Death by Jealousy (Caribbean Murder #6)

“He wouldn’t have been for long though,” Cindy shouted, as she fled from Tad to Mattheus’s side, and the officers took Tad and Jared into custody.

Mattheus turned to Cindy, opened his arms and pulled her into them. His arms closed around her tightly then, keeping her warm and sheltered for what seemed like a long, long time.

“I’m never letting you go,” Mattheus whispered, as the officers rounded up the other guys and the rough sea hit up against the boat.

“There’s nowhere else in the world I want to be,” Cindy whispered back.

“Promise me, promise me,” Mattheus breathed, “that we can start all over again.”

“We already have,” said Cindy, as they drew together, in a deep, blissful kiss.





CHAPTER 20


Money, Drugs, Greed and Murder, the headline of the local newspaper read. Once again TV reporters and local papers were photographing Cindy and Mattheus, demanding interviews, craving details.

The next day, after they’d spent time with reporters and police, and after Cindy had handed the recording on her microphone in, she and Mattheus went out to walk at the beach together. Oddly, the waves were calm and the air mellow.

“Seems like the storm has passed,” Mattheus said softly, holding Cindy’s hand.

They walked to the jutties and sat down on them, looking out into the sea. It almost felt better to Cindy to say nothing. Mattheus’s actions had spoken loud and clear. He’d thought nothing of risking his life to save her, time and again.

“You almost lost your life twice, and I let it happen,” said Mattheus, “don’t think I’m not aware of that.”

Cindy took his hand, put it to her face and kissed it. They’d had such a beautiful night together again last night, sharing a bed, when they’d gotten back. They needed each other and belonged together. They balanced and nourished each other deeply. They couldn’t let anything get in the way of that.

“You’ve got to stop blaming yourself for everything, Mattheus,” Cindy murmured. “We do what we can and life does the rest for us.”

Mattheus put her hand to his mouth and kissed it back. “I wish I could feel that way,” he said.

“We have to trust,” Cindy whispered, “or we won’t be able to go on.”

“I trust you completely,” Mattheus turned to her then and pulled her to him.

“For now you do,” said Cindy, “but you have to promise to trust no matter what. I have to, as well. We have to trust each other totally.”

Mattheus laughed lightly. “Okay, let’s make that promise,” he said, stroking her face gently.

Cindy felt as if everything had been worth it, sitting here like this with him now, having him stroking her face, looking into his eyes and seeing only love in them.

“We don’t only have to trust each other,” Cindy added softly then, as the sun drifted down on them, “we have to promise to trust life.”

Mattheus was only half listening to what she was saying. He seemed as happy and content as she was.

“Are you listening to me, Mattheus?” Cindy asked jokingly.

“I’m trying my best,” said Mattheus. “One thing I can tell you for sure though, when you’re here, it’s much easier to trust. It’s a different life for me with you in it.”

They kissed for a long, wonderful time then, as the waves beneath them rocked around them, seemingly echoing their joy.

*

After a few more hours alone together, Cindy and Mattheus went back up to their room, where Ann and Frank were waiting for them. They all hugged each other deeply, and then sat down on the couches, to eat the lunch Ann and Frank had ordered for them all.

“I’ll always love you for saving my sister,” breathed Ann to Mattheus.

Cindy saw tears fill Mattheus’s eyes.

“Thanks, Ann,” he said, “I’m only hoping Cindy will always love me as well.”

“I will,” said Cindy in a soft voice.

Frank broke out laughing, “I will, I do,” he said. “Sounds a little like a wedding ceremony to me, and I’m so happy we could be here for it.”

They all laughed lightly then as Ann leaned over and began to open the serving platters and put the food on the plates beside them.

“You two saved Peter’s life,” Ann said softly. Cindy felt as though her sister finally realized the incredible gravity of her work, what it really entailed.

“You see now why we do this work?” Cindy asked Ann.

“Yes, I see,” Ann replied, looking at Cindy with awe.

“How can I not do it?” Cindy said.

“You have to do it because it fills your heart,” Ann replied, “and because people need you.”

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

“It’s open,” Mattheus called out.

Edward walked in, looking shaken and pale, having a hard time looking at them.

“I don’t know how I can ever thank you for this,” he said to Mattheus and Cindy, his head drooping. “I’m so ashamed of having asked you to leave. I’m horrified. What a fool I was!”