“My God,” Cindy breathed. “You haven’t told anybody about this email, either?” She wanted to be completely sure.
“You’re the only one who’s passed the test,” Alfred murmured.
Cindy didn’t know what to do next.
“Let’s keep walking on the trail,” Alfred suggested, seeing Cindy’s confusion. “Mattheus isn’t coming home until really late tonight, anyway.”
“How do you know that?” Cindy asked, unnerved.
“Because Rod likes long nights out with the boys,” Alfred replied. “Kara used to tell me about it. It bothered her mother a lot. So many nights Rod told her mother not to wait up for him, that he’d see her in the morning. It upset Kara, too.”
Cindy trembled under the brightly shining moon. Those were the exact words Mattheus had said to Cindy. For a second Cindy felt as though Mattheus was bonding deeply with Rod and that she could easily lose him. She also felt that somehow Kara had sent Alfred to her, to help Cindy see the truth, and stay strong.
*
When Cindy awoke early the next morning, Mattheus was sleeping soundly beside her. The first thing she thought was how badly she wanted to tell him about the emails, even though Alfred said not to tell anyone who didn’t pass the test. Did Mattheus pass the test? What did that even mean? Of course Mattheus did, Cindy swiftly realized. It was crazy to think anything else. These emails were vitally important and Cindy couldn’t allow them to remain hidden. They threw a whole new light on whether or not Kara might still be alive. She would show them to Mattheus first thing, as soon as he awoke and dressed.
*
As soon as Mattheus awoke Cindy ordered breakfast up into the room. It was important that they have time together alone to go over everything now.
Mattheus seemed somber at breakfast and tired. He’d stayed out much later than usual and Cindy even wondered if he might have had too much to drink.
“Long day yesterday,” she remarked casually as they both poured themselves hot cups of coffee.
“It was a good day, though,” Mattheus spoke evenly. “It’s been a long while since I’ve taken time to really catch up with an old friend.”
Cindy drank her coffee slowly and said nothing.
“Why are you so quiet this morning? Does it bother you that I hung out with Rod last night?” asked Mattheus.
Cindy didn’t even know where to begin. To say it bothered her was off the point. Rod’s behavior toward Cindy, plus everything Alfred had said about him, made her deeply uneasy.
“You have every right to spend as much time with a friend as you like,” Cindy responded.
“So why do you look so glum?” asked Mattheus. “Your words and your actions aren’t matching up.”
“I was disturbed by the way Rod behaved toward me,” Cindy answered, upset that she had to spell it all out.
“It’s not a big deal, it wasn’t personal,” Mattheus interrupted. “For God’s sake, his only daughter’s just gone missing.”
Cindy had never seen Mattheus quite like this before. Obviously Rod had sparked off something inside him.
“I would have thought you’d say something to Rod about me on the spot,” Cindy went on. “It would have felt good to have gotten some back-up then.”
“I had to back up Rod,” answered Mattheus abruptly. “He’s the one who needs it now. Why bring in your personal feelings at a time like this?”
Cindy was completely taken off guard. This wasn’t like Mattheus at all.
“It’s all part of the job,” Mattheus continued. “Rod’s devastated that the police will be calling off the search completely today. Soon he and his wife will have to go home without their daughter, without anything.”
“Completely calling off the search? It’s too soon for that,” exclaimed Cindy. ”How can they? There’s a definite possibility that Kara’s still alive.”
“Based on what?” asked Mattheus, looking at Cindy oddly. “Right now everything points to an accident, a drowning. There’s nothing in her background to suggest anything else was going on.”
Cindy was about to bring up Alfred’s emails then when the phone abruptly rang.
“I’ll get it,” said Mattheus wearily, reaching for it. “Yeah, it’s Mattheus,” he started slowly and became quiet. “What are you telling me?” Mattheus bolted up suddenly, electrified. “Okay, okay, I got it. Where’s the body, exactly?”
Cindy gasped. “The body? They’ve found Kara dead?”
“We’ll be down at the beach in a few seconds,” Mattheus uttered, flashing a desperate glance at Cindy.
“Oh no!” Cindy exclaimed, breathing hard. It was over, they’d found her, hope was gone. Oddly enough, Cindy felt worse for Alfred than for Rowley. She couldn’t imagine how Alfred would be able to go on without his best friend.
“The body washed up on the sand, just where Kara went swimming!” Mattheus could hardly get the words out. “This has got to be her. Come on, let’s go.”
“Oh God,” Cindy breathed, devastated, as she flew to join him.
“Poor Rod, poor Rod,” Mattheus mumbled as the two of them raced to the door.