Death by Temptation

by Jaden Skye

  Pete nodded sadly, as though he got the picture immediately. “You need a lot of clout down here to get things done,” he agreed.

  “You and your family haven’t met with Vinny, have you?” Cindy suddenly asked.

  “No, of course not,” Rowley broke in. “Why would we?”

  Rowley’s reaction disturbed Cindy. “I just thought you might have,” she replied. “After all, he’s going through the same thing as all of you.”

  “Not quite the same.” Rowley wouldn’t have it. “Kara is still missing, but Shane is dead. There’s absolutely no reason to think there’s any connection between them. And there’s no point in exploring it, either.”

  Pete stepped in strongly now. “The police have told us that Vinny and a friend of Kara’s are joined at the hip now, investigating night and day.”

  “And the losers have come up with nothing,” Rowley joined back in. “It doesn’t surprise me. Alfred’s a wild card, always has been. I have no idea why he and Vinny teamed up, none at all. I find it bizarre, especially as there’s no connection between Kara and Shane.”

  “Not that we’ve found yet,” Cindy reminded him.

  “What kind of connection could there be?” Rowley looked shaky.

  “That’s exactly what I’m going to explore.” Cindy felt defiant. “I’m going to talk to some people involved in the drug ring.”

  “No, don’t do that!” Rowley became agitated.

  “Why not? It’s the perfect next step,” Cindy declared.

  Rowley jumped toward her. “It’s a dangerous step. The guys in the drug ring down here are all lowlifes and animals, everyone knows that. I don’t want anyone else involved in this case turning up missing or dead.”

  “It’s not a good idea,” Pete agreed quickly.

  “I’ll go with Mattheus.” Cindy tried to calm the flames, surprised that Rowley suddenly seemed so concerned about her.

  Pete stepped in front of Rowley, blocking him from Cindy’s view. “Can we take a little walk, Cindy?” he asked then, obviously wanting to tell her something alone.

  Cindy was surprised and threw a glance at Rowley, wanting to see how he felt about it.

  “Rowley has to stay here near the phone, on the off chance that the ransom call finally comes in,” Pete continued, noticing Cindy’s glance. “We’ll only go for a few minutes. It’s okay, Rowley, isn’t it?”

  “Sure, go,” Rowley reassured his dad. “I know you need a breather.”

  “It’s not that,” said Pete softly.

  “Okay, so you want to talk to Cindy alone.” Rowley didn’t feel like discussing it further. “I know what you think and you probably want to tell her. So, go tell her, it’s fine with me. I promise you, it doesn’t make any difference. Everybody has a right to think something.”

  “Fine, then,” said Cindy, “let’s go.”

  Once out of the room and in the hallway, Pete breathed a sigh of relief. “We don’t have to go far, just to the visitor’s lounge at the end of the hallway,” he said immediately. “Rowley’s right, I just wanted to talk to you alone.”

  Cindy wondered what it was that Pete thought. They walked quietly, side by side, to the end of the hallway and entered a plush visitor’s lounge, with large windows, sofas, a coffee machine, and low wicker tables with magazines strewn around.

  “First of all, let me thank you with my whole heart,” Pete said as he and Cindy sat down.

  Cindy was touched. Pete was completely different from the others in the family. He was straightforward and caring.

  “I haven’t really done much of anything,” Cindy replied. “I wish I had been able to bring Kara home.”

  “Listen to me.” Pete leaned closer to her. He smelled good, of expensive cologne. “Nobody believes a thing I’m saying, but I have a strong view about all of this,” he went on.

  “What is it?” asked Cindy, completely open to hearing whatever he had to say.

  “I believe Kara is well and alive.” Pete’s eyes shone suddenly. “I believe she left on her own and is somewhere, safe and sound. I’ve tried to convince Rowley of this, but he refuses to believe me. His mother and Kara’s family won’t listen either. I need to speak to someone who will at least consider that I’m not entirely crazy. I can’t stand not being listened to for one more minute.”

  “I’m listening,” said Cindy, “please tell me all that you feel.”

  “I never, ever thought Kara and Rowley were suited, right from the start,” Pete spoke quickly. “Rowley’s a good person, a wonderful guy, but he and Kara are fundamentally different. Rowley’s a straight arrow, follows the main road, loves what he does. He needs lots of acclaim and recognition, and he gets it, big time, from his patients and from the medical profession as well.”

  “And Kara?” asked Cindy.

  “Kara enjoys playing in dangerous territories,” Pete went on, edging closer to Cindy, seeming to be thrilled to be heard at last.

  Cindy was startled by what he was telling her.

  “Kara can’t resist the temptation to live at the edge,” Pete continued. “She can’t resist all kinds of new experiences.”

  Can’t resist temptation? This was an entirely new picture of Kara that Pete was painting.

  “Be specific, please,” asked Cindy.

  “Kara’s job, for starters,” Pete continued. “It never fit, was always strange to me. She works with shady characters all day long, and she simply loves it. Can she talk to Rowley about it, though? I seriously doubt it. I know for a fact, he has no understanding of why she does it. And he seriously believes she’ll give it up when they have children. I told him that she never would. She told him that, too, but he refuses to believe it.”

  “Rowley loves her though,” murmured Cindy.

  “Sure, he loves her,” Pete continued, “but is that enough for a marriage to work? I’ve asked him that many times and he’s always brushed off my question. Look, I fully get that Rowley’s had a bad role model when it comes to relationships. His mother and I couldn’t be more opposite. We’ve lived our lives on parallel tracks and I’ve put up with it all these years.”

  Cindy was startled that Pete was willing to share such intimate information with her. But by now, it seemed as though all the stops had been pulled out for him.

  “This awful time has taught me something I’ll never forget,” Pete continued. “Kara ‘s smarter than me. She realized she’d made a terrible mistake during her honeymoon, and took off before it could go any further. In her own way, she’s brave. Braver than I’ve been all these years.”

  “Where is Kara now, Pete? Where did she go?” asked Cindy.

  “I have no idea where exactly, but she’s got hundreds of contacts. Someone took her in. She’s somewhere alive, I feel it.”

  “Did you tell this to Mattheus?” asked Cindy promptly.

  “I didn’t,” Pete confessed. “Mattheus is a hard guy to talk to and besides he’s completely tied up with Rod. Rod’s falling off the edge day by day and Mattheus is trying to hold him together. I told it to my wife though, who laughed in my face. I also told it to Kara’s mom and she hasn’t said a word to me since. This is not a family I belong in.”

  “I’m sorry you’ve had to go through pain like this, Pete,” Cindy said slowly.

  “Thank you, I know you are,” he answered softly, “that’s why I knew I could talk to you.”

  How did he know? Cindy wondered. She’d barely seen him all this time. Pete seemed extremely sensitive and aware, though. Once again, she was touched by his comment.

  “How is Rowley holding up?” Cindy asked him, wanting to move the conversation in another direction.

  “Rowley’s dazed and depressed, on a low dose of anxiety medication now to help him get through the day,” said Pete.

  Cindy nodded; that made sense.

  “Do you think there’s any merit to what I’m thinking, Cindy?” Pete looked straight into her eyes then.

  “Of course,” said Cindy. “It’s entirel
y possible. You know the people involved better than I do. I hope to God you’re right and that Kara is alive and breathing. How wonderful that would be.” Cindy didn’t want to tell Pete that Alfred had reason to believe Kara was alive. She didn’t want to add fuel to what might simply be hope and fantasy. If she encouraged it, later on it could be so much harder if they found that she was dead.

  “It means so much to me that you think that,” said Pete quietly. “As soon as I saw you the first day you arrived, I knew you were special.”

  “Thank you,” Cindy murmured.

  “Frankly, I’ve been surprised and upset that you haven’t been here more with Mattheus all this while. I don’t quite understand it.”

  “We divide up our tasks in an investigation,” Cindy covered up quickly. “But I’ve been thinking of all of you every day.”

  Pete was so touched by Cindy’s response, he grabbed her hands for a quick moment. The warmth and strength in his touch ran through Cindy’s body like a sudden bolt of energy.

  “It’s wonderful knowing you,” Pete continued, “it makes it so much more bearable to talk to you.”

  “Thank you,” Cindy responded. “I hope what you feel about Kara is true. I still plan to go down to the drug ring and find out more about Shane. For all we know one case could lead to another.”

  “Of course, I understand,” said Pete. “You’re doing what you have to, what you’re meant to do.”

  Cindy was bolstered by Pete’s recognition. She was also surprised to realize how much that kind of recognition had been missing from her life for a long while now.

  “Go investigate the ring if you have to,” Pete continued, “but please don’t go alone.”

  “No, of course not,” said Cindy. “I’m going to ask Mattheus to come along.”

  “And if for some reason Mattheus can’t go, ask me. I’d be honored to accompany you anywhere at all.” He smiled at Cindy warmly.

  “Thank you,” murmured Cindy.

  “I’m not just saying that either, I really mean it,” said Pete, looking at Cindy strangely.

  “I appreciate the offer, Pete, I really do,” Cindy replied strongly.

  “Please come back to the room and wait with Rowley and me,” Pete suggested then. “I have to get back.”

  Cindy felt odd about it. She didn’t want to go back to Rowley’s room and wait for Mattheus to return. She’d learned all she needed and thought it would be better to wait for Mattheus back in their suite.

  “It’s been wonderful talking to you, Pete, it really has,” said Cindy, “but it might be jarring for Mattheus to see me in the room.”

  “I don’t like that,” Pete insisted. “I’ve sensed it myself, but I want you to know you’re absolutely welcome there.”

  “I know you feel that way,” said Cindy.

  “But Rod doesn’t?” Pete quickly asked. He was sharp and awake, aware of every nuance.

  “I think Rod is more comfortable being alone with Mattheus,” Cindy said.

  “Okay, that’s fair enough,” said Pete, irritated, “but how about you? You’re on a case and you need support too.”

  “Yes, of course,” Cindy agreed, “and Mattheus and I will go over things in our room later.”

  Pete grimaced. “You remind me of myself, Cindy, and it doesn’t feel good.”

  “There’s no problem,” Cindy objected, trying to stay professional.

  “Are you guys engaged?” Pete took it further.

  “We were,” she said and smiled.

  “Were?” Pete was startled. “Mattheus told us you’re his fiancée. Did he lie to us?”

  “No, he didn’t lie,” Cindy quickly protected him. “As far as he’s concerned we’re still engaged.”

  “And how about you?” Pete was startled.

  “We were engaged,” Cindy repeated. “We broke things off and then we came down here to patch things together. We wanted to see where our relationship was going, what could be possible, after all.”

  “My God.” Pete looked shaken. “You came down here, Kara went missing, you guys got involved, and now your relationship has gotten completely thrown off track!”

  “Not quite,” Cindy answered slowly. “That’s what I also thought in the beginning. But by now I see that if something’s truly solid, no matter what happens, it can’t be thrown off track. Hard times only make the relationship stronger. Hard times bring you closer, they don’t tear you apart.”

  Pete closed his eyes for a second. When he looked up at Cindy, there were tears in them.

  “You’re right, Cindy,” he whispered. “You’re a wise woman, you’re beautiful, you’re brave and strong. You deserve only the best that this world can bring you.”

  “Thank you,” Cindy whispered back. “The same is true for you, Pete.”

  “Slowly, I’m beginning to realize that,” he murmured. “And believe it or not, you’ve helped me do so.”

  “You’ve helped me too, Pete.” Cindy smiled at him before getting up to go back to her room.

  CHAPTER 15

  Soon after Mattheus returned to Rod’s room, he called Cindy immediately. “I

  heard you dropped in while I was gone.” Mattheus sounded jarred.

  “I was looking for you, Mattheus,” Cindy responded. “I need to talk to you, it’s

  important.”

  “Why? What’s up?” he asked.

  “I was down at the police station this morning.” Cindy began to fill him in quickly.

  “Oh, so that’s where you were when I woke up alone?” Mattheus now sounded irritated. “At the very least you could have left a note telling me where you were.”

  Mattheus was right, but Cindy didn’t want to even take a minute to deal with it now. They had something larger here to work on.

  “The medical examiner’s report is in,” Cindy continued. “Abe told me what they found.”

  “I know it’s in, I told you it was coming in today,” Mattheus replied flatly. “Gunshot wounds and all the effects of drowning. They’ve definitely got a homicide on their hands.”

  “There were also significant drugs found in Shane’s body,” Cindy continued.

  Mattheus was unmoved. “To be expected,” he responded. “Check on any regular down at the casino and you’ll find them loaded with drugs. It goes with the territory.”

  “But you don’t find all the regulars at the casino turning up dead on the beach.” Cindy’s voice grew sharper.

  “What are you trying to say?” asked Mattheus.

  “I’ve got the name of a contact at the drug ring,” Cindy spoke up. “I’m going down to talk to him. I want you to go with me.”

  “How did you get this contact? Who gave it to you?” Mattheus wasn’t at all pleased.

  “I’ll tell you later,” Cindy replied.

  “Tell me now,” Mattheus insisted. “I’m not chasing after harebrained schemes. How is a contact in the drug ring related to Kara’s disappearance?”

  Cindy drew a quick breath. Mattheus probably thought Alfred gave her the name and was unwilling to go along with anything Alfred might suggest. For a second Cindy wanted to tell Mattheus that she’d gotten the name from Abe, but she immediately stopped herself. If Mattheus wasn’t open to going with her, if he was going to squash the idea right out the gate, she’d rather go by herself. She’d do better that way.

  “Seems like you have more important things to do, Mattheus,” Cindy said somberly.

  “If you mean it’s more important for me to be with my friend the last day or so before he leaves for home, then yes, you’re right,” Mattheus replied. “Rod’s not doing well. I’m keeping him going.”

  “I know you are,” said Cindy.

  “You know? How? Did Pete tell you?” Mattheus was quick on the draw.

  “Pete and I had a valuable conversation,” Cindy replied calmly. “He helped me understand many things.”

  “Well, he certainly can’t stop talking about you,” Mattheus murmured in return. “That’s
>
  all I’ve heard from the minute Rod and I got back. He’s been telling me to call you right away, to

  go back to our room, give you a hand. What did you tell him you were, a damsel in distress?”

  Cindy was horrified by Mattheus’s comment. “That’s disgusting, Mattheus,” she finally

  said. “It’s derogatory, humiliating, not at all worthy of who you are.”

  “I’m sorry.” Mattheus realized it immediately. “These days here are rough. I’m exhausted.”

  “They’re rough for me as well,” Cindy quipped.

  “I just don’t know why Pete’s so obsessed with you,” Mattheus went on.

  “Perhaps he’s just an old-fashioned gentleman and doesn’t want me working on the case alone.”

  “There’s no case to work on!” Mattheus flared up. “Listen to me, I’ll repeat it again. There’s no case to work on! The case has gone completely cold. Right now we have no clues or leads to follow.”

  “Maybe you don’t!” Cindy said and then stopped herself abruptly.

  “What are you telling me?” Mattheus became quieter.

  “Nothing, Mattheus, nothing at all,” said Cindy. “Go back to Rod and when he goes home we can catch up on new findings.” Then she hung up the phone abruptly.

  *

  Oddly, Cindy felt better after she and Mattheus hung up. And she was only slightly

  apprehensive about going down to the casino alone to talk to Santos. Cindy decided to go right

  away. It was still light out, late afternoon. She’d stay a short while. It would be fine. The idea of asking Pete to accompany her flashed through her mind momentarily, but of course, that would be inappropriate in every possible way. This wasn’t a world Pete should be a part of, or could even navigate in. He didn’t seem like someone who would know his way on the twisted trails Cindy traveled on.

  Cindy knew that she shouldn’t go down there without letting someone know where she would be. She could tell Abe, of course, but it would only agitate him. He’d given her Santos’s name under duress and Cindy didn’t want to push it. The only other person Cindy could let know, oddly enough, was Alfred. However, she hesitated to do that. Rowley was right, Alfred could be a wildcard, and Cindy had no idea what he would do with the information. She’d also have to give him Santos’s name and she’d promised Abe she wouldn’t do that.