Loyria and James poured, and then Aukele handed James a lava rock and Loyria a ti leaf. “Wrap the ti leaf around the rock, and place it on the ground where you’re standing. It is an offering that commemorates your union. Congratulations, my children.”
Makani shooed them toward the house. “And now we celebrate.”
“Hold it.” James scooped Loyria into his arms. “No way am I getting married without kissing my bride.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Manoa Valley, Oahu
August, 1981
THE KICK FROM A TINY foot landed hard against Loyria’s ribs, and she arched back to relieve the pressure. She rubbed at the tender spot. “Whenever you’re ready, baby girl. I’m more than anxious to hold you in my arms. Your daddy is, too. And your grandparents.”
Permission granted, the first cramp hit Loyria’s lower back with relentless urgency. “Ow. Holy crap. You aren’t fooling around, baby girl. Wonder what your grandmother is going to christen you?” Her words floated into the wind as she turned to go inside and find Makani Maliu. It was time to birth this child.
Labor was twelve hours of hard work and more ripping pain than she’d expected. But her mom had been a saint, and so had James. That moment when she held her baby girl for the first time, when she watched the love blossom on James’s face as she handed him the tiny bundle…well, there was nothing to compare.
Tradition dictated that Makani would name her granddaughter, and Loyria had been pestering her mother for hints the past three months. Her nagging had been met with a stone wall of inflexibility. But now, with the baby delivered and everyone settled, it was time. “Have you chosen her name, Makani?”
Makani Maliu lifted the baby from James’s arms and shook her head. “There’s no way to ignore all that red hair. She’s certainly your daughter, James. And I do believe she’s inherited both of her parents’ strong sense of curiosity. Just look at how she’s watching us. Those eyes are full of questions and wonder.”
Loyria watched the tension drain from James’s face. It was a good bet that she wore a similar expression. James reached for her hand and heaved a sigh. “Yes. She’s mine.”
“There was never any doubt, James,” Loyria whispered. “No matter the source of the DNA.”
Makani cradled the baby’s head. “That’s it, girl child. Open those beautiful blue eyes so I can see what your name should be.”
Loyria focused on her mother’s face, searching for a clue as to whether the baby’s name would be serious or playful. Makani grinned at her. “You won’t like this, daughter, but there’s no way to avoid it. This is the most curious child I’ve ever met.”
A warm glow surrounded grandmother and grandchild, and peace flooded Loyria. No matter what her daughter’s name, it would be perfect.
“I name you Eleu Niele, for you are a child full of life and curiosity. Your nosiness will get you into much trouble, and keep your parents very busy.”
Loyria shot up straight. “Niele? Seriously? You’re naming your granddaughter…nosey? We’ll definitely call her Eleu.”
“The child choses her name, daughter. And this one will surely live up to Niele.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Manoa Valley, Oahu
Four years later.
August, 1985
NIELE BOUNCED AROUND IN HER new booster seat. It was her first day without being pinned down in that old baby carrier thing, and she couldn’t sit still. Besides, there was so much to look at, and when she jumped up she could see more stuff. “I can’t see enough if I don’t bounce.” She pressed her feet into the seat, and leaned to see out the bottom of the car window. “There’s things close to the ground. You want me to learn stuff, right? And you promised ice cream when we get to town, Mamma. Remember?”
Loyria eyed her daughter in the rearview mirror. “If you stop bouncing around back there, your chances of a double scoop will improve. I had no idea when your grandmother named you that you would truly live up to your name.”
Niele grinned. “I like getting into things, Mamma. Grandma says it expands my mind. What does that mean?”
“It means that your father and I have our hands full keeping you out of trouble.”
“Oh.” Niele wrinkled her nose, then pressed it against the window.
THE BALL OF FEAR SITTING in Loyria’s stomach ratcheted up a notch. Since her second birthday, Niele had been showing signs of her psychic gifts, but no one had been able to pinpoint exactly what was happening. Concern for her baby girl had been keeping Loyria up most nights, studying the elements in the healing formula she’d ingested just before Niele was conceived. Had it been selfish for her and James to create this wonderful child when they knew the consequences to her future might be extreme?
“Mamma, Mamma, there’s the ice cream store, and there’s a parking place right in front. I want cinnamon and something else.”
Loyria met her daughter’s gaze in the rearview mirror and smiled. “You always want something else. I think Ms. Schumann creates new flavors just to watch your face when you taste them.”
“She likes me. Cinnamon is my favorite, you know, and she always, always has it. She says it’s just for me. Can I get out now? Why are we sitting here? You parked a long time ago, Mamma. I can have a double scoop, can’t I? I didn’t bounce that much. There was a bunch of stuff I didn’t get to see because I was being good.”
It was almost impossible for Loyria to refuse Niele anything. She was a good child, but that damn curiosity could well be the death of her parents and her grandparents. “In a minute. You know I need to make sure it’s safe before we get out of the car. And yes, you may have a double scoop.”
Nothing appeared out of place in their immediate surroundings, so Loyria released her seat belt and nodded permission for Niele to do the same. Four years of relative calm hadn’t made anyone complacent. The threat was still out there, and lately had been tweaking her nerves. And James’s, and her parents’.
She’d made sure Fred knew about it, but being pragmatic in the extreme, he didn’t want to do anything until there was concrete proof that something had disturbed the status quo. Loyria scanned the shopping center one last time. The itch between her shoulder blades was stronger than usual, but she didn’t spot anything out of place.
“Hurry, Mamma! Ms. Schumann might run out of cinnamon.”
“Coming. Hang on until I get over there to open your door.”
She’d call Fred from the ice cream shop. They had a payphone tucked in the corner that she could use while Niele ate her ice cream. If she nagged him enough, maybe he’d take her concerns more seriously. They’d established a solid working relationship, and he’d been a saint to transport the plants she requested from the Amazon. With her detailed drawings and descriptions, there’d been almost no mistakes. Oh, a few specimens hadn’t been usable, but for the most part, she’d been able to continue her research without too many problems. She checked that her blade was secure at her ankle, stuffed some money in her pocket, and then unlocked the car doors and circled around to set her little bundle of rampant curiosity free.
Niele jumped down from her seat and immediately grabbed Loyria’s hand, swinging it back and forth. “You didn’t have to remind me, Mamma, so can I have three scoops of ice cream?” Her smile beamed with mischief.
“Good try, but no, you can’t. You’d get sick, and we’re going to Aukele’s house for supper tonight. You don’t want to miss that, do you?” Aukele’s maze was one of the few places that held Niele’s attention for hours at a time, so a trip to Grandpa’s was always a hit—and a guaranteed respite for her and James.
Niele shook her head with four-year-old determination. “Nope. He hides surprises in the maze for me. Good ones.”
The ice cream was excellent, Ms. Schumann kept Niele occupied discussing potential new flavor combinations, Fred answered on the first ring, and he promised Loyria he’d run another check on the whereabouts of Eamon Grady and Fion Connor. It was all she could
ask. But she’d make the same request of Aukele tonight when she saw him. Sometimes his contacts knew more than the conventional forms of intelligence.
Loyria grabbed a handful of napkins, prodded Niele to thank Ms. Schumann, and then mother and daughter carried their ice cream cones to the car. The humidity had been suffocating for the past few days, but when they stepped outside, a soft breeze lifted the hair off Loyria’s neck. She sighed with relief that the trade winds were back. And then the prickle set in.
Loyria scanned the area. No visible threat. Still, she wanted to get Niele into the car as quickly as possible. She unlocked it and reached for a flyer that had been tucked under the passenger side windshield wiper, but it slipped from her fingers when she tried to juggle her chocolate cone and the wad of napkins.
Niele giggled, pulled her hand free from Loyria’s hold, and chased after the scrap of paper.
“Niele, no. Get back here. It’s just an ad, nothing important.” She started after her daughter.
Niele stomped on the paper, and then looked up at Loyria with a proud grin. “I got it, Mamma.” She took several quick licks of melted ice cream that had started dripping over her fingers, bent to pick up the paper, and whimpered.
Adrenaline shot through Loyria. She yanked the bright orange paper from Niele’s hand, and hunkered down next to her daughter. “What is it? Did the ice cream give you a headache?”
Niele looked at her, eyes dark with fear. “Bad lady, Mamma.” Her eyelids fluttered closed, and the ice cream cone slipped from her trembling fingers.
Panic slammed into Loyria. She dropped her cone, scanned the area for Niele’s bad lady, didn’t see anyone, carefully scooped the unconscious child into her arms, and then laid her on the back seat. Why hadn’t she waited for James before making this trip into town? A quick check eased Loyria’s immediate fears. Niele’s pulse was strong, her breathing steady and even. This had happened once before when her curious daughter had gotten hold of Loyria’s Busse Boss Jack. Loyria and James had lectured their daughter until they were hoarse, and then grounded her from Aukele’s maze for two weeks. It was a dreadful fourteen days for all of them, but Niele hadn’t touched a weapon since.
Loyria stroked Niele’s cheek with trembling fingers. “Wake up, sweetie. I need to see those big blue eyes.” Where was the nearest emergency room? If she yelled for help, would Ms. Schumann hear? Niele would be all right. It was just the combination of a hot day and cold ice cream. And she’d bent over too fast. That had to be it. Other than the sniffles, Niele had never been sick. Never.
She moved her tiny hand, tried to brush Loyria away. And then those gorgeous blue eyes opened…and welled with tears. “B-bad, M-Mamma. The l-lady wants to h-hurt us.”
“There’s no one here but us, sweetie. We’re okay.” Her voice shook. Get a grip or you’ll scare Niele. “Do you hurt anywhere? Your head?”
Niele struggled to sit up. “No, Mamma. The orange paper. B-bad lady.”
Loyria’s breath caught. Oh, dear God, Niele had passed out when she touched that paper. Where the hell was that flyer?
Loyria scrambled around, looking. Not seeing. Not the time to be looking. Needed to get Niele home where they were safe. “Are you okay to get in your booster? Not dizzy?”
Niele plopped in the seat and buckled her seatbelt. “I want Daddy.”
“Okay. We’ll go home right now.” Loyria always carried Niele’s favorite Tommee Tippee cup in the car because of the heat, but this was the first time she’d been so damned grateful for the precaution. She handed it to Niele. “Can you drink some of this? I know it’s warm, but…I need to be sure you’re all right before I start driving.”
Her daughter wrinkled her nose, then drank. “I’m fine, Mamma. But we gotta go home now.”
Loyria kissed Niele’s forehead, squeezed her in a smothering hug, and then inched out of the back seat. Where the hell was that flyer? There. A tiny corner of orange poked out from under the front seat. Loyria grabbed it.
Niele let out a bone-chilling wail. “Don’t touch that, Mamma. It’s bad.”
Loyria tucked it under her arm, and tipped Niele’s chin up. “We’re okay. I just need to bring the paper home to show Daddy, and then we’ll get rid of it. I promise.”
Niele nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Hurry, Mamma. I want Daddy.”
Weak with panic, Loyria dropped into the driver’s seat. Stay strong. Niele needs you. James needs you. She started the car, cranked the AC to high, and then glanced at the orange flyer.
There were only three words on it.
I’m watching you.
It was Fion Connor’s handwriting.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Manoa Valley, Oahu
August, 1985
LOYRIA IGNORED THE BURNING IN her gut and slipped into surveillance mode. They’d taught her well at The Farm. Unforgettably well, thank God. She detoured through the hills and valleys of Manoa, completely focused on watching her rearview mirror. A tail wasn’t acceptable. She was careful, not relaxing until she was sure they were clear and had turned onto the grass road leading to their home. For the first fifteen minutes Niele had whined a bit about wanting her father, but then she’d fallen asleep. And now Loyria had nothing but the hum of the car engine and her too-fast heartbeat to fill the empty space in her chest. She and James would have to run again. Today, maybe. No later than tomorrow.
Careful not to wake her sleeping daughter, Loyria secured the car and then carried Niele through the maze, into the house, and tucked her into bed. Hopefully, she’d stay asleep until Loyria got word to her parents and Fred. But first, James.
He was in his office. She sucked in a gasp of breath, two, yanked the crumpled sheet of orange paper from her pocket, smoothed out the wrinkles, and opened the door to James’s office.
He greeted her with a warm smile. “My girls are back from getting ice cream already?” He looked around. “Where’s Niele?”
“Sleeping. It was…there was an incident. Her gift is in her fingers, James. She sees things, you know that. We’ve suspected. And today…” The words wouldn’t come. Loyria centered the paper on James’s desk.
It took him three seconds before he surged out of his chair, knocking it over. “You’re okay? Both of you? No one followed you here? And who wrote this, do you know?”
“It’s Fion’s handwriting. No one followed, and yes we’re fine. Niele fainted for what was the longest minute of my life, but she’s okay now. Terrified of Fion. Called her a bad lady. We have to run, James, and keep running until Niele is old enough to fight. And we have to hide her. Prepare her as best we can.” She looked at him, tears spilling down her cheeks. “It was selfish of us to bring her into our world, knowing this could happen. We have to fix it as best we can.”
His arms circled her, strong and warm. “I don’t regret our daughter. Haven’t since before she was conceived. Makani will tell you that it was her destiny to be born to us, that children choose their parents. I believe her. Niele has a role to play in life that’s bigger than either of us understand yet. But you’re right. Until she’s ready to step into her future, it’s our job to protect her. We can do that. We will do that.”
For the first time since Niele fainted, Loyria managed a full breath. “You’re right. I know all that. Believe it, but she’s still so small, James. It’s too soon for us to have to run again.”
He sputtered. “Fate’s never been big on giving us a choice. I’ll drive over to the North Shore and get your parents. They’ll need to be here for this discussion. Stay safe, honey. We’ll get through this.”
She nodded, her forehead bumping against his chest. “I know. It’s just so soon. Makani warned me years ago, and I should have been more prepared.” Loyria backed out of James’s arms. “My mother has probably seen what happened by now. Actually, it’s odd that she and Aukele aren’t here. Oh, my God. Surely Fion hasn’t gotten to them! There’s nothing that links them to us. Not anywhere. We have to find them, Jame
s. Now.”
An alarm went off from one of the surveillance cameras James had installed on the property. They simultaneously whirled to face the bank of wall-mounted screens while reaching for their weapons. In an instant, James had a .9mm Sig Sauer in his hand, Loyria her favored Boss Jack. “I’ve never seen that car. You?” James asked.
Whoever was driving parked deep in the bushes, and within moments Makani, Aukele, and another couple emerged and entered the maze. “Why did they bring Millie and Harlan here?”
Loyria nodded. “Besides being my parents’ closest friends, they studied Huna together, and moved up the ranks of the Hawaiian underground intelligence along with Makani and Aukele.” She sheathed her blade. “They’re here to help us, James. I’m sure of it. Thank God for Makani’s sight.”
THE SIX TERRIFIED AND EXHAUSTED people sat around James and Loyria’s kitchen table. They spoke in hushed tones so they wouldn’t wake Niele, but no matter how diligently they searched for an explanation, not one of them was able to figure out how Fion Connor had found them.
Millie rested her hand over Loyria’s. “I took care of you often when you were little like Niele. Do you remember?”
Loyria worked up a smile. “Yes. They’re some of my best memories. You always made me cookies, even better than Makani’s, and that’s saying something. And Harlan let me play in his garden.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “But there was more going on out there than I knew, wasn’t there, Harlan?”
“Sure was. And I’m not sharin’ any more about it.” He folded his arms over his chest and hummed a ditty.
Millie kicked him under the table with an audible thump. “Behave yourself. We have a new child to help raise now.”
Makani inhaled a shaky breath. “You’re moving back to the mainland, daughter. There’s a house. It’s nice, and it’s safe.” Her eyes welled with tears. “But I won’t see Niele again. She won’t return to the Islands until she’s an adult and ready to step into her Huna training. Aukele will be her teacher.”
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