by Jaden Skye
Douglas was about to shake his head when Mattheus intervened.
“It’s fine,” said Mattheus, “let them talk by themselves. Many women feel more comfortable
talking to another woman alone.”
Douglas didn’t like it, but conceded the fact. “I’ll step outside for a little while,” he said reluctantly, and left.
Mattheus followed after him. “When you two are finished in here, let me know. I’ll wait outside and guard the door.”
“Thanks,” said Nora holding onto Cindy’s arm for all she was worth.
As soon as they were alone, Cindy started. “Nora, I saw the emails between you and Allie,” she said.
“Which emails? When?” Nora started shaking.
“Recent ones,” said Cindy, “a few days before you all left to come down for the wedding.”
“You’ve been spying on me all along?” Nora was terrified.
“Nobody’s spying on you,” Cindy tried to calm her down. “When something like this happens, we check emails, phone records, computer, everything. It’s routine procedure.”
“It’s not routine to me,” Nora looked like she would burst into tears. “I had no idea people would read what I was writing.”
“You warned Allie to cut it out,” Cindy got right to the point, “you said something bad would happen if she didn’t.”
Nora got paler then. “I was just trying to protect her,” she said.
“From what?” asked Cindy.
Nora became silent.
“We have to know.”
“What difference does it make?” Nora asked then, “she’s dead now, isn’t she? We’ll never see her again.”
“Yes, she is, but we need to know more.”
“It won’t bring her back,” Nora looked at Cindy vacantly, “and I don’t want to talk against the dead. I just want to remember the good things about her. We were close for lots of years.”
“I realize,” said Cindy vehemently, “but for all we know your information will save someone else’s life.”
“That’s what I asked you before!” Nora said. “I asked if we were all in danger? You didn’t think so.”
Tell me what were you warning Allie about?” Cindy demanded.
Nora breathed heavily. “I promised her I wouldn’t tell anyone,” Nora started.
“Those promises don’t matter anymore,” Cindy said softly.
“Allie was addicted to pot. It became much worse after she met Peter. I kept telling her to cut it out but she got to a point where she couldn’t do without it.”
“Wasn’t it obvious to everyone?” Cindy asked.
“No. She was great at hiding it and people looked the other way. Mostly everyone pretended it wasn’t happening.”
Cindy was nonplussed. “Everyone?”
“Yes,” said Nora, “except me, Allie’s mother and one other friend. Her mother was revolted. She even told Allie that if she didn’t cut it out she was going to report her to the police.”
“What did Allie say about that?”
“She just laughed,” said Nora. “She told me her mother couldn’t do anything to her anymore, so now she was threatening to go to the police.”
“That’s quite a threat,” said Cindy. “Did her mother make good on it?”
“I have no idea,” said Nora, looking away. “But her mother meant the best by it, she wanted to protect Allie, not only from drugs, but from everything. Her mother wasn’t happy about her relationship with Peter either, she said he was stealing Allie away from her.”
“Was that true?”
“How could it be true? Allie fell in love. She deserved to be happy, didn’t she?” asked Nora.
“Of course she deserved to be happy,” said Cindy, “everyone does. But was he getting between her and her mother?”
“No, it wasn’t Peter. It gave Allie a thrill to get back at her mother,” Nora went on. “It gave her a thrill to have jewels from Peter and show them off. Allie finally felt she was worth something.”
“Finally?” asked Cindy.
“For years Allie couldn’t do anything right,” Nora went on heatedly. “Whatever she did her mother criticized her. But her mother just wanted to make her a better person. I told her that time and again.”
A new picture of Allie was emerging, but Cindy felt as if she could sympathize with the struggles Allie had gone through. She’d just gone about it all the wrong ways. She thought jewels would make her important and depended on drugs to ease her relentless pain.
“I told Allie to give up pot during the wedding. But she couldn’t,” said Nora.
“Did she bring it down to the Island with her?” Cindy asked.
“No. There’s a guy down here she got it from.”
Cindy’s back arched. Now there was a drug dealer was in the picture. This was important information! They should have been aware of it before.
“Who was dealing drugs to her? I have to know.” Cindy demanded instantly.
“I have no idea,” said Nora, “I really don’t. Allie wanted to tell me but I told her it was more information than I needed to have. I begged her to stop.”
“I have to find out who he is,” Cindy insisted, “we should have known about him long ago.”
“Ask Laura then,” Nora whispered.
“Laura, her Maid of Honor?” Cindy was shocked.
“Laura went with her to get the stuff because Allie was scared to go there alone,” said Nora.
“What about Peter?” Cindy was amazed.
“He wouldn’t go,” Nora continued. “He didn’t want any part of it. Peter’s an upright guy, kind of stiff if you asked me. A lot like his father.”
“Did Peter know that Allie smoked? “asked Cindy, “was it a bone of contention between them?”
“Maybe in the beginning, but I don’t think he realized how much the habit grew,” said Nora. “There’s lots of things Peter doesn’t realize. He’s the kind of guy who blocks out what he doesn’t like, looks for the best in everybody. If he doesn’t find it, he’s usually shocked. For instance, Peter thought Allie should accept his friendship with Vivien. Nothing Allie said could make him think differently. He wants life to be the way he wants it to be. He believes what he believes.”
“Not an easy guy to be in a relationship with,” Cindy murmured.
“Very easy if you’re the person he thinks you should be,” said Nora.
Cindy shook her head. “I’ve got to talk to Laura, find out more about who was dealing drugs.”
“Please don’t tell Laura I told you,” Nora started trembling.
“You did the right thing, Nora,” Cindy said.
“What’s right about it?” Nora’s eyes were filled with tears.
“You’re helping the truth come to light. For all we know you could be leading us to Allie’s killer.”
“Oh God,” Nora started sobbing. “I can’t believe she’s really dead.”
A fierce wave of distress suddenly overtook Cindy when she thought of Allie going to the drug dealer. There was a web on the island they hadn’t yet uncovered. The police hadn’t said a word about it, either. Maybe that’s where the answers were waiting. Suddenly, a startling thought struck Cindy.
“Nora,” Cindy suddenly blurted out, “Could Allie have gone diving high on pot?”
“I don’t know about that,” Nora whispered. “But I think there’s a killer loose, running around.”
“What kind of killer, someone who knew Allie? Did she have enemies? Cindy couldn’t stop questioning her.
“Vivien hated Allie’s guts,” Nora was trembling and her head fell into her hands. “Who else? I don’t know if I’m crazy or not. People tell me I’m paranoid, but I also always thought how weird it was that Allie was so close to Tad.”
Cindy’s brain started whirling. “Tad, the best man? Close in what way?”
“Tad and Allie would talk on the phone all the time,” Nora whispered. “Peter had no problem with it, though. He said he was gla
d they were friends. Tad helped a lot with the wedding arrangements.”
“So, there’s nothing off about that,” said Cindy.
“To my mind there was,” Nora’s eyes opened wide. “Allie knew Tad and Vivien were hot and heavy. So, why would Allie make a point of calling him every day? The girl I knew years ago would never have done that. It was only after Allie met Peter that she started to change. If you want the truth, I agree with her mother. I never thought the relationship was so great for her. Something about Peter started to drive her crazy, make her act in strange ways.”
“Did you think Tad was better for Allie?” Cindy was fascinated. There was an intricate web in the relationships between these people. You pulled the web at one point and all of it began to fall apart.
“Tad was much better for Allie,” Nora went on in a hushed tone. “He would be better for anyone.”
“Did Allie think so? Did she want him?” asked Cindy.
“No, not that she ever said. She was obsessed with Peter. Completely obsessed.”
Nora was a fine young woman and Cindy appreciated talking to her. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate talking to you, Nora.”
Nora looked surprised. “Me? Why? Everyone knows I’m crazy. Please take everything I say with a grain of salt. I always see the worst.”
*
After Nora left, Cindy felt suddenly exhausted. Mattheus came into the room and sat down beside her, and Douglas stepped in two steps behind.
“Every word of your interview was recorded,” Douglas said curtly, shocking Cindy. “Actually, we were listening outside in our earphones.”
Cindy had a moment of horror, she’d betrayed Nora’s confidence.
“You should have let me know,” she said to Douglas.
“We’ve got a dead body, could be looking at homicide. Right now, anything goes. Next step you get Laura in here and find out where they got their pot. All kinds of gangs and drug dealers are spreading on the Island. We’ve got to wipe all of them out,” Douglas said.
“Seems unlikely the dealer would be involved in Allie’s death,” said Mattheus.
“Unlikely, but you never know.”
Laura was called down next, and came almost immediately, trembling and sobbing. She also ran over to Cindy and sat down at her side.
“Do you mind if we all talk to you together?” Cindy asked softly.
Laura shook her head and kept sobbing. “Ask me anything you want,” she said.
“We understand that you accompanied Allie to get drugs,” Cindy started.
Laura stopped crying instantly, looked up, scared.
“Just a little pot,” she said in a high voice. “I wouldn’t exactly call it drugs.”
“Marijuana is considered a drug,” Douglas said in a stiff tone.
Laura looked at Cindy desperately. “Am I in trouble now?”
“That’s not what this is about,” said Cindy, “but we need to know where you went for it.”
“Carlos Ramanos,” Laura gave him up fast. “I’ll write his address down on this paper.” She grabbed a pad that was in front of her and wrote the information down. “He’s a nice guy. He wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
“Drugs kill,” Douglas reiterated.
Laura looked at him out of the corner of her eye and then turned back to Cindy.
“It was just a little pot, nothing else.”
“Does this guy deal other drugs, too?” asked Mattheus.
“I don’t know,” said Laura. “We never asked for anything else.”
“Peter must have known about this,” Douglas started pacing back and forth.
Laura stood and faced him squarely. “No, he didn’t,” she called out sharply. “Allie hid it from him. He found out once, back in the states and made her promise not to do it. He didn’t want to be part of anything like that.”
“It’s pretty obvious when someone’s high,” Douglas stared her down.
“Peter didn’t pay attention to every little thing,” Laura exclaimed. “Allie told me that he had no idea at all that she was still using. That’s why I went with her to get them.”
“Come on,” Douglas was closing in on her, “you’re telling me that Peter didn’t smoke at all?”
“No, he didn’t” Laura said emphatically. “He’s uptight that way.”
“No one else in the wedding party smoked, ever?” Douglas was taunting her now.
“I don’t know about anyone else, but I know Peter didn’t,” Laura stood her ground.
Cindy stood up beside her now and confronted Douglas directly.
“That’s enough,” she said. “Laura is helping us out. I’m going to go down and speak to Carlos directly.”
“You’re not going alone,” Douglas pivoted towards her. “We’ll go with you.”
“I’ll do better if I go alone,” Cindy said, “Carlos is more likely to talk then.”
Mattheus stood up as well. “Cindy and I will go together,” he announced. “First we have to speak to Allie’s parents, and I need time to go through Peter’s company records. Then Cindy and I will drive down and talk to Carlos.”
“The company records have been audited by a forensic accountant,” Douglas announced curtly. “There’s no reason to look into them further at this point.”
“As you said, the case has turned a corner. We’ve got a body,” Mattheus said.
“You’ll have to get the okay to go through company records from Mac,” Douglas looked away.
Cindy wondered if Mac also had the police in his hand.
“Cindy can talk to Mac about it” said Mattheus. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to give her whatever she wants.”
Cindy wasn’t exactly sure how to take that, but before she had chance to wonder, Douglas reached for the phone.
“I’m having Allie’s parents come down to interrogation now,” he said.
Cindy objected. “I’d rather see them in their room. It will be too difficult for them to talk down here.”
“We need to hear every word they say,” Douglas insisted.
“I’ll report back to you,” Cindy said.
Douglas hesitated and scratched his face.
“That’s what we’re here for,” said Mattheus.
“Yeah, sure,” Douglas agreed, “I guess I can trust the two of you.”
Cindy turned fiercely and stared at him then.
“There’s no guessing about it. You can trust us with your life,” she proclaimed.
CHAPTER 12
Allie’s parents needed about half an hour to get ready to be interviewed and Cindy and
Mattheus decided to wait for them outside on the hotel Veranda. Small, colored lights that trimmed the wooden Veranda fence were on, bringing a soft glow to the evening.
Cindy and Mattheus sat down next to each other and Cindy put her head back on the tall, rattan chair. They’d been going since early morning and the news seemed to never end.
“You’re doing a fabulous job,” Mattheus said quietly.
“Thanks,” said Cindy, absent mindedly.
A compliment from him usually meant a lot, but right now it felt hollow. She went back over the past few hours in her mind, it had been one thing after another. Cindy felt a mixture of loneliness, fear and sorrow. She thought of the interview with Vivien and Tad, her strange encounter with Mac, the new information about Mattheus’s time with Vivien, the discovery of Allie’s body and news about drugs. Cindy felt discombobulated. It was way more than she could readily digest.
“Things will calm down soon,” said Mattheus, seemingly aware of her painful mood. “The investigation is on a whirlwind right now. They’re even speeding up the autopsy and we should have results in a little while.”
“What good will that do?” asked Cindy.
Mattheus was jarred. “What are you talking about? This is one of the most important parts of the investigation. A body doesn’t lie.”
Cindy wasn’t optimistic about it. “What exactly do you think they’re going
to find?”
“My guess is that Allie was high when she went diving,” Mattheus replied, “her judgment was off, visibility was poor. When she and Peter got separated and she panicked. The rest is history.”
“The air gauge wasn’t recording the amount of air properly,” Cindy interjected. “It said full when it was almost empty. That had nothing to do with being high on drugs.”
“Who knows? That particular gauge could have been a faulty product. It happens once in a while. If you’re high on drugs, how can you cope with it?”
“Too much of a coincidence,” said Cindy.
“I agree,” said Mattheus. “That’s why we have to dig deeper into other avenues as well. Will you speak to Mac about getting us complete access to the company’s records?”
That was a completely different turn. “What exactly are you looking for?” said Cindy.
“Peter’s father owns the company, Peter’s a top player, too. There could have been a transaction that someone didn’t like. I’m looking for some sign of irregularity in their dealings.” Mattheus was ruminating.
“Why would they kill Allie, though? It doesn’t make sense.”
“When I find something off at the company, I’ll be better able to answer that question,” Mattheus drummed his fingers on the table.
“I’m sure the police have been over it a hundred times,” Cindy was unimpressed.
“That doesn’t mean a thing. The police could be in the company’s pockets, paid off plenty for all we know. There’s big money down on this Island, no one’s immune.”
Cindy looked over at Mattheus. Although his eyes were clouded, she was suddenly struck again with how beautiful they were, how much he cared about what he was doing. At the same time, he seemed much more edgy than he used to be. It was harder for both of them going through the investigation when things were so rocky between them.
Cindy put her hand over his lightly, and Mattheus looked down at it, coolly, surprised.
“That’s nice,” he said, “but I don’t know if you realize that you haven’t actually reached out and touched me since we first saw each other in Key West.”
Cindy hadn’t realized he’d been keeping track.