Cindy hadn’t heard that saying, but at the moment, it felt right on.

Chapter 21

“Are you ready to go now?” Mattheus called out as soon as Cindy returned to the hotel from her interview with Loretta.

Cindy looked around and saw Mattheus taking in the sun and breeze out on the balcony. “I’m back, Mattheus,” she called out.

“It was great of you to go speak to Loretta,” Mattheus called back, “and hear what she had to say. Ready to go now?”

Cindy replied as she came out and sat on the edge of Mattheus’s chair. “I’m less ready than ever to leave now,” she said.

Mattheus shook his head. “Okay, let’s have it. What did she say?”

“Loretta gave me the number of a woman named Veronica, her mother’s friend. I called and spoke to her right away. Veronica told me that Owen and Tara’s marriage was nothing like he told us. She said that he was on the prowl.”

Mattheus made a sour face. “People say all kinds of things. What good is this information going to do us now? Owen’s been released, Cindy. It’s over.”

“I want to go back down to the dock and onto the boat they rented one more time,” Cindy went on. “Something tells me to do it.”

“It’s overkill and guilt,” Mattheus replied. “You’re blaming yourself for Alana’s death. It wasn’t your fault. You’ve got to move on.”

“I want to go anyway,” said Cindy.

There’s no point in it,” Mattheus insisted.

“But I’m going,” Cindy replied.

Mattheus seemed irritated. “Go if you want to, I’ll wait for you here. When you’re through give me a call and I’ll book our flight home. Okay?”

“Okay,” Cindy agreed. She knew she had to let go at some point, was just satisfying one last urge.

Mattheus put his arms around Cindy then, and pulled her to him. “Just one thing I have to ask before you go,” he said. “What exactly do you expect to find at the boat? What are you looking for?”

“I don’t know,” Cindy felt comforted in Mattheus’s arms. “I know it totally doesn’t make sense, but something is drawing me there. I have to trust that.”

“Yes, you do,” Mattheus agreed. “I respect your intuition, Cindy. I’ll be here waiting to hear what you find.”

*

Cindy was actually relieved to be going to the boat alone. She knew that Mattheus was playing along so she could feel better about leaving. He himself was done with the case, trying to accommodate her last wishes.

Cindy arrived at the dock in what seemed like no time and began walking towards the boat. She enjoyed both the breezes and the feel of the afternoon sun gently washing over her. Cindy knew the case was over and she had to let go, but something pulled her to keep going. Perhaps she just had to see the boat one last time to have a sense of closure.

When Cindy arrived she didn’t go on the boat, just stood alongside it looking out into the choppy sea. Deep within Cindy wasn’t at ease with the way the case had turned out. Alana’s suicide didn’t prove a thing about who actually had put an end to Tara’s life. Cindy thought of Loretta’s comment that Tara deserved better than this. Suddenly Cindy felt she might be here not only to say good bye to Tara, but to make her peace with her as well.

Cindy watched a few seagulls fly by, cawing loudly. How can I make this right for you, Tara? Cindy called out to her in her mind. What do you need for justice to be served? Cindy stood there silently then, watching people drifting in and out of other boats anchored at the dock. It was a beautiful, peaceful scene that said to Cindy that life went on no matter whether justice was served or not. As she was dwelling on that, Cindy she saw an older, local fisherman amble up to Tara’s boat and stand there, gazing at it, too. Cindy stepped a bit closer to the fisherman, interested to be sharing the experience with him.

“Beautiful boat, isn’t it?” Cindy murmured.

The fisherman turned his leathery, wrinkled face to her and shook his head slowly.

“Nothing beautiful about it, sister,” he remarked in a croaky tone. “Someone lost her life on it.”

Cindy was stunned at first, but then realized that the accident had been all over the news. He must have read about it in the paper.

“You read about the accident in the news?” Cindy asked.

“Heck no,” he shook his head harder. “Saw it for myself, yes I did. Was right out there fishing when it happened.”

Totally confused, Cindy stared at him. “Saw what for yourself?” she could barely speak.

“Honey, I was there when the guy drove this boat right into the lady. I saw him do it again and again.”

Cindy froze. She couldn’t compute what he was saying. “What are you talking about?”

“You know the case of the lady who died in the coma?” the fisherman needed to talk as well.

“Yes, of course,” said Cindy.

“She didn’t die by accident in some coma,” the fisherman spluttered. “I saw the guy on the boat driving it right into her and keep doing it. Then he pulled her out of the water a limp rag. I thought for sure she was dead right then. How she hung on so long is a mystery to me. Must have wanted to live badly.”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone about this?” Cindy asked, stunned, her voice rising.

“What was there to say? She wasn’t dead. She was alive all that time in the coma,” the fisherman spluttered. “Then after she died, they took the husband to jail. What did they need me for, nothing!”

“For something,” Cindy cried out in pain.

“Now that I read in the papers that the husband got out, I’m planning to tell the cops,”

the old guy defended himself.

“When were you planning to do it?” asked Cindy, “when?”

“Today,” the old fisherman looked perturbed.

“It’s too late now,” Cindy yelled.

“Never too late for anything,” he croaked back.

The old guy meant well and Cindy felt badly yelling at him.

“Stop,” Cindy put her hand on his arm. “Don’t go anywhere. Wait right here.” Then she flipped open her phone and immediately called Mattheus.

“Tell the cops to nab Owen immediately,” Cindy shrieked over the phone.

“What the hell’s the matter?” Mattheus voice choked.

Cindy’s heart beat furiously. “I’ve got an eye witness,” Cindy hollered, “he saw Owen driving the boat into Tara, over and over again.”

“Hold on, what are you saying? I just spoke to the cops to tie things up,” Mattheus sounded flustered. “Cops told me Owen’s at the airport right now, on flight 67, United Airways, going back to the States.”

“Oh no, he’s not,” yelled Cindy. “Get there! Stop him!”

“Are you sure?” Mattheus hollered back. “Who is this witness?”

“I’m positive,” Cindy kept yelling, “definite! I’m going to the airport now. I’ll meet you there.”

“Go,” Mattheus yelled back, as Cindy hung up, took the old guy’s name and number and made him swear he’d go to the police immediately.

*

As the taxi flew to the airport, Cindy panted uncontrollably in the back seat. Everything fell into place as the nagging feelings she’d had melted away. She’d been wrong about Owen right from the start. Cindy prayed she’d get to the airport before Owen boarded his flight. Once he returned to the States, she didn’t know if they could get him back to Jamaica so easily.

As soon as Cindy arrived at the airport, she flew to United Airways. Thankfully, there was still half an hour before the plane took off and the travelers hadn’t yet boarded. Cindy dashed to the waiting gate and immediately saw Owen sitting there. To her total shock, he wasn’t alone. Sitting next to him was a beautiful, blonde young woman in her early twenties, holding his hand, smiling up at him. Owen was grinning and laughing with her as well. The two of them seemed overjoyed. Who was the young woman? What was he doing with her now?