Kendra took a swift breath.
“On our honeymoon,” said Cindy trying to create a bond between them and getting Kendra to trust her more.
“My God, I’m so sorry,” said Kendra, backing down. “I didn’t mean to say anything nasty, I’m just so sick of being grilled and grilled.”
“It’s all right,” said Cindy.
“Do you do this work because your husband was killed?” Kendra asked.
“Partially,” said Cindy. “And partially I have a nose for it. It feels good to bring killers to justice. It’s something important.”
“I felt that immediately about you when I read about the case in Grenada,” said Kendra.
“Kendra,” Cindy said then straightforwardly, “you must have known that Paul played around.”
“I wasn’t sure, I thought maybe?” said Kendra, smiling feebly.
“There were people who might have known,” Cindy said, “Why didn’t you ask them? Why did you wait for me all these years?”
“How could I shame myself that way? Kendra said.
“Heather May suggested that I see a woman down at the edge of the island who could fill me in on important details.”
“Yes?” Kendra seemed interested.
“I went to the address she gave me and found a woman named Margot living there.”
Kendra showed absolutely no reaction.
“You don’t happen to know her?”
“No, I don’t know anyone named Margot.”
“Margot Kowan?” said Cindy.
“Who is she?”
There was no other way to tell her, than directly. “Paul had another wife and family all the time he was married to you. This woman Margot has his pictures all over, with her and their son.”
Kendra looked as if she’d been doused with ice water. She shivered and then burst out, alarmed, “What kind of crap are you telling me?”
“Paul lived under an alias, Gregg Kowan.”
Kendra stood up, her face turning beet red and her eyes flaming.
“This is crazy,” she said. “You’re a maniac! I should fire you for saying something like this.” Her voice rose like a wild, shrill bird that had flown in the window and had no place to land. “And if you keep up like this, I will fire you. Now, get out!”
She kept yelling, until the door to the library flew open and Nell stood there, staring in. Once the door opened, Kendra took the opportunity to rush out.
“What happened?” Nell asked in an even tone.
“I had painful information for your mother.”
Nell stared at Cindy. “What?”
“Something a woman named Heather May told me,” said Cindy.
“Heather speaks to my mother all the time. What could she have told you that was different?”
Cindy stepped back. “What did you say?”
Nell looked confused. “Nothing, I just said that Heather May and my mother speak all the time. I can’t see what could have so upset her?”
A long, slow chill ran through Cindy’s arms. Kendra had lied to her about Heather May. What else was she lying about?
“Your mother and Heather are good friends?” Cindy asked.
“I wouldn’t say that. They have lunch together occasionally and talk on the phone. Everyone knows everyone down here. There really aren’t so many secrets.”
Cindy liked Nell very much. She had a plain, forthright quality that Cindy appreciated.
“When your mother calms down, tell her to call me,” said Cindy, definitively. She didn’t like being played for a fool. There was no point to it.
Nell smiled oddly. “It won’t make a difference what I tell my mother. She won’t listen to anything I say. She never would. Don’t let her stupid moods scare you. Be strong! Call her yourself!
[MSOffice2]
CHAPTER 17
All the way back to the hotel in the car, Cindy thought about the lie Kendra had told her. What could it possibly imply? Why did she say she hadn’t spoken to Heather? What was she really covering up?
Cindy pulled over to the side of the road, took out her cell phone and put in a call to Heather. She had to know right away whether Kendra knew about Margot. Everything could turn on this.
To Cindy’s great delight, Heather picked up the phone immediately.
“Heather, this is Cindy” she said.
“Yeah, hi,” said Heather.
“Thank you for sending me to that address. It was incredible.”
Heather seemed disinterested. “Happy I could be of help. Got to go now.”
Cindy clutched onto the phone. “No, wait a minute, please. Just one second.”
Heather was in a hurry, “What?” She seemed put upon.
Cindy got straight to the point. “Does Kendra know about Margot?”
Heather was jarred. “Why would you ask me something like that?”
Cindy was stunned. Heather had been so helpful and forthcoming. Something had intervened. Someone had gotten to her?
“I thought you would know, since you knew about Margot.”