“I didn’t know that,” said Cindy.
“That kind of thing can leave a pretty big scar. He made up his mind that would never happen to him, or anyone else he ran into. At least you can say he tried to help, gave his money to whoever needed it. But it became an obsession. Whatever he had was never enough. He wanted more and more. Richer and richer, he used to say. He flaunted his money all over the place. That wasn’t smart. ”
“Did he love Dalia?” Cindy asked then, the question arising on its own, echoing in her mind.
“She was rich as stink when he met her. Gave him tons of money to build up the business. ”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Ames loved all the women he was involved with. Each in their own way. ”
“He wouldn’t have run off with someone?” Cindy asked.
At that the Captain laughed long and hard. “Please,” he said, “you’re making me bust a gut laughing.”
“Did he fire you?” Cindy asked.
“He wasn’t in his right mind when he did it,” the Captain answered. “I figured I’d talk to him in a few days and we’d turn it around.”
“Those days never came though, did they?” said Cindy.
The shock of that fact suddenly hit the Captain. Hit him had. “No, it didn’t,” he mumbled, “and I miss the damn bastard something awful.”
“Who did it?” asked Cindy.
“I believe the person who did it is in the Millionaire Yacht Club. His partner, there. ”
“Dale?” asked Cindy, open mouthed.
“Boy, for a little lady, you’ve sure done your homework,” the Captain said.
“You haven’t met the guy yet, have you?”
“No,” said Cindy.
“You will soon,” said the Captain. “The Club’s coming into town in a few days for their sailing competition.”
“Why would he want to kill Ames?” Cindy asked.
The Captain looked exhausted, and deflated. “Find out for yourself,” he said. “It’s just a hunch, I don’t have more information,” then he reached for the rum and poured another glass.
Cindy knew it was time to get out of there before he got any drunker. She stood up, “Thanks for your time. It was good talking with you. ”
He didn’t get up to say goodbye. “Take my advice. Go home and find yourself a nice husband. Get off this rotten island, quick. Ames is not the only who can get lost at sea. ”
CHAPTER 12
When Cindy walked out of the boat, to her surprise the bunch of guys she’d seen before had come onto his boat and were hanging outside, waiting. Wiry, muscular, covered in tattoos, they looked threatening, lined up against the dock.
She looked away and tried to walk past them, when one stepped out to block her way.
“So you had a little visit with the Captain, eh?” the guy said, coming too close, breathing on her.
Cindy stepped back. Clearly, they didn’t like it that she was here.
“So what did the two of you talk about?” another guy came up close from behind.
Cindy’s heart started pounding. “I was just helping a friend,” she said.
The guy’s dark eyes narrowed. Then he put his rough hand on her shoulder, and pushed. Cindy lost her balance and tumbled back a few steps.
“You think I’m stupid or something?” the guy said.
Cindy lifted her hand to push him away, as three other guys circled around him, closing in.
“Ames’s wife Dalia sent me,” she spoke hastily. “I’m an old friend.”
“Yeah, yeah,” the biggest guy stepped to the front, mocking. “Tell me another, cutie.”
Outflanked, Cindy began to breathe faster as suddenly she heard a voice, coming up the plank.
“Okay, break it up. Police!”
The guys jumped back and scattered, as to her shock, Mattheus rushed towards them.
“You got a problem with this lady?” Mattheus asked, his face set and his eyes shifting back and forth among all of them. Then he put his hand out and took hers. “She’s coming with me. You guys back off or I’ll throw you in the clinker for good!”
The guys mumbled something incoherent, and drifted to the side, as Mattheus led Cindy back to the road.
*
“That was incredibly stupid,” he said to her, when they got to their cars. “There are some places you don’t go to alone. Especially in the middle of a case like this. ”
Cindy felt immensely grateful that he was there.
“At least you showed a little sense,” he continued, “when you texted me and told me where you were going. Look, it’s one thing to wander around talking to Dalia’s friends. It’s another to go down to the docks alone. That’s just stupid. ”
Cindy felt speechless for a moment. She didn’t know if she should feel angry at the tone of his voice or thrilled that he cared enough to be concerned.