It was a horrible image and Cindy shivered. “I wouldn’t like it at all,” she said.
“Neither do I,” said Dalia. “And I didn’t like it that Ames needed to take on a partner.”
“Dale?”
“He hasn’t been the best influence,” Dalia said, suddenly sullen. “These silent partners aren’t so silent. There’s plenty he wants back for what he gives. ”
“Like what?” asked Cindy.
“Time with Ames. They go sailing together. Time with us, here at the house. ”
That sounded reasonable to Cindy.
Dalia shrugged then. “I don’t like talking about Dale,” she said.
“I know that you don’t, and I’m sorry,” said Cindy, “but do you think he could be involved with what’s going on?”
“I haven’t thought about it much,” Dalia’s eyes flared then. “I thought someone was holding Ames for money and that I’d get a ransom note.”
“But you haven’t gotten one,” said Cindy.
“No, I haven’t. I guess it’s possible that Dale could be involved. ” Dalia seemed to be closing down then. “I was hoping it would be something else.”
“In what way could he be involved, Dalia?” Cindy asked.
“I don’t know. I’m not the detective. You are. ”
Cindy wondered why Dalia didn’t want to be more helpful. Clearly there was something she was hiding, maybe something she was ashamed of.
Suddenly Cindy had a brilliant idea. It would be a way of breaking a lot of topic open.
“Was Dale close to Nina?” Cindy asked.
Dalia’s jaw dropped when she asked her that.
“Why in the world would you ask something like that? And why would it even matter? ”
“Nina’s a beautiful girl,” said Cindy. “I’m sure the men like her.”
“So what?”
“I’ve heard,” Cindy went on carefully then, “that Nina also likes the guys.”
Dalia stood up then and brushed the sand from her dress. She ran quickly to the edge of the water and stood at it. Cindy got up and followed her.
“You’ve got to talk to me, Dalia,” Cindy said. “We don’t have much time. What good will it do if you hide things from me, and I have to hide things from you? ”
Cindy wanted everything out.
“What things are you hiding?” Dalia’s voice rose feverishly.
“I heard that Nina had all kinds of affairs.” “With who? With Ames? ” Dalia yelled into the sea.
“I heard that,” Cindy said.
“They lie about me always,” Dalia shrieked into the peaceful, blue waters. “They always have. They always will. They always want to ruin my relationships. But it’s a lie! Lie! Lie! Ames was completely devoted to me!”
Cindy put her hand on Dalia’s shoulder, which was trembling like a leaf in the wind.
“I’m sorry, Dalia, I’m so sorry. But we have to get to the bottom of all this. ”
“Ames only loved me. That much I can tell you. But there’s something else you may not know yet. There are drugs on this island. Cartels from Columbia, passing drugs through. There’s no truth at all to Ames’s affair with Nina, but I do suspect there were drugs hidden on Ames’s boats. After he got involved with Dale. There, now it’s out. ”
“That’s big news,” Cindy said. “Why didn’t you tell me up front?”
“People don’t talk about it here. Even the police pretend it’s not going on. You can make a lot of money, down here, pretending. ”
“Is that why you were waiting for a ransom note?” Cindy asked.
“Something like that,” said Dalia. “But it didn’t come. It’s not about money. ”
“What else is it about? Think hard, Dalia,” Cindy said.
Cindy could see that it was hard for Dalia to even let in the idea that someone may have really done Ames harm.
“The Captain,” Dalia breathed then. “He was fired right before Ames went missing.”
“Why?”
“I’m not sure,” she said, trembling. “Business disagreements, some kind of fight.”
“That’s important to know,” Cindy said.
“Everything’s important,” said Dalia. “Ames and the Captain loved each other, though. They were inseparable for years. ”
“I guess it came to an end,” said Cindy.
“Not an end,” Dalia said, irritated, “a break. Nothing comes to an end. People need breaks from each other. Even if they love each other very much. Do you realize that? ”
“Of course I realize that,” said Cindy, taken aback by the ferocity of Dalia’s tone. Obviously, she had plenty of feelings about the relationship between Ames and the Captain.
“I’m going to talk to him and find out more,” said Cindy.
“Oh God,” said Dalia, “I know you have to. But now, things are looking worse. ”
“In what way?” asked Cindy.
“It’s all becoming complex. Too complex. I came down to the islands for a simple life. ”
Then Dalia turned and stormed away from Cindy.
Cindy was shocked to see her just walk off, without another word.
CHAPTER 11