Death by Seduction (2 page)

Cindy’s
plane, pushed forward by tropical winds, was about to land  in the Dominican
Republic half an hour before schedule. Cindy began to feel ill at ease. It was
one thing to travel alone and quite another to take on a case like this on her
own. All during the flight Cindy’s thoughts had been occupied by Mattheus. To
her surprise, she’d had absolutely no contact with him since he’d left. What a
way for things to come to an end, she thought, trying to absorb the new
reality.

Cindy’s
hands gripped the edge of her seat as the descent started. She was fine, she
could do this. There were so many things Mattheus had taught her that had become
part of her now. Nothing could take that away from her. Over and over he’d told
her that she was strong, she was smart, she could handle anything. And by now,
she was determined to prove him right.

Cindy
wondered where Mattheus had gone to, probably back to his daughter and her
mother, she thought. Even though he wouldn’t admit it, that girl had a pull on
him. Well, why shouldn’t she? She was his daughter, after all, even though he’d
only met her recently. But still, it shocked Cindy that Mattheus hadn’t back
tracked long enough to say a proper good bye.  He must have known they were
parting forever. Or, perhaps, he didn’t realize the consequences his actions
would have.  

 Cindy
had seen this behavior before in him, this rash impetuousness. Mattheus was
prone to wild knee jerk reactions that he felt badly about later on. In a way
Cindy was relieved to be through with these patterns. They’d definitely taken a
toll on her, as well.

As
the plane slid gracefully onto the ground, Cindy knew she had to stop thinking
about him. It was time now, she was here. There were more pressing matters up
front and they needed her full, clear attention. Cindy had to stay focused, and
she would. She was grateful for the work she was doing, the call upon her life.
Never, all the years growing up, had Cindy thought she’d become a detective,
hunting down killers in the Caribbean.  But, in truth, she’d grown to love the
work that kept her centered and strong. It also kept her from  sliding into
endless sorrow, spending time dwelling upon matters that could not be changed.
Cindy found great comfort in helping others in this way she’d become so gifted
at.

Cindy
stood up, stretched and lifted her suitcase from the overheard compartment,
something Mattheus had always done for her before. Then she threw back her
shoulders, and along with other passengers slowly made her way out of the
plane, and down into the crowded airport. Loretta said she’d be there to meet
her. It was early though and Cindy wondered if she’d have to wait long.

Cindy
looked around at the colorful sight of people gathered together, waiting to
welcome passengers.  She remembered how her sister Ann had always been there to
meet her at the airport, whether the plane was early or late.

“Cindy,
Cindy,” a loud voice called after she’d taken a few steps off the plane, “it’s
me, Loretta!”

Cindy
turned and suddenly saw a beautiful young woman with long, brown hair, in
slacks and a T shirt, racing towards her. Cindy blinked. It had to be Loretta,
who didn’t look a day older than Cindy remembered back in college.

“My
God, Loretta,” Cindy ran over to her. “Thanks for being here early.”

“No,
thank you, thank you,” Loretta flung her arms around Cindy giving her an
enormous hug. “Thank you for coming down to help me. I’ll never be able to
repay your kindness.”

Cindy
stepped back and looked at her old friend, amazed that she could have made her
way to the airport looking so put together right after her husband had been
killed. Most likely none of it had sunk in, yet.

“You
look wonderful,” Cindy breathed.

Loretta
smoothed her hair quickly and smiled, “Thanks, you were always the best. You
always had something nice to say about everyone.”

“It’s
actually amazing that you’re holding up so well, after such a tragedy,” Cindy couldn’t
help but add.

Loretta
lifted her hand to swat away a fly and then put her arm around Cindy, completely
ignoring what she’d just said.

“You’re
the best now and you always were the best, Cindy,” Loretta continued.

“I’m
glad to be with you,” Cindy answered simply.  It seemed at the moment that
Loretta might be in denial. For a moment she feared that Loretta would not be
able to help with the investigation. But Loretta had enough clarity to contact
Cindy and make arrangements for the trip. There was no reason to assume she
couldn’t be counted upon.

“We
have a lot to do here together,” Cindy commented gently, as she and Loretta
walked down a long plank towards baggage claim.

“We
sure do,” said Loretta, “we sure do.”

*

“Fill
me in on you life, fill me in,” Loretta said after they got the baggage and
were getting into a cab. Loretta and Pete had been staying in a beautiful hotel
in Santa Domingo and Loretta had gotten Cindy a room on the very same floor.

Cindy
wanted to talk instead about Pete’s murder, and decided to find a way to help
Loretta bring it up.

“What
have you been doing all these years since college?” Loretta smiled at Cindy, as
if this were a simple reunion between very old friends.

“No,
you fill me in first,” Cindy replied lightly as the cab drifted onto a highway
surrounded by gigantic palm trees.

“Life
has been good, it’s been beautiful,” Loretta started, staring out the cab
window. “Pete and I have been so happy together. It’s been a fairy tale life
all these years.”

Cindy
nodded slowly. She knew that after a tragedy it was natural to keep returning
to the past, where all had seemed beautiful and safe. It was of demanding that
reality stay as it had been, the way one wanted it.

“Do
you remember Pete at all?” Loretta asked then, facing Cindy.

“Yes,
I do. I remember that he was a finance major, very handsome and that he certainly
swept you off your feet,” Cindy smiled.

Loretta
was pleased. “You got that right.”

“I’m
glad you two were so happy,” Cindy slowly went on.

Loretta
placed her hands in her lap and slowly squeezed them into fists.

“Pete
and I came down here to buy a vacation condo,” Loretta’s voice began to rise.  “We
found one we wanted and Pete even left a huge deposit on it. He knows the island
well, comes down here often for business.”

“What
did Pete do?” Cindy wanted to hear more, glad that Loretta was speaking.

“He
works for financial firm that speculates in all kinds of investments and has a
branch down here as well.”

“This
must have been a big trip for you. You must have been very excited,” Cindy
spoke as soothingly as she could,

“More
than excited, more than thrilled,” Loretta echoed. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Of
course you would,” Cindy reassured her.

“I
told that to the police when they questioned me,” Loretta went on. “The Chief
of Police Brad made a sour face. Why? Why would he even question me about this
when he told the papers it was an open and shut case?”

“It’s
routine to question the nearest of kin,” Cindy answered calmly. “But why do
they think it’s open and shut? Who do they think did it?”

Loretta
balked at that and pressed her face against the taxi window, though the cab was
winding around a turn in the road. She remained  that way, silently, for a long
while.

“Who
do they think did it?” Cindy finally insisted. This was basic information that
she had to have.

Loretta
turned then and stared at Cindy. “You must never tell any of the people back
home about this,” she demanded.

Cindy
was startled. She didn’t know the people Loretta knew back at home anymore. “Don’t
worry, I haven’t been back to Wisconsin for years,” she said.

“Why
not?” asked Loretta.

“Mattheus
and I work in the Caribbean,” Cindy blurted out, only realizing what she’d said
afterwards.

“Who’s
Mattheus? Your partner?” asked Loretta. “Is that what C and M Investigations stands
for?”

“Mattheus
was my partner,” Cindy replied professionally.

“Was?
You’ve broken up?” Loretta grabbed at the information. “Why?”

“We’ve
taking different turns in the road,” Cindy said quietly.

“You
sound so calm about it, but you’re not calm!  How can you be?” Loretta’s eyes
suddenly flashed. “You and your partner have broken up! That’s awful. That’s
not the kind of thing that should ever happen to you or me.”

“Loretta,
this trip is about you, not me,” replied Cindy.

“But
it helps in a strange way to know that you’ve lost someone, too,” said Loretta
as Cindy finally heard the pain in her voice. “It helps to know I’m not alone.”
Then suddenly, Loretta began wailing.

Cindy
put her hand on Loretta’s. “You’re not alone, Loretta, I’m here with you now.”

“Oh
my God, my God,” moaned Loretta, “how did this happen? Tell me.”

“You
have to trust me, you have to tell me more,” Cindy spoke fervently. “Why do the
police think it’s an open and shut case? Who do they think did it?”

Loretta
pulled herself together then. “Pete was found dead in a brothel in the city. He
was naked in a prostitute’s room, stabbed to death. The police have taken the
prostitute, Charma, into custody. Her fingerprints were all over him.”

Cindy
shivered.  Awful, she agreed.

“But
it’s a set up,” Loretta insisted. “It ridiculous and I don’t believe a word of
it.

Pete
would never go to see a prostitute. There was no reason for it. He loved me. We
were happy. We were down here to buy a vacation home,” her voice got louder.

“I
believe you, I believe you,” Cindy tried to calm her down.

“Someone
killed him somewhere else and dumped his body in the whore’s room. They’re framing
Charma.  She’s an easy target,” Loretta insisted.

“You
sound like you know her,” Cindy remarked.

“Of
course I don’t,” Loretta practically spit. “Why would I?”

“I
just wondered if you ever spoke to her?” Cindy continued.

At
that Loretta shuddered. “I would never talk to a woman like that, let alone go
near her place. Come on, Cindy, don’t you remember who I am? Don’t you remember
all the things we used to talk about, the kind of lives we planned?”

Cindy
remembered well.

“Why
in the world would I ever speak to a whore?” Loretta couldn’t bear the idea of
it. “Or why would I even talk to anyone who associates with whores?”

Cindy
felt a rush of dismay hearing the tone in Loretta’s voice. Cindy’s own life had
taken her into so many back alleys she had no feelings of repugnance for anyone
at all.

“I
own and run the most fantastic, upscale wedding gown boutique in Wisconsin.
Have you heard about it?” Loretta went on.

“No,
I hadn’t,” said Cindy, put out. “I’ve been busy down here solving crimes.”

“You’re
doing strange work,” said Loretta, suddenly realizing the different paths
they’d chosen. “I suppose the work you do has changed you?”

“Yes,
all of life has changed me,” Cindy replied calmly, wondering if Loretta knew
about Clint? Did she know that Cindy’s own husband had been murdered down here
in the Caribbean on their honeymoon? This wasn’t the time though for Cindy to
ask her that, though. Cindy had to keep reminding herself she was down here to
solve a case, not revisit an old friendship.

“I’m
sorry to hear that you’ve changed, Cindy,” Loretta started to babble. “You’ve
been in too many sordid places, seen too many awful things. You probably don’t
remember who you used to be anymore. But I remember.”

“I
love what I do,” said Cindy, defensive, “and I’ve grown to respect people of
all kinds.”“I see that,” said Loretta, “but I think it’s creepy.”

“I
think it’s wonderful,” countered Cindy.

Loretta
grew silent, raised her hands and brushed them through her hair.

 “I
don’t know about who you have or haven’t met, Cindy,” Loretta continued, “but
as for me, I’m horrified that Pete’s body was found in the whorehouse. It’s
disgusting and vile. There’s no reason any prostitute would kill him. Someone
down here wanted to take him down, and take me down with him.”

“Why
would they want to take you down?” Cindy stayed focused.

“Maybe
we were living too high on the hog, had too many good things and it made
someone jealous? People love to pull you through the mud if they can’t get to
where you’ve gotten. I see it all the time.”

“Who
was that jealous of you, Loretta?” asked Cindy.

“Wherever
I look, there’s someone. I don’t want to die, please help me,” Loretta suddenly
shrieked.

“You
won’t die. Not if I’m around,” Cindy assured her.  Believe me, I’ll do all I
can.”