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CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

Cindy looked out over the edge of the balcony at Mattheus’s bare, sun-tanned, rippled chest, working in the garden. He looked so happy to be back in his home in Grenada, especially with Cindy beside him. He’d wanted to share his place with someone for so long. It was like a dream come true, he’d said.

Mattheus had bought the small house a few years ago, after his wife Shelly had gone missing in New Orleans, six years ago. After over a year of fruitless searching for her killer he’d come down here to recover and work. Cindy understood why he’d chosen this house: it was off the beaten track, isolated, perched at the edge of a cliff, with a fantastic view of the shimmering, azure sea.

Cindy had been eager to see the house. It was a place Mattheus had talked about often; it meant a great deal to him and he was proud of it. Soft breezes wafted upon Cindy as she watched Mattheus clear the brush to make room for new plantings. There were large rocks on either side of the garden, and incredible trees surrounded it. A winding wooden path Mattheus had built with his own hands gently led down. Although he’d been away awhile, the house had a lived-in feeling, except that the garden was heavy with dead wood that needed to be cleared. Looking around, Cindy wondered what it would be like spending vacation time here alone with Mattheus for a couple of weeks.

“I want you to love every bit of the house,” Mattheus had said in the cab, after their plane had landed. They’d sat close, pressed together, enjoying their newfound intimacy. Now that they’d taken the next step in their relationship and made love, the strange tension that had always been there, under the surface, was mostly gone. Mostly, not completely. Cindy wasn’t entirely comfortable with her decision to come down to Grenada and stay with Mattheus in his home—everything, she felt, had happened too quickly. Was still happening too quickly.

It was actually strange coming back down here, to the place where she and Mattheus met, where Cindy had taken on her first case as a detective. It had been right after Clint had died, after she’d discovered her own husband’s murderer. Life was so different then. She had felt so abandoned and alone.

This time, during their trip down, Cindy had smiled the whole time, looking at Mattheus’s handsome, rugged face. He’d kept his arm around her, pulling her close. What a journey they’d been on, she’d thought. It was hard to believe that not only were they still together, but that their relationship had grown.

It felt so good being connected to Mattheus now, to let her doubts and questions about him fade. She thought of the moment she’d consciously decided to trust him, as their last case together was ending. Cindy was ashamed how jealous and suspicious she’d become of him. It was as if a storm had hit her and didn’t let up. She’d never felt that way before, and when she finally saw that her distrust was unwarranted, it was a huge relief. As a detective, she needed to be suspicious, but not, she was beginning to realize, in her personal life. She had to learn how to separate the two, or her suspiciousness would tie her in knots she’d never be free of.

“I want you to feel really at home here,” Mattheus had said as the taxi neared.

“I’m sure I’ll love it,” Cindy said, “how could I not?”

People came to Grenada from all over the world to bask in its beauty and be renewed.She deserved to be happy too, didn’t she? She needed to start her life over again.

“Maybe this will become your home, too?” Mattheus had murmured in the taxi, stroking Cindy’s shoulder slowly.

Cindy hadn’t responded. She wasn’t sure exactly what he’d meant and didn’t want to jump to conclusions. She’d gotten into trouble doing that with him before.

The taxi had wound its way up a steep hill towards the craggy, stucco house. For a moment, Cindy had a flash of fear, seeing it perched at the edge of a cliff.

When the taxi pulled up, Mattheus took her luggage and carried it to the front door. Then he turned around and held his arms open wide.

Cindy couldn’t hold back another second. It was time to take the plunge. She ran into Mattheus’s arms with abandon. They were warm and encircled her, making her feel as if she wanted to stay in them forever.

“Welcome to my world,” Mattheus whispered in her ear, “a new era has begun.”

Cindy flushed. She’d felt that way too, but was nervous for the moment. What would this new era bring? What would it be like for the two of them to be in Grenada, to just spend time alone together without a case to focus on? They’d decided to give themselves a chance to find out. Cindy’s stomach fluttered as she let Mattheus lift her up and carry her through the door.

After what seemed like a long while, Mattheus slowly put her down and

Cindy looked around. The living room had two stories, with brick walls, huge glass windows and sprawling plants.

“The place is magical,” she said, taking it in.

Mattheus was pleased. He put his arm around her waist, pulled her closer, and walked her through the living room to the open flagstone porch.

“Time for the grand tour,” he said, and they started walking. “This place has been good to me. I needed to be alone here when I first got here. It’s great to be back here now with you, though.”

She held his hand tight, thrilled they would now have the time they needed so badly. She wanted to get to know him more, to spend long hours with him on the beach, walk in town, go to the Sculpture Garden, go to the art galleries, sit on rocks near the waterfalls. They’d do all the things she’d never had a chance to do again with Clint, things they’d been cheated out of when he was killed so suddenly on their honeymoon.

There are second chances, Cindy mused. When one wave fades out, there’s another behind it.

Mattheus stopped at a tall window.

“If you look out here you can see seagulls, wild birds, sunsets. Sometimes it feels like you’re the only person in the world.”

Cindy smiled, the view was breathtaking. They went down a few steps to the den, and the walls were lined with bookcases and shelves holding Mattheus’s mementos, plaques, rocks, awards, and an old, weathered surfboard.

Cindy winced for just a second. It reminded her of Clint. This was no time to be thinking of Clint. Cindy had done that long enough now, and so had Mattheus. Like Cindy, he’d let his wife’s murder run his life, and when he hadn’t been able to find her killer, he’d become a detective, chasing down one murderer after another. It had become an obsession, and this was the time for both of them to pause and be grateful for the unexpected destiny that had brought them into each other’s lives.

After the den, it was a few steps up to Mattheus’s bedroom—a guy’s room, filled with a huge, crumpled bed, strewn with magazines. The walls were covered with photographs – some of the ocean, birds, rocks and many photos of a beautiful woman, looking straight out at them. In many photos she was close to Mattheus, nestled in his arms. Cindy stared at her. It had to be Shelly.

“That’s your wife?” Cindy’d asked. She hadn’t seen a picture of her before.

“That was my wife,” Mattheus corrected her, glancing at the photos.

Cindy was taken aback. At first glance, Shelly actually looked a bit like her, with the same auburn hair and freckles.

“She was lovely,” said Cindy.

“And the woman I’m with now is more than lovely, she’s ravishing,” said Mattheus, scooping Cindy into his arms.

Cindy blinked, snapping out of it. She stood there, on the balcony, watching Mattheus working in the garden, she was filled with both love and longing for him. It was wonderful feeling this way again—and terrifying as well.

Mattheus must have sensed it, because he turned around, looked up and waved. “I’ll be up in a minute,” he shouted.

Cindy trembled and smiled. “I can’t wait a minute,” she called.

He laughed, put the rake down and started back up.

Cindy held her arms out to greet him.

He rushed into them, lifted her up and carried her as if she were a feather into the living room. He put her down on the couch and turned his full attention upon her.

“Do you like it here?” he breathed, excited.

“Love it,” said Cindy.

“I hoped so,” he murmured. “It’s completely different being here with you. The house feels full.”

Cindy closed her eyes, taking his warmth in. It had been a long time since she’d felt so wanted.

“Cindy, this house suits you. It belongs to you, too. I don’t want to be here anymore without you. Will you move in?”

The question came too quickly. Cindy’s mind began racing. Was he serious? She’d hardly spent any time in her own home since Clint had died. This past year and a half it had just been her and Mattheus, traveling, working on cases. The small home she had back in Cove Bay waited for her. Nothing in it had been moved or changed since Clint had died. Even though she’d hardly spent a night in it, she’d kept it as a place to return to. One of these days Cindy thought she’d grow tired of solving cases, would be ready to return and start a new life. Would it be possible to make a life down in Grenada? Was it too soon to move in with Mattheus?

“That’s quite an offer, Mattheus,” Cindy’s eyes opened wide.

He smiled, his beautiful blue eyes glued to her deeply.

“Move in with me,” he said, in a husky tone.

Cindy knew Mattheus was restless, impulsive. He’d feel strongly one moment and then something else would come up.

“I’m not changing my mind about this either,” Mattheus added, as if reading her thoughts.

“This comes out of the blue,” Cindy laughed.

“Not really,” said Mattheus, “I’ve been thinking about it for quite a while.”

“Well, I’m glad you let me in on it,” said Cindy.

“It makes sense,” he said, his eyes sparkling. “We fit together in every way. We’re better people with each other, we’re smarter, stronger.”

Cindy’s heart began pounding. He was right, they were better with each other. And what was really left back home to return to? Cindy was happy at Mattheus’s side. She loved working with him, sleeping with him, talking, travelling. What was there to lose? She took a deep breath and prepared her response.

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