4 Maui Macadamia Madness

by Cynthia Hickey

  When I rejoined the others, Aunt Eunice shoved some pea green soup-colored sweater at me, that once I put it on, would swallow me whole. So much for fashion.

  “Let’s go.” Joe clapped his hands together then rubbed them. “Time to get this show on the road. It’ll take about two hours to get there from here. Hope y’all don’t get car sick.”

  “Car sick?” Of course I did. Joe knew that, too, as evidenced by the grin he gave as he climbed into the front seat. Again. A person would think he was the one who married Ethan. I didn’t get nearly as sick if I rode in the front.

  I dug into my purse, pulled out my nausea pills, and grinned. Since we planned on possibly taking a boat somewhere to snorkel rather than right off shore every time, I had come prepared. I waved the packet in his face, then settled back in my seat and popped one in my mouth.

  “Grow up, Summer.” Joe faced forward.

  “Where’s the fun in that?” I focused on the glorious scene outside.

  We passed fields of pineapple and pastures of fat cattle. We stopped and waited while a school bus dropped off children. I smiled at the sight of little girls in sundresses and flip-flops. If not for the murder, life on Maui would seem idyllic.

  The whole concept of living on an island didn’t bother me. You might not be able to drive to the coast in a day in Arkansas, but I still didn’t think being surrounded by water would suffocate me. Especially when the water was such a brilliant blue, flowers abounded, life slowed down, and people were friendly.

  By the time we were halfway up the volcano, I thanked God profusely for the nausea medicine. The road was so curvy it often turned back on itself. I had heard the road to Hana was treacherous. If it was worse than this, I’d be white-knuckled the entire trip.

  I wrapped my arms around the headrest and massaged Ethan’s shoulders. There didn’t seem to be enough physical affection between us for a honeymoon. I cast a sideways glance at the others. No one needed to tell me why there was a lack.

  “Parking lot is full.” Ethan slowed.

  “There.” Joe pointed. “By the gift shop.”

  The moment I climbed from the van, the wind whipped my hair around my face and my skirt around my legs with a biting force. The cold cut to the bone, even after I wrestled myself into Aunt Eunice’s giant sweater. For once, I was glad to be wrong about my previous choice of attire.

  Ethan grabbed my hand. “Do you want to observe the crater from the store window?”

  “No. I want to take pictures.” I headed for the railing. “Oh, look. We’re in heaven.”

  The clouds below us looked thick enough to walk on. All they lacked was a cherub with wings and a harp. In the distance, a rainbow cut through the clouds completing the fantasy picture. Although I knew the camera wouldn’t do the sight justice, I snapped a few pictures and chose to do my best to ignore the wind.

  “I’m up. We’ll meet at O one hundred hours to compare notes.” Aunt Eunice clapped me on the shoulder and pushed her way into the store where the Aldrich’s milled with a few other tourists.

  “I’d best make sure she doesn’t cause a ruckus.” Uncle Roy followed his eager wife.

  Joe shook his head and grabbed April’s hand. “Let’s take a look at the crater.”

  Finally alone. Just as I preferred. I turned and beamed at Ethan. “I want to see the crater, too. Let’s walk off a ways.”

  His arm around my shoulders felt warm and comforting, steadying me. Why wasn’t there a brochure in our room warning us of the temperature and weather up here? I pressed closer and let him lead me to a spot relatively free of tourists.

  I leaned my elbows on the rail. It did indeed look like the moon. Black dirt mingled with hues of rust, smaller craters within the large one, plants I’d never seen before with spiky silver leaves. I laid eyes on another planet. If not for people starting to crowd close, I could almost believe I had entered another world. What a contrast from the lushness below.

  When Joe and April joined us, I stepped away, not willing to give up that strange sense of otherworldliness. I snapped picture after picture, hoping they would look as fantastic when I printed them.

  People crowded closer, smashing me against the iron rail. I shoved back. Someone banged into me. My hip slammed against the rail. Pain shot through me. I tried peering over the crowd for Ethan.

  I was lifted off my feet.

  I tried to turn around. Someone had me tight against the railing, slowly shoving me over. The crater floor looked miles away. My heart stopped.

  No way could someone survive the fall. With so many people crowded around, it would look like an accident.

  Adrenaline prickled my skin. My breath came in gasps. I kicked backwards and screamed.

  The pressure released. I fell in a lump on the ground. The crowd moved back as Ethan forced his way through.

  “Summer!” He knelt and pulled me close. “Are you hurt?”

  “Someone tried to push me over.”

  “Are you sure? It’s gotten very crowded, maybe it was an accident.” He pulled me to my feet.

  “Like the spear?” I gripped his arms. “Was that an accident? Ethan, I’ll have bruises I can show you later to prove someone tried to push me.”

  His face paled. “Come on. Let’s get you in the store.”

  “I want to sit down. Is there somewhere to sit?” My head swam and despite the temperature, perspiration broke out on my upper lip. No matter how many times somebody tried, I could not get used to someone trying to kill me.

  Ethan lowered me to a nearby bench and took a knee. “I’m sorry.” He smoothed the hair away from my face. “I shouldn’t have let us get separated. We’re going home.”

  “No, the others are enjoying the view.”

  He took my face in his hands. “I mean home. Mountain Springs, Arkansas.”

  “No.” I bolted to my feet. Tears stung my eyes. “We’re on our honeymoon.”

  “I can’t spend it in fear for your safety.” He wiped away the escaping tears with his thumbs.

  I locked gazes with him. I could drown in his blue eyes. What should I do? Agree to go home or stay and pray God kept me safe? I’d been locked in a trunk before, chased at gunpoint through a carnival funhouse, and dropped into a dry well. A Hawaiian island offered a whole new sphere of dangerous ways for a person to try to murder me.

  But did I want to go home yet? I glanced down the summit. The clouds separated, offering a glimpse of Maui in all her glory. No, I wasn’t ready to go home. I’d have to be more diligent and do my best not to further anger whoever thought I was mixed up in all this … whatever it was.

  “No, I want to stay.”

  Ethan expelled a rough breath. “I wish you would reconsider.”

  I cupped his cheek. “When we go back, our lives are crazy again. You’ve got school and coaching, I’ve got the store to run. Let me live in fantasy land a little longer. I’ll stay glued to your side, which isn’t hard now that we’re married.” My attempt at a flirty smile failed, instead wavering and calling attention to my false attitude of serenity. Inside, my nerves twanged like an out of tune guitar.

  “That was a waste of time.” Aunt Eunice plopped next to me. “That woman is a real good liar. Nobody can be that chipper all the time.” Her eyes narrowed. “What’s the matter with you?”

  “Somebody tried to push her over the railing into the crater.” Planting his hands on his thighs, Ethan pushed to his feet.

  “What?” Joe stomped up. “Are you sure?”

  “Of course I’m sure.” Could he not, just once, believe me outright without my having to prove myself?

  “Where were you?” Uncle Roy put his arm around me. “Why weren’t you looking out for our girl?”

  Ethan’s jaw clenched

  “I wandered off to take pictures.” I slipped free and stood by Ethan. “While I appreciate your concern, Uncle Roy, I’m Ethan’s girl now.”

  His eyes reddened. “You’ll always be my girl. A ring on your finger won’t
change that.”

  A mountain set up residence in my throat. “I love you, Uncle Roy. You, too, Aunt Eunice, but Ethan is perfectly capable of watching out for me.”

  “Maybe I’m not.” He glanced down. “If I hadn’t been close enough to hear you scream, you could have gone over before anyone knew you were even in danger.” He ran his fingers through his windswept hair. “I think we should go back, but Summer says no.”

  “I don’t think I would want to let the killer win, either,” April said. “It’s bad enough you have all of us here on your honeymoon. I say you go about things as if nothing happened. Don’t get involved in gathering information or anything. Just have fun and keep one eye peeled behind you.”

  “Or,” Aunt Eunice added. “We solve this darn thing and enjoy the rest of the trip.”

  I kind of liked that idea. “What did you find about Mrs. Aldrich?”

  “Other than that she is infernally happy?” Aunt Eunice crossed her arms. “Nothing. Boy howdy, it’s chilly out here.”

  “Yes, but so beautiful.” I slipped my hand into Ethan’s. “I’d like one more look before we go, okay?”

  He nodded and led me to the crater. He positioned me in front of him and leaned against my back, one arm on each side, providing a protective barrier.

  I looked down. Way down, and gave thanks to God that I wasn’t a part of that awesome landscape. I leaned into Ethan’s strong chest.

  “I want to stay and find out who is trying to kill me.” I turned and stared into his face. “If I don’t, I’ll always wonder. Always be looking over my shoulder.”

  He nodded and blinked rapidly before pulling me tight to his chest. “You scare me to death.”

  Chapter Ten

  “Here.” April slipped my tazer into my hand right before I entered my cottage. “I brought it as soon as we knew what was going on out here. Thought you might need it.”

  “Thanks.” I hugged her. “You’re the best.” I slipped the small box-shaped object onto the entry table by the door the moment I followed Ethan into the room.

  He sat in the armchair, head in his hands.

  My heart melted at the sight of him so dejected, so worried. Maybe we should go home. It was selfish of me to put him through this. A knock sounded at the door, stopping me from uttering words I really didn’t want to say.

  I turned. Officer Manano, accompanied by his sidekick, Williams, stood on the sidewalk. “Officers, how may I help you?”

  “This is not a pleasure call, Mrs. Banning.” Officer Manano pushed past me. “So, I will get straight to the point. Did you visit Haleakala Crater today?”

  “Yes.” Had someone told him about my close escape from death? My gaze fell on the tazer. I stepped in front of the table and slid the object behind the lamp. It wouldn’t do for Officer Five-O to confiscate my only weapon.

  “Did you speak to Mrs. Aldrich?” He nodded to Williams, who pulled a notepad and pen from his pocket.

  “No, I did not. Why would you ask me that?”

  “What’s this about?” Ethan stood next to me.

  “Mrs. Aldrich is dead. Someone thought she needed to dry her hair while taking a bath.”

  “What?” Was this building too old to have a breaker that would trip if an electrical appliance fell in the water? I glanced toward the bathroom. “Isn’t there a code or something that prevents buildings from being archaic enough to allow someone to be electrocuted?”

  “Apparently not,” he answered.

  “Someone needs to check into that.” Seriously. Someone else could be killed.

  He peered at me from under thick brows. “I’ll get right on it.”

  My legs refused to hold me. I collapsed onto the sofa. “She was so happy earlier.”

  “I thought you didn’t speak with her.” Manano leaped on my words like a bird on a June bug.

  “I didn’t, my –” I ducked my head, not wanting to give up my aunt to this man I didn’t trust.

  “Your what?”

  “Aunt.” I sighed. “Aunt Eunice said Mrs. Aldrich was happier than anyone had a right to be.” Why did I feel like a stool pigeon? Anyone in their right mind would know Aunt Eunice couldn’t kill anyone. Well, maybe a deer or a rabbit, but nothing human. Poor Mr. Aldrich. He must be devastated. He and his wife had seemed so in love with each other.

  Williams’s pen scratched the surface of the paper. When I craned to see what he wrote, he turned away.

  “Any reason your aunt might want to stop Mrs. Aldrich from being so happy?”

  “That’s pure ridiculousness.”

  Manano gave me a cold stare. “I sincerely hope you aren’t planning on leaving Maui any time soon, Mrs. Banning.”

  Well, there went Ethan’s opportunity to spirit me away.

  “Not before the thirteenth,” Ethan said. “By then, we’ll all know for sure who the killer is.” The frigid tone of his voice gave me goose bumps.

  The two men stared unblinking until Manano turned away. “Stay out of police business. There’s more going on than you know.”

  From the determined look on Ethan’s face, I knew he was set on finding out just what that was. The thought scared me a bit. He had helped me a lot in the last two mysteries I solved, but with this one, he might be even more fixated than me.

  After the police left, Ethan turned to me. “Let’s go.”

  “Where?”

  He tugged me to my feet. “I need to talk to Joe. We need to come up with a plan to solve this thing before you’re either killed or thrown in jail.”

  Neither option appealed to me, so I slipped my feet back into the flip-flops that had slipped off when I plopped to the sofa, and followed my husband outside.

  No sun peeked through the trees as it said farewell to the day. Instead, the moon hovered above an inky ocean. Water lapped the shoreline with the relaxing sounds of waves against sand. A paradise soured by two deaths.

  “We weren’t home for long, Ethan.” I quick-stepped to keep up with him. “Someone needed easy access to Mrs. Aldrich. I think we need to look closer at her husband.”

  He peered at me. “You don’t think he’s too obvious?”

  “Maybe he wants the police to think just that.”

  “What’s his motive?”

  I shrugged. “That’s the million dollar question.” I slipped my hand in his, loving the feel of his callouses.

  No lights shined from my family’s cottages.

  “Let’s go down to the beach.” I squeezed Ethan’s hand. “We have a suspect list. The two of us can maybe come up with some motives.”

  “Maybe. But it’ll be tough without asking some questions.” He turned toward the main building. “What do you think about trying to get into Mr. Jamison’s room?”

  “You mean illegal entry?” I grinned. “I’m all for it!”

  “Shhh.” He laughed and pulled me behind a bush. “We need a plan.”

  “We can be drunk newlyweds looking for our room. Maybe no one will be around other than the maid, and she might not know exactly where we’re staying. I haven’t run into her much.” Adrenaline coursed through me. I didn’t think, God forgive me, I could ever get tired of spying on people or sneaking into places I wasn’t supposed to be.

  Most likely, I’d have to answer to God someday but I was certain He would understand. After all, He gave me my insatiable curiosity.

  “Do you know how to act drunk?” Ethan’s eyes twinkled in the moonlight.

  “I’ve seen actors do it. How hard can it be?”

  “Let’s just be so engrossed in each other that we are oblivious to anyone around us.”

  “That will work too.” I slipped my arm through his and snuggled close. “Lead on, handsome husband of mine.”

  “We need a glimpse of the guest book to see which room is his,” Ethan said. “Pray it’s left where we can find it.”

  The foyer of the Bed and Breakfast was empty. The dining room was set for breakfast. The living room was dark but for a single lamp burnin
g. I remembered Mrs. Wahine saying guests were welcome to sit and read at any hour of the day or night. Closed on the welcome desk was a burgundy leather book.

  “That’s it.” These people were either very trusting or very stupid. I flipped open the cover to April 3 and ran my finger down the page. “Here it is. He was in cottage number two.”

  “Back of the property. Convenient for a killer.” Ethan pulled me along with him and out the double French doors leading to the cottages farther away from the ocean.

  “Who has access to the nuts?”

  His steps slowed. “Nuts?’

  “The gift box that’s given to every guest. Wasn’t he poisoned by them?” We continued our walk. “Do we know what kind of poison?”

  “Maybe Joe can find out. It would have to be something undetectable by the guest.”

  I know if I wanted to poison someone, I would use plain old easy-to-get rat poison. Or arsenic, maybe. Anything I could dilute in water and inject into something would be my weapon of choice. If I were a murderer, that is.

  We stopped in front of cottage number two. Yellow crime scene tape, having come loose from a nearby bush, waved an eerie welcome in the night breeze. Not a good advertisement for the Wahine B & B.

  I figured the front door would be locked, but used the hem of my dress to turn the handle anyway. Yep. Locked. Ethan motioned toward the side of the building.

  Staying in the shadows, we made our way to the back where approximately two feet above my head was the bathroom window. Open and beckoning us to enter.

  “Give me a boost.” I put my hands on Ethan’s shoulders. “Once I get inside, I’ll unlock the door for you.”

  “No, open a bedroom window. I don’t want to be seen going in the front door.” He hefted me up and almost tossed me through and onto my head. My flip-flops fell outside somewhere.

  It wasn’t until I stood up, that I realized Mr. Jamison had died in the bathroom. The very room where I now stood barefoot. Eeew. I rose on the balls of my feet. Had they laid his body here after pulling him from the tub?