tricky, you know that.”

“Cindy,” Ann put her hand on Cindy’s arm, “this is not a case you’re investigating. This is life, people can be trusted. They aren’t all criminals. Being a detective is making you paranoid.”

“There’s a fine line between being paranoid and being smart and vigilant, Ann. You have to consider all the angles.”

“That’s a terrible way to live,” Ann breathed, “not trusting anyone.”

“Of course I trust - when my trust has been earned,” Cindy quickly replied.

“Well, thank God I’m not on your list of suspects,” Ann grinned, trying to break the tension that was forming.

Cindy smiled back. “Of course you aren’t, but we don’t really know Al, do we? How do we know he’s not setting me up?”

Ann got up from the edge of the bed. “Cindy, it’s just an interview with a guy at the paper. Go check out the situation yourself. Take time to think it over. If they really want you, they’ll give you the time you need to make a decision. For all you know, it might be something you’d love to do.”

There was no arguing Ann’s logic, there never was. But Cindy still felt hesitant. Suddenly she thought of Mattheus and wondered what he was doing right at that moment. By now he’d probably arrived in Anguilla. Had he met up with his daughter or her mother yet? Cindy wondered what it would be like for him, seeing the woman again he’d had a child with, after all these years. Although Cindy definitely didn’t want to go forward with Mattheus, it was hard to imagine never seeing him again. She thought of his handsome, suntanned face and the picture of her walking with him on the sandy beaches flashed through mind. She thought of the excitement they always felt tackling a new case together. The two of them had been good in so many ways, despite the endless ups and downs.

“If I took the job it would be the end of my time in the Caribbean,” Cindy said, musing out loud.

Ann looked at Cindy closely then. “The job at the paper would mean that you’d be based in New York for now, that’s all,” she said.

Cindy swallowed hard. It was too much to decide all at once.

Ann tried to soften things. “You’d be here for as long as the job lasted,” she went on. “You’d make new friends, take on new challenges. Who knows, you might even like it better than being away from your entire family all the time?”

Cindy felt a moment of remorse, but let it slide.

“You could always return to the Caribbean, if you had to,” Ann was doing her best to cover all bases.

“That’s true,” said Cindy.