“Oh, so that’s where you were when I woke up alone?” Mattheus now sounded irritated. “At the very least you could have left a note telling me where you were.”
Mattheus was right, but Cindy didn’t want to even take a minute to deal with it now. They had something larger here to work on.
“The medical examiner’s report is in,” Cindy continued. “Abe told me what they found.”
“I know it’s in, I told you it was coming in today,” Mattheus replied flatly. “Gunshot wounds and all the effects of drowning. They’ve definitely got a homicide on their hands.”
“There were also significant drugs found in Shane’s body,” Cindy continued.
Mattheus was unmoved. “To be expected,” he responded. “Check on any regular down at the casino and you’ll find them loaded with drugs. It goes with the territory.”
“But you don’t find all the regulars at the casino turning up dead on the beach.” Cindy’s voice grew sharper.
“What are you trying to say?” asked Mattheus.
“I’ve got the name of a contact at the drug ring,” Cindy spoke up. “I’m going down to talk to him. I want you to go with me.”
“How did you get this contact? Who gave it to you?” Mattheus wasn’t at all pleased.
“I’ll tell you later,” Cindy replied.
“Tell me now,” Mattheus insisted. “I’m not chasing after harebrained schemes. How is a contact in the drug ring related to Kara’s disappearance?”
Cindy drew a quick breath. Mattheus probably thought Alfred gave her the name and was unwilling to go along with anything Alfred might suggest. For a second Cindy wanted to tell Mattheus that she’d gotten the name from Abe, but she immediately stopped herself. If Mattheus wasn’t open to going with her, if he was going to squash the idea right out the gate, she’d rather go by herself. She’d do better that way.
“Seems like you have more important things to do, Mattheus,” Cindy said somberly.
“If you mean it’s more important for me to be with my friend the last day or so before he leaves for home, then yes, you’re right,” Mattheus replied. “Rod’s not doing well. I’m keeping him going.”
“I know you are,” said Cindy.
“You know? How? Did Pete tell you?” Mattheus was quick on the draw.
“Pete and I had a valuable conversation,” Cindy replied calmly. “He helped me understand many things.”
“Well, he certainly can’t stop talking about you,” Mattheus murmured in return. “That’s
all I’ve heard from the minute Rod and I got back. He’s been telling me to call you right away, to
go back to our room, give you a hand. What did you tell him you were, a damsel in distress?”
Cindy was horrified by Mattheus’s comment. “That’s disgusting, Mattheus,” she finally
said. “It’s derogatory, humiliating, not at all worthy of who you are.”
“I’m sorry.” Mattheus realized it immediately. “These days here are rough. I’m exhausted.”
“They’re rough for me as well,” Cindy quipped.
“I just don’t know why Pete’s so obsessed with you,” Mattheus went on.
“Perhaps he’s just an old-fashioned gentleman and doesn’t want me working on the case alone.”
“There’s no case to work on!” Mattheus flared up. “Listen to me, I’ll repeat it again. There’s no case to work on! The case has gone completely cold. Right now we have no clues or leads to follow.”
“Maybe you don’t!” Cindy said and then stopped herself abruptly.
“What are you telling me?” Mattheus became quieter.
“Nothing, Mattheus, nothing at all,” said Cindy. “Go back to Rod and when he goes home we can catch up on new findings.” Then she hung up the phone abruptly.
*
Oddly, Cindy felt better after she and Mattheus hung up. And she was only slightly
apprehensive about going down to the casino alone to talk to Santos. Cindy decided to go right
away. It was still light out, late afternoon. She’d stay a short while. It would be fine. The idea of asking Pete to accompany her flashed through her mind momentarily, but of course, that would be inappropriate in every possible way. This wasn’t a world Pete should be a part of, or could even navigate in. He didn’t seem like someone who would know his way on the twisted trails Cindy traveled on.
Cindy knew that she shouldn’t go down there without letting someone know where she would be. She could tell Abe, of course, but it would only agitate him. He’d given her Santos’s name under duress and Cindy didn’t want to push it. The only other person Cindy could let know, oddly enough, was Alfred. However, she hesitated to do that. Rowley was right, Alfred could be a wildcard, and Cindy had no idea what he would do with the information. She’d also have to give him Santos’s name and she’d promised Abe she wouldn’t do that.
She’d be fine alone, Cindy finally concluded, pulling on a pair of navy linen slacks and a nondescript shirt. Then she made her way out of the room, down the elevator, and out the front door of the lobby to hail a cab and get to the casino as soon as possible.