you?”
The
question took Mattheus back. Even though he’d told her generally when he’d be
back, he’d been purposely vague. There was no reason for her to be expecting
him, to be hanging around, waiting. That was a mistake on his part, Mattheus
realized instantly. They needed to fill each other in and make plans about who
would do what next.
Disconcerted,
Mattheus walked towards the restaurant the guy had pointed out. It was only
9:30 in the morning. He hoped, by luck, she’d still be there.
The
restaurant was down at the end of the lobby, overlooking a large garden, filled
with wild flowers, plants, little iguanas and island birds chirping all day
long. To Mattheus’ delight, the minute he walked in, he saw Cindy seated at a
front table, drinking coffee and reading the local paper. His heart stopped a
second, and he held back. She looked beautiful sitting there in the sunlight,
dressed in a soft, blue and green printed cotton dress. She seemed strangely
comfortable and at ease, as if she fit right into the lush tropical landscape.
Mattheus
walked over and she suddenly looked up, startled.
“My
goodness,” said Cindy, “I had no idea you’d returned.”
Mattheus
pulled out a chair for himself at the table. “Mind if I join you?”
Cindy
smiled. She was confident and more than a little sun tanned.
“Of
course, join me,” she said.
Mattheus
sat down. He’d had breakfast on the plane, but could easily eat more now. The
beautiful weather, trees and fresh air constantly sparked his appetite. He
ordered scrambled eggs and coffee, as the waiter re-filled Cindy’s coffee cup.
“Tell
me about your trip,” she started, putting the paper down. “Useful?”
“Very,”
said Mattheus. “Checked the records at the casinos -- Paul played in a high
stakes poker and a guy in the game was badly indebted to him. A great reason
to take him out. I’m going to check into hm. Beyond that, I met a gambling
buddy of his, Roomey Burke. Strange character who said Kendra talked to him a
lot. Told him she was lonely, towards the end of their marriage.”
Cindy
raised her eyebrows slightly, as if that wasn’t such a surprise. “Not so
unusual,” she said softly.
Mattheus
agreed. “True, except that it’s interesting to notice that Kendra spoke about
it to him.”
Cindy
nodded. “Or so he says.”
Mattheus
smiled. Cindy was getting tougher by the day, not taking anything at face
value. “Okay,” said Mattheus, “but why would he make it up? What’s in it for
him?”
“Sometimes
a guy enjoys feeling that he holds a special place in a woman’s life,” she said
“even when he doesn’t. Guys blow things up in their mind. It can make them feel
important.”
Mattheus
didn’t like that. This was a part of Cindy he hadn’t yet seen. “You sound
bitter,” he said.
“Not
at all. Just realistic. There’s lots of characters here, floating on the fringes.
Who knows what they had to do with the murder? I don’t want to jump to
conclusions, just keep my mind open.”
Mattheus’
breakfast came and he ate it quickly.
“You’re
starving,” said Cindy, “didn’t you eat on the plane?”
“I
did,” said Mattheus, wolfing it down.
Cindy
suddenly looked concerned about him and extended her hand for a moment. Then
she quickly took it back. “I’d like to meet this Roomey Burke,” she said.
“You
will,” said Mattheus, between mouthfuls. “What about you? Who did you find?” It
was great being with her, but it also made him nervous.
“I
had a great two days,” said Cindy. “Met a couple of fascinating women. One owns
the Spa in town, Salon B. She gave me the name of another woman, Heather May,
who claims she had a romance with Paul for about three years. Said it was over
for a long time before the murder happened, though.”
Mattheus
put his fork down, startled and impressed. “That’s important information. The
guy had a mistress -whew. The police didn’t mention anything
The
question took Mattheus back. Even though he’d told her generally when he’d be
back, he’d been purposely vague. There was no reason for her to be expecting
him, to be hanging around, waiting. That was a mistake on his part, Mattheus
realized instantly. They needed to fill each other in and make plans about who
would do what next.
Disconcerted,
Mattheus walked towards the restaurant the guy had pointed out. It was only
9:30 in the morning. He hoped, by luck, she’d still be there.
The
restaurant was down at the end of the lobby, overlooking a large garden, filled
with wild flowers, plants, little iguanas and island birds chirping all day
long. To Mattheus’ delight, the minute he walked in, he saw Cindy seated at a
front table, drinking coffee and reading the local paper. His heart stopped a
second, and he held back. She looked beautiful sitting there in the sunlight,
dressed in a soft, blue and green printed cotton dress. She seemed strangely
comfortable and at ease, as if she fit right into the lush tropical landscape.
Mattheus
walked over and she suddenly looked up, startled.
“My
goodness,” said Cindy, “I had no idea you’d returned.”
Mattheus
pulled out a chair for himself at the table. “Mind if I join you?”
Cindy
smiled. She was confident and more than a little sun tanned.
“Of
course, join me,” she said.
Mattheus
sat down. He’d had breakfast on the plane, but could easily eat more now. The
beautiful weather, trees and fresh air constantly sparked his appetite. He
ordered scrambled eggs and coffee, as the waiter re-filled Cindy’s coffee cup.
“Tell
me about your trip,” she started, putting the paper down. “Useful?”
“Very,”
said Mattheus. “Checked the records at the casinos -- Paul played in a high
stakes poker and a guy in the game was badly indebted to him. A great reason
to take him out. I’m going to check into hm. Beyond that, I met a gambling
buddy of his, Roomey Burke. Strange character who said Kendra talked to him a
lot. Told him she was lonely, towards the end of their marriage.”
Cindy
raised her eyebrows slightly, as if that wasn’t such a surprise. “Not so
unusual,” she said softly.
Mattheus
agreed. “True, except that it’s interesting to notice that Kendra spoke about
it to him.”
Cindy
nodded. “Or so he says.”
Mattheus
smiled. Cindy was getting tougher by the day, not taking anything at face
value. “Okay,” said Mattheus, “but why would he make it up? What’s in it for
him?”
“Sometimes
a guy enjoys feeling that he holds a special place in a woman’s life,” she said
“even when he doesn’t. Guys blow things up in their mind. It can make them feel
important.”
Mattheus
didn’t like that. This was a part of Cindy he hadn’t yet seen. “You sound
bitter,” he said.
“Not
at all. Just realistic. There’s lots of characters here, floating on the fringes.
Who knows what they had to do with the murder? I don’t want to jump to
conclusions, just keep my mind open.”
Mattheus’
breakfast came and he ate it quickly.
“You’re
starving,” said Cindy, “didn’t you eat on the plane?”
“I
did,” said Mattheus, wolfing it down.
Cindy
suddenly looked concerned about him and extended her hand for a moment. Then
she quickly took it back. “I’d like to meet this Roomey Burke,” she said.
“You
will,” said Mattheus, between mouthfuls. “What about you? Who did you find?” It
was great being with her, but it also made him nervous.
“I
had a great two days,” said Cindy. “Met a couple of fascinating women. One owns
the Spa in town, Salon B. She gave me the name of another woman, Heather May,
who claims she had a romance with Paul for about three years. Said it was over
for a long time before the murder happened, though.”
Mattheus
put his fork down, startled and impressed. “That’s important information. The
guy had a mistress -whew. The police didn’t mention anything
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