Death by Devotion (Book #9 in the Caribbean Murder Series)

by Jaden Skye

  Mattheus took it in, dropped his head for a second. Then he looked back up at her. “Okay, I got it,” he responded. “I’m grateful for that, at least.”

  “At least? It’s a lot,” Cindy quickly responded.

  “Yes, it is, you’re right,” Mattheus agreed. “I’m grateful you’re here.”

  “Okay,” Cindy went on quickly, glad the boundaries had been clearly established.

  “I’ve got a cab waiting,” Mattheus continued. “First stop is the police station.”

  “Good idea,” said Cindy as they walked towards the taxi stand. “I want to meet the cops on the case, let them know I’m down here on it, too.”

  “They know already, I told them,” said Mattheus, uneasily.

  “Really? And how did they take it?” asked Cindy.

  “They snickered,” Mattheus said. “They’re a strange lot. Private detectives don’t have much clout down here.”

  “Especially women detectives, I imagine,” Cindy filled in.

  “Who cares what they think?” Mattheus grew restless as he hailed the cab he had waiting.

  “I care,” said Cindy. “Cooperation is good. I like getting the police on our team.”

  “Sometimes you get cooperation, sometimes you don’t,” Mattheus stood a bit taller, sounding more like his old self. “It’s a good idea for them to meet you, but don’t count on much on their support.”

  Cindy realized with a flash that she wasn’t counting on anything much anymore, not from the cops, from Mattheus, or even from her sister, Ann. But rather than feeling deserted, she felt an unusual sense of strength. She was doing what was right and she knew it. When she did that, she also knew that the support she needed would inevitably come to her.

  The cab drove up to them quickly and Mattheus tossed Cindy’s luggage into the trunk.

  “Just one bag? You travelled pretty light,” he commented. “Not planning to stay very long?”

  “Just long enough to get the job done,” Cindy replied, as they got into the cab and it drove away to the police station, without their saying another word.

  *

  The police station was housed in a low, squat building in front of a cluster of overgrown trees. As soon as they walked in, a sense of oppression came over Cindy. The stucco walls of the hallways were a dull beige and the floors were made of harsh tiles.

  “Follow me,” Mattheus motioned, as they walked along to the main receiving room.

  “Can I help you?” a lovely Caribbean woman sat in the receptionist seat.

  “This is Cindy Blaine,” Mattheus responded gruffly. “She has an appointment to see the Chief of Police as soon as she arrives.”

  The young woman raised her eyebrows and looked Cindy over. “I’ll let him know you’re here,” she said, picking up the Intercom.

  *

  Chief of Police August Herring walked down the corridor with big, noisy steps, finally stopping about a foot away from Cindy. He didn’t so much as give Mattheus a glance. Clearly, no love was lost between them.

  “So, you’re real – not a figment of Mattheus’s imagination,” he said to Cindy looking her right in the eyes.

  Cindy was taken aback. “Mattheus and I work together as private detectives,” she commented. “It’s a matter of record.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I heard the whole pitch, even read all about you in the papers,” August Herring stopped her right there. “Okay, come into the office.” Then he turned his back and Cindy and Mattheus followed him to a door with his name on it.

  Once inside, Cindy and Mattheus sat down opposite him, as he eased himself into a large, leather chair. Then, without a moment’s hesitation, he started drumming his thick fingers on the wooden desk. All of this seemed like a tremendous annoyance for him.

  “I appreciate your time,” Cindy said, breaking the uneasy silence that was growing.

  “What do you want from us, Miss Blaine?” August asked, a look of boredom settling on his thick face. Clearly, he was letting her know that their meeting was a formality. He had no intention of including her in the investigation.

  “I need whatever you have,” Cindy responded coolly. “Time of death, suspects, all physical evidence.”

  August grinned slowly as the outside door opened and another police officer entered.

  “Come in, Sean,” August beckoned to the guy who’d just entered. Sean was about

  Cindy’s age, tall, toned, blonde and handsome. He looked as out of place as she felt and Cindy wondered what in the world he was doing on the force down here.

  “I thought we’d assign Sean to help you out,” August continued. “He’s an ex pat from the States.”

  Cindy and Sean nodded to each other, and Sean seemed impressed.

  “This is my partner, Mattheus,” Cindy quickly continued, wanting to make sure he was included.

  “Precisely the problem,” August interrupted the introduction. “Number one, your partner’s behavior has been questionable. Number two, it’s his daughter we’re holding in custody.”

  Sean looked over at Cindy quickly and their eyes met in a flash. His eyes were interested, kind and yet, totally uncompromising. He seemed to want to assess how much Cindy knew about what had gone on.

  Cindy quickly returned to the comment August had made. “How has Mattheus’s behavior been questionable?” she asked, feeling as though she were a mother talking to a teacher at school about an unruly son.

  “Mattheus was heard threatening the victim a day before he died,” Sean filled Cindy in.

  “The guy was abusing my daughter,” Mattheus retorted, “and also abusing the mother.”

  August made a sour face. “The mother, Petra, was married to the victim. He had a right to say to her whatever he wanted.”

  To Cindy’s surprise August spoke of the victim with a touch of fondness. It made Cindy wonder if the two of them knew each other, or if they’d been friends.

  “I wasn’t threatening the guy,” Mattheus jumped back in. “I was just warning him not to push my daughter around. He’d grabbed her elbow and swung her hard.”

  Cindy gave Mattheus a quick look out of the corner of her eye, warning him to shut up. Nothing he said would do him any good.

  “Andrea also happens to be Cain’s stepdaughter,” August sounded disgruntled. “Someone’s got to discipline these lousy kids. How do you know what she was up to? How much do you really know about her at all?”

  That quieted Mattheus down. “Not much,” he agreed solemnly, “but no one deserves to get pushed around.”

  “So, what brings you down here, now?” August leaned forward. “That’s something we’re also looking into.”

  “Mattheus came down to see his daughter because of me,” Cindy spoke up definitively. “He and I were about to get engaged and I didn’t want this hanging over our heads. First I wanted him to find his daughter, meet her, and get things straightened out. Who knew what would have happened if she turned up one day and we were married and had a family of our own?” Cindy felt she owed them a swift and honest explanation. It was easy to get lost in a maze of suspicions and she needed to clear the air right away.

  Both August and Sean listened to her intently.

  “So, you’re the one who wanted him to meet her?” August’s eyes narrowed. “Are you telling me that basically, he didn’t give a damn?”

  “I’m not saying anything of the kind,” Cindy was exasperated. “Of course Mattheus cared.”

  “Prove it to me,” August demanded.

  “Mattheus searched for Andrea and found her,” Cindy shot back. “Once he met her, he even ended our relationship in a second so he could be a dad to her.”

  All the men in the room grew silent and Sean took a deep breath.

  “What do you mean ended your relationship?” August asked stiffly. “You’re right here.”

  “When Andrea met me she didn’t want anything to do with me,” said Cindy. “She didn’t want anyone getting in the way between her and her dad. She need
ed him though, and asked him to come and visit. On one condition only - he had to leave me behind.”

  “And he agreed?” Sean asked, fascinated.

  “In a second,” Cindy responded, once again meeting Sean’s eyes.

  “I wasn’t leaving forever,” Mattheus jumped into the fray, “just for however long needed to get to know her.”

  “But who knew how long that would be?” Cindy continued briskly. “And, Mattheus did it without a second of consultation with me. There was no hesitation, no decision. That’s how much he cared.” Cindy stared at Sean, who was transfixed by her now.

  “That must have hurt like hell,” Sean commented.

  “Yes, it did,” Cindy replied.

  “So, what are you doing down here now?” August leaned in closer.

  “I came down on a professional basis to help by old partner out,” Cindy responded. “I’m not going to let him get waylaid by rumors and suspicion. I live for the truth, I find it at all costs and then and let the truth speak for itself.”

  August took a deep breath and shook his head slowly. “Honey, you’re really something. Now I see why they wrote all these articles about you. Mattheus was one lucky guy to have had a partner like you.”

  Mattheus looked out of the window, distressed as August spoke. “I still am one lucky guy,” he responded.

  August turned back to him in a flash. “Not as lucky as you think. Your daughter’s in big trouble, and for all we know, you may be too.”

  Sean walked over and put his hand on August’s shoulder. “Let’s take it slow before we jump to conclusions. One step at a time.”

  August nodded, he seemed to really like Sean. “Okay, my boy, you take over here. Do what you can with these two.”

  Sean reached into his pocket then, and gave Cindy his card. “You can reach me at this number,” he said. “We need to stay in touch.”

  Cindy was grateful to have a link to the police. And she was particularly pleased to be able to work with someone from her own country, like Sean.

  “Thanks so much,” she answered.

  “First settle in,” Sean continued, “then give me a call.”

  Mattheus looked out of the window during the exchange, the muscle in his jaw clenched.

  Chapter 7

  Mattheus was sullen as he and Cindy left the police station. Cindy knew her interaction with Sean had upset him, and to top it off, Sean had kept him out of it. It was probably due to the Police of Chief’s instructions. Cindy realized that she had a lot more to learn about what Mattheus had done to cause the distrust the police felt towards him.

  “Where to now?” Cindy asked as they walked down the street, looking for a cab. “It wouldn’t hurt to get into my room and throw my bag down.” Mattheus had not yet mentioned which hotel she was staying at. “Is the place I’m staying at nearby?”

  Mattheus looked glum. “I booked a cheap hotel near my daughter’s home,” he replied. “I got a room for you down the hall from me. It’s safe and clean. Hope that will be okay.”

  “It’s fine,” said Cindy quickly. It made no difference at all to her right now whether the hotel was fancy or cheap. All she needed was a room to, rest, re-group in, and be able to get to work.

  “The place is the best I could find in the neighborhood,” Mattheus quickly added.

  “After all, everyone in the Caribbean doesn’t consort with the rich and the famous, or even want to, believe it or not.”

  Cindy wasn’t sure what had prompted that, but Mattheus was definitely back on his old resentment of the rich. It didn’t take much to turn him back to his favorite themes. Cindy didn’t want to get caught up in it now, just decided to change the topic.

  “I’m sorry about your daughter,” Cindy said gently then, wanting to get back on track.

  The sincerity of her tone changed the mood abruptly.

  “Thank you,” said Mattheus, looking down. “I appreciate that, I really do.”

  Cindy took a deep breath. “I need to get all the details.”

  “You will,” said Mattheus, “I’ll fill you in on everything when we get back to the hotel.”

  Mattheus’s tone turned so flat and lifeless then that Cindy stopped a moment and looked at him. He certainly wasn’t himself at all. This entire situation had shaken him badly. Cindy could feel the great weight of it upon his shoulders, bearing down on him.

  Feeling Cindy’s concern Mattheus looked back up at her and then grew agitated. It was as if there were something he wanted to say, but couldn’t.

  Cindy knew him well enough to know what he was thinking without his saying a word, though.

  “Is there something you think we should do before we go back to the hotel?” Cindy filled in for him.

  “We’re a few blocks away from Petra’s house,” Mattheus seemed nervous about it.

  Cindy perked up. “Andrea’s mother? Your girlfriend?”

  “Andrea’s mother,” Mattheus exclaimed. “Petra hasn’t been my girlfriend for fifteen years! And in fact, she doesn’t really want anything to do with me now.”

  “I didn’t mean it that way,” Cindy backtracked. “Don’t bite off my head. I’m not implying anything, just trying to get it all straight.”

  “Petra’s going through hell. It wouldn’t hurt to stop in and speak to her,” Mattheus repeated. “We’re right here.”

  Cindy could feel Mattheus’s genuine concern for Petra. It touched and unnerved her at the same time. It was unsettling that Mattheus still had feelings for Petra, but also good that he could feel compassion for the terrible situation she was in.

  “I’d love to go meet Petra,” Cindy said, meaning it fully. “Do you have to call her first and tell her we’re coming?”

  Mattheus shook his head. “No, she won’t pick up her phone, hasn’t gone out of the house since her husband was killed. She’s totally shocked and also terrified for Andrea. Keeps saying that her daughter’s a goner now, too. Friends and neighbors have been coming over, bringing her food, talking to her.”

  “Have you gone, too?” asked Cindy.

  “Of course, I have,” Mattheus replied. “None of this would have happened if I hadn’t come down here to Anguilla.” He threw Cindy an odd side glance.

  “You don’t know that for sure,” Cindy remarked quickly. “Andrea and her stepfather had a long history before you ever came on the scene.”

  “Well, I do know that Petra definitely needs me now. I belong there,” he said.

  “It’s a lot losing a daughter and husband at the same time,” Cindy sympathized.

  At that Mattheus looked over at her with a flash of his old, fighting spirit back.

  “Who says Petra’s lost Andrea? Sure, there’s evidence against Andrea, but far from enough to close the case. There’s plenty of other possibilities for who could have killed Cain. He had a past, and I heard plenty of people wanted him dead. This has got to be investigated thoroughly.”

  “I know, I know,” Cindy tried to calm him. “That’s why I’m here.”

  *

  Cindy and Mattheus turned the next corner. It was getting late and through the fading light Cindy looked at the thick trees and bushes that lined the streets. They were overgrown and wild looking, as though they hadn’t been tended to for years. It was eerie to walk under them and the odd shadows they cast along the streets.

  Cindy and Mattheus walked up a hill and then down a winding, curvy road, to a street lined by simple, flat houses, standing close to each other.

  “The second house in the middle of the block is theirs,” Mattheus said, as he led Cindy to the narrow, framed door. A light was on inside, but otherwise the house seemed empty and quiet.

  Mattheus knocked once loudly, and then pushed the door open.

  “Petra never locks it,” he said as they walked into the foyer.

  A sense of oppression overcame Cindy as she walked into the space. The foyer was messy, crowded with shoes and scarves and the feel of death reeked from every corner.

&nbs
p; “Petra hasn’t been taking care of things since this happened,” Mattheus continued as they walked through the clutter into the living room. When they entered the room was empty, except for paper plates with old food on it, some paper cups and a few towels strewn around.

  As Cindy looked around, a woman’s voice called out from the next room. “Who’s there?”

  “It’s Mattheus,” he quickly responded.

  “The day’s over, get out of here,” the woman’s voice called back in a low tone.

  “Petra always says that,” Mattheus turned to Cindy. “She says it to everyone, then she comes around. She’ll walk out in a little while. No matter what she says I think it’s a good idea for her to meet you. And for you to meet her, too.”

  It was more than a good idea, it was crucial. Cindy knew they had to talk, she just hadn’t expected to meet her so quickly. Petra held the keys to a lot of what had happened. It was an important visit and Cindy wished she’d had more time to prepare for it. .

  As Mattheus had predicted, a woman now came ambling out into the room. Her long, curly hair was messy, strewn over her face, and she wore loose, cotton pants and an oversized faded shirt with blue peacocks all over it.

  The woman stopped when she saw Cindy and stared at her dully.

  “Who the hell is this now?” she mumbled, rubbing her hands over her face, looking through half closed eyes.

  “Petra,” Mattheus took a few steps forward, “this is my partner, Cindy Blaine.”

  Petra stood taller at that and quickly opened her eyes. “Now you got a partner?” she suddenly seemed interested.

  “Mattheus and I work together as detectives,” Cindy quickly filled her in. She didn’t want Petra getting any wrong ideas, or Mattheus throwing up smoke screens between them.

  Petra took a step closer, and even in the hazy light, Cindy could see that she’d once been a beautiful woman. She probably she still was when she was put together. Right now, though, she seemed so disarrayed, Cindy couldn’t decide if she were on drugs, or just still reeling from shock.

  “So, you came all the way down here to meet me?” Petra asked in a slurry tone.