by Dylan Keefer
“I think happy endings are dumb,” Malanie said. “My life has had some screwed-up moments. My parents are proof of that, but you’re one of the bright moments in my life that bring joy to the craziness. Isn’t that what we should look forward to?”
Raine laughed. “Malanie, I think college has done something to you. You’ve become so wise. Where is this coming from?”
Malanie shrugged. “I just think that those moments come to us when we least expect them, and we should be prepared to say yes to them.” Raine eyed her warily. There was a hint of a smile on the girl’s lips that she was trying to hide. There! There was a glance away like she was watching something. Raine twisted around and saw someone else paddling out to them on the water. Micah’s face was priceless as she floated up to them.
“You on a surfboard? I never thought I would see the day,” Raine said. “What are you doing out here?”
“Apparently, trying not to drown,” Micah said. “Malanie let me borrow this.”
“And you let me borrow this,” Malanie said tossing him a wet bag. He caught it, and Malanie started to paddle away.
Raine frowned. “Where are you going? Micah, where is she going?”
He smiled. “It’s great to know that there is still one thing that I can pull on you that you haven’t figured out.”
“What?” Raine shook her head. Micah took the wet bag and reached inside. He pulled out a small box. Raine felt a lump grow in her throat. She started to shake and gripped the surfboard to keep from falling over. Micah shuddered a little. “Okay. Here we go. Raine, I never thought that I would be making this speech. I felt like I didn’t deserve love, and I didn’t want to open myself up to anyone. You came in my life, and you caught me by surprise. We’ve been through some crazy adventures, and we’ve fought some enemies. Everything about you makes me feel like I can be free from the walls that I’ve built up, and—and I know that you and I both still have a lot of growing and learning about each other, but I—I don’t want to share this journey with anyone but you.”
“Micah.” Raine couldn’t think of the words to say. She had thought about it. She had thought about how great their relationship was, and how effortless it was now. They had become great friends. It honestly didn’t feel any different to be dating him that just being with him. He wasn’t looking at her.
“I can’t get on bended knee out here cause I will fall.” She laughed. “Raine, I want to marry you. There is never going to be anyone that is more perfect for me than you.”
He opened the box carefully and pulled out the ring. She gasped and shook her head. “Micah.” Again, she was speechless. He held out the ring, waiting for her response. Raine started to cry. “Micah, I would have never made it through the past couple of years without you. You said that you have walls that you’re trying to break down, and I do, too. I’m not worried about the walls. We are stronger together, and I never thought I would find someone who would ask me to marry them and I’d say ‘I will’. But—yes. I will marry you.”
Micah sat there still trying to process what she said. “You will?”
Raine laughed again wiping the tears from her eyes. “Yes. Give me the ring before we both fall in the water.”
Micah grabbed her hand and slid the ring on her finger. Then he let out a yell that echoed in the open air. Raine laughed as she heard cheering from the shore and saw a crowd of people there.
“Oh my god!” She said. “Who is over there?”
“Everybody,” Micah said. “Tai, Malanie, the entire department pretty much. I don’t know who is actually on duty protecting the streets.”
Raine held his hand and beamed. “I love you. You’re my best friend, and I can’t believe that we are going to get married.”
“I love you, too, Raine. Aloha to the next adventure together.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “Aloha to the next adventure.”
By the time they got back to the shore, the others were already in the midst of celebration. Tai grabbed Raine in a big hug.
“I knew dat brudda wasn’t gonna let you get away.”
“Tai,” Raine gasped in his grasp, “Please let me get away. You’re crushing me.”
Everyone laughed as the big guy set her down. She looked around at the everyone and shook her head. “You all knew?”
“Not until recently,” Heather assured. “Micah did this all himself.”
“With a little help from Malanie,” Micah nodded to girl who was beaming with pride. She smiled mischievously.
“It was good to get one over on you. Makes you seem a little less magical though. Kinda like when you find out Santa isn’t real.”
“Santa’s real,” Tai said pointed at Malanie. “He’s just misunderstood.”
Malanie waved her hands to dismiss Tai’s comment when she saw everyone’s confused facial expressions. “Ignore him. It’s a long debate.”
“Well,” Ailani announced, “The department chipped in, and we bought food for a beach cookout, and I’m hungry. So let’s get this celebration started!”
The party was wonderful. Raine felt overwhelmed with love. It was a good feeling, but more than she was prepared for. As evening started to approach, Raine watched as her friends were laughing and joking, eating, and playing music. She turned into the shadows of the night and slipped into the forest surrounding the beach they were at. She needed a moment. No one else needed to know. Oh, they would understand if she explained, but she didn’t want to. Raine found a small clear area where she fell onto her butt and then onto her back on the soft ground. The happiness and joy radiating from the beach still reached her ears, but she wasn’t focused on that. Her eyes peered through the trees to the sky beyond.
“Donnie,” she said softly. “Hey. I just thought I’d let you know that—I’m getting married. Feels strange to say. Well, to say again. I never thought I would. He’s a great guy; not perfect, but still great.”
She waited for a moment as if listening for a response from him. It had been a long time, and she wanted to finally let go of anything that might hold her back in this new journey.
“Donnie, I’ll never forget you, but I’m finally letting it go. I’m going to live this new journey.”
Micah jumped a little when Raine’s arms wrapped around his waist. He turned around and wrapped his arms around her as well. “Where did you go? I couldn’t find you a few minutes ago.”
“Just went to have a quick conversation with someone. No big. I’m here now spending time with my fiancé.” She smiled. Micah’s eyes lit up. He couldn’t control it. He loved her. She could see it as clear as the starry sky above them.
Chapter Ten
Malanie hadn’t been to a wedding before. Therefore, being a maid of honor was a complete foreign concept for her. Thankfully, the others in the bridal party gave her assistance when she needed. The bridal shower, the bachelorette party, and everything seemed to come and go so fast. Micah and Raine had decided not to wait too long, and it caught everyone by surprise when they decided to have an August wedding only five months after they were officially engaged. Thankfully, summer break offered a lot of time to do what she needed to do. Now, the wedding was only a week away.
“Okay. E hoʻolohi. You are rushing through your movements.” She put her hand on her student’s back. “Lean over into my arms on your belly and show me your strokes. Nice and slow.”
The boy did as he was told. The good thing was that with swimming and wedding preparations; summer wasn’t as boring.
On her way to her car, Malanie texted one of her friends and looked at making plans for the evening. A small chill went over her body as she glanced up out of curiosity at the blacked-out windows of the car parked across from her. The engine was running, which wasn’t what made her nervous. It was the fact that she couldn’t see what was happening inside, and she felt eyes on her. Malanie climbed into her car and turned on the radio before pulling off. She’d text her friend when she got home.
As she pulled out of
the parking lot and onto the main road, her eyes glanced in the rear-view mirror. The same car was behind her. Tell me I’m paranoid. Tell me I’m paranoid. She turned onto a random street, and the car followed. Malanie grabbed for her phone and called Raine. No answer. She called Micah.
“Hey, Malanie. What’s…”
“Someone is following me! Like tailing me hard!”
Micah’s voice grew instantly serious. “Are you sure?”
“Whoever it is, isn’t trying to hide the fact!” Malanie panicked. “What do I do?”
“Drive to the station. If you don’t have to stop, don’t! I’ll call the guys there and have someone outside waiting for you.”
“Okay. Okay. Okay.” Malanie focused on remembering how to get there the quickest way from where she was. She tossed the phone on the passenger’s seat next to her. Every turn she made, she looked into the mirror. The car was there. Finally, she made it to the street that the station was on and said prayers of thanks when she saw the familiar building. She glanced in the mirror as she pulled up. The car was gone.
“How is she?” Ailani asked Raine when she stepped into his office. Raine blew out a deep breath and shook her head.
“She’s good. She thinks it was probably some random guy who probably had been watching her at the pool. Well, she’s trying to convince herself of that.”
“Is that what you think it is? Or maybe you have some light to shed on the subject?” Raine tilted her head slightly at the chief’s comment. His face was stern and seemingly upset.
“What’s wrong?”
“You didn’t think I’d find out? The FBI?” Raine lowered her head.
“We haven’t said yes, Ailani,” she said softly. “I would never do that without talking to you first.”
“I--know,” he said with a slightly unconvinced look. Raine looked up.
“I just got here. At least, it feels that way. I have a home here now, and--family. I can’t imagine leaving.”
Ailani sighed. “You and Micah deserve a life that isn’t wrapped up in turmoil, and though, so far that hasn’t been the case here, you know that your life is going to get turned upside down if you take the job.” He chewed his lip. “What’s Micah saying?”
“He isn’t. We made a deal not to make a decision until after the wedding and the honeymoon. We want to focus on this, and that means not telling anyone else--for now.”
“They’re going to be very upset,” he said. “Hope you’re prepared for that. You said it. You got family now. Family gets messy with change.”
“I know. I know.” Raine stood up from the seat across from him. “Thanks.”
“For what?” He frowned. She smiled and shook her head as she walked out of his office. “Raine? Raine! You can’t just say something like that and leave.”
“Sure can!” She called back.
“Are you heading home,” Kyle yawned as he stared at the stack of papers on his desk. Sure, he had gotten through several of them in a decent amount of time, but he had also started the day late.
“I’m running some errands, and I’ll be home,” Rachel said over the speaker phone. “You sound tired, baby.”
“I am. Can’t tell you how excited I am to head down to Micah and Raine’s wedding?”
“Well, we leave in two days. We get a few days of sun and sand, and then watch your brother get married. I can’t believe I get to say that.” She laughed.
“Miracles, right?” Kyle said.
“Don’t stay out too late, Kyle,” Rachel said. “I’ll have dinner waiting for you.”
“Sounds good.”
Kyle hung up the phone and groaned. It was late, and everyone in his department had already gone leaving him as the lone person in the office. One more paper, he thought. The next one was one that he had been interested in reading since this student always had a unique perspective. Minutes flew by as Kyle engrossed himself in the book.
The door opened to his office which startled him. Evans, the janitor, looked up at him with a startled look of his own.
“Hey, don’t usually see you here this late.”
Kyle nodded. “Yeah, it’s been a while. I’m trying to get ahead on some grading. Taking a trip for a few days, and I don’t want to be slammed when I get back.”
“Smart,” Evans said as he tipped the trash can in his hand over into his own mammoth one on his cart. “Well, I hope you enjoy it. Stay safe.”
Kyle waved as the man left. He finished the last two pages and made his finals notes before moving his wheelchair back from the desk. All right. Home it is.
He shut off the lights in his office and then in the department before locking the main door and wheeling out into the hallway. Kyle frowned. Evans’ cleaning cart was still in the hallway, but there was no sign of the janitor. Kyle rolled past the cart looking to see if the janitor was in one of the other rooms. He mentally shrugged to himself as he kept going down the hallway. He was just rounding the corner when he heard a commotion back where he was just at. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man exit one of the rooms. Their eyes met briefly across the distance before Kyle saw the man tilt his head and raise his hand. Kyle pushed his chair forward as the gunshot sounded. The corner of the wall where he had been had a chunk explode from the bullet. Shit! He wasn’t going to outrun this shooter, and there weren’t a lot of rooms to hide in that could shield him. The wheelchair rolled down the hallway as Kyle took out his gun. He rounded another corner but could hear footsteps coming close behind him. With a sudden one-eighty move in the wheelchair, Kyle brought his gun up and fired just as the shooter rounded the corner.
Reggie and Eddie arrived on the scene not too long after the first responders. Kyle sat by an ambulance being checked out by one of the EMT’s when they walked up.
“I’m fine. I’m not hurt,” he said to the EMT who still proceeded to check him. “Guys, what’s going on? Who did I shoot?”
Reggie. “A gun for hire,” he said. “Someone put out a hit on you.” Kyle shook his head trying to process the words.
“How--why?”
“Kyle,” Eddie said. “Mya Dornel didn’t make it.” The words echoed in his head. Mya didn’t make it? She was--dead?
“We were just there. There’s evidence that someone tampered with the equipment in the room,” Reggie said. “Not only that, but the girl, Brooke, locked up for her part in the Book Club case? Someone got to her in jail. She’s dead.”
“Wh--what are you saying?”
“I’m saying that we still haven’t caught the Mocker. And it looks like he’s trying to take care of some loose ends. That may include you and…”
“Rachel!” Kyle fumbled for the phone in his pocket.
Her jeans pocket vibrated just as she kicked the car door closed. Rachel groaned as she hugged the two grocery bags to her chest and made her way quickly up the front door. She would get a call when her hands were full. Well, they would just have to wait for her to call them back. There was ice cream that she was pretty sure was already melted waiting to be frozen. Fiddling with her keys, Rachel pushed open the door and moved to the kitchen leaving it open for a moment.
“Okay, I’ll place you on the counter and get ready for dinner,” she talked to the food. Jogging back to the door, Rachel closed and locked it before slipping out of her shoes and turning on the lights in the house. Her phone was vibrating again when she walked back into the kitchen. “Popular tonight, huh?”
She reached for the phone but glanced through the back of the kitchen to the sliding door in the living room that lead to the backyard. Was it open? She grabbed the phone as she walked out of the kitchen and into the living room.
“Hello, this is Rach…”
“Rachel! Where are you!”
Rachel stopped at the panic in her husband’s voice. “Kyle, what’s wrong?”
“Rachel! Wherever you are, drop what you’re doing and get to the school!”
“Kyle, you’re scaring me.” Rachel looked at the sliding door.
It was open. Kyle had been gone all day, and she had definitely not opened that door.
“The Book Club!”
And that was all he had to say. Rachel took off through the house and ran to grab her keys by the door. The barrel of a gun stared at her as soon as rounded the corner. Rachel dove out of the way as three shots buried themselves in the wall behind her. She got to her feet and grabbed a chair. She launched it at the man when he came into sight and ran upstairs as fast as she could. Shots fired into the wall by her feet. A scream erupted from her throat as she jumped up the last half of the stairs two at a time and ran for their bedroom. She slammed the door behind her and a sudden wave of panic overwhelmed her. Her hands were empty.
“Shit! Shit!” She ran her fingers through her hair. She had dropped her keys somewhere between the bedroom and—and him. She had planned to go out the second-floor window and run to her car, but without the keys, she would be a sitting duck. Unless… She could hear his footsteps coming up the stairs. Rachel picked up a small lamp and hurled it at the window diving under the bed as it crashed through sounding as if she herself had launched her body into it. Please! Please! Go to the window! The door flew open, and Rachel stifled her immediate response to scream. Her attacker's feet were slow at first, and then moved quickly to the window. Don't think, Rachel! She slid from the floor into a forward running motion and dove at the man with all her strength waiting for the gunshot to sound. It didn't. She felt his body recoil from the impact and caught her hand on the edge of the window sill as he went through the rest of the window and fell to the ground.
Chapter Eleven
Raine ran out of the door and met Rachel in the street as her soon-to-be sister in law dropped their luggage and embraced her.
“You can ask Micah,” she said. “I almost came up there and made heads roll.”
“I did a good job of that myself,” Rachel said proudly. She shuddered. “My nerves are still shaken a little, but we're here. Far away for a bit.”