by Jaden Skye
“That’s completely crazy,” said Cindy.
Katrina threw her head back and howled. “Me? Completely crazy? You think I don’t know when a woman is after the man I love? I’ve seen it over and over. And what the hell are you doing with my favorite necklace?”
Cindy looked down at the shells that seemed to be looking back up at her.
“I just found it,” said Cindy.
“Give it to me,” Katrina demanded.
But Cindy could not. She closed her hands around it more tightly. That the necklace didn’t belong to Katrina. Cindy felt it.
“I can’t give it to you,” said Cindy.
Katrina stomped closer. “Give it to me.”
Cindy held it tighter. “Why do you want it so much?” she demanded.
“It belongs to Flan,” Katrina mumbled then. “He loves it.”
“What else does he love?” Cindy crouched and lowered her voice, threatening. She wanted to crack her, bring the full story to light. She needed hard evidence and was getting close it now. Outside it grew darker and the wind started to blow up.
“Storm’s coming, Katrina,” Cindy taunted.
“So?”
“So, who else did your dear, precious husband love?”
Katrina took the bait and came closer.
“Plenty of them, one after another. You think you and Shelly were the only ones? No. You think he cared a second how much it hurt me? I told him over and over I loved him, too. He always said they loved him better.”
Cindy flashed to the odd conversation she’d heard between them in the Police Station.
“Maybe he was right?” said Cindy.
“No.”
Cindy heard the horror in her voice. She could only imagine how awful it felt. “Did they love him better?” Cindy asked anyway. She was on a murder investigation and needed the whole truth. “Were you able to give him the love he needed? I doubt it, Katrina.”
That did it. Katrina lunged at Cindy, grabbed her throat and scratched her until her neck was bleeding. Then she started choking her.
“It’s your turn now!” shouted Katrina, rage in her eyes.
Cindy gasped for air. As the thunder struck and the lights in the house started flickering, Cindy tried to push Katrina off. Losing air, finally, she mustered her last ounce of strength and managed to shove her off. Katrina stumbled backwards, tripping.
Cindy didn’t wait. Bleeding, still clutching the necklace, she flew down the steps to the cracked door and then out of the house, into the dark, raging storm.
CHAPTER 22
Hot winds whipped across Cindy’s face as she ran through sheets of pouring rain along dark, back streets away from Katrina’s home. Blood from the deep scratches poured down her neck onto her dress. Trembling, Cindy reached for her cell phone and called Mattheus. He picked up instantly, almost as if he were expecting the call.
“I’m hurt, Mattheus,” Cindy gasped, as she hunkered down under a huge tree.
“Where are you?” Mattheus asked horrified.
Cindy’s head started whirling. “A few blocks from Katrina’s, on the back streets, under a tree.”
Her throat hurt and it was hard to breathe. Katrina had done more damage than Cindy’s realized. It was hard to keep talking. Cindy felt a huge desire to sleep, closed her eyes for a second and suddenly felt as if time were floating and she was floating with it.
When she opened her eyes again, Mattheus was standing over her, drenched.
“Wake up, wake up,” he was rocking her gently.
Cindy opened her eyes as he lifted her slowly into his arms.
“My God,” Mattheus murmured, pulling her close to him.
Cindy put her head on his shoulder, exhausted.
“Katrina did this to you?” Mattheus asked, putting his hand over the wound that was still bleeding.
“Same place Shelly was grabbed and scratched,” Cindy said in a small voice.
“Cindy,” Mattheus pulled her close, “nothing matters to me if I you’re not okay.”
Despite her pain, Cindy smiled. It felt wonderful being wrapped in his arms, with the warm rain around them.
“How did this happen? How?” Mattheus asked when Cindy became more alert.
Cindy remembered the struggle over the necklace then. She’d slipped it in her pocket and had a strong desire to show it to Mattheus now. She reached for it, brought it out for him to see.
“What’s this?” Mattheus flinched as he looked at it.
“Katrina demanded I give it to her. I didn’t want to. We struggled for it,” said Cindy.
Mattheus was stone silent for a second. “It’s Shelly’s necklace!” he breathed, thunderstruck. “The one I gave her!”
Cindy suddenly remembered. The necklace had been on the photograph she’d seen of Shelly in Grenada. It had struck her then, too.
Mattheus couldn’t take his eyes off it. “How did you get it?”
“I found it in Katrina’s drawer,” Cindy said.
Mattheus voice started cracking. “I made it for Shelly, She never took it off.”
“She didn’t take it off all the time she was here, either,” Cindy said softly.
Mattheus started to cry as he cradled the necklace in his hands.
“It was taken from Shelly’s neck after she was killed,” Cindy said. “I don’t believe Flan would done that and given it to Katrina.”
Mattheus’s voice grew darker. “So, how did Katrina get it?”
“She had to have known how much it meant to Shelly,” Cindy said. “Katrina took if off her after she was killed. Katrina did it. She was out for revenge.”
Mattheus and Cindy stared at each other.
“We’ve got to go back to Katrina’s house immediately,” said Cindy.
“The police are on their way there,” Mattheus broke in. “I called them the second after you called.”
Then he took out a handkerchief and wrapped it gently around the wound on Cindy’s neck that was still bleeding. “Are you able to go with me to Katrina? Should you go to the hospital first and get the wound dressed?”
“I can go to Katrina,” said Cindy. “I need to be there with you when the police arrive.”
“Okay,” said Mattheus. “Let’s go right away.”
*
Cindy and Mattheus walked into Katrina’s house just as the police were circling her and she was thrashing around, yelling for her lawyer.
The minute Cindy walked in, Katrina stopped and stared.
The police turned and stared at Cindy as well.
“She lunged at me, scratched and choked me, right at the spot where Shelly was killed,” Cindy said plainly, pointing to her neck.
Rodney and Alex looked daunted.
Katrina started frothing at the mouth as her words boiled over, one after the other.
“Go to hell you bitch,” she shot at Cindy. “I’m only sorry I didn’t finish you off the way I finished Shelly. She was easier than you, though, she was stupid. She got what she deserved, and you’re gonna get it, too.”
“Hold on, hold on,” Rodney was trying to hold her back from lunging at Cindy again.
“And if I don’t get you,” Katrina pressed forward, “once Flan gets out, he will.”
Rodney grabbed Katrina harder and pulled her arms back.
“Did you hear what you said?” he growled.
“What?” Katrina practically spit at him.
“You killed Shelly?”
“I did,” said Katrina, “why shouldn’t I? Did she deserve to live?”
Mattheus, tight as a drum, moved towards her. “Do you?”
Cindy held him back.
“Any idiot could see who killed your precious wife and why!” Katrina jeered at Mattheus. “And I’m gonna kill your other doll, too. And the police down here couldn’t care less. They see things like this all the time.”
“She’s high on crack,” Rodney said to Alex.
Alex turned to Mattheus, the blood drained from his face
. “She’s out of her mind,” he apologized. “Of course we care.”
“I know you do,” Mattheus was trembling.
“The case is over,” Alex said quietly then. “Take Cindy to the hospital to have her wound treated. Take good care of her.”
“You better believe I’ll take good care,” said Mattheus, “she’s all I’ve got left in the world.”
*
Cindy was taken immediately at the hospital to a treatment room, where her wound was treated and bandaged. Only a couple of fly stitches were put in.
“There won’t be any scar,” the doctor assured her.
There’s all kinds of scars, thought Cindy, as Mattheus came to the edge of the door and peeked in. They hadn’t let him in before and it was wonderful to see him now.
“Sorry you had to go through this,” said the doctor, finishing up.
“I’ve been through worse things,” said Cindy.
Mattheus walked in then, holding a large bouquet of roses.
“If it weren’t for you this case wouldn’t have been solved,” Mattheus said, looking at Cindy adoringly. “No one can believe it. You did it again.”
“We did it together,” said Cindy slowly. She was tired and happy, but most of all relieved. She’d had an odd feeling about Katrina from the moment she met her, and wondered how the women at the Shelter were now taking the news that one of them was the killer. What would Barbara do?
Mattheus handed Cindy the flowers. “The story’s all over the news,” he said.
The doctor smiled and moved back a little, giving the two of them room to be together.
“I don’t know what I would have done without you?” Mattheus said as he came closer to Cindy.
She smiled. “I’m glad I could help.”
“Help? That’s not the word for it.”
The two of them looked at each other for a moment that seemed to stretch through lifetimes.
At that very moment, Alex walked into the room.
“Congratulations,” he said walking over to the bed. “You’re a star. Reporters are waiting outside to interview you—and we’ve received an urgent call for you both.”
“What about?” asked Mattheus.
“There’s another job for you guys. A murder. Might be a serial killer.”
Cindy and Mattheus stared at each other.
“How about it?” Alex pressed. “Can I give them your number?”
Cindy looked up, caught Mattheus’s eyes, and the two of them smiled. She could feel their destiny swirling around them, and had a feeling that, no matter what they wanted, fate had other plans for them both.
NOW AVAILABLE!
DEATH BY JEALOUSY
Book #6 in the Caribbean Murder Series
TAP HERE TO DOWNLOAD DEATH BY JEALOUSY ON AMAZON NOW!
Cindy and Mattheus, still reeling from Key West, unsure where their relationship stands, prepare to take some time away from each other—when a shocking call arrives. A beautiful bride is missing, the night before her destination wedding in the magnificent Cayman Islands. The groom, the last one to see her alive during their scuba diving outing, is the prime suspect.
But the groom’s family insists he is innocent, and they hire Cindy and Mattheus to find out the truth. Cindy understands the pain of an ocean accident all too well, and the case strikes uncomfortably close to home, evoking memories of Clint at every turn.
Police and Coast Guard search the sea and land, but the bride, Allie is nowhere to be found. Family, wedding party and guests have all been detained at their luxury hotel to be questioned. Was it an accident? Did the bride run away? Or has someone killed her? Who could have wanted her dead?
As Cindy and Mattheus investigate and interview those at the celebration, we journey into the incredible wealth and opulence of the Islands and the lifestyle of those who have come down to celebrate the wedding and vacation there. As their relationships are exposed, we see the effects of wealth, greed, and intense jealousy, and how it runs their lives. We also meet Mac, a charismatic, suave partner in the firm who develops an attachment to Cindy, and Vivien, a gorgeous guest, who no man can resist. As Vivien goes after Mattheus, and Mac pursues Cindy, we watch Cindy and Mattheus’s relationship struggle and become infected by jealousy and suspicion as well.
In a shocking turn of events, Cindy finds out more about Allie than anyone knew. And as the investigation takes a deadly turn, Cindy’s life is in danger, not once but twice. Once again, we see the forces of darkness try to undermine the search for truth. Will Cindy and Mattheus untangle the web of secrets among the rich and famous before it is too late?
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Books by Jaden Skye
THE CARIBBEAN MURDER SERIES
DEATH BY HONEYMOON (Book #1)
DEATH BY DIVORCE (Book #2)
DEATH BY MARRIAGE (Book #3)
DEATH BY DESIRE (Book #4)
DEATH BY DECEIT (Book #5)
DEATH BY JEALOUSY (Book #6)
DEATH BY PROPOSAL (Book #7)
DEATH BY OBSESSION (Book #8)
THE TOM’S RIVER SAGA
A PERFECT STRANGER (Book #1)
Tap here to download Jaden Skye books on Amazon now!
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