grinned.
Cindy and Mattheus were given a lovely table near a big palm plant.
“Okay, shoot,” Mattheus said then, “what can I do for you?”
Cindy decided to plunge right in and let him know what she’d found out.
“I spoke to Elizabeth first,” she started.
“Good. You interviewed her in the spa? ”
Cindy laughed and so did Mattheus. It was a relief to make light of it, if only for a moment.
“We talked about her marriage to Ames,” Cindy continued, “she said it was good and that he’d been fair to her.”
“Their divorce settlement was sealed,” said Mattheus, “but from everything we discovered, things were amicable between them. He took good care of both her and the son. ”
“She also told me that Ames was a women’s man, and that he’d been having an affair with Nina,” Cindy went on.
“Wouldn’t exactly call it an affair,” said Mattheus. “He was sleeping with her on and off.”
Cindy listened intently. “Is there a difference between that and an affair?” she asked.
“A very big difference,” said Mattheus. “When they’re having an affair, there’s emotional involvement, obligation. When they’re just sleeping with someone, it’s not such a big deal. Doesn’t usually have such an impact on the case, in general. They don’t leave their wives when they’re sleeping with someone. They do when it’s an affair. ”
Cindy was fascinated. There was a lot she needed to learn. “Okay,” she said.
“You’re not so experienced with this kind of thing?” Mattheus said, half inquiringly, half amused.
In fact, Cindy wasn’t. “This is my first case,” she reminded him. “Besides the case of my husband.”
“I wouldn’t call that a case,” Mattheus said, “that was a wife trying to rescue a husband, -- bringing the guy who killed him to justice. That’s something completely different. ”
Cindy fell silent for a moment. This guy was smart. He knew what he was doing, had probably been in the business for a while.
“It’s okay,” Mattheus interrupted her thoughts. “I’m not saying you can’t do a good job. I actually think you can. I’m just trying to help you sort things out. ”
“I appreciate that,” said Cindy.
“What else did you find?” Mattheus seemed fascinated, sitting here with her.
“Elizabeth also said that Dalia had a lot of money, and gave plenty to Ames for his needs.”
“Obvious,” Mattheus went on. “Ames made a lot, but he also needed a lot. A rich wife is an asset that no one wants to pass by. ”
“Is that why he married her?” Cindy asked quickly, hoping it was not.
“Damned l if I know why people marry,” said Mattheus. “Could be a case of momentary madness, mixed with fleeting loneliness - and a dash of hope thrown in.”
“You sound bitter,” said Cindy.
“Not bitter, just clear. Try to call it as I see it. People marry for all kinds of crazy reasons. Sometimes they’re sorry a minute later. Sometimes they’re sorry a whole life long. ”
“And sometimes they’re not,” said Cindy. “Sometimes it just gets better and better. Sometimes people actually love. ”
Mattheus grinned, “I never deny any human possibility,” he murmured, picking up his coffee and taking a gulp.
“Do you think the reason Ames married Dalia could have something to do with why he’s missing now?” Cindy said.
Mattheus put his coffee down. “You think he ran away with somebody else?”
“It’s possible,” said Cindy, without blinking an eye. “His closets were half empty and the drawers in his desks were empty too.”
“We noticed that too,” said Mattheus. “But there was a lot of important stuff still there, though. And we confirmed that it wasn’t unusual for Ames to pack and unpack his things and take them here and there. He had boats, yachts, and ladies’ homes, to drop his things at regularly. ”
Cindy shuddered. “Doesn’t that make it even more possible then that he ran away with
Cindy and Mattheus were given a lovely table near a big palm plant.
“Okay, shoot,” Mattheus said then, “what can I do for you?”
Cindy decided to plunge right in and let him know what she’d found out.
“I spoke to Elizabeth first,” she started.
“Good. You interviewed her in the spa? ”
Cindy laughed and so did Mattheus. It was a relief to make light of it, if only for a moment.
“We talked about her marriage to Ames,” Cindy continued, “she said it was good and that he’d been fair to her.”
“Their divorce settlement was sealed,” said Mattheus, “but from everything we discovered, things were amicable between them. He took good care of both her and the son. ”
“She also told me that Ames was a women’s man, and that he’d been having an affair with Nina,” Cindy went on.
“Wouldn’t exactly call it an affair,” said Mattheus. “He was sleeping with her on and off.”
Cindy listened intently. “Is there a difference between that and an affair?” she asked.
“A very big difference,” said Mattheus. “When they’re having an affair, there’s emotional involvement, obligation. When they’re just sleeping with someone, it’s not such a big deal. Doesn’t usually have such an impact on the case, in general. They don’t leave their wives when they’re sleeping with someone. They do when it’s an affair. ”
Cindy was fascinated. There was a lot she needed to learn. “Okay,” she said.
“You’re not so experienced with this kind of thing?” Mattheus said, half inquiringly, half amused.
In fact, Cindy wasn’t. “This is my first case,” she reminded him. “Besides the case of my husband.”
“I wouldn’t call that a case,” Mattheus said, “that was a wife trying to rescue a husband, -- bringing the guy who killed him to justice. That’s something completely different. ”
Cindy fell silent for a moment. This guy was smart. He knew what he was doing, had probably been in the business for a while.
“It’s okay,” Mattheus interrupted her thoughts. “I’m not saying you can’t do a good job. I actually think you can. I’m just trying to help you sort things out. ”
“I appreciate that,” said Cindy.
“What else did you find?” Mattheus seemed fascinated, sitting here with her.
“Elizabeth also said that Dalia had a lot of money, and gave plenty to Ames for his needs.”
“Obvious,” Mattheus went on. “Ames made a lot, but he also needed a lot. A rich wife is an asset that no one wants to pass by. ”
“Is that why he married her?” Cindy asked quickly, hoping it was not.
“Damned l if I know why people marry,” said Mattheus. “Could be a case of momentary madness, mixed with fleeting loneliness - and a dash of hope thrown in.”
“You sound bitter,” said Cindy.
“Not bitter, just clear. Try to call it as I see it. People marry for all kinds of crazy reasons. Sometimes they’re sorry a minute later. Sometimes they’re sorry a whole life long. ”
“And sometimes they’re not,” said Cindy. “Sometimes it just gets better and better. Sometimes people actually love. ”
Mattheus grinned, “I never deny any human possibility,” he murmured, picking up his coffee and taking a gulp.
“Do you think the reason Ames married Dalia could have something to do with why he’s missing now?” Cindy said.
Mattheus put his coffee down. “You think he ran away with somebody else?”
“It’s possible,” said Cindy, without blinking an eye. “His closets were half empty and the drawers in his desks were empty too.”
“We noticed that too,” said Mattheus. “But there was a lot of important stuff still there, though. And we confirmed that it wasn’t unusual for Ames to pack and unpack his things and take them here and there. He had boats, yachts, and ladies’ homes, to drop his things at regularly. ”
Cindy shuddered. “Doesn’t that make it even more possible then that he ran away with
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