Chapter 18

Matti and Yvonne finished their meal at about eight o’clock that evening. In lieu of having a dessert, they both ordered a liqueur. As they relaxed and enjoyed sipping their drinks, they engaged in a pleasant conversation.

“So, Matti, are you going to explain what happened between you and Dawn?” Yvonne had that look of quiet determination that let Matti know she wasn’t likely to drop the subject.

After a bit of reflection he answered, “I guess I could, but I’m going to need a promise from you first. I know you could go and tell Dawn about me being in Costa Rica, especially if I don’t explain this to you. I would like your promise that you won’t do that, and that you won’t tell Dawn about anything else I tell you.”

Yvonne had listened closely to Matti, but she couldn’t understand why he would ask her that. Convinced that she would be able to persuade him to talk to Dawn about whatever their problem was, she reluctantly agreed. “If that’s what it takes to get you to talk to me about this, I agree. I promise not to talk to Dawn about anything we discuss.”

With Yvonne’s promise, Matti relaxed and began to talk. “I found out something about Dawn, and it puts everything I thought we had together into doubt. Actually, it’s worse than ‘what I thought we had’ just being in doubt. Dawn has been lying to me since the first day I met her.”

Yvonne quickly cut in and said, “I can’t believe that! Why would you say that?”

Matti glumly replied, “I’m saying that because I know that it’s true.” Matti stopped long enough to look Yvonne in the eyes, and then continued, “You remember the plane crash, and how a guy tried to kill me?” When Yvonne nodded her head Matti continued again, “Well, they were both members of the Wolverines Motorcycle Club. I know that you saw Dawn’s report on the DVD about it. Well, I found out that Dawn was once heavily involved with that club, and knew both of the men who died. Quite well, I would add. Actually, I shouldn’t make you think that that part really mattered. What matters is that she had plenty of opportunity to let me know she knew them, and she didn’t. In fact, she asked me questions, and she made comments, that led me to believe she didn’t have a clue about who those guys were.”

Yvonne looked stricken and cut in again, saying, “I ... I’m sure you must be wrong, Matti. You must be under some sort of misconception about this.”

Matti just shook his head sadly and continued, “I have seen absolute proof that she was involved with them. She was particularly involved with the man who intended to kill me, Dog Fontaine. Not once did she ever hint that she knew who he was. I am certain that she was just trying to get information from me about the money that Fontaine came looking for. When we started getting involved, she would often bring up the subject of the money when we were out at the lake, obviously trying to get me to admit to having it, or knowing where it was. She didn’t ask about it very often towards the end, but then I happened to get to her apartment just as a group of Wolverines and their girls were leaving the building. I noticed that they took an interest in me, but I just sort of shook it off as paranoia on my part. When I got to her apartment, it was obvious Dawn had had company, but she sloughed it off as having just been people from the TV station.”

It was obvious that Yvonne was closely following every word Matti uttered, and she quickly commented, “How can you be so sure it wasn’t the people from the station, just like Dawn said it was? You seem to have read an awful lot into that coincidental meeting outside of her apartment building.”

Matti smiled ruefully and answered, “I did think that at first. I had no reason to not believe her, so sure, I accepted that it was the people from the station who had been at the apartment. I found out the truth about everything the next morning.”