“Hi Todd,” Cindy greeted him warmly. “This is my partner, Mattheus.”
Todd nodded approvingly. “Heard all about you,” he said. “The hospital’s buzzing about you and your discussion with Konrad last night.”
“Glad to hear that,” said Mattheus.
“Glad?” Todd lifted his eyebrows, and then motioned to a large palm tree down the block. “Let’s go over there,” he said. “It’s better, more private.”
“Let’s go,” Mattheus agreed immediately,, wanting to make Todd comfortable.
Pleased, Todd led the way, talking fitfully to Mattheus as they walked along.
“You lit a bigger fuse than you can even imagine at the jazz festival last night,” Todd started. “Alana got the news that she’s been fired first thing this morning and is tremendously upset about losing her job. Not only Alana, Konrad’s storming around in his office like a volcano. You know the two of them are an item, don’t you?” Todd looked at Mattheus confidentially.
“I’d heard that,” said Mattheus as they all arrived at the palm tree and huddled around it together.
“Konrad’s crazy about Alana, mad for her,” Todd continued bitterly, “she’s totally ruined his judgment. Not that he’s the sharpest tack in the hut, anyway.”
“Don’t like Konrad much, do you?” asked Mattheus.
“I don’t like seeing someone get an important job he’s not qualified for,” Todd shot out. “I wouldn’t run things the way he does. And, I’d never have hired Alana in the first place. Anyway, I think you should know he’s got it in for you guys now, blames you two for everything. He says things only got worse because of your snooping.”
“Could be he’s right,” said Mattheus.
That didn’t sit well with Todd. “I wouldn’t take it so lightly either,” Todd said, suddenly sniffing the air like a lost dog. “I actually came here to let you know that Konrad’s trying to get an order against both of you to get you out of town immediately.”
“Really?” that seemed to surprise Mattheus.
“He’s got powerful connections, too,” Todd added, thrusting a quick, dark look at Mattheus.
“I’m not worried about it,” said Mattheus.
Todd quickly turned to Cindy, who couldn’t help but smile. “It’s alright, Todd, don’t worry about us. Nobody’s getting us out of here until our job is done. Better men have tried. We’ll be fine.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Todd was miffed. “Neither of you seem to sense any danger, but I want to make sure nothing happens to you. We really need what you’re doing, exposing the truth. Too many people get hurt in our hospital and it’s time it stopped.”
*
After Todd delivered his warning and scurried away, Mattheus immediately put a call in to Eric Holder, filling him in.
“Just stay on the alert,” Mattheus warned. “Alana’s tremendously upset at being fired. She might blow the lid off something. This could be our chance to find out what really happened.”
Feeling better after he spoke to the police, Mattheus stretched his arm out and let the breezes blow over him. “How about that walk you asked for on the beach now?” he turned to Cindy, warmly.
But Cindy wasn’t feeling as calm as Mattheus. She couldn’t stop thinking of Alana, how she would truly handle being fired. Cindy also worried about what Konrad would do now.
“I want to speak to Alana first,” Cindy replied. “I’m nervous about this, something doesn’t bode well. Strong forces are lining up.”
Mattheus grimaced, “What are you talking about?” he asked.
“I’ll talk to Alana and you’ll see,” said Cindy putting in a quick call to Alana. To her surprise, Alana picked up instantly. “Alana, this is Cindy Blaine,” Cindy breathed.
“Oh yeah, well you go to hell, go to hell,” Alana’s voice shook on the other end.
“Talk to me, Alana, what’s going on?” Cindy was troubled.
“As if you didn’t know, you bitch,” Alana shot back. “I thought you were my friend, and boy was I wrong. Wrong again and again and again,” her voice grew gruffer. “Well, you’re not my friend, no one’s my friend. I don’t know what you told Konrad, but he’s turned on me, too. I’m being thrown out of the hospital.”
“He hasn’t turned on you,” Cindy insisted, “he’s devastated.”
“Don’t you tell me what’s true and what isn’t,” Alana was spinning out of control. “How dare you tell me I’m lying to you?”
“Konrad loves you, Alana,” Cindy cried out.
“He loves me? Are you crazy? I’m fired aren’t I? Fired, fired,” Alana’s voice trembled.
“I’m sorry, so sorry,” Cindy started saying.
“Sorry are you? That’s a laugh, isn’t it? Well, I’m out of here right now!” Alana thundered.
“Where are you going?” Cindy felt a cold wave of fear wash over her.
“What business is it of yours?” Alana’s voice took on an ominous tone. “I’m going where I belong, that’s where I’m going.” Then she slammed down the phone.
Cindy felt the blood drain from her face. “Mattheus, we’ve got to find Alana fast,” Cindy could hardly speak. “Something’s terribly wrong, I feel it.”
“Okay,” said Mattheus, putting a quick call into the police. “Bring in Alana for questioning now,” he said bruskly. “I’ll tell you why later, just go find her and bring her in.” Then he hung up.
“Why did you tell them to arrest her? It’ll just make everything worse,” said Cindy, upset.
“No, it’s good,” Mattheus disagreed, “they’ll keep her and anyone in her path safe until she calms down. Then we’ll talk to her together. She’ll be at the point of spilling the beans.”
Mattheus words made sense to Cindy rationally, though deep down she felt dark winds blowing, taking them all in a direction they never expected.
“Let’s take that walk on the beach now,” Mattheus smiled, giving Cindy a little hug. “After the police take Alana in, we’ll go join them.”
“I can’t do it right now, I don’t feel like it Mattheus,” Cindy said in a strangled tone.
“You love the beach, a few minutes ago you said you wanted to walk on it,” he urged.
“But not now,” Cindy insisted. “Let’s wait here where we are until we hear from the police. We can go later after everything’s been resolved.”
“Nothing’s going to be resolved any time soon,” Mattheus finally said, resigned. “Don’t worry about Alana so much.”
“But I do,” said Cindy fretful.
“Look, the way I see it,” Mattheus went on, “this is a good deal for Alana. It’s better for her to be fired on a charge of drugs, not something bigger.”
“Like murdering Tara?” Cindy asked.
“Yeah, this could be Konrad’s protecting Alana by agreeing to fire her like this,” Mattheus conjectured.
“And it could be Konrad’s the one who put her up to killing Tara,” Cindy couldn’t let go of that thought.
Mattheus was about to respond when his phone interrupted once again. “Yeah,” he picked up instantly. “Okay, I hear you. Where are we? We’re a few blocks from the entrance of Jolin Court Beach, sitting under a bench. Yeah, of course, we’ll go right there now.”
Cindy stared as Mattheus hung up.
“Police said Alana’s not at her home. Someone in the neighborhood said they saw her flying down the street, looking crazed, laughing out loud to herself. The police are out there searching for her as we speak. A car will pick us up in a few minutes to join the hunt.”
“Oh God,” said Cindy, afraid.
“If she’s fleeing there’s a reason,” said Mattheus, “could be we’re closer than we think to the case coming to an end.”
Chapter 19
A cop car arrived in a few moments, picked up Cindy and Mattheus, turned on their sirens and fled to join the crew of police cars relentlessly searching for Alana. Brusque messages barked over walkie talkies giving the suspect’s supposed whereabouts. Cindy held Mattheus hand tightly as their car swerved back and forth, up and down narrow streets, following leads that lead nowhere.