Death by Marriage Read Online Free Page B

“It’s been combed back and forth. The guy
was found lying in a pool of blood. Medical examiner found stab marks all over
his body. Lots of them.”
    Cindy
closed her eyes. Just the thought of it made her feel woozy.
    “What’s
wrong sweetheart?”  Nojo laughed. “We haven’t found the weapon yet. But, when
there’s that many stab marks it’s a crime of passion. The person who did it
hated his guts.”
    “Let
them look,” Brayton broke in. “Another pair of eyes can see something else.”
    “Great,”
said Mattheus. “Tell us how to get to there and gain access.”
    “You
got it,” said Brayton, obviously happy to have Mattheus on the team. “But don’t
let the little lady go down there alone. You can never tell who’s lurking
around. That place has a way of attracting dangerous scum and buzzards,
especially after dark.”
     

CHAPTER
4
     
     
    There
was about an hour left of light in the day, enough for them to familiarize
themselves with the crime scene. Even though it was no longer cordoned off,
Mattheus wanted to inspect every inch of it.
    “The
crime scene is always the richest source of information,” he said to Cindy as
they walked there along the streets that were bursting with people, life, color
and smells.  They passed by open shopping stalls that lined the streets, buyers
displaying their wares; fruits, jams, nuts, paintings, straw hats, scarves,
clothes hanging out, waving slightly in the breeze. The area had something of
the feel of a carnival, but with naturalness about it. Some tourists stood
around inspecting the goods, others bargained for the best prices. Life was
lived there, wide open for all to see. There were ample stores filled with
everything from T shirts to crafts to luxury items that lured you in. Charlotte
Amalie, long the center of commerce, offers more than just shopping
opportunities. The history of the island could be seen in its stores that used
to be warehouses or merchant’s homes, centuries ago.
    “This
island used to be controlled by the Danish,” said Mattheus. “If we took a short
walk, we’d end up in Fort Christian, that used to be a military construction
that’s been converted to a museum where you can learn all about the island’s
history and culture.”
    Cindy
suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion flood over her. There seemed to be no end to
the twists and turns, people, and human affairs that called out for help and
resolution. She stopped for a moment and stood still, taking it all in. How did
she get here with Mattheus, almost a stranger, on what could actually be a
dangerous expedition? she wondered. Mattheus seemed confident, happy and on
high alert though, as he walked beside her, full of curiosity. When Cindy
stopped in her tracks, he looked surprised.
    “I
need to take a moment,” she said.
    “For
what?”
    “It’s
a lot to absorb all at once.”
    “Of
course it is,” he said, and unexpectedly, put his arm around her and gave her a
quick hug.  “You’ve been catapulted from one world into another.” Then he took
his arm away.
    Catapulted
was a good word for it. Cindy appreciated Mattheus’ understanding and also the
quick show of support.
    “Things
will start to fall into place,” he said. “They always do. The beginning can be
confusing. A whirl of events, conflicting ideas. That’s the fun part too,” and
he grinned.
    Cindy
saw how much he enjoyed what he was doing. It excited him, stimulated him -- he
was made for this life.
    “This
place is very different from Grenada,” Cindy said, looking around. She was used
to long, quiet afternoons, surrounded by sun and sea, driving from one lead to
another, interviewing people privately, dwelling on what they’d said.  Here she
was thrust in the middle of a throbbing, noisy, crowded city, where life moved
quickly to its own beat.
    “ Different is
good,” said Mattheus. “Too much of the same thing puts you to sleep.”
    Cindy
laughed.  She enjoyed the fact that Mattheus often