“We’ve been investigating, Cindy,” Abe continued methodically. “We don’t have anything yet, no weapon, no motive.”
“Shane was a regular at the casinos.” Cindy picked right up on it. “Did she have a fight with someone there, did a gambling debt go sour?”
“We haven’t found anything like that either,” said Abe.
“What does Vinny say?” Cindy persisted.
“Vinny’s going nuts. Just keeps saying he’s gonna kill the person himself when he gets his hands on him. The kid has no idea how it happened. No one has.”
“That’s not good enough, Abe,” Cindy breathed slowly.
“There are cases like this that fall through the cracks every day,” Abe finally admitted
“Because no one keeps the pressure up,” Cindy declared. “Shane falls through the cracks because she doesn’t have a family down here fighting for her. Except for her boyfriend no one seems to care.”
“There’s all kinds of reasons cases fall through the cracks,” Abe murmured.
“What else could have happened to her? Give me something Abe, anything!” Cindy pleaded.
“I wish I could.” Abe seemed moved by Cindy’s passion.
“Think hard, you can,” Cindy insisted.
“Oh yeah,” Abe commented, in passing. “There were lots of drugs in Shane’s body. She was definitely using.”
“That’s important,” Cindy shot back. “Date rape drugs?”
“No, just regular drugs, cocaine I believe,” he grumbled.
“Okay, that’s a big deal.” Cindy felt vindicated.
“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t,” said Abe. “Lots of people down here are using. They come down to have fun and drugs are just part of it. What can you do? It’s a fact of life now.”
“So, it could have been a drug deal gone bad?” Cindy mused out loud. “I want to know where she got the drugs from. Vinny must know.”
“He doesn’t,” said Abe.
“But he has to know, Abe. If Shane was using he had to be, too. Where does he get his drugs from?”
“He denies doing drugs.” Abe recoiled.
“And you accept that at face value?” asked Cindy. “That’s ridiculous. I’m going down to the drug ring myself to poke around.”
“You can’t go!” Abe stood up, adamant.
“I have to.” Cindy stood eye to eye with him. “I won’t be able to sleep at night if I don’t. I won’t be able to stop thinking about this.”
“Just stop.” Abe took a step forward. “Go back to the hotel, spend time with your fiancé. There are better things to think about, things that are healthier for you.”
Abe meant well, but Cindy was horrified. “I won’t be able to leave the island if I don’t do everything in my power to find out how Shane died,” she exclaimed.
“You’re a special woman, Cindy.” Abe looked hard into Cindy’s eyes.
“I’m not leaving until you give me a lead.” Cindy was adamant.
“Go to the casino and ask to speak to a guy named Santos,” Abe practically whispered. “Don’t tell him I sent you, don’t tell anyone. Whatever’s going on with the ring, Santos knows about it. I have no idea if he’ll even see you, though. He’s temperamental. It depends on the mood you get him in. You can never tell.”
“Thank you,” breathed Cindy.
“And don’t tell Vinny or Alfred either,” Abe warned. “I don’t want them messing around with more than they can handle and getting themselves hurt.”
“I won’t,” Cindy promised.
“You can tell Mattheus, though,” Abe continued. “It would be better if the two of you went together. I don’t want you going alone.”
“Thank you, Abe,” Cindy cried out and to her surprise and his, ran over and gave him a hug before she flew out the door.
CHAPTER 14
Cindy sped back to the hotel to find Mattheus and get him on board. Abe was probably right; it would be better and safer for her to investigate the drug ring with Mattheus at her side. If he was there, it would give her more clout with Santos as well.
When Cindy arrived at the hotel she immediately rushed to Rowley’s room, expecting everyone to be there, including Mattheus and Rod. Now that the medical examiner’s report was final, they were probably all packing, getting ready to leave. Cindy slowed down as she approached the door. What if Mattheus was upset to see her? Rod would certainly be. It didn’t matter. Cindy and Mattheus weren’t down here simply to make people happy but to find a possible killer on the loose.
When Cindy got to the room, once again the door was half open. Cindy knocked anyway.
“Come in, come in,” a male voice Cindy hadn’t heard before responded.
Cindy pushed the door open and walked in. To her surprise, the room was almost empty. Only Rowley and an attractive older man were sitting side by side on a sofa in the corner. Cindy remembered the older man to be Rowley’s father, Pete.
“Cindy?” said Rowley, surprised to see her. “What in the world are you doing here?”