by Jaden Skye
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. “Open up,” called Mattheus, fiercely.
“You’re not coming in, no one is,” screeched Loretta.
Mattheus knocked harder one more time and in a few seconds there was the sound of a crash as the door fell from its hinges and Mattheus stormed in.
“I have Loretta’s bracelet that was found under Charma’s window,” Cindy yelled to Mattheus. “She’s confessed to arranging to have Pete killed. It’s all here on my recorder.”
“Your recorder?” Loretta tore at Cindy then. “You’ve betrayed me in every way!”
“You betrayed yourself, Loretta,” Cindy said as she watched Brad and a couple of cops now storm into the room.
The moment Loretta saw them, she raced out on the patio.
“Hold up there, you’re under arrest,” Brad announced fiercely, rushing after her.
“I’m not under arrest,” Loretta couldn’t catch her breath. “I haven’t done anything wrong, just had a man killed who hurt me. He deserved to die, it’s better this way.”
Cindy ran out after them to intervene, but all she could do was watch as Brad tried to grab Loretta. Loretta whirled around him like a tornado, yanked away and in a sudden flash of terror, threw herself off the patio onto the ground.
Cindy lunged towards her and screamed as the loud splatter of Loretta’s body hitting the pavement resounded.
“My God, my God,” Cindy yelled as Mattheus flew beside her.
The other cops dashed onto the patio and in a few moments both Angela and Henry burst into the room.
“What’s happened? What’s going on here?” they yelled, looking around at the wild disarray.
“Loretta, Loretta,” Cindy called from the patio.
Angela ran to the patio and looked down.
“What happened? What happened?” Henry called, as he tried to make his way out there.
“Don’t come out here and look,” Angela called back, stopping him. “Loretta’s jumped.”
“Jumped? She’s gone?” Henry sounded as though he would faint.
“We don’t know that yet,” said Mattheus, desperately trying to calm things. “Could be she’s just unconscious. It’s entirely possible. Give it time, she’s had a bad fall, but she could still be alive.”
Chapter 26
Killer in a coma fighting for her life, the papers screamed, as they blew open the story of what had happened to Pete. Once again, against all odds, Cindy Blaine, of CM Investigations is responsible for finding the true culprit.
Cindy knew that soon the phones would ring off the hook with more cases to take on, but for now as she held the newspaper, her hands were trembling. The sight of her former friend, splattered out on the ground had shaken her to the core. The fact that Loretta was still alive was a miracle. Being alive could be more painful for her in the long run, though, Cindy thought to herself. Now Loretta would have to stand trial and every part of her life would become public.
“This is a nightmare,” Cindy said, over and over. “Believe me, I never expected it to end this way.”
“This is Loretta’s nightmare, don’t make it your own,” Mattheus replied. “She was the one who decided to have Pete killed. It was her choice to jump.”
“But she didn’t die,” whimpered Cindy.
“She still may,” Mattheus replied. “It’s not in our hands anymore, Cindy.”
“Oh God, I should have never come down here and taken the case,” Cindy was devastated.
“None of this is your fault,” Mattheus tried to comfort Cindy as they sat close to each other on the couch in her hotel room.” Loretta was out of control, in the grip of madness and who knows what else?”
Cindy’s phone rang once again. It had been ringing since they’d returned and Mattheus hadn’t let her pick it up. “Not yet,” he kept saying, “you need to rest a bit first.”
This time, Cindy picked up the phone reflexively. “You never know who’s calling” she said, “I want to see who it is.”
“Loretta’s gonna make it,” Angela, agitated, was on the other end. “She’s gonna live a long and good life even though you tried to bring her down.”
The extent of Angel’s fury took Cindy’s breath away. “That was not my intention,” Cindy tried to interrupt, but Angela wouldn’t let her.
“No sane jury will find Loretta guilty,” Angela went on, “not after all the bastard put her through. And no sane friend would have pushed things the way you did. Loretta called you down to keep the dogs at bay.”
“She called me down to find out who killed Pete,” Cindy answered, in pain. “And it was Loretta who arranged for the death of her husband. Those are the facts.”
“Pete wasn’t her husband, he was her tormentor,” Angela shot back, “and I will testify in court to that.”
“It’s out of my hands now, Angela,” said Cindy softly.
“That’s convenient, isn’t it?” Angela replied. “We all thought you were so terrific and now we’re sorry we ever met you. Get the hell off this island as soon as you can.” Then she hung up quickly on her.
Cindy wondered if that constituted a threat. She began to cry as she hung up and Mattheus put his arms around her.
“There’s no reason to take any more calls right now,” he said. “There’s some out there who will lift you up to the moon and others who want to drown you. We’re gonna leave this place soon Cindy and take our time alone together. Not one person will know where we’re headed to, either.”
“Yes,” agreed Cindy, “it’s time.”
“Once we’re out of here we’re gonna unwind and shut off our phones,” Mattheus added.
Though it sounded good, Cindy wondered if it were possible.
“What else did the paper say?” asked Cindy, not ready to shut the world out yet.
“It said that Charma’s an accessory to a crime and being taken back in for questioning,” Mattheus reported.
Cindy was stunned. “How did they find that out?”
“Through Burnd, strangely enough,” Mattheus added. “Seems he was upset after he gave you the bracelet and went to the cops to get it back. When he was there, he spilled the whole story, including that Charma knew Pete was going to be killed. He had no idea what that really meant or what the consequences would be.”
“My God,” breathed Cindy, “how the wheels of justice turn on their own.”
“Not exactly their own,” Mattheus said softly. “It was due to your persistence and bravery that this all came out.”
“And what about Eric?” the thought of him suddenly flashed across Cindy’s mind. “He must have found out that Charma knew Pete was going to be killed. How did he take it?”
“He’s devastated,” said Mattheus softly. “Last I heard, he’s leaving the island with Taylor shortly.”
Cindy’s stomach dropped. “Where’s he going? What will happen to him, Mattheus?”
“I have no idea,” replied Mattheus. “But in the long run, you’ve saved him as well. Now he’s free of Charma and can start his life over again.”
Cindy felt dizzy.
“And we can start again as well, Cindy,” Mattheus held her closer. “You still want to, don’t you?”
Cindy trembled in his arms. “Yes, I do Mattheus,” she whispered. “Definitely.”
“Great,” his voice grew stronger. “Once we’re out of here, we’ll look for a wedding venue again, not the kind we looked for before, something entirely different.”
“What kind?” she asked, curious.
“Something you’ll feel comfortable inviting your friends and family to,” he answered, “a place that fits us all.”
Cindy wondered in passing if her family would even come.
“I’ve been in touch with your family,” Mattheus said softly then. “We’re working things out from both sides.”
“In touch with my family?” Cindy was stunned.
“I couldn’t leave any stone unturned here, could I?” Mattheus answered, “
not if I want things to really work out.”
“That’s amazing, that’s wonderful,” Cindy replied.
“Yes, it is,” Mattheus agreed, “and I’m grateful for all of it, every last bit.”
The phone rang one more time then, as they held each other close. Cindy looked at it from the corner of her, as Mattheus pushed it out of sight.
“Let it ring all it wants, Cindy, it’s our time now,” he whispered.
COMING SOON…
Book #14 in the Caribbean Murder Series
Now Available: Jaden’s Skye NEW romance series!
A PERFECT STRANGER
(Book #1 in the Tom’s River Saga)
Nestled among trees and hills, set alongside a winding river, the small town of Tom’s River, Wisconsin, so beautiful and protected, is a place where everybody knows each other, a place where nothing ever changes and where people can feel safe. But one day, all that changes. Megan’s husband has gone missing, and no one can find him.
As the search deepens, Megan discovers the truth not only about her husband, but also about the secrets he’s been hiding in their marriage. Her world is shook as she realizes she’s been living a lie, has been in a relationship with a man who’s been living a secret life, a man she never really knew.
Some months after his disappearance, as the snows of winter melt, Hunter, a handsome, magnetic stranger, arrives in Tom’s River. A loner with a mysterious past, he is content with his solitary job at the lumber yard. But as a tornado ravages the town, he is destined to cross paths with Megan, as she seeks help to repair her damaged home.
Once Hunter and Megan meet, nothing is ever the same again. As he repairs the roof that blew off her home, the two cannot hold back their feelings for each other. They fall madly in love. Yet Megan cannot, once again, live with a man who is keeping secrets from her: she needs Hunter to open up about who he is, about what he’s running from. And that is not something Hunter may be ready to do.
As they face a crucial crossroads in their affair, a shocking and dramatic twist hits the town: one that will test their love, and will test the town. Nothing will be the same in Tom’s River again.
Please visit Jaden’s site, where you can join the mailing list, hear the latest news, see additional images, and find links to stay in touch with Jaden on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and elsewhere:
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Also 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)
DEATH BY DEVOTION (Book #9)
DEATH BY BETRAYAL (Book #10)
THE TOM’S RIVER SAGA
A PERFECT STRANGER (Book #1)