Death by Seduction (Book #13 in the Caribbean Murder series)

“I heard that Pete left a big deposit on the condo they were buying down here,” Cindy commented.

Henry only sneered mildly this time. “Pete left it? Maybe he handed it over, but I was the one who gave Loretta every buck for that down payment, the whole hundred thousand. I put the money in Loretta’s account and she gave it to Pete.”

“A hundred thousand?” that seemed like a large deposit.

“I told you,” Henry got more confidential, “Loretta can come to me for anything. And so can anyone who’s a good friend to her.”

Cindy wasn’t sure what Henry was implying, but it made her skin crawl.





“Thanks for the information” she responded.

Henry smiled a craggy smile then. Obviously, he enjoyed being thanked.

“No problem,” he said, “ask me anything you want. But don’t ask Loretta. Don’t rub this nightmare in her face. Let her think her husband loved her, let her think he didn’t go with the whores, and that she was all he ever wanted.”

Cindy closed her eyes sadly for a long moment. Henry was trying to protect his daughter in every way he could. But did it truly help someone to let them live in a dream world and never face the truth?

“Loretta believes someone killed Pete and dumped his body in the whorehouse,” Henry went on for good measure. “Let her believe that all she likes. It’ll help her get over his death and re-build her life.”

“But she also wants to know who did it, ”Cindy interrupted. “Loretta’s not going to let the investigation slide.”

“Sometimes she wants to know,” Henry broke in harshly, “and plenty of other times she forgets about it and wants her life to go on again. Down the road she’ll accept that there was no other evidence and they closed the case by convicting the whore. Loretta will go forward with her life then, you’ll see.”

Henry’s suggestion appalled Cindy. “You think Loretta will be able to go forward with her life when she doesn’t believe her husband’s real killer has been found?”

“I don’t think so,” said Henry, “I know so. And I know her better than you do.”

*

Cindy and Henry parted amicably. He had an appointment to see someone on the police force about getting his hundred thousand back and Cindy wanted to go back up to the room to think things over and decide on what steps to take next.

As soon as she got to room, her phone rang. Cindy bolted, afraid it was Mattheus calling again. She looked at her phone quickly, and to her surprise it was not Mattheus, but her brother in law Frank, calling from the States.

“What’s up? Why are you calling?” Cindy felt jittery taking the call. She seldom heard from Frank in the past when she was on a case.

“Cindy, we’re just calling to say hello,” Frank answered in a warm tone. “Your mother and I are thinking of you. How are you doing?”

This was unlike Frank, usually it was her sister Ann who called to check in. Cindy realized with a start then that Ann was no longer here, so now her husband was filling in for her.

“It’s good of you to call and check in, Frank,” Cindy began to soften. “I appreciate your concern.”

“Of course,” he replied, his voice softening as well. “We care about you here, we really do.”

“Thanks, I know that,” Cindy’s voice dropped, a sense of exhaustion suddenly overtaking her.

“And we feel awful about what happened at dinner with Mattheus during our visit,” Frank continued. “I hope we can make it up to you. I hope you and Mattheus will give us another chance.”

Cindy sighed deeply. “I’ll give you as many chances as you like,” she responded, “but I can’t speak for Mattheus.”

“Oh God,” Frank began to say.

“But it doesn’t matter,” Cindy cut him off. “Mattheus and I have broken up.”

Silence fell on the other end. “Broke up?” Frank’s voice faltered.

“Yes, that’s right,” Cindy replied. “I’m down here on this case alone.”

“Is that safe? Is that smart?” Frank sounded mildly alarmed.

“Of course it’s safe,” Cindy answered swiftly. “I’m in touch with the police down here, they’re helping me out.”

Frank got edgy. “Did you and Mattheus break up because of your mother and I?”

“No, not because of you,” Cindy quickly reassured him. “We broke up because it just wasn’t right between us for the long term. There were things we couldn’t work through.”

“Cindy, I’m so sorry,” Frank said, and meant it.

“Thanks,” Cindy replied.

“It’s got to be rough going, losing a partner again,” Frank sounded sad.

“Yeah, it’s rough,” Cindy agreed.

“Don’t I know,” he went on.

Cindy realized that Frank had to be suffering a lot from the loss of Ann, as well. It was still so recent.

“I’m sorry Frank, it’s got to be rough for you as well,” Cindy replied. “It’s been an awful time for us all.”