Mattheus agreed and made a call to tell Lynch they were coming.
Oddly enough, Lynch sounded delighted to hear from him and relieved. “That’s great,” he said, “come right away, can’t wait to see you. I’m in my room at the hotel.” Obviously Lynch had bonded with Mattheus when they’d met before. “I really appreciate your coming to help me,” Lynch continued before they hung up.
Mattheus looked forlorn as they drove the rest of the way back to the Aupres Hotel. “Lynch’s a damn good guy,” Mattheus muttered as they got closer to their destination. “He thinks we’re coming to help him.”
“We are,” said Cindy.
“How do you figure that?” asked Mattheus, distressed. “He’s the main person of interest in the case. There’s tons of motive and he’s got no alibi.”
“We’re coming to help him find out the truth,” said Cindy simply.
“That’s not what he’s thinking,” Mattheus disagreed.
“How do you know?” Cindy answered. “If he’s innocent, he’s got to want to find the truth as badly as we do.”
“Why do you say if?” Mattheus shot back, turning his eyes from the road to Cindy.
“Because we’re on a murder investigation,” Cindy spoke definitively, “and all bets are still open. No one can be overlooked.”
“Even Dawl?” asked Mattheus.
“Of course,” said Cindy. “Until Dawl’s alibi checks out, he’s still on the list.”
“His alibi will check out. That guy knows what he’s doing,” Mattheus said glumly.
“You don’t like him?” Cindy quickly asked. “You don’t believe him?”
“No, I don’t like him, but that has nothing to do with it,” said Mattheus. “He’s a sharp operator, full of tricks.”
“I like him,” said Cindy suddenly, “and I believe him. I don’t think he had a thing to do with Tara’s death.”
Mattheus’s eyebrows rose swiftly. “Now that’s odd to me, very, very odd. As I see it, there’s not one reason to think well of Dawl.”
Cindy took exception. “Not one reason? Dawl takes care of that child as if he’s his own son. He stays close to his sister, looks after the family. If that’s not a reason to think well of someone, what in the world is?”
Mattheus grew silent and sullen then and didn’t say a thing.
*
Cindy and Mattheus got to the hotel, grabbed a quick cup of coffee, and went right up to Lynch’s room. The door was open and when they walked in, Lynch was there waiting for them, along with Raina and two young men.
Lynch rose the minute they walked in. “So great to see you, thanks for coming,” he said. His eyes were puffy and he looked disheveled, as though he’d barely had any sleep.
Neither Raina nor the two young men got up to greet Cindy and Mattheus.
“It’s good to see you too, Lynch,” Mattheus threw his arm around him. “This has got to be a terrible time.”
“Terrible isn’t even the word for it,” Lynch replied, “but my mom’s staying close, helping with everything.”
“Hello, Raina,” Mattheus looked over at her.
Raina said nothing, just nodded her head.
“Cindy and I would like to speak to Lynch alone,” Mattheus announced right away to everyone in the room.
Raina took exception and got up from her seat. “I’m sure you would,” she quipped, “but I’d prefer to be here when you talk.”
“No, ma,” Lynch turned towards her. “I’d prefer to talk to them alone.”
Raina was taken aback. “Why?” she asked, “what in the world is there for you to say that I can’t hear?”
One of the young men got up, went to her and put his arm on Raina’s. “It’s okay,” he said. “Guys like to talk privately, it has nothing to do with you. It’ll be good to let Lynch get things off his chest.”
Mattheus nodded at the guy gratefully.
Raina tossed her head back flippantly. “How long is this going to go on?” she asked Mattheus.
“Just a few minutes,” he replied. “We’ll come and get you the minute we’re done.”
*
After the room was empty and they were alone, Lynch went to the sofa, plopped down on it and spread his arms out wide. “Man, am I wiped out,” he uttered. “Just need a little down time and nobody wants to leave me alone.”
“They’re worried about you,” said Mattheus slowly.
“Why worry about me?” Lynch looked up with bewildered eyes. “Worry about Tara. Find out where she is now.”
“No one can find out where Tara is,” Mattheus replied quickly, “she’s gone.”
“Man, that’s harsh,” Lynch replied fitfully.
“Tell me what happened when you two came back from swimming the afternoon before the rehearsal dinner,” Mattheus went on. “Was that the last time you saw her?”