Death by Temptation (22 page)

“The law of the jungle?” Cindy breathed.

“Rowley and Rod would be laughed out of the courts
down here in a few seconds.” Darrin spoke strongly now. “The guy’s getting his
punishment anyway, isn’t he? Looks like he lost his marriage before it even had
a chance to start. And the wife had her part in this, too. Don’t forget that.”

Cindy shivered.

“After all, it was Kara who took the drugs from
Shane, not Rowley,” Darrin reminded Cindy. “Be glad that Santos agreed to free
her, at least.”

Finished with the conversation. Darrin turned on his
heel then, waved to the other cops, and started back.

 Santos walked over to Cindy and Mattheus then and
the three of them stood under a sliver of moonlight that shone down.

“You got a fantastic woman there, Mattheus,” Santos
said without a moment’s hesitation. “Don’t ever let me hear you left her alone
again. That wouldn’t sit well with Santos.”

Mattheus looked at Santos, incredulous.

“Now that I’m Cindy’s friend,” Santos went on, “no
one’s ever gonna leave her alone again.”

Missing Woman Found Alive
the papers grandly
announced, celebrating the unexpected return of Kara.
Due to the incredible,
persistent work of Cindy Blaine, of C and M Investigations, this young woman
has been returned to her family safe and sound. Thankfully, the family is on
their way home now as this is being written. We are all proud of the victory
that has taken place down here in St. Lucia.

Conveniently, no mention was made of Shane, or how
that investigation was proceeding. Alfred and Jenna returned with the family,
and Cindy received a quick, last email from him.

We will all be totally indebted to you
forever. It was your connection with Santos that made this possible. For some
reason Santos loved you and couldn’t say no to whatever you asked. These things
happen when the angels are with us, don’t they? Jenna and I will have a
memorial for Shane when we get back home. We’re both certain that the man who
harmed her is dead, by now. So far, Kara and Rowley are not speaking. They are
moving into two separate apartments for now.

Tracy told me she thought you were
wonderful and so did Alan. Keep up the good work, Cindy. There are so many more
out there who need your help.

*

Cindy and Mattheus sat reading the papers and emails
together. Mattheus was restless and out of sorts, however. When he last saw
Rod, Rod had not even given him the time of day.

“Rod used you as a cover,” Cindy said to Mattheus
after the family left. “All the time he said he was falling apart, Rod was busy
getting rid of Shane.”

“Not all the time, but part of the time, definitely,”
Mattheus said.

“That’s incredible,” breathed Cindy.

“You’re right,” said Mattheus, “I was taken in, big
time. I’m ashamed.”

“Go deeper, Mattheus,” Cindy said. “How did that
even happen?”

“Beats me,” said Mattheus.

“What was it you needed so much from Rod?”

“He was my old friend, my good friend,” said
Mattheus softly. “It’s been a long time—”

“Do you miss being home in the States?” Cindy asked
then. “Do you miss having good friends?”

“Could be,” agreed Mattheus.

“Is it possible this is not the life for you
anymore?” asked Cindy.

“That’s going too far,” said Mattheus.

“Think about it, Mattheus, it’s an important
question.”

Mattheus remained sad and silent though, unable to
say anything. All of this had ended up being a shock to him and Cindy knew he
would need time to figure it out.

The phone, which had been ringing all morning, rang
abruptly once again then. This time the call was from Bonaire.

“Cindy and Mattheus, Cindy and Mattheus, we need
you,” a frantic woman’s voice called out on the other end.

Cindy held the phone away from her. “A call from
Bonaire,” she said to Mattheus.

Mattheus looked at Cindy and perked up. “Let’s start
again. Let’s go there together,” he remarked, the light returning to his eyes.

“Just like that?” Cindy asked, startled.

“We’ll go back to the beginning. We’ll start slow
again. Ask the woman what the problem is,” Mattheus answered, quickly returning
to his old self.

Cindy smiled, relieved to see him this way again.
Indeed, the power of the work they did was a true medicine, not only for Cindy,
but for Mattheus as well.

“We do well as working partners,” Cindy said slowly
then.

“You’re right, it’s true,” Mattheus conceded, “but
like it or not there’s much more between us. And I have every confidence that
one of these days, we’re going to work all of it out.”

Cindy pulled the phone closer to her. “What’s the
problem?” she asked. “What’s going on in Bonaire?”

COMING SOON…

Book #15 in the Caribbean Murder Series

Now
Available: Jaden’s Skye NEW romance series!

A
PERFECT STRANGER
(Book #1 in the Tom’s River Saga)

Nestled among trees
and hills, set alongside a winding river, the small town of Tom’s River,
Wisconsin, so beautiful and protected, is a place where everybody knows each
other, a place where nothing ever changes and where people can feel safe. But
one day, all that changes. Megan’s husband has gone missing, and no one can
find him.

As the search
deepens, Megan discovers the truth not only about her husband, but also about
the secrets he’s been hiding in their marriage. Her world is shook as she
realizes she’s been living a lie, has been in a relationship with a man who’s
been living a secret life, a man she never really knew.

Some months after
his disappearance, as the snows of winter melt, Hunter, a handsome, magnetic
stranger, arrives in Tom’s River. A loner with a mysterious past, he is content
with his solitary job at the lumber yard. But as a tornado ravages the town, he
is destined to cross paths with Megan, as she seeks help to repair her damaged
home.

Once Hunter and
Megan meet, nothing is ever the same again. As he repairs the roof that blew
off her home, the two cannot hold back their feelings for each other. They fall
madly in love. Yet Megan cannot, once again, live with a man who is keeping
secrets from her: she needs Hunter to open up about who he is, about what he’s
running from. And that is not something Hunter may be ready to do.

As they face a
crucial crossroads in their affair, a shocking and dramatic twist hits the
town: one that will test their love, and will test the town. Nothing will be
the same in Tom’s River again.

Please
visit Jaden’s site, where you can join the mailing list, hear the latest news,
see additional images, and find links to stay in touch with Jaden on Facebook,
Twitter, Goodreads and elsewhere:

www.jadenskye.com

Tap
here to download Jaden Skye books now!

Also
by Jaden Skye

THE
CARIBBEAN MURDER SERIES
DEATH BY HONEYMOON (Book
#1)

DEATH
BY DIVORCE (Book #2)

DEATH
BY MARRIAGE (Book #3)

DEATH
BY DESIRE (Book #4)

DEATH
BY DECEIT (Book #5)

DEATH
BY JEALOUSY (Book #6)

DEATH
BY PROPOSAL (Book #7)

DEATH BY OBSESSION (Book #8)

DEATH BY DEVOTION (Book #9)

DEATH BY BETRAYAL (Book #10)

DEATH BY REQUEST (Book #11)

DEATH BY ENGAGEMENT (Book #12)

DEATH BY SEDUCTION (Book #13)

DEATH BY TEMPTATION (Book #14)

THE TOM’S RIVER SAGA

A PERFECT STRANGER (Book #1)