Taking a deep breath, I sat in the middle seat and remained as still as possible. What if I got seasick? Or airsick? What if I passed out while in the sky? I clutched my stomach.
This was ridiculous! I had stared down people pointing a gun at me. Surely I could handle this.
Once Ethan sat next to me, Paul gunned the engine, and we bounced across the water’s surface. I figured we cruised half mile off shore before Paul slowed and turned to me. “Ladies first?”
I shook my head hard enough for pieces of hair to come loose from my ponytail.
Ethan laughed and stood. “I’m ready.”
Paul and Junior strapped him into the harness and instructed Ethan to stand on a small platform at the rear of the boat. “We’re going to let the wind carry you out and then in twenty minutes we’ll reel you in like a fish.” Paul smacked Ethan on the chest. “Ready?”
“Yep.” Ethan winked in my direction, gave a thumbs up as the boat roared forward, and then sailed into the sky.
I couldn’t help but grin along with him. Soon, he was nothing but a speck in the sky. My palms sweated. It would be the fastest twenty minutes of my life, followed by the longest.
Remembering I’d slung the camera around my neck before leaving our cottage, I zoomed in on Ethan’s rapturous expression and snapped a few photos. Thank the good Lord for a good camera with a twenty-five times zoom lens. I’d be able to get some great shots.
Way too soon, Paul and Junior reeled Ethan back to the boat and strapped me into the harness. I closed my eyes and shrieked when the boat increased speed.
“You’ll love it!” Ethan shouted.
I shook my head and felt my feet leave the boat. Help me, God. Help me. I gripped the ropes on each side of my head. My knuckles ached. I opened my eyes and gasped.
The ocean was so far below. So blue. To my left rose the buildings of Lahaina. To my right, a small island. Below me, lots and lots of boats. The scene was truly idyllic.
Wrapping my arms around the ropes, I lifted the camera to my eye and zoomed in on Lahaina’s main street. Expressions were hard to see, but people dotted the sidewalks and cafes. Families strolled along the shore. I stopped on a familiar face. “Aunt Eunice!” I waved and followed her progress down the street.
Why did she look as if she were sneaking up on someone? I moved the camera a ways in front of her. Susan Wood and Manano sat side-by-side at a table in the shadows. At least, I thought it was them. No way to be completely sure, but whoever it was looked mighty cozy and didn’t seem worried that someone would see them. I scanned the shore with the camera, which was proving to be every bit as good as binoculars.
I leaned forward. Was that the Wahine siblings waving their arms at each other? It looked as if they were arguing. Oh, I wished Paul would lower me just a bit so I could see and hear better. I snapped a few photos and lowered the camera.
Oh! I froze.
Someone should have told me that leaning forward while parasailing could result in the world’s worst case of vertigo. For a while, I’d forgotten to be afraid, now the feeling rushed back like a tsunami, stealing my breath and causing the blood to rush to my feet.
Not a moment too soon, the rope tugged and I lowered, much too slowly, back to the boat and into Ethan’s arms. I took deep breaths and rested my head against his strong chest. “I survived.”
“Were you really that frightened?”
“Not for a while. I was busy taking pictures of suspicious activity, but once I realized how far up I was—let’s just say, I don’t want to do that particular activity again.”
His chest rumbled. “We’ll snorkel Molokai tomorrow, okay? That ought to be tame enough for you.”
“Maybe, but the papers we got with our rented gear said there were barricudas and sharks.”
Chapter Fifteen
I sipped my pineapple drink and watched as Ethan body-surfed. Having recovered from my parasailing ordeal, I wanted nothing more than to enjoy the late afternoon with a yummy drink and the company of my family. Especially since I had oodles of questions for my aunt.
“I saw you in Lahaina today.” I peered at her over my sunglasses.
“I saw you and Ethan ditching us this morning.” She raised her eyebrows.
“Well, I, uh…”
“It’s your honeymoon, I know.” She reached over and patted my arm. “Don’t worry. I’m glad you didn’t say anything in Lahaina. You would have blown my cover. While you were off playing, I was being a detective.”
“What did you find out?” I turned on my side and took a long draw from my straw. “Through my camera lens it looked like you were spying on Susan and Manano. Is that right?”
She frowned. “Where were you?”
“In the sky.”
“Fine, don’t tell me.” She shrugged. “April and Joe ditched me, too. Roy wasn’t feeling well, so—”
“You went investigating on your own?” That straightened me up. “Do you realize how dangerous that is?”
“Like you don’t do it all the time.” She waved a hand at me. “Anyway, I took a shuttle to Lahaina to do some shopping and saw our little lovebirds—”
“Susan and Manano, right?” I sat up and shoved my toes in the sand.
“Would you stop asking that? You sound like a broken record. Yes, it was them.” Aunt Eunice exhaled sharply and shook her head. “Anyway, they were arguing—”
“Like Leroy and Camilla Wahine.”
“I don’t know about them, but.” She gave me a stern look. “Susan was upset because our dear police officer hadn’t taken care of some kind of ‘business’” She made finger quotes in the air. “And that ‘she’ whoever that is, but I have my guess, was still nosing around.”
Hmmm, sounded sinister, and I could lay money down on who ‘she’ was. “I could see the dear brother and sister arguing, too, or at least that’s what it looked like.” What could possibly have everyone in an uproar?
“Howdy.” April plopped into a chair next to me. “Guess what I found out?”
Aunt Eunice peered around me. “That it’s rude to disappear from the people who paid for your vacation?”
Her face reddened. “Sorry about that, but Joe wanted to spend some time together.”
“We’re your chaperones. Y’all aren’t married yet.” Aunt Eunice crossed her arms and settled back.
“Never mind her,” I said. “Spill your guts.”
“Jamison’s first name is Bob, or Robert, rather. He owned Jamison’s Resort Construction. Guess who is his partners?”
“Susan Wood is one.”
“Bingo!”
“Who is the other?” My straw made slurping sounds on the bottom of my empty glass. I glanced behind us for a server. The Wahine might be a bed and breakfast, but they treated the guests as if it were a resort. Pure paradise, when people weren’t dying anyway.
“It’s a corporation. Plumeria Builders, based in Honolulu.” She sure looked proud of herself.
“More drinks?” Camille stepped beside us, pretty in a fuschia flowered dress.
“Please. Pineapple Mango all around.” I waved my hand with a flourish. We were finally getting somewhere with the case. It all centered around Jamison’s business and the Wahine’s being desperate for money.
Of course, you couldn’t tell by our surroundings. The grounds were immaculate, the service impeccable, and the rooms top-of-the-line. Something smelled rank in this tropical oasis. I reclined back in the lounger. Yep, we were going to solve this mystery same as the previous three. I knew it. I just needed to dig deeper into Jamison’s background.
Ethan waved from the water, looking every bit as fine as a cover model for some risqué woman’s magazine. With the sun highlighting his blond hair and bronzed muscles, his bathing suit riding low on his hips, I almost tossed caution to the wind, forgetting my best friend and aunt sat beside me. I wanted to run to him, throw my legs around his waist and tumble into the surf. My breath quickened. Mercy!
“Earth to Summe
r.” April wiggled her fingers in front of my face.
“Huh?”
“Where are you?” Her brow furrowed, then her gaze followed mine and she grinned. “Never mind. I think I know.”
My face heated. “I’m thinking of the goings on at Wahine’s B & B.” We stopped talking for a moment while our drinks were delivered.
“Sure you are.” She sipped her drink. “Oh, good. Here comes Joe. Maybe he has some news for us.”
Joe bent to kiss her then perched at the foot of her lounger. “Good news, ladies.” He waggled his eyebrows.
If Ethan weren’t strutting toward me, sparkling with water drops, I might be able to concentrate. My beloved broke the spell when he shook his hair off on me. I shrieked and swatted at him.
“What did you find out?” He plopped beside me, almost toppling me into the sand. Sometimes my gallant knight was anything but.
“Well,” Joe said. “I contacted a buddy of mine on the LAPD. Seems our friend Jamison has been on their radar for quite a while on suspicions of lending money in less than reputable means.”
“A loan shark?” I straightened.
“Possibly, although there isn’t yet sufficient evidence to convict him.”
“Impossible to convict a dead person,” Aunt Eunice stated. “But I’m thinking it’s time to get cozy with the Mrs.”
“Wahine?” Why didn’t I think of her? The quiet woman stayed in the background of her husband’s stronger personality. Everyone knew still waters ran deep. She probably knew everything about everyone. “I think that’s a great idea, but I’ll have to go with you. It’s too dangerous.”
Ethan snorted.
“What?”
“We’ve been telling you that for over a year. Now, when it’s your aunt doing the sleuthing, it’s another story.”
“Well, of course it is.” What did he think? That I would let a sixty-year-old woman confront a possible criminal alone?
Aunt Eunice shook her head. “I think I should do this alone. Mrs. Wahine is around my age and won’t suspect anything.” She nodded. “Yep, I’ll talk to her tomorrow when she’s puttering in her flower garden. She does that every morning.”
My aunt was more observant than I ever thought. Pride rose in me. Ever since I’d needed her help in solving the murder at the county fair, she had been itching to get involved again. “Okay. But we have to know where you are at all times.” Uncle Roy was going to kill me.
“Stop!”
I swiveled to look behind me.
Susan ran, high heels in one hand, the other holding a floppy hat to her head, after a little wire-haired dog. “Somebody stop that animal. It stole my mail.”
Ethan, ever the hero, dashed to the rescue and tackled the fiend to the ground. The dog rewarded him with the mail and dog kisses.
“Thank you so much.” Susan grabbed what looked like a bill and an invitation from Ethan’s hand. “I plan on extending my stay on Maui, so had my mail forwarded here. I have no idea where this monster came from.”
“He’s a sweetie.” I kneeled beside the dog and searched for an ID tag. No collar. “I wish I could take you home, sweetie. Truly would love you.” Maybe. My Cairn was fickle when it came to strange animals.
“Rambo!” Leroy Wahine jogged down the beach. “Sorry. He tends to get loose once in a while. He’s harmless.”
Rambo? I stifled a grin and stood. “No harm done.”
“Easy for you to say.” Susan huffed and whirled to make her way back to the hotel.
“Aloha.” Leroy picked up his dog and headed back the way he had arrived.
The beach sure was busy. I grabbed my towel from the back of my chair. “I’m heading up to shower before supper.”
As I turned to leave, a caught a glimpse of something white under the green of a hibiscus bush.
Chapter Sixteen
After glancing around to see whether anyone was paying attention to me. Of course Ethan was. I grabbed the envelope and read Susan’s name. I smiled and waved at my husband and continued my trek to the cottage. It wouldn’t do to let him know it was Susan’s. Especially not after the ruckus she caused with the dog.
I was knee-deep in a murder investigation. I’d check out the contents of the envelope and return it to her myself.
No sooner had I closed the door behind me than I was reaching for a steak knife left from a previous supper. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the first envelope I’d slit open with the hopes of sealing closed with no one the wiser. I slid the blade under the flap and voila! A single sheet of paper fell out.
Written in bold letters was the words PAY UP OR SUFFER JAMISON’S FATE.
I folded onto the sofa. What was Susan mixed up in? If Jamison was suspected of being a loan shark, who could he have angered enough to kill him, and why would they be threatening Susan?
Every answer I uncovered raised a handful of more questions. Why was Susan on Maui? Why was she consistently seen in Manano’s company? Was she friend or foe? I shook my head, wishing I had never gotten involved. After someone threw the spear, Ethan and I should have packed our things and gone to a different island.
I released the note, letting it flutter to the beige carpet like a wounded butterfly. I couldn’t walk away now. Maybe God sent us here to save someone from suffering Jamison’s and Mrs. Aldrich’s fate. I needed to talk to the dead woman’s husband. Had he left the island yet?
After changing from my bathing suit to walking shorts and a tank top, I left Ethan a note letting him know where I was going, put Susan’s mail in the top dresser drawer, and then locked the cottage behind me.
The Aldrich cottage wasn’t far from mine and Ethan’s, and the front door stood open. “Hello? Mr. Aldrich?”
“Back here.”
I followed his voice to the bedroom. An open suitcase sat on the bed.
Mr. Aldrich tossed clothing inside, leaving his wife’s in a pile on the floor. “What do you want?”
Not his usual friendly self, but I understood, under the circumstances. “Is there anything I can do for you? When are you leaving?”
He sighed. “Tonight was the earliest flight I could take. They’ll ship my wife’s body, once they’re finished with the investigation.” He sagged onto the bed. “Outside of bringing her back, there isn’t anything anyone can do.”
“I can pray.”
He huffed. “That won’t bring her back. My wife was the one with the faith.”
“Mr. Aldrich.” I laid a hand on his shoulder. “Do you know why anyone would want to kill her?”
“Sure, I do. She started asking questions about Jamison’s death.” He shook his head. “Always fancied herself an older Nancy Drew. I called her my Agatha.” He brushed his hand across his face. “Like you, I guess.”
Except I was still alive. I heard the accusation in his voice. “I’m sorry.”
“Guess you want to know if she found out anything.” He stood and moved to the dresser and took a cigar box out of the top drawer. “She kept all her notes in here.”
“Did y’all come to Maui to follow Jamison? Your wife said it was your anniversary.”
“It was our anniversary.” He slapped the suitcase closed. “She wanted to solve a mystery in celebration. Said the love between a man and a woman was the second greatest mystery outside of God’s love for us.” He fixed his eyes on me. “You solve this thing for her, you hear?”
“Yes, sir.” Tears stung my eyes as I accepted the box. “I’ll do my best.”
“No.” He shook me. “You do this. You stay alive and found out who killed her.”
“Summer?” Ethan stepped beside me. “Everything all right here?”
“Yes.” I held out my hand to Mr. Aldrich. “Have a safe trip. May God go with you.”
He grunted, grabbed his case, and marched out.
I turned and buried my face in Ethan’s chest, letting the tears escape.
“Hey, baby.” He cradled me close. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
I shook my
head. “No, I’m just hurting for him.” I lifted my face. “I promised him I would find out who killed his wife.”
“Sure you did.” He smiled. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.” Keeping his arm around my shoulder, he led me back to our cottage.
“Into bed for you. I’ll bring back supper.” Ethan pulled down the bedcovers.
“I’m not sleepy. It’s only six o’clock.”
“Then look through the box in your hand, but I want you resting in bed in your pajamas. I know you won’t go wandering around in your nightie.”
True. I smiled through my tears and nodded. “I will stay here. Let the family know I have a headache and we won’t be accepting visitors.”
“I will.” He kissed me. “Be back in a flash.”
After slipping into my nightgown, I crawled into bed and scooted against the headboard. The box sat next to me, chanting my name. I opened the lid then closed it.
Mr. Aldrich’s grief spilled over onto me, dispelling my previous curiosity about his wife’s notes. I loved solving mysteries, but didn’t relish dying for it. I leaned my head back, knocking it against the headboard. That would leave a bruise.
With my finger, I traced the ornate, upraised design on the box. One corner was smashed and smudged as if the box had been thrown. I shrugged. Maybe Mrs. Aldrich retrieved it from the garbage. It was a pretty, sturdy thing with its forest green and gold designs. I sighed and pushed off the bed.
Lying around would get me nowhere. The cottage didn’t have a television, and since I was in my nightie, I couldn’t go borrow a book. I parted the curtains and stared out into the beginning dusk.
The sunsets on Maui were indescribable and usually lifted my spirits. Suddenly, I yearned for the Ozark mountains of home. The peacefulness of Mountain Springs.
Somebody walked down the beach, a man, from the body build, and sat on the sand. The glow from an ember shined in his hand. I let the curtains fall, allowing the man his solitary smoke. On second thought…
I changed into capri sweats and a long-sleeved tee-shirt. A walk on the beach might be just the thing I needed to clear my head and lift my mood. I left a note for Ethan, promising not to go far, and slipped my feet into flip-flops. Already I felt better in anticipation of feeling the waves on my feet.
4 Maui Macadamia Madness Page 9