Death by Devotion (Book #9 in the Caribbean Murder Series) by Jaden Skye Page B

but far from
enough to close the case. There’s plenty of other possibilities for who could
have killed Cain.  He had a past, and I heard plenty of people wanted him dead.
This has got to be investigated thoroughly.”
    “I
know, I know,” Cindy tried to calm him. “That’s why I’m here.”
    *
    Cindy
and Mattheus turned the next corner. It was getting late and through the fading
light Cindy looked at the thick trees and bushes that lined the streets. They were
overgrown and wild looking, as though they hadn’t been tended to for years.  It
was eerie to walk under them and the odd shadows they cast along the streets.  
    Cindy
and Mattheus walked up a hill and then down a winding, curvy road, to a street lined
by simple, flat houses, standing close to each other.
    “The
second house in the middle of the block is theirs,” Mattheus said, as he led
Cindy to the narrow, framed door. A light was on inside, but otherwise the
house seemed empty and quiet.
    Mattheus
knocked once loudly, and then pushed the door open.
    “Petra
never locks it,” he said as they walked into the foyer.
    A
sense of oppression overcame Cindy as she walked into the space. The foyer was
messy, crowded with shoes and scarves and the feel of death reeked from every
corner.
    “Petra
hasn’t been taking care of things since this happened,” Mattheus continued as
they walked through the clutter into the living room. When they entered the
room was empty, except for paper plates with old food on it, some paper cups
and a few towels strewn around.
    As
Cindy looked around, a woman’s voice called out from the next room. “Who’s
there?”
    “It’s
Mattheus,” he quickly responded.
    “The
day’s over, get out of here,” the woman’s voice called back in a low tone.
    “Petra
always says that,” Mattheus turned to Cindy. “She says it to everyone, then she
comes around. She’ll walk out in a little while. No matter what she says I
think it’s a good idea for her to meet you. And for you to meet her, too.”
    It
was more than a good idea, it was crucial. Cindy knew they had to talk, she
just hadn’t expected to meet her so quickly. Petra held the keys to a lot of
what had happened. It was an important visit and Cindy wished she’d had more
time to prepare for it. .
    As
Mattheus had predicted, a woman now came ambling out into the room. Her long,
curly hair was messy, strewn over her face, and she wore loose, cotton pants
and an oversized faded shirt with blue peacocks all over it.
    The
woman stopped when she saw Cindy and stared at her dully.
     “Who
the hell is this now?” she mumbled, rubbing her hands over her face, looking
through half closed eyes.
    “Petra,”
Mattheus took a few steps forward, “this is my partner, Cindy Blaine.”
    Petra
stood taller at that and quickly opened her eyes. “Now you got a partner?” she
suddenly seemed interested.
    “Mattheus
and I work together as detectives,” Cindy quickly filled her in.  She didn’t
want Petra getting any wrong ideas, or Mattheus throwing up smoke screens
between them.
    Petra
took a step closer, and even in the hazy light, Cindy could see that she’d once
been a beautiful woman. She probably she still was when she was put together. Right
now, though, she seemed so disarrayed, Cindy couldn’t decide if she were on
drugs, or just still reeling from shock.
    “So,
you came all the way down here to meet me?” Petra asked in a slurry tone.
    “I
came down here to find out who killed your husband,” Cindy replied.
    Petra
shut her eyes quickly and then opened them in a flash, suddenly looking like a
caged tiger.  This woman wasn’t on drugs, Cindy decided, just in an altered
state of mind.
    “So,
you’re gonna be the big hero? Petra turned on her. “Think a lot of yourself,
don’t you?”
    “I’m
not a hero, just do my job,” Cindy replied unmoved. She had no intention of buying
into Petra’s act or letting her manipulate her.
    “What
makes you think that you