by Jaden Skye
The cops also looked into Shelly’s family. Her parents lived in Oregon with her retarded brother, Mike. The one strange note that Mattheus couldn’t come to terms with was that Shelly’s parents never came down to help with the search. When asked about it, her father mumbled that he always knew she would come to no good. Mattheus never knew what to make of that. After she went missing, Shelly’s parents didn’t stay in touch with Mattheus. He didn’t know why, but it hurt.
“I’m leaving for Key West later today,” Mattheus’s voice sounded garbled and distraught on the phone. “I can’t do this alone.”
“Of course not,” said Cindy.
“I need you badly,” said Mattheus. “Will you come and help me find the killer?”
“I’ll be on the next plane down,” Cindy said.
*
Key West, the last stop, down at the furthest tip of the gulf stream, was surrounded by beautiful warm waters, palm trees and history going back to the 17th century, when pirate ships came to shore. Now it was bustling and crowded with tourists, conferences, and those who came for vacation to hang out at one of the great bars or cafes.
The airport was small and funky. Cindy changed planes at Miami to a small shuttle which headed down to the Keys. The flight was quick and bumpy. All the way down Cindy kept telling herself that she wouldn’t stay long, just a few days, long enough to offer Mattheus support and help him get back on his feet. Who else could he turn to?
Mattheus’s own parents had both died in a car crash when he was young. His only living relative, his sister Lily, had called every day after Shelly had gone missing, and then came to spend the first month with him. After that, she returned to Alabama. Once Mattheus moved away from Grenada, he barely heard from Lily either.
Cindy had no plans to tell Ann that she was down here now, either. Ann would go crazy, and maybe she was right? It was hard to see certain things clearly when you had a murder to solve. Your priorities shifted in the flash of a second. Things that mattered a lot before suddenly seemed unimportant, little details you would never have noticed quickly took center stage. Your day was organized around them. There was no way she could explain that to her sister.
Cindy got out of the plane, slightly rattled, not only by the ride, but by the idea of seeing Mattheus again so soon. But, after all how could she not go down and be there with him when he had to go through something like this.
A wind had blown up as they were landing and got stronger as she stepped out of the plane. Her skirt ruffled up around her knees and she put her hand over her eyes, to keep the sand from blowing into them.
“Cindy,” she heard Mattheus calling out to her almost immediately after she stepped out of the plane.
He wore old khakis, his hair was messy, and he looked unshaven and disheveled, not crisp and suntanned as usual.
Cindy was amazed at how happy she was to see him. She wanted to throw her arms around him, but he stopped as he got a few feet from her.
“Great of you to come down,” he mumbled, brushing the ground with his foot.
“Mattheus, I’m sorry.” Despite herself Cindy reached out her hands.
He didn’t take them. Why would he? thought Cindy. After all, we’ve just broken up. I’ve come down to work with him as a detective now. He’s respecting that.”
“Let’s go,” he said, nervous. “I’ve got a jeep waiting.”
They walked a few feet together to a red jeep that was parked nearby. Mattheus opened the side door and she climbed in.
“I told them to send your luggage to the Key House Hotel,” he said as he jumped in and started the motor. “I’ve got you a room on the same floor, next to mine.”
“Okay,” said Cindy. It was as if the time they’d shared together had faded, now it was all business again.
“I’ll never forget that you did this for me,” Mattheus said, as he looked out over his shoulder and pulled out of the airport, onto a long, narrow road. The road stretched out under palm trees, and led to the main highway. “We’re about ten minutes from the hotel. It’s a great hotel, right on the beach. As soon as you’re settled we’ll go down to the Police Station. I’ve been there once already, for a quick check in. I told them you were coming down to be on the case with me. They were fine with it.” His words rolled out one after another as if there was no stopping them. Obviously, he was in distress. How could he not be?
“This has to be a huge shock for you, Mattheus,” Cindy said.
“Yeah, when the shocks start coming there’s no end to them,” Mattheus mumbled, “lose one woman and find another – the body of another that is.”
Cindy shivered. It was gruesome to hear him speak this way.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, so am I. Sorry, but also relieved. At least I have Shelly’s remains. That’s something, isn’t it? Better than having nothing at all.”
Cindy felt slapped in the face.
CHAPTER 5
Cindy didn’t spend any time washing up or getting settled at the hotel. She got the key to her room, went in, and took just a minute to look out at the perfect sky and rippling blue waters and take a delicious, deep breath. The place was beautiful and it was strangely wonderful to be with Mattheus, but she wasn’t going to get lulled into that. They were back in two separate rooms again, and even though it was entirely fitting, it also made her sad. Their relationship always seemed to go in circles, back to square one.
Cindy went to the bathroom, splashed water on her face and looked in the mirror briefly. Her face looked fresh and filled with anticipation. There was always that adrenalin rush at the beginning of a new case. You had no idea what was coming, who you would run into, what strange world would surface in front of your eyes. Life became open and full of possibilities; everyday reality took on a different vantage point.
But this case was different, way too close to home. Mattheus’s life would never be the same now that they’d found his wife’s body. He would finally get the closure he’d been craving, but it was also his chance even to come face to face with one who did it. How would he handle that? Cindy wondered how much the cops really had. They hadn’t wanted to tell Mattheus about what they’d discovered until Cindy was with him. Too disturbing, Cindy guessed. They said they wanted Mattheus to be with someone when he heard what they found.
Cindy turned quickly now to go down to the lobby to meet Mattheus and get to the Police Station as soon as possible.
*
The Police Station down in Key West was the southernmost Police Station in the United States, situated in a new large, pink stucco building on a large boulevard. There was a long walk leading up to it, a circular rotunda with pillars in the front and a lone palm tree along the side.
As Cindy and Mattheus walked up the front walk, Police of Chief Rodney Barren came to the front and held the door open for them. He was in his late fifties, strong and steady with pepper and salt grey hair and clear, blue eyes.
“Glad you’re here, Mattheus,” Rodney said warmly.
Mattheus nodded and held out his hand. Obviously the two of them had a chance to spend time together and there seemed to be a nice feeling between them. Cindy was grateful for that.
“Cindy Blaine, my partner,” said Mattheus, gruffly.
Rodney turned and looked at Cindy appreciatively.
“Good of you to come down to help with this,” he said, offering his hand. “Rough case to handle when it’s your own wife.”
“Terrible,” said Cindy, shaking Rodney’s hand. She flashed on what it had been like to work on Clint’s murder, how terrified and alone she’d felt. It seemed like it had happened in another lifetime, hard to believe it was less than two years ago.
“The Key West Police Department is a state accredited organized made up of dedicated and professional men and women,” Rodney said as he led Cindy and Mattheus along the hallway to his office. Clearly, he was proud of it. “Our island is home to a diverse community and we serve a population of 25,000 full-time
residents with over two million visitors each year.”
Cindy appreciated the information and was impressed. She was also concerned. With that many visitors and transients it could be hard to track the killer down.
They got to Rodney’s office, went in and sat down at the large desk in the center. In a few minutes a couple of other cops came in then, and joined them. An electric energy filled the room and Cindy suddenly became apprehensive, wondering what they were going to say.Shelly had gone missing six years ago. What kind of shape could her remains be in? How much could they actually find out?
Mattheus was anxious, “Okay, shoot,” he said. “I want to hear everything. What kind of evidence can you still collect from what’s left after all this time?”
“Mattheus,” Rodney started speaking slowly and deliberately.
Mattheus looked up at him, “Yeah?”
“From work on the body we have concluded that Shelly’s death was recent.”
Mattheus didn’t fully grasp what he was saying. “Recent?”
“Shelly was killed about one week ago,” said Rodney.
The life drained from Mattheus face. “What?”
Rodney repeated his words even more slowly, “Your wife was killed one week ago.”
Mattheus could barely speak. “It’s not possible,” he finally said.
“We checked carefully,” Rodney spoke very slowly. He knew this was incredible information to give Mattheus.
“I don’t get it. What did you say?” Mattheus started shaking his head back and forth, as if to wipe the cobwebs away. “She went missing six years ago, on August 8th.”
Rodney repeated the same words more slowly.
“Your wife was alive and living down here in Key West. She was killed one week ago.”
“Living in Key West?” Mattheus eyes turned blurry. His entire world was being turned upside down. “We lived in New Orleans. She disappeared. We searched for the killer in hundred mile radius.”
“There wasn’t a killer then,” Rodney said to Mattheus slowly, “your wife left of her own will. She came down here to live.”
One of the cops, Alex, a young guy in his late thirties, glanced over at Cindy from the corner of his eye. Now Cindy understood why they didn’t want to talk to Mattheus alone. It could be too much of a shock. He could have had a heart attack.
“The killing is new, it’s a fresh case,” Alex said softly to Cindy.
“What do you mean she came of her own will?” Mattheus was stuck on that thought. “She ran away from me? She pretended to be killed?”
“She didn’t pretend anything, Mattheus,” Rodney said more forcefully. “She ran away. Plenty of people who go missing actually run away. They leave their lives and start over.”
“Why would Shelly leave our life behind?” Mattheus was dumbfounded.
“There’s a lot of questions like that we have to ask you,” said Rodney.
The room seemed suddenly warmer, and the whirring fan that hung from the ceiling circulated the balmy air.
“Ask me?” Mattheus was confused.
For a horrible moment Cindy wondered if Mattheus was a suspect in the case.
“We need information to help us track the killer, or be sure about the guy we have in custody now,” Rodney explained.
Mattheus stood up like a lightning bolt, his face filled with rage.
“Who do you have in custody?”
“Whoah, calm down there,” said Rodney, momentarily alarmed. “The guy’s name is Anthony, he’s a musician in a band down here.”
Mattheus’s fists clenched and turned white.
“Did you and your wife spend time down in Key West when you were together?” Rodney took another tack.
“Yeah, we came down for vacations. Shelly liked it down here. She never said a thing about coming here to live. Who the hell is this guy, Anthony?”
“Your wife was living with him,” Rodney said.
This was more than Mattheus could bear. “Wait a minute! Hold on! What the hell are you saying? I don’t believe a word of it.” Mattheus jumped up and began pacing back and forth. “You’re giving me a line of crap. You want to upset me - see my reaction! Shelly wasn’t living with anybody. She loved me.”
Mattheus turned and then ran to the door.
“Get back here. Sit down,” Rodney demanded.
“I can’t. You got to give me time with this,” Mattheus growled, as he turned and fled out onto the street.
“Mattheus!” Cindy got up, racing after him.
“Hold on a second,” Alex got up to stop her.
“No, let her go,” Rodney said from behind. “He needs her with him now.”
“I’ll be back in a little while,” Cindy uttered, as she fled out the doors, chasing Mattheus down the crowded streets
CHAPTER 6
Mattheus got out of the station and started running at full speed. He had no idea where he was going, just knew he had to get out of there fast. The walls were starting to close in in on him and the voice of the cops was ringing in his ears. This couldn’t be true, just couldn’t. How could it be possible that Shelly was alive all this time and hadn’t gotten in touch with him? The thought of it ripped through his heart like a sharpened knife. Everything blurred as he passed by, the trolley, cafes, little wooden shacks, the stores and homes. His breath became jagged as he ran through streets he’d once walked on with her.
Shelly, he called out in his mind. Did you leave me? Are you gone? Are they lying about you?
There was no answer and never would be.
Shelly, damn it, answer me! Are you dead or alive?
Suddenly it came to him. This could be a case of mistaken identification. How could the police so sure it was her? Who had actually seen the body? Who knew he was in Grenada and told them to contact him there? He’d been so stunned, he hadn’t had the presence of mind to ask that - or one hundred other questions. Mattheus knew he’d run out of the place way too fast, but he couldn’t stand hearing another word about Shelly or the live she’d lived without him.
Mattheus wiped away the perspiration that poured from his face as he ran. The idea that Shelly didn’t disappear, but had left on her own and was living with another guy, blew his mind. It hit like a torpedo, came out of nowhere and didn’t make sense. He’d never had any reason to believe the two of them hadn’t been completely happy together. He’d never doubted that for a minute.
As if to absorb the horrible news, he slowed down a little and looked around, to make sure this was real. Was Shelly still here, hiding behind a doorway, playing some kind of crazy game? All he saw were people ambling up and down the streets as if they had nothing better in the world to do in than take in the sun’s rays.
Soon the sun would begin going down. Then everyone would start gathering at the water’s edge for the sunset ceremony. It happened every night - people played music, sang, danced and ate Key Lime pies. They were celebrating the end of another gorgeous day. Whenever they came down here, Shelly loved it, didn’t want to miss even one night. It was the high point of the vacation for her.
Mattheus picked up his pace again, on his way down to the water’s edge. Being there would be like old times with her. Sure, Shelly loved being here, but not enough to throw away her whole life for it. Not enough to move in with another guy. Were the cops telling him all this to drive him crazy, get him to crack? Was he a suspect? His mind felt like a spider weaving all kinds of crazy webs.
Suddenly, the boardwalk zoomed in closer. Mattheus ran to the water’s edge. The water looked cool, calm and inviting. Maybe the best thing he could do for himself and everyone else would be to jump in and not come back.
“Mattheus,” a woman’s voice close behind, was calling him. “Mattheus, wait.”
He turned swiftly and there was Cindy, her face hot and flushed. He’d forgotten about her, was surprised to see her.
“Mattheus, I’m here,” she said, “slow down.”
Cindy ran up to the railing he was leaning
against, her hair caught across her face, her breath coming swiftly.
“I’ve been calling for you to slow down,” she said breathless.
The sight of her startled him. He remembered that he’d called her down to help him on the case. He also remembered that they’d been together and broken up suddenly. She ran out on him. What did she want from him now?
“That was a pretty good run you led me on.” Cindy came closer, sweaty and hot.
Mattheus ran his hands through his hair. “Jesus Christ,” he muttered, “how long have you been chasing me?”
Cindy put her hand on his arm. He was grateful she was there. But how long would she stay? Could he even trust it? Yeah he’d gone back on his word to her, but her reaction was extreme.
“Let’s sit down on a bench over here,” said Cindy. “It’s a beautiful spot.”
That seemed like a strange, irrelevant comment, thought Mattheus.
“The sunset ceremony is going to begin soon,” said Cindy.
“Shelly never missed one of them,” Mattheus said.
Cindy put her hands on his shoulders, trying to turn him towards her. He didn’t really want to.
“This has to be a horrible shock for you, Mattheus,” Cindy said.
He finally turned, looked at her and felt his eyes blur.
“I’m sorry Mattheus. I really am,” Cindy went on.
“Sorry about what?”
“The terrible news,” she said slowly.
“How do we know it’s true?” he slammed his fist on the railing.
“Let’s go sit down on the bench over there and talk about it,” Cindy’s voice was soothing and steady, the way he remembered it when they’d first met. What a mess he’d made of everything. He’d no idea why she’d come down now to help, and wasn’t even sure he was glad she was here.
Mattheus let Cindy lead him to the bench anyway and sat down beside her. For a long while neither of them said a word. Suddenly, he thought that of Shelly living with someone else and felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. He doubled up in pain.