Cindy read the messages that lined her pages. Most were about plans for lunches, dinners, parties and sailing.

Tara, you’re a hidden angel, one of her friends commented on her page. Nobody knows the truly amazing work you do. No one appreciates it either.

No one appreciates it? Cindy took note. What about Owen? What did that message imply? Cindy kept scrolling and scanning. She also checked other sites looking for more information about Tara.

Incredible, silent philanthropist, one article about her online proclaimed. Tara Danden works under the radar to help children and families whose lives have been torn apart. Married to wealthy entrepreneur and investor Owen Danden, Tara sees to it that those less fortunate are cared for. She hosts charity luncheons and dinners regularly to benefit the Grassen Orphanage.

Cindy was suddenly struck with sadness for her. She also realized that no mention had been made anywhere of whether or not Tara had any children of her own. Cindy suddenly wondered if she and Owen had lost a child in the past? Was this why they were so intent on helping other children? Cindy looked further to see if there was any mention of Tara and Owen’s personal family. There wasn’t.

Cindy pushed her chair back from the table she was working at and ran her hands over her face. It was late and she felt exhausted. From what she’d found so far there was no reason to think that Tara had committed suicide. She didn’t seem impulsive, depressed or lonely. Cindy paused, took a deep breath and relaxed a bit. She wondered what had gripped her so fiercely about Tara, why she hadn’t been able to rest. Mattheus was right, it was time to go inside now and sleep. She’d have better perspective in the morning. Tomorrow was another day.

Chapter 8

First thing the next morning after breakfast, Mattheus decided to go down to the police station and research the Ranges Hospital. Cindy, feeling more rested and clear, decided to go straight back to the hospital and talk to the nurses who knew Tara and had cared for her.

“Good plan,” said Mattheus, relieved that Cindy was more like herself. “Take it slow,” he urged as they parted for the day.

Cindy reached out and gave Mattheus a hug before leaving.

“Boy, does that feels good,” he said, smiling. “I love when you’re affectionate like this, means the world to me.”

I love you, Mattheus and always will, Cindy wanted to say, but stayed quiet. It wasn’t time yet, close but not quite there. Cindy felt warm and safe with Mattheus though, as if life had spun on an axis and was bringing them closer with each day.

*

As soon as Cindy entered the Ranges Hospital she felt strange once again, as if she were going to a rest home hidden away on the hills. The elegant beauty the hospital exuded, being perched on top of a cliff with exquisite views of the ocean and sky made it seem as though illness and suffering could never find a way inside.

Cindy went straight up to the third floor, wanted to go back to Tara’s room. After she got out of the elevator, before she went any further though, she had to stop at the main desk. Cindy introduced herself to the young woman stationed there, told her where she was headed and asked to speak to Alana, the nurse who’d been in charge of Tara’s care.

“Oh, Alana,” the woman at the desk hesitated, “let me call the head nurse and she’ll help you.” The young woman quickly picked up the phone. “Cindy Blaine here to see Alana,” she said, then got quiet and listened. “The head nurse will be here to help you in just a second,” she finally said to Cindy as she put down the phone.

“Not the head nurse, I want to speak to Alana,” said Cindy, “the nurse in charge of Tara Danden’s case.”

But just as soon as Cindy finished speaking, a tall, well groomed, Jamaican woman walked swiftly to the desk.

“How do you do Ms. Blaine,” the woman professionally extended her hand. “I am the head nurse on the unit, Beatrice Flann. All of us here have heard a great deal about C and M Investigations.”

“Thank you,” said Cindy. “I was actually asking to see Alana, the nurse in charge of Tara Danden’s case.”

“We heard that Owen Danden hired you,” Beatrice went on, completing ignoring Cindy’s comment.

“Yes,” said Cindy, wondering what was going on.

“Please come with me,” Beatrice nodded crisply to Cindy, glancing quickly at the young woman at the desk who was openly staring at them, listening to every word.

As Cindy walked with Beatrice down the hall she looked to the side and noticed a beautiful lounge for guests, filled with plants and colorful paintings.

“This is an incredible hospital,” Cindy commented as they moved along.

“Yes, indeed,” Beatrice replied, “the facility is exquisite. But the gossip that goes on can be overwhelming, especially after something like this.”

“After something like Tara’s death?” Cindy asked plainly.

“Yes, of course,” Beatrice glanced at Cindy bitterly. “What else are we talking about? Why else are you visiting?”

“Is euthanasia a rare event at your hospital?” Cindy decided to plunge right in.

Beatrice seemed to take exception to that. “I beg your pardon?” she asked, suddenly standing still, her voice growing brittle. “It depends, of course, what you mean by euthanasia. Some patients leave directives in their wills requesting no further treatment in the event of a coma. That is not considered euthanasia.”

“I didn’t mean to offend you,” Cindy said softly. “Perhaps I didn’t phrase it correctly.”

“No, you phrased it perfectly,” Beatrice started walking again. “We’ll talk more about it in my private office,” she said as they approached a door that was locked. Beatrice took out a big silver key, turned it hard and let Cindy in.

The office was oddly narrow and dimly lit. Situated between two outdoor boulders, there was a view only of the dark side of a hill. Beatrice sat down behind her desk and motioned to Cindy to a chair opposite her, making sure the meeting had an entirely professional tone.

“We do have to be careful of how we speak in public,” Beatrice repeated. “As I said it’s easy to be overheard and have one’s words distorted. Rumors can fly like poison arrows all over the place.”

Cindy was startled. This hardly seemed like a place filled with poison arrows.

“This case seems to have created quite a stir,” Cindy murmured.

“Right from the start,” Beatrice was exasperated. “We’ve been warding off reporters from day one.”

“Is that because Tara and Owen were so well known?” asked Cindy.

“Not necessarily,” said Beatrice, “it was because the accident was so gruesome and dramatic. And, because the patient remained in a coma for so long. People started wondering if she would ever come out of it. It became a guessing game.”

“She never did, did she?” asked Cindy.

“Well, if you check the records,” Beatrice breathed heavily, “you’ll see that there is no medical record of the patient having come out of the coma. But naturally, when a patient is in a coma for a long while people begin to assume all kinds of things. Some say Tara did come out. That’s because, due to reflex responses, at times it can seem if patients are talking, smiling or even waving. But they aren’t.” Beatrice looked at Cindy then carefully, to make sure she understood.

“I can understand all the confusion,” Cindy remarked cautiously.

“Good,” said Beatrice then, “I’m glad I’m talking to a sane person at least.”

“Are there insane people involved with the case?” Cindy was fascinated.

“It’s not up to me to evaluate an individual’s sanity,” Beatrice carefully bypassed Cindy’s question. “Naturally, the family was devastated as the process went on and on. It was a huge strain on everyone, including the staff.”