Death by Seduction (14 page)

“That’s
a deal,” Taylor stood up then, ready to go. “I’m not so hungry for dinner now
either, if you know what I mean,” he added. ”I think I’ll leave you two
beautiful people to enjoy the Caribbean evening alone.”

Then
as he turned to leave, Taylor suddenly stopped cold in his tracks. “Oh God,
it’s her,” he muttered.

 Loretta
and another woman were walking straight over in his direction to a table right in
front of theirs.

“Loretta,”
Taylor called out in a ragged tone.

Loretta
stopped cold in her tracks as well and looked over in horror at all of them..

“What
are you doing here with Cindy?” Loretta exclaimed as soon as she caught her
breath.

“I
introduced her to someone who can help with the case,” Taylor, motioned to
Eric.

Loretta
looked at Eric briefly and then glared at Cindy.  

“I
have no idea who this person is and why Cindy’s with him, as she hasn’t said a
word to me about her plans,” snapped Loretta.

“This
is routine procedure, Loretta,” Cindy stood up and tried to approach her.

“There’s
nothing routine about it,” Loretta insisted. “I asked you not to spend time
with Pete’s brother.”

“I
had to,” murmured Cindy softly.

“He’s
never had one decent thing to say about me,” Loretta’s voice grew louder. “I
don’t even know why he’s down here now.”

At
that Eric got up and stood beside Cindy. “He’s come down to help find his
brother’s killer,” he  said. “He’s on your side, trying to help.”

“I
never asked him to help,” muttered Loretta.

Cindy
looked at the lovely, blonde, young woman who stood beside Loretta, putting her
arm around her. It must be her friend, Angela, Cindy thought.

“We
need all the help we can get, Loretta,” said Cindy then.

“Of
course you do,” Angela smiled nicely. “They’re not your enemies, Loretta.”

“I
don’t want any help from Taylor,” Loretta was agitated. “And I told Cindy not
to talk to him.”

“This
is an independent investigation, Loretta,” Eric stepped in strongly, putting an
end to the ruckus. “It is Cindy’s responsibility to speak to anyone who can
help.”

“Oh
yeah?” Loretta didn’t like being put in her place. “And who are you, exactly?”
she turned to Eric next.

“He’s
a top lawyer down here, helping us gather information,” Taylor spoke up.

Loretta’s
eyes narrowed. “How come nobody told me about him?  Pete was my husband. This
case belongs to me.”

“There’s
a lot of people involved in this case, Loretta,” Cindy tried to calm her.
“There’s even a woman who may be innocent being held for murder.”

“The
whore?” Loretta practically spit.

Eric
suddenly took a frantic step towards Loretta  but quickly stopped himself.

“Call
her what you want, if she’s innocent, she’s innocent,” Cindy exclaimed.

At
that Loretta spun around and grabbed Angela’s hand. “Let’s get out of here
now,” she exclaimed, “I’m not used to spending my time with low lives.” Then
quick as lightening, she made her way to the door.

“What
a bitch!” Taylor mouthed off. “Same as always.”

“She’s
devastated,” Cindy tried to defend her.

“Yeah,
she’s devastated,” said Taylor. “But she’s not the only one.”

Cindy
looked over at Eric then and saw the trace of sickening pain that had flashed
across his face. It had to have hurt him to hear Charma spoken about that way.

“I’m
sorry Loretta spoke that way about Charma,” Cindy said to him.

“Charma
doesn’t deserve it,” Eric replied. “She’s a fantastic woman.”

“Fantastic
woman?” Taylor also registered a look of disgust before he spun on his heel and
took off as well. “See you guys later,” he said, making his way to the front
door.

Cindy
and Eric, left alone gazed at each other.
“It’s just the two of us,” Eric said softly. “Do you still want to sit down and
have a bite to eat?”

“Sure,”
Cindy responded. “I’d love to. Why not?”

To
Cindy’s surprise dinner with Eric was lovely and nourishing.  The case was
taking a toll and both of them needed the down time, and the warm, spicy food
hit the spot.

“I’m
sorry you have to go through this, I really am,” said  Eric they ate the
delicious food slowly.

“It’s
my job,” Cindy replied, “just what I do.”

“Why?”
Eric suddenly asked, looking up at Cindy perplexed.

“Why,
what? Why do I do this job?” Cindy smiled at the expression on his face.

“Yes,
why do you?” asked Eric. “I’ve been wondering about that all night long.”

“That’s
a long story,” Cindy murmured.

“Go
right ahead, I have all night long,” Eric replied with a craggy smile, real
warmth exuding from him. He wanted to listen. Cindy felt it in her bones.

Touched
and surprised, Cindy felt playful, but still cautious.

“Remember
I made you a promise that I wouldn’t try to understand you?” she asked.

“Sure,”
Eric responded, “but I didn’t make you that promise and don’t plan to. It
doesn’t mean I can’t try to understand you.” He looked at her tenderly. “I
actually want to know everything about you.”

His
comment made Cindy nervous. “There’s no reason for it. We’re two ships passing
in the night”,  she replied, stopping herself from saying anything more.

“Two
ships who could travel side by side, possibly?” Eric’s glance turned quizzical.

The
strange moment between them hung in the air, waiting for a reply. There was no
question that they were really comfortable together and, strangely in synch. They
also were both alone. But Cindy actually knew nothing about him, except for the
all-important fact, that Eric was one of Charma’s main customers, and that he
cared about Charma a lot.  That was all Cindy had to remember to break the
spell.

“From
where I stand, it looks like you’re taken,” Cindy said softly, not wanting to go
further down this road.

“You
mean Charma?” Eric responded quietly.

“Yes,”
Cindy replied.

“You’re
judging me because of her?” Eric looked distressed.

“I’m
not judging you at all,” Cindy replied, “just acknowledging the facts as I know
them.”

“You
don’t think guys who frequent prostitutes can ever have anything more?” Eric’s
face flushed. “You don’t think I ever had another relationship?”

“Of
course, you must have,” Cindy responded.

“My
wife of ten years, who I adored, cheated on me,” Eric replied swiftly. “Then
she took everything from me, including my kids.”

“Awful,”
breathed Cindy.

“You
can’t even imagine,” Eric retorted, a look of deep bitterness crossing his
face.

“I
can imagine,” replied Cindy.

“No,
you can’t. No one can,” the muscles on his face tightened.

“Of
course I can imagine,” said Cindy, “and  it seems that you decided never to
trust a woman again.  It must have become easier to have love for sale.”

Eric
bristled. “I don’t think of Charma as love for sale.” Obviously the phrase disturbed
him. “Charma does her job. I do mine. She does her job well, I respect her for
that.”

Cindy
thought that Eric had no idea how attached he was to Charma, but it wasn’t her
business. She decided to say nothing more about it.

“Don’t
you think I can change?” Eric was far from done, though.

“I
suppose it’s possible,” said Cindy.

“Everything
is possible,” Eric insisted.

“Yes,
that’s true,” Cindy agreed, “everything is possible, but some things are not so
likely to happen.”

“You’re
pessimistic,” Eric chided. “I didn’t realize that before. Such a beautiful
woman and so pessimistic!”

“Not
pessimistic, realistic,” Cindy replied.

“No,
pessimistic, and that’s why you’re alone.”” Eric was insistent. “

Eric’s
comment stung. Even though it might be so, Cindy felt his comment was out of order.

“You’ve
been hurt a lot, badly disappointed,” Eric was on the offensive. “And you’re
reacting to your pain by doing this kind of work. And, now even doing it alone.”

“I
didn’t know I was being psychoanalyzed,” Cindy replied curtly. “I happen to
love the work I do. I respect it.”

“I
like you, Cindy,” Eric’s voice became stronger. “You’re smart, you’re
beautiful. I have a right to want to know more about you.”

“I
like you too, Eric,” Cindy replied, “you’re smart, you’re handsome, you’re well
established. Should I say I have a right to know more as well?”

“Yes,
you should,” he replied.

“But
that’s not why I’m here with you for dinner,” Cindy turned the conversation
around. “I’m here to do a job, to find out who killed my friend’s husband.”

“You’re
hiding behind that,” Eric insisted.

“Whether
I am or not doesn’t make a difference,” Cindy replied. “It’s why I’m here.”

“And
that lady doesn’t look like much of a friend. She’s nasty, she’s bitter,” he
continued.

“Loretta’s
upset and alone.  Her husband has been killed, she has a right to lash out,”
Cindy declared.

“Okay,
you win,” Eric drew back then. “I’ll give you the same promise you gave me. I
won’t try to understand anything about you. I’ll just do what I can to help.”

“That
would be wonderful,” said Cindy, “I’d appreciate that.”

“You’re
most welcome, beautiful lady,” Eric smiled. “You’re wise too, I’m sure of that.
Looks like we’re both in much too far over our heads already.”

Cindy
wasn’t sure what he meant by that. “It’s easy to get lost, she just said
simply.

“Very
easy,” Eric replied. “You can say that again.”

“What’s
next then?” asked Cindy.

“Let’s
finish up here and go find John Burnd,” Eric was right on it.

“So
late?” asked Cindy.

“Absolutely,”
Eric replied. “Guys like him don’t come out of the woodwork when there’s still
the light of day.”

*

The
cab wound down dark, narrow streets to the edge of the neighborhood, making its
way slowly.

“There’s
a club Burnd hangs out in, Rattlesnake Gin,” Eric said as they drew closer. “It’s
sleazy, it’s dirty, but the locals love it. They got crazy music and terrific beer.”

Cindy
wondered how come Eric was so familiar with the place?

“When
we walk in, hold onto my arm so the thugs think you’re taken,” Eric instructed.

“Women
don’t come here alone?” Cindy was curious.

“Some
do, of course,” Eric muttered, “if they’re looking for a quick fix. They
usually hit up guys at the bar then, and go with them into a back room.”

Cindy
closed her eyes. This was the last place she wanted to be.  How did it happen
that she was here, alone with Eric, hunting down an obsessed guy who could possibly
be the murderer?  It was a question Cindy rarely asked herself, but in the dark
hush of this evening the thoughts swirled in her mind.  Starting to feel
despondent, Cindy looked out of the cab widow and saw a sliver of a new moon
trying to burst out from behind the clouds. How did she know she could even
trust Eric?  Suddenly, nothing about her life made any sense at all.

Eric
gave her arm a little squeeze suddenly, as if he’d picked up her desolate
thoughts.

“You’re
a heroine, Cindy,” he whispered. “I don’t know one other woman who would do
what you’re doing, alone here on a murky night.”

“A
heroine or just a blind fool,” Cindy responded, pulling a little away from him.

*

Rattlesnake
Gin was hidden away inside a shanty building with low ceilings, peeling walls
and all sorts of insects crawling along the dirt floor. It was dark inside with
red lights hanging from the ceiling and noisy music creating a din over the
sound of voices laughing at nothing.

 The
bar at the front was packed when they walked in. Eric nodded to the guy dishing
out large mugs of beer.

“Burnd
here yet?” Eric asked.

“In
the back,” the guy answered, obviously knowing Eric.

“You’ve
been here before,” Cindy commented as Eric led her towards the back of the
place.

“Yes,
I have,” answered Eric, but keep your priorities straight. It’s not me you’re
investigating, it’s Burnd.

“My
priorities are absolutely straight up,” Cindy remarked, as they grew closer to
a table in the corner at the back. A guy, who looked half drunk, sat at it,
leaning over, as if he were about to fall face down on the top.

“Burnd!”
Eric said as they got to the table.

“Yeah?
Huh?” Burnd mumbled to himself, not bothering to look up.

Eric
pulled out a chair for Cindy next to Burnd and then sat down close beside her, too
close.

“I
brought someone to see you, Burnd,” Eric tried to rouse him.

“Who
the hell is this?” Burnd peered up without raising his head.

“She’s
here to help Charma,” Eric continued.

At
that, Burnd suddenly raised his head and flung it towards Cindy.

“Get
Charma out right away. She doesn’t belong in jail. She didn’t do anything,” his
eyes began to bore into Cindy’s face.

“I’m
doing the best I can,” said Cindy strongly. “You got to help me, too.”

At
that Burnd’s eyes opened further. “Me, help?” The idea took him by surprise. Cindy
wondered if anyone had ever asked for his help with anything?

“Sit
up straight,” Eric chimed in.

Burnd
sat up straighter then. Cindy could smell the liquor reeking from his breath
and in the dim light saw his red, bleary eyes.

“Charma’s
mine,” Burnd muttered as he sat up straighter, “I want her out of the coop. I
need to see her. I can’t go on like this without her. I miss her like hell.”

Cindy
wondered what how Eric could bear to hear Burnd speaking like this. To Cindy’s
amazement, Eric took it as a matter course. It didn’t seem to bother him at
all.

“Tell
me about Pete, the guy who was murdered,” Cindy dove in, hoping to get whatever
she could from Burnd while he was  coherent.

Burnd’s
lips curled. “Yeah, Pete, the pretty boy.”

“Did
Charma like him?” Cindy leaned in closer, confronting him. She had to see if
Pete had gone too far with Charma and Burnd wanted to get rid of him?

Burnd’s
mouth turned into an ugly grin. “Charma didn’t like anyone but me,” his words
rolled out heavily. “She told me that a lot of times. The rest of the guys were
just  money for her. Including him!”

“Including
Pete?” asked Cindy.

“Nah,”
Burnd rolled his head around, “including your date for the night, Eric!”

Eric
laughed out loud at that remark.

“Laugh
all you want,” Burnd’s eyes creased back closed, “Charma told me lots of times.
You weren’t her kind, man, she just needed the money.”

“Only
you were her kind,” Cindy repeated.

“Yeah,”
Burnd liked that. “Now you got it straight.”

“So,
why did Charma kill Pete?” Cindy’s voice dropped to a rough whisper, trying to
trip Burnd up.

 “She
didn’t kill him, bitch! Don’t you even dare think that,” Burnd eyes rolled back
and forth in his head. “Some idiot did it and dropped the guy in her room. She
wasn’t even there when he was killed.”

Even
though Cindy realized that Charma was out with Eric at the time she still
wanted to goad Burnd into telling her more.

“You
didn’t like that she was out with someone else, did you?” Cindy went on.

“You
don’t get it, honey. It didn’t matter to me. I was the only one she loved,”Burnd
insisted, drool dripping from the edge of his mouth.

“And
what about Pete? I heard she loved him, too,” Cindy wouldn’t let up.

“Loved
that pretty boy?” Burnd stuck his face up. “Nah, she laughed at him behind his
back, and she laughed at his stupid wife, too.”

“Charma
knew Loretta?” Cindy zoned in.

“She
saw her once,” Burnd continued, “told me what a stuck up idiot the lady was. We
both laughed at her good and plenty.”

Cindy
looked over at Eric who looked incredibly sad in the dim light.

“Charma
even once told me she’d like to see Pete’s stuck up wife get what she deserved!
A good whacking,” Burnd laughed at that out loud. “I wished I could have given
her the pleasure of that.”

Eric
stiffened and his voice tightened. “Did someone else give Charma that pleasure,
Burnd? Did Charma have Pete killed to get at his wife?”

“Nah,
why in hell would she do something like that?” Burnd wouldn’t have it.