“What has one thing got to do with another?” Heather said. “These are two separate women with two separate lives. Why would I get in the middle of them? Their lives have nothing to do with me.” She sounded irritated.
Cindy was truly startled. “Has someone told you not to talk to me?” she said.
This only increased Heather’s agitation. “Like who?” she snapped. “I don’t know who you’re talking to, or what you’re thinking, but I’m asking you to leave me out of this now! I don’t want you to call me anymore. I gave you a lead. That’s it. I’m done now.” And she hung up the phone.
Cindy sat staring at the phone in her hand. This was another game changer. Someone had clearly told Heather to back out and shut up. She’d been completely different when Cindy met her in person.
*
When Cindy returned to the hotel Mattheus was waiting for her in the dining room, sitting at a table in the front. Cindy sat down without a moment’s hesitation and Mattheus looked pleased to see her.
“Whew,” he said, you look shot from cannon. Did you tell Kendra the new?”
“Yes, I did,” said Cindy.
“She reacted badly to it?” He was tapping his fingers on the table, taking every word in.
“That’s putting it mildly,” said Cindy. “She screamed and yelled about it, but something worse happened.”
“What?” Mattheus sat up straight.
“Kendra lied to me.”
He let out a long slow breath. “About what?” he said.
“She told me she never spoke to Heather. Then, after Kendra left, Nell came in and told me her mother and Heather spoke frequently.”
“Upsetting,” said Mattheus.
“That’s only half of it,” Cindy was speaking quickly, heatedly. She hadn’t processed any of it yet, and had enough to handle without having her head twisted around by Kendra. “I then called Heather right after I left to find out if Kendra and Margot knew about each other. Heather was a completely different person. Wouldn’t say a word, just brushed me off.”
“Par for the course,” said Mattheus. “People fluctuate. Sometimes you catch them at an open moment, or you have to get them to that place. Then they get scared and close up again.”
““Scared of what?” asked Cindy.
“Heather’s probably afraid of being implicated. No one wants to get too involved. Especially when it’s murder.”
“This tells me that there’s more going on between Kendra and Heather than I thought.”
“Probably,” said Mattheus.
“Do you think Heather told Kendra about Margot?”
“Good chance,” said Mattheus, “but that won’t do us any good. We need solid evidence. Gossip between women has a way of turning into smoke. It’s Kendra’s lie that I don’t like.”
Cindy suddenly felt exhausted. She pushed her hair back off her face, which was moist with perspiration.
“If Kendra knows about Margot it’s a whole new ball game,” Cindy said.
“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Mattheus said. “There can be lots of reasons why she might know and never say a word. Or why she might lie to you.”
Cindy liked that. She liked the way Mattheus stepped back and let the process have sway. He didn’t jump to conclusions like she did. Cindy admired the way he’d give up a theory on the spot as soon as he got evidence that was contrary.
“You’re a scientist,” Cindy said slowly.
Mattheus laughed. He seemed to like that. “You could say that,” he said, “scientist of the mind and heart.”
Cindy felt more at ease, just sitting here with him, knowing she didn’t have to deal with all that was happening alone.
“Let’s go over it all again from the beginning,” he said quietly. “If Kendra lied about Heather we’re on a whole new path. You know, the police are pretty convinced it’s her.”
“I know,” said Cindy, “but I’m not. When I finally told her about the second wife, she really freaked out. Told me to get out of the house. I don’t think she had the slightest idea.”
“No one seems to,” said Mattheus. “I mentioned it to Roomey and his eyes bulged out of his head. This is shocking to everyone.”
“Heather May knew though,” Cindy went on. “She sent me to Margot’s house.”
“Right,” said Mattheus. “And the police are taking the tack that Paul’s death is related to his having two wives. They feel that Kendra found out.”
“They have no evidence.”
“Not yet,” said Mattheus.
Cindy and Mattheus looked at each other, as Mattheus shook his head. “It’s amazing that you found out that Kendra lied, though. This is big. Look at that, you did it again.”
“Beginner’s luck,” said Cindy.
“No,” said Mattheus, “It’s more than luck. You drew this to you. That’s how all good detectives work. The information they need pulls them to it. There’s a force out there looking after you.”