Death by Request (Caribbean Murder #11)

“Maybe it’s because both of you so recently sustained a loss and you identify with what he’s going through?” Mattheus commented.

That comment stung Cindy. Mattheus was sharp and to the point. He had an uncanny ability to understand the deeper motives behind a person’s actions.

“Maybe so,” Cindy murmured, “but that still doesn’t mean he’s guilty, does it?”

“Of course not,” said Mattheus.

“Look how everyone suspected Ann’s husband of killing her, and it wasn’t him at all,” Cindy flashed on the odd connection between Ann’s death and the case she was working on now.

“Right,” said Mattheus softly. “And, you’re blending the two cases in your mind. This is a new case we’re on now, Cindy. Ann’s husband was innocent and has been freed. We’re not yet sure about Owen.”

Cindy felt a huge wave of sadness overwhelm her then. Frank was free, Ann was gone, and here she was now in a totally different island, working on a completely new case. But the similarities between the two cases still struck her deeply. Not only between these two cases, but all cases she worked on. There was always the search for truth and justice that couldn’t let either her or Mattheus rest until they found real answers. Was it going to go on like this forever? Would the search ever end?

“Okay,” Mattheus pulled a pad out of his vest pocket and began writing notes, as he always did. “First stop tomorrow is to visit Tara’s family in their Villa. We’ll go there together for starters and get a sense of who they are.”

Cindy nodded as Mattheus listed other tasks and numbered each one.

Finally, they were done. Mattheus was about to get up to pay the check when his phone rang. He looked to see who was calling and didn’t pick up.

“Who is it?” asked Cindy nonchalantly.

“Nothing important,” said Mattheus.

Cindy was taken aback. “Keeping secrets from me?” she asked playfully.

Mattheus put the check down, stood up, walked over to her and said plainly, “I’m not keeping secrets, never will and never have. From here on in, you’ve got to trust me completely, Cindy.”

Mattheus’s fervor took Cindy back. “I do,” she said, surprising herself.

“And you always will?” he demanded.

“Absolutely,” answered Cindy softly. “I trust you or I wouldn’t be here with you now. I wouldn’t share a room again, and certainly wouldn’t go for a moonlight swim tonight.”

Mattheus smiled relieved, “Good,” he replied. “I can’t have it any other way.”

*

By the time Cindy and Mattheus left for their midnight swim, they’d rested, had a glass of wine, talked, listened to music and felt clear about their tasks for the next few days.

“I can’t think of anything better than a quick swim now,” Mattheus smiled, looking at Cindy boyishly, hoping she remembered their plan.

Cindy remembered and was looking forward to it as well.

“I’m excited to go, too,” she said. The idea of plunging in the vast, dark ocean with Mattheus was not only exciting, it was soothing. Cindy loved the moon in all its phases and to go swimming beneath it was something she’d always wanted to do.

They quickly changed into their bathing suits and put light covers over them. Then they headed down to the white sand beach, which spread out in front of the hotel and was deserted at this time of night.

“I feel like a fugitive from the world,” Mattheus laughed as they took a side door out of the hotel to the ocean, not wanting to walk through the lobby dressed this way at this hour of the evening.

Cindy smiled, “Actually, that’s not so far from the truth,” she said. “We’re fugitives from something, aren’t we? No one would exactly call us a conventional couple with a house in the suburbs and a white picket fence.”

Mattheus laughed . “Is a house with a white picket fence something you want for yourself, anyway?” he asked in passing, as they took off their shoes and walked together through the warm, soft sand. “I don’t exactly see you happy with that kind of life.”

Cindy wondered about it as they walked along the sand up to the ocean. She thought of the beautiful cottage she and Clint had lived in back on Long Island. They’d been very happy there, even though they’d only had a short time before his life had suddenly been snatched away.

“I always thought I’d be happy with a family of my own,” Cindy answered in a muted tone as she and Mattheus reached the edge of the water.

“Sure, a family of your own,” Mattheus responded, “but living in the suburbs with a regular kind of guy?”

“Nothing wrong with a home in suburbs,” Cindy said as ripples of water suddenly came up over her feet. “If you’re living in the house with the right husband what difference does it make where it is?”

“It makes a difference,” Mattheus broke in.

“Ann was happy living with Frank in the suburbs. She had a good life,” Cindy replied as she and Mattheus stood looking out into the black ocean with nothing but moonlight gleaming overhead.