by Sandi Scott
“Are you going to do a shot with me?” Pam asked the bartender. “Come on. Just one shot of tequila. I won’t tell. I’m sure this nice lady won’t tell either, right?” Pam looked at Aleta and didn’t seem to recognize her, to Aleta’s surprise. Even though they’d been on several trips together every day, there was no hint of recognition on Pam’s face.
The bartender looked at Aleta and smiled, showing her a perfectly even row of white teeth. His face was chiseled, his hair was black and curly and his skin was the bronze color of all the locals.
Aleta looked at Pam and saw in her red, glazed eyes a hint of aggression.
“I’m not his mother. I won’t tell him what to do,” Aleta chirped innocently as she studied Pam’s appearance. She couldn’t see past her neck where the hoodie was zipped up.
As Pam rambled on at the bartender, Aleta cautiously sized up Pam’s legs. There were no visible bruises or signs of abuse on Pam’s legs that Aleta could see. Except for one ankle. There Pam had three jumbo size band-aids wrapped across the back of her ankle.
Aleta flipped through mental images in her mind, wondering why a woman might be covered with band aids like that. A bad cut shaving, they always bleed like a fountain; or an uncomfortable pair of shoes that rub your heels raw after making blisters. Yes, all women have had something like that happen, especially with a new pair of vacation shoes. Perhaps something happened when Pam was drunk? Tripping over some vines or even dropping something sharp might have given her a nasty cut. The possibilities were endless, yet there was something so out of place, so unnatural about those band-aids that Aleta was just getting ready to ask her what happened when Pam’s conversation with the bartender took a turn that Aleta didn’t expect.
“Where did you get that tattoo done?” Pam asked the hunky bartender, pointing to his wrist. “Can I see it?”
He held his one hand out to her and explained a friend of his did tattoos while with the other hand he finished making the pina coladas Aleta had ordered.
“I’ve been thinking of getting another tattoo.” Pam rubbed her wrist where Georgie said she had seen a bandage. “I didn’t think it would hurt as much on my wrist as it did on my ankle. That was really painful. It still hurts.”
There it was. She had those band-aids because she’d just gotten a tattoo. That was probably what Georgie saw. Aleta signed for the drinks and left Pam and the bartender to sort things out between them.
“A tattoo?” Georgie said, as she took her drink. It was a white, frothy thing in an hourglass shaped cocktail glass with a slice of pineapple, a bright red cherry and a purple umbrella resting at the top. “I don’t think they are tattoos.”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Aleta said. “That girl is no more getting beaten by Hector than you or I are. She’s just weird.”
“I can’t argue with that,” Georgie said, taking a sip. Her eyes rolled back in her head. “This is the best drink ever. Why would you want to ruin it with rum? It’s like drinking a coconut cake.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Aleta said, as she took her seat. “I will say this. Pam is relentless when it comes to that bartender. Look at her. She won’t leave that poor guy alone.”
“He doesn’t look like he minds too much. I’ll bet it happens a dozen times a day.”
Georgie and Aleta continued to talk as another set of familiar faces came down to have dinner by the poolside. Georgie waved and Norman and Luke headed their way.
“What are you guys up to?” Georgie asked.
“Dinner,” Luke replied with a smile. “All that walking in the sun made us hungry.”
“How about you ladies? A night out on the town? Dancing? Fire walking?” Norman joked.
“Actually, we’ll probably just hang out here and then turn in,” Georgie replied. “Late nights are for guys his age.” She pointed at Luke.
“See, Dad.” Luke elbowed his father.
“You had to go and say that,” Norman sighed. “All right. Have dinner with your old man and then you can go out on your own. But keep your phone on and answer if I call.”
“He still thinks I’m sixteen.” Luke smiled at Aleta.
“When you are a parent, you’ll understand,” Aleta replied, and winked back. “No matter how old you get you’ll never be anything but his boy.”
“Hey Georgie. I’ll meet you on the balcony for a nightcap later on,” Norman said.
“Sounds good. You can tell me some more of your X-Files.”
“You got it. Have a nice evening. You too, Aleta.”
The sisters waved as Norman and Luke walked out of the pool area toward the street.
“You still think he’s responsible for Herb?” Aleta shrugged. “He’s cool as a cucumber. His kid seems normal and healthy, and not at all afraid of his dad.”
“If you heard the stories he was telling me the other night you’d wonder how the man could sleep without being plagued by chronic nightmares. They have to separate parts of themselves to deal with the kind of jobs they have. The kind of people they deal with. The calmer he is the more I think he might be the guy.”
“Oh, Georgie. He’s got a family. His son. This breaks my heart.”
“Mine, too.”
Chapter 12
The next day began with clouds and a light shower. But by ten o’clock the sun came out and everyone was anxious to get started.
Daniel was the last to arrive at the designated meeting spot in the lobby, looking as if he hadn’t slept again. Georgie and Aleta felt bad for him but they had decided against getting him and Norman together in case Norman turned out to be the killer. It wouldn’t help Daniel at all if he was discovered seeking assistance from a retired FBI agent accused of pushing someone off a cliff.
“Okay, y’all. Gather ‘round. This is the day you’ve been waiting for. This is the day you get to work off all the exotic drinks and desserts you’ve been enjoying.” He chuckled, but Georgie thought privately that Daniel’s enthusiasm seemed a little forced, and no wonder, given what she had seen on his phone! “The name of the place we will see today is Pu’u Maka’ala. It is a simple trail that leads to one of the most breathtaking waterfalls you’ve ever seen. I’ve made the climb several times and each time I am just blown away, and I mean blown away by the view. This is what Hawaii is all about, people. So, let’s get going.”
“A trail. Maybe I should change my shoes,” Georgie said, looking down at the flower printed slip-ons she had picked up for a song in Chicago.
“You’ll be okay with those,” Aleta said confidently. She’d worn tennis shoes almost the entire trip. “Daniel would have told us if we needed hiking gear. Besides, we aren’t all Luke’s age. They wouldn’t have anything too strenuous for us.”
Even Dottie was on the shuttle, occupying her same seat in the back, as far away from everyone as she could get. Luke and Norman fiddled with a camera and took pictures of each other as they talked.
“Where are Forrester and June?” Georgie asked Daniel, once they were all seated and the bus was rolling.
“June called me early this morning. Forrester apparently had a bad reaction to some food. Sounds like the poor guy was up all night. They weren’t going to take a chance being out here on the trail and having an accident,” Daniel answered.
“One accident per trip is enough,” Georgie whispered to Aleta who rolled her eyes and gave her sister a jab with her elbow.
The drive was long, taking about two hours. Along the way Georgie and Aleta called home to talk to Emily and find out how Bodhi and Freckles were doing.
“Bodhi hasn’t been sleeping,” Emily said. “He keeps barking at the door for you, Aunt Georgie. I don’t think you better take any long trips for quite a while after this.”
“Oh, the poor little guy,” Georgie cooed to her niece. “Are you petting him and telling him I’ll be back the day after tomorrow?”
“Yes. But all I get is a lot of sass and backtalk,” Emily joked. “It hasn’t affected his appetite thou
gh, so you know he’s really okay.”
“That’s what they say. Well, thanks for tolerating him, Em. Here’s your mom.”
Georgie handed the phone back to Aleta who spoke quietly with her daughter about how much fun they were having and how grateful they were for the trip, and promising to come home with some great stories.
As Aleta talked softly on the phone, Georgie couldn’t help but hear part of the conversation going on behind her between Pam and Hector.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Pam snapped. Her voice was barely above a whisper but it was filled with sharp points.
“Pam, you’ve been drinking a lot. I’m just saying there is partying and having a good time and then there is being embarrassing,” Hector replied.
“What about you? You think I haven’t seen you chasing everything in a grass skirt since we arrived?”
“That’s all in your head, Pam.” What Hector said was a lie and Georgie knew it. “And like you didn’t know he was going to be on this trip. But that didn’t stop you from insisting we go. ‘Let’s go to Hawaii. Just the two of us.’ You meant the three of us, didn’t you?”
Which ’he?’ Georgie wondered silently. Who were the three of them?
“There you go again. Just crack open another bottle of rum and forget all about what you promised and what happened and what we were going to do here.” Hector said. “You need to just stop.”
“You can’t tell me what to do,” Pam said.
“No. Not here. I guess I can’t. But when we get back to Chicago I want you out of my apartment.”
“Fine,” Pam hissed.
Georgie waited and listened. She stretched her neck as far back as it would go without looking like she was eavesdropping. She turned her head so her ear could gather a few more words, even sounds. But there was nothing.
As strange as it sounded, Georgie was hoping to hear an apology from one of them. Either Pam or Hector starting the ball rolling with an “I’m sorry.” But neither of them said another word.
Who was the ‘he’ Hector was talking about? Was it Norman? No. Of course not. It had to be Forrester. That would explain why he didn’t come on this excursion. He didn’t have food poisoning. Maybe he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“Aleta,” Georgie nudged her sister who was still on the phone. “Aleta.”
“Hold on a minute, honey.” Aleta covered the phone. “What in tarnation is wrong with you now?”
“I know why Pam’s been drinking so much.”
“Yeah, because she’s a lush. I knew that already.”
“No, Aleta. I just heard her and Hector arguing.” Georgie kept her voice low, but it was so low that Aleta wasn’t understanding her.
“You heard what?”
“I heard her and Hector arguing and—”
“Emily, I’m sorry honey but your aunt is having one of her episodes. She’s either hallucinating or hearing things, or you know how she breaks into Tourret’s Syndrome at the drop of a hat.”
“I do not,” Georgie griped.
“Okay. I’ll call you when we arrive at the airport.” Aleta glared at Georgie. “Love you, too. Bye.”
“Put that away and listen to me.” Georgie pointed to the phone and snuggled in closer to her sister. In a matter of minutes she explained what she’d heard. “It’s like we are vacationing in Peyton Place.”
“That’s weird. But it explains why June and Forrester have been practically joined at the hip,” Aleta said.
“You said June told you that Dottie had hit on Forrester. Maybe Pam did as well, but he forgot to mention that to June.” Georgie peeked through the crack between her seat and Aleta’s to get a glimpse of Pam. She was sneaking swigs from a travel bottle of rum like she had been yesterday at Aloha Stadium.
“I don’t know, Georgie. Between Herb falling off the cliff at Germaine’s—”
“You mean Germaine’s Cliff of Death.”
Aleta wrinkled her nose. “Whatever. And this affair Pam was or is having with Forrester? Add in a possibly crazy retired FBI agent and you. I’m going to need a vacation from this vacation when I get home.”
Finally, the shuttle pulled to a stop. As they looked out the window Georgie and Aleta gasped at the amazing view. All around them were lush green mountains.
The green of the plant life was so intense Georgie couldn’t believe it was real. Dots of pink, white and red could also be seen as wild jungle flowers bloomed continually. Patches of clouds hung lazily over the peaks and showered the ground in random intervals.
“Only the Great Creator could make something so beautiful,” Georgie said, linking her arm through Aleta’s.
“Even in a picture, no one would believe these colors weren’t enhanced. Yet, this is what this looks like all the time. Every day. It’s a miracle. Really it is,” Aleta replied.
Daniel led the group to a check-in point. Everyone had to sign a waiver before beginning the hike.
“This is a little unnerving,” Georgie whispered. “Hey, Daniel.”
“Yes?”
Georgie waved him to come closer.
“How many people haven’t made it back from this particular hike?”
Daniel looked around to make sure no one was listening.
“According to the Park Ranger. There are usually one to two deaths a year at this location. But half of those are ruled suicides.”
“I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse,” Georgie joked with Aleta.
“I’ve made this hike before, like I said.” Daniel patted Georgie’s shoulder. “There is a chain link guard rail all the way up. Just take your time. It is so worth it.”
“It’ll be all right, Georgie,” Aleta soothed. “We’ve done way riskier things than this. My gosh, you’ve worn riskier things than this.”
“Very funny. You’re so clever.” Georgie shook her head at Aleta who smirked as she walked ahead with Daniel.
The start of the path to the waterfall was a wide gravel trail with railroad ties every couple of feet that formed low steps. The air was so rich and pure with all the thick green foliage that Georgie couldn’t help but take wonderfully deep breaths.
Although the sun was bright overhead, it quickly became darker and cooler along the path as the canopy of leaves obstructed the sunbeams from coming through.
“Okay, folks.” Daniel stopped at large placard that showed the route of the trail and where the waterfall was. “It’ll take about an hour to walk the trail. There are a few parts of the trail where walking single file would be best. But, as I said already, I’ve done this trail before and y’all are going to be glad you did it. Everyone ready?”
Aleta slinked back down next to Georgie, bumping her playfully with her hip.
“We’re ready!” Norman waved from a few feet behind Georgie and Aleta. Dottie pushed her way up to the front to walk closer to Daniel. Georgie and Aleta were glad of that since she was the only one without a partner.
Hector was busy stretching his hamstrings and rolling his head on his neck to limber up for the climb.
“Do you think Pam should be going?” Aleta whispered to her sister. Georgie looked at Pam and shrugged her shoulders.
“Maybe she just had a little hair of the dog that bit her,” Georgie replied quietly. “You know, just to chase away the hangover. She doesn’t look so bad. Let me just say we’ve seen her in worse shape.”
“I don’t know. Do you think we should say something to Hector?” Aleta asked.
“Like what? Hey, Hector, we saw Pam taking a shot of rum on the bus. You guys might want to stay at the bottom and wait for the rest of us?” Georgie adjusted her blouse and patted her hair. “I have the feeling that wouldn’t go over very well.”
“I will feel awful if something happens,” Aleta said.
“Come on. Daniel said it’s not that big of a deal. He wouldn’t take a tour group on a hike that was dangerous, Georgie said. “I don’t know about you but I’m ready to work off
all that Hawaiian wedding cake we ate. That way we can eat some more of those chocolate covered Macadamia nuts.”
They began the ascent up the trail. It was wide and well-travelled with couples and families passing them either going up or coming down.
“How is the view today from up there?” Daniel asked a man and woman who were heading back down the trail.
“It’s amazing!” They both squealed. “It’s so beautiful! Absolutely breathtaking!”
The Midhostel group was in good spirits as they continued up the trail. For a moment Georgie stopped and looked to her right. Standing still, she stared into the tropical forest.
“What are you looking at?” Aleta asked.
“If you stand still you’ll see all the moving things in there.” Georgie pointed to half a dozen birds that flew in various directions. There were other things tipping the leaves. Giant moths and butterflies darted from one exotic flower to another.
Aleta stood still and watched. “That’s beautiful. And it’s weird. It’s like the whole world is alive around us, but not in the way we are used to.”
“Yeah. Horror movies start this way.” Georgie took hold of Aleta’s arm.
“Get a hold of yourself, Georgie. Come on, we’re going to lose the group,” Aleta said, as she got back on the trail. She slowly pulled ahead of Georgie who was much more cautious with her footsteps.
“Don’t worry, Georgie!” Norman called from a couple of yards behind her. “We’ll make sure you make it!”
“Thanks, Norm!” Georgie chuckled and waved.
Chapter 13
After about twenty minutes, the trail of gravel and railroad ties began to narrow. It became more rustic as the railroad ties disappeared and the bits of gravel became gravel mixed with dirt, only to become mostly dirt, until finally the group was following a dirt trail that was no wider than the ped-way at Midway Airport.
Still, Georgie kept on going with Aleta just a little ahead of her. Hector and Pam were ahead of Aleta, and Daniel and Dottie were further up. Georgie turned around and didn’t see Norman and Luke, but she could hear Norman’s deep voice talking down below.