“It wasn’t the Captain that did it, Mattheus.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I know who it was.”
Mattheus stared at her.
“Tell me.”
“I’m not exactly sure. I need evidence, more evidence,” and she started to breathe fast.
“Cindy, what’s wrong?”
“Dalia did it,” Cindy said softly, as if half in a dream.
Mattheus took both of Cindy’s hands in his. “Calm down, start simply,” he said, “tell me what you’re talking about.”
Cindy went over what happened, step by step. Mattheus listened without saying a word, fixed intently on her every word.
“I never really thought it was the Captain,” he murmured softly.
Cindy felt better when he said that. She had been afraid he would think she’d lost her mind.
“Those love notes, are they proof?” asked Cindy.
“She’ll get rid of them immediately.” Mattheus said. “Besides, they’re circumstantial. Plus, there’s no motive. She was rich. What’s her motive?”
He started pacing back and forth.
“Listen,” said Cindy, there’s one way to get the evidence we need now. ”
“What is it?” Mattheus said.
“We need to get it from Dalia. . What if I can get her to confess, and you record it? ”
Mattheus stared back at her, surprised, silent.
“I can call her and tell her I want to meet her and work things out before I leave the island. I’ll say I’m sorry I made her so upset. She’s nervous now and needs someone to talk to. We’ll go somewhere private, and you can wire me, and back me up. Once Dalia sees me, she’ll have nothing to lose. She’ll talk. She’s two people in one body. Sometimes she loves me, then she sees me as her enemy and hates the ground I walk on. ”
Mattheus seemed impressed. “You up for something like this?”
“Absolutely,” said Cindy, “one man has died at her hands. And who knows who else? ”
“Okay,” said Mattheus. “Let’s do it.”
*
When Cindy called and Dalia answered the phone, Cindy knew she’d been right on target. Dalia seemed glad to hear from her again.
“I’d love to talk to you one more time,” said Cindy, “before I leave the island for good.”
“When are you going?” Dalia seemed nervous that Cindy was leaving.
“Tomorrow,” Cindy said.
“So soon,” said Dalia, as though everything was normal, and she’d never kicked Cindy out of her home. “Okay,” let’s meet at Sculpture Park. ”
“Perfect, “Cindy said.
*
The slanty beach off the cove near Sculpture Park was filled with pebbles and large stones to sit on. Sculpture Park had many sculptures carved out in stone, and it was as if their shadows dwelt over this odd beach. In the distance, Cindy could hear the sound of birds, calling.
Cindy got there early, and sat down on a large rock. Mattheus, backing her up, was hidden behind a cluster of boulders, not far from where she sat. As Cindy sat on the rock and looked out over the water, she thought that even in her most bleak moments with Clint, she never felt the way she did now, caught in a terrible, confusing web. Someone she had thought was her friend had turned into the killer. Was there a chance Cindy was wrong? The thought tortured her. Cindy’s head spun around and around.
Dalia got there a few minutes later, walking barefoot, slowly, onto the beach. She wore an orange sundress with a wicker bag and looked lovely and graceful walking along, as if she were a part of the lush flora and fauna the island produced.
For a moment Cindy was happy to see her, as if they were old friends again.
“They caught the killer,” Dalia said. “That’s something at least. I feel good about that. ”
Cindy had to fight the sense of safety and normalcy that was coming over her. She had to realize that Dalia was not her friend, but could turn at any moment into a violent killer.
Cindy looked at her defiantly. She knew she’d have to press on and destroy Dalia’s fragile balance to get her to really talk.
“There’s nothing to feel good about,” Cindy defied her. You said your marriage was perfect. And we found out that it wasn’t perfect though, was it? ”
“What’s perfect in this world?” Dalia said casually, trying to behave as if everything were normal.
“You lied to me, Dalia.” Cindy moved in on her, hungry for the truth. “You hoped your marriage would be perfect. But he cheated on you. He took your money. ”
Cindy watched Dalia’s face grow bed, before she burst out in a yelp.
“Shut up,” Dalia gasped and then screamed, so loud her voice stabbed through the rocks and bushes, startling the birds that were flying overhead.