Free Death by Obsession by Jaden Skye Page B

asked, trying to be casual, “we’re officially off the case.”
    “About life, love, secrets, the whole works,”
Mattheus answered.  “Go change into your bathing suit and a sundress, and I’ll
get ready too.”
    *
    The hotel had a small, beautiful, restaurant right
out on the beach with a bamboo roof and vines growing along the walls. Cindy
and Mattheus were shown to a table right on the sand and as they sat down could
hear the sound of sea birds filtering through. Cindy felt both hungry and queasy
at the same time. There was something in Mattheus’s tone that sounded like
trouble up ahead.
    “It’s been quite a day,” said Cindy, after they’d
ordered their food.
    “That’s putting it mildly,” said Mattheus, drumming
his fingers on the table. The afternoon had grown cooler and the winds from the
ocean blew in strongly on them. “This case is far from over, mark my words,” he
added.
    “Is that what’s bothering you so much?” Cindy asked,
picking up a tall glass of iced water with lime and sipped it slowly.
    “Partially,” Mattheus took a glass of water for
himself as well and drank it all down. “I don’t know if it’s the best idea for
us to hang out on the island. No one knows yet what’s happening with the
wedding. If it’s called off there’s gonna be all kinds of news and backlash. I
don’t want to be in the middle of it all.”
    “You’re not and neither am I, we’ve been fired,
remember?” Cindy quipped, though she was also concerned about what was going to
happen. She liked Tara very much and couldn’t shake the feeling that Tara was
terribly alone now. Rationally that was ridiculous. She had her wedding party,
family, and all kinds of friends to talk to. There was plenty of support. She’d
work it out, no matter what she finally decided.
    “I’m worried about Tara, though,” Cindy added, as the
waiter brought huge, delicious salads and homemade bread to their table.
    Mattheus picked up a chunk of bread and covered it
with warm butter. “Once you start on a case you’re never finished, until it’s truly
over,” he said. “There are so many loose ends here and Tara is definitely
unstable.”
    Cindy took exception. “I don’t find anything unstable
about her,” she said. “Any woman would feel the way she does.”
    Mattheus put his fork down. “Really?” he looked over
at Cindy.
    “Yes, why is that so confusing?” asked Cindy, “the
rug was pulled out from under her at the very last minute.”
    Mattheus let out a long sigh. “Let’s eat and walk on
the beach and talk,” he said quickly, diving into his salad and finishing it
off as fast as he could.
    *
    The beach was cold and windy by now, with a feeling
of rain on the way. Cindy pulled her light lavender cardigan over her shoulders
and walked beside Mattheus, who took large steps along the water’s edge and was
hard to keep up with.
    “Slow down,” Cindy finally said, breathing hard. “What’s
the rush, what’s the problem here, Mattheus? What is going on?”
    Mattheus stopped, turned to her and looked at her
squarely as the wind from the water tossed her hair over her face.
    “I also have a child who lives on the islands,” Mattheus
said squarely. “She should be about 15 years old by now.”
    The roar of the surf pounded in Cindy’s ears and grew
deafening as Mattheus spoke. She wasn’t sure that she was hearing correctly and
lifted her hand up, as if to hold back the oncoming tide.
    “What did you say? I didn’t hear you correctly.”
Cindy called out.
    “I have a child,” Mattheus called out over the surf. “A
daughter, almost fifteen years old.
     Cindy was speechless. “It’s not possible,” she
called back, as if from another world.
    “But it’s the truth and now you know about it,”
Mattheus’s body lurched from side to side.
    “I don’t believe it” Cindy’s voice echoed round and
round.
    “So, what are you going to do about it? Throw me into
the sea?” Mattheus’s voice