“You went to see the Captain today,” Dalia turned up the pressure. “What did he say? What do you think? ”
Cindy had no intention of telling Dalia all that had happened today. She wasn’t going to tell her about being roughed up by the crew, about Mattheus coming, their trip, or the call to Tomale. Cindy wanted to be more clear herself, before she threw doubt and suspicion into Dalia’s mind.
“Yes, I went to see the Captain today,” Cindy said lightly.
“And?” Dalia seemed annoyed. “I don’t want to have to pull teeth. Tell me what he said and what you think? ”
“I’m not purposely withholding from you,” Cindy said then, “I’m just being careful until I’m clear.”
“Is he filled with revenge?” asked Dalia. “Furious for being fired? Out to get me? ”
“No, not at all,” Cindy said calmly.
Dalia looked amazed. “I don’t believe you.”
“He seemed sad,” Cindy answered, “a little drunk. Why was he fired? ” That tremendously important point hadn’t been made clear to her yet.
“You didn’t ask him? He didn’t tell you? ”
“I thought you could tell me,” Cindy said.
“But I was interested in what he thought!” Dalia’s voice rose a pitch.
“Why was he fired, Dalia?”
“I told you before, there was a question of drugs on the boat. Rumors. But down here, drugs equal disaster to a business. ”
“Ames thought he was involved in trading drugs?”
“Ames didn’t fire him directly,” she said. “He couldn’t do it, didn’t want to.”
That stunned Cindy. “Really? Who did? ” she said.
“It’s not important,” said Dalia.
“It’s very important,” Cindy insisted.
“Dale did it,” Dalia said. She paused. “It had to be done, so Dale did it. He’s a partner, heavily invested in the fleet. If the drug cartels got involved with the business, they’d take Dale down along with everything else. So, Dale did it a week before Ames went missing. I’ve even been thinking lately that Ames could have gone into hiding after that happened, because he felt lousy and ashamed. He couldn’t face the Captain. He loved that guy. ”
This was a whole new possibility. Not that Ames was in hiding, but that the drug cartels had taken him out. She wondered why Mattheus hadn’t brought up that possibility, why he was so focused on Elizabeth? Now Elizabeth’s relationship with Ames seemed like a diversion. Cindy felt she had to find out more about the cartels, and about Ames’s shipping partner.
“Will Dale be at the festival?” Cindy asked.
“He wouldn’t miss it for the world,” said Dalia. “The festival is fantastic, beautiful, amazing. Yachts come from all over the world. The days are filled with contests, laughing, drinking. The night is filled with parties, dancing. The gallery sells more in the next few days than all year long. Of course he’ll be there. He’s always here for the festival. He has the biggest Yacht of all. ”
Cindy knew she had to see him. And if she had to wait for the festival, then she would. Without that, she felt a crucial piece of the puzzle would always be missing. “You’ll like Dale when you first meet him,” Dalia went on. “He can be charming, captivating. He’ll like you, too. He likes all the women. ” Her tone wavered and she seemed upset.
Cindy looked at her sharply. “I’m not interested in dating anyone right now,” she said.
Cindy got up and went to her room, lay down in bed for a moment, and then to her relief, almost instantly fell into a deep sleep.
It was about three in the morning when there was a loud crash and splattering of glass, waking Cindy with a start. She jumped up in bed instantly, flashed on the lights and looked around. A rock had come flying through her window. She got out of bed, ran over and picked it up. A note was tied on it, YOU’RE NEXT.
CHAPTER 13
Cindy couldn’t sleep the rest of the night. Mattheus was right. She could be in danger. Who sent the note? And why now? Obviously, someone and was threatened. Did it have to do with her trip yesterday, with Tomale, or had Elizabeth somehow found out that her divorce settlement was being made public?
Cindy knew she had to tell Dalia about the rock and the note, but was reluctant. It would be smarter to inform Mattheus. After she heard from Tomale, she’d call Mattheus and tell him about both things.
The phone rang promptly at nine. It was Tomale, earlier than he promised.
“Okay, got the info,” he said. “Thanks for getting the money to me so fast.”
“Great,” said Cindy. Obviously, Mattheus had taken care of that.
“Here’s the story,” Tomale spoke fast, “the divorce settlement’s complicated. It’s up for re-negotiation every two years, cost of living increases and things like that. Anyway, about a month before Ames disappeared, he and Elizabeth had been in court. He said he didn’t have any more money to give her. She didn’t take that well. They’re in the middle of a nasty fight. ”