Death by Devotion (Caribbean Murder #9)

“You’re finished, Sean, finished,” she hissed.

“Not at all,” Cindy interjected, as Jared and his mother were being taken into custody. “The story will go out over the news wires tonight. Nobody will dare do a thing to us when everything’s made public. The police will have to release Andrea, immediately. That’s true, Sean, isn’t it?”

“It’s true,” he declared, “In fact, I will personally see to it.”

“That’s what you think, that’s what you think, but you’re wrong, wrong,” Jared’s mother tossed her head back over her shoulder and glared at them all violently.





Chapter 21


Cindy and Mattheus arrived at the jailhouse just as Andrea was being released. Along with reporters circling around her, Petra stood, smiling and clapping.

“It’s an incredible moment,” the newscaster announced, “as we watch an innocent, young girl being released from a jail, where she was in danger of being brought up on murder charges.”

The crowd around them clapped and laughed as Andrea saw Cindy, raced over to her and threw her arms around her.

“Thank you, thank you, you saved my life, you’re an angel,” she breathed as the cameras rolled on both of them. “I was wrong, so wrong about everything. Can you ever forgive me?”

“I do,” said Cindy, “I do.” It was quite a turnaround and Cindy enjoyed every moment of it. “Thank God, you’re safe,” she whispered.

A reporter came over to them with a microphone. “What happens to Andrea next?” he intruded upon them in a strident tone.

“This is a personal moment,” Cindy declared, trying to block Andrea from his view.

Petra came out of the crowd and and ran up to them, pulling Andrea away to herself.

“My daughter is being released into my custody,” she told the reporter, proudly. “She’ll be back with me, where she belongs.”

Mattheus jumped in then. “The arrangements are yet to be worked out,” he said officially.

“We would appreciate some privacy now as details have to be discussed.”

Thankfully, the reporter backed off and Cindy, Petra, Mattheus and Andrea all stood in a little circle together.

“Andrea cannot be released to your custody yet,” Mattheus said immediately, the moment they were all alone. “It’s not safe for her to remain on the island. There’s no question about it.”

Petra’s eyes flashed in pain, “Where else does she have to go? Nowhere!”

“For now Andrea must leave the island with me,” Mattheus declared. “Jared’s mother has tentacles all over the place. I’ve got to get Andrea away from the web of danger that could be waiting for her.”

Andrea breathed more easily, seeming to understand. “Come with us, too, mom,” she said to Petra. “We’ll all go together, we’ll start fresh.”

“This is my home,” Petra seemed on the edge of crying.

“You won’t be safe here either, for a while,” said Mattheus. “We need time for things to quiet down.”

“My God, my God,” Petra exclaimed.

“You’ve got to come, I’m not leaving without you,” Andrea said to her mother.

“I’ll set you both up secretly on another island,” said Mattheus, “you’ll have a new life.”

“Noooo,” wailed Petra.

“There’s no choice about it,” Cindy replied then.

“You’re okay with this?” Petra looked astonished. “You don’t care if we’re going away with Mattheus?”

“You’re not going away with Mattheus,” Cindy replied, as Sean came from the sidelines and stood beside her. “Mattheus is just keeping you safe.” Cindy realized that they all also needed time together to work out their relationships. Now that they’d been brought back together, there was no avoiding that.

“Jared and the mother are booked,” Sean interrupted the conversation then, looking at Cindy, proudly. “They’re being put into the holding cells as we speak. It’s out on the news.”

Andrea’s eyes filled with tears suddenly. “Are you sure he did it? Are you positive?” she looked at Sean.

“Very sure,” Sean replied slowly.

“Why?” asked Andrea.

“Jared said you told him how wonderful it would be to have Cain out of the way so you could be a family with your mom and Mattheus again,” Sean filled her in.

“I never meant for him to kill Cain,” Andrea wrung her hands. “Jared asked me many times if I wanted Cain dead and I said, No. He didn’t really listen when I spoke, just wanted to keep taking pictures of me. Are you absolutely sure?”

“Jared confessed again, right in front of the entire force,” said Sean methodically.

“Jared doesn’t think he did anything wrong,” Cindy stepped in. “He believes he did it out of love for you.”

“Love for me?” Andrea breathed. “Is it possible?”

“Yes, it is,” Cindy replied. “People do all kinds of things they wouldn’t otherwise, out of what they think is love.”

Tears fell silently down Andrea’s face. “I’m sorry, so sorry,” she whispered.