* * *
The next thing I knew, the Sunday morning sun was shining through my bedroom window. I squeezed my eyes shut more tightly and rolled over. Out of habit, I stretched my arm across the other side of the bed and found that it was empty. I cracked my eyelids open and stared at the space where Bryan used to sleep. It took my mind a moment to reconnect the dots of the past few weeks. We're not together anymore…and I'm not even in Atlanta.
I rose slowly from the bed and opened the curtains to see Kauai's majestic volcano in the distance. A feeling of calm filled me, and I smiled at the mountain and the expanse of lush greenery below it. I'm in paradise.
After a quick shower, I dressed for my first day as the Happy Hula Dress Boutique's store manager. I shimmied into the new tunic that I'd bought from the shop the day before. Then I applied a fresh coat of makeup and straightened my hair, carefully clipping it back so that Rikki's spare helmet wouldn't ruin it on the ride to work. Last, I slipped into my new gold sandals and completed the outfit with new gold teardrop earrings and an Alex and Ani bangle bracelet with a pineapple charm. I stepped back and admired my reflection. Cute? Check. Professional? Totally. I grinned into the mirror. Let's do this.
Rikki was waiting for me in the kitchen with a steaming cup of Kona brew. "Looking good, sweetie," she said. She pushed the Styrofoam coffee cup and a brown paper bag toward me from across the kitchen table. "I brought you breakfast. I jogged over to the Blue Manu Coffee House while you were in the shower."
My mouth watered as I inhaled the rich aroma of the hot drink. "Thanks." I gripped the to-go cup and brought it to my lips. Mmm. It was heaven. Opening the brown sack, I found a fresh macadamia nut muffin inside. I quickly polished it off before following Rikki out to the driveway. I grudgingly strapped on the helmet and climbed onto the back of the Vespa. I'd have to get a car of my own—hopefully sooner than later. If I sold my wedding band and engagement ring, I was sure I could afford a down payment on something reasonable. Anything but a Vespa, I thought, flinching as we shot down the street on the little scooter.
A short drive later, we parked in the employee lot of the Aloha Lagoon Resort. When Rikki removed her helmet, I saw that she was frowning. "Louana's car is here." She gestured to a green Corolla a few spaces over. My aunt chewed her lip. "She stormed out without returning her shop key yesterday. I hope she's not here to stir up more trouble."
My gut tightened as I stared at the little green sedan. It would be just my luck that the angry woman would show up to cause another scene before I could even clock in for my first shift.
As Rikki had suspected, the front door to Happy Hula was already unlocked when we arrived. She cautiously pushed it open, and we both peered inside. The shop was empty. We did a quick search of the sales floor, and then Rikki checked the cash register. Thankfully, nothing seemed out of place.
My aunt blew out a breath. "I was half expecting to find the place ransacked," she admitted, sounding relieved.
"Maybe Louana went to one of the bars on the resort last night," I suggested. "She might have been too toasted to drive and decided to call a cab."
"It's possible," Rikki said, but she didn't sound convinced. "If that were the case though, why would the shop be unlocked? You, Sara, and Harmony were all with me when I locked it last night." She stared at the shop door for a few moments, a frown wrinkling her forehead. "I'm going to pay a visit to Summer at the front desk in the lobby. I'm pretty sure she's got the number for the locksmith that the resort uses. It couldn't hurt to change the store locks, just in case."
"Good idea," I agreed. "Is there anything I can do while you're gone?"
Rikki gestured to the wastebasket behind the counter. "If you wouldn't mind collecting all of the trash from the bins around the store, that'd be great. There are bags in the supply closet beside my office. Once you've emptied all the bins, you can carry the bag out to the dumpster behind the store. I'll be back in a few minutes," she called over her shoulder as she started for the door.
I made my way to the supply closet and retrieved one of the large trash bags. The shop's wastebaskets were located behind the register, in both dressing rooms and bathrooms, in Rikki's office, and in the storage room. I emptied the contents of each bin and then tied the large trash bag closed before heading toward the store's back exit.
The rear door to the boutique was located through the stockroom and opened to a small alley behind the row of courtyard shops. I carried the bags into the alley, wrinkling my nose as the sour odor of garbage hit me full in the face. I held my breath against the stench emanating from the trash bin and walked toward it as fast as my sandals could carry me. After heaving the bag into the dumpster, I dusted off my hands and turned to hurry back inside.
Something glittering in the sunlight caught my eye, and I spun on my heel, curiosity drawing my attention downward. A sparkly green blouse lay on the ground near the corner of the dumpster. Frowning, I took a step toward it. I recognized the top from one of the racks near the front of Happy Hula's sales floor. Lying several feet away was another garment: a pair of red and white striped bikini bottoms.
I crinkled my nose as another wave of the putrid scent of garbage lifted past my nostrils. Holding my breath, I moved toward the clothing, halting when I spied a woman's flip-flop on the ground. It was black with silver rhinestones on the strap. Something about seeing the lone shoe without its owner gave me the creeps. A finger of dread tickled my spine, and I shivered despite the warmth of the June morning. I shook off the weird feeling and stepped around the corner of the dumpster to collect the blouse and bikini.
A light blue Happy Hula shopping bag was overturned on the ground next to the garbage bin. Several other dresses and sarongs were scattered about, littering the alley. My back stiffened. Who would throw away all these clothes?
I stooped to retrieve the sparkly green blouse, pinching it between my thumb and forefinger as I lifted it. I immediately dropped the shirt back to the ground. The other black flip-flop was beneath it. The shoe itself didn't startle me—it was the fact that it was still attached to a foot that sent me scuttling back a few steps. Alarm bells went off in my head as my gaze traveled the length of a woman's bare calf and then up toward the side of the dumpster. A horrified scream clawed its way out of my throat.
Louana Watson's lifeless body was slumped against the garbage bin, a hot pink bikini top wrapped tightly around her throat.
CHAPTER THREE
Rikki closed the boutique for the day in the wake of Louana's death. After calling the police and resort security, she reached out to the other shop employees who were scheduled to work that day and asked them to stay home. A crowd of curious guests began gathering near the front of the store when law enforcement arrived, and the alley behind the store was cordoned off by crime scene technicians. Rikki and I were ushered into her office, where we were told to wait for someone to take our statements.
A plump dark-haired man in slacks and a flowery Hawaiian shirt entered the room after a while. He studied us both silently as we huddled together in a couple of chairs behind Rikki's desk. The man took a seat across from us, a sympathetic expression on his round face. "I'm Detective Ray Kahoalani," he said. "But you can call me Detective Ray." He inclined his head toward Rikki. "I'm terribly sorry about Miss Watson. She was your employee?" His tone made the statement sound more like a question.
"Yes," Rikki said. "Former employee, actually," she quickly corrected herself. "Lou quit yesterday afternoon."
"I see." Detective Ray bobbed his head and then wrote something down on his notepad. "Why did she quit?"
Rikki's cheeks turned pink, and I felt her stiffen beside me. "She didn't agree with some of my recent decisions regarding the boutique." The defensive edge to her tone felt out of place coming from my aunt's lips. She was always such a gentle, laid-back person.
The detective lifted an eyebrow. "What kind of decisions?"
Rikki cast a sheepish glance toward me. She sighed. "Louana was upset
that I gave Kaley a job as Happy Hula's new manager. She wanted the position, but Kaley has more experience. When I wouldn't budge on the decision, Lou got frustrated and quit."
Ray scribbled down a few more notes and then turned his attention to me. "You were the one who found Miss Watson in the alley, correct?"
I gave a shaky nod. I hadn't stopped trembling since my grisly discovery. It was the first time I'd ever seen a dead body in the flesh—not an actor in a movie or rerun of CSI, but an actual corpse. I wanted to scrub my brain with bleach to erase the image of her that I saw every time I closed my eyes. Louana had been slumped against the side of the dumpster, a terrified look permanently frozen on her face. A purple bruise had circled her neck where the bikini strap had been pulled tight enough to strangle her. The wound had been accented by little red crescent-shaped marks. I assumed they were made by her fingernails, as if she'd been trying to claw her way free.
A feeling of nausea overwhelmed me, and for a moment, I sensed my coffee and muffin from breakfast threatening to make a reappearance. I reached for the empty wastebasket under Rikki's desk and clutched it to my chest. I breathed hard for a few beats, struggling to keep my food down. My aunt rubbed her hand in soothing circles on my back, and gradually the nausea passed. I set the wastebasket down and glanced at the detective, unable to meet his eyes. "Sorry about that," I mumbled.
"It's all right," he said. Though his tone was gentle, his probing gaze made me nervous. "Did either of you see Miss Watson again after she left the store yesterday?"
Rikki and I both shook our heads.
"What time did you close the shop?" he asked Rikki.
"I locked up a few minutes after eight last night."
Detective Ray made another note. He looked at me. "Where were you for the rest of the night?"
"Home. At Rikki's. I just moved back to Aloha Lagoon from Atlanta yesterday, and I was exhausted." I fidgeted under his gaze. "My body hasn't adjusted to the time difference yet. I was in bed by ten."
His attention shifted to my aunt. "Can you confirm that?"
Rikki nodded. "Kaley was asleep when I got home last night," she replied.
"You weren't home with your niece the whole night?" Detective Ray's brow furrowed. "Where were you?"
"I went for a moonlight swim at Coconut Cove."
"Was anyone with you?" he questioned. "Do you have any witnesses that can confirm they saw you at Coconut Cove last night?"
My aunt quirked her lips. "If anyone saw me, they sure got an eyeful."
Detective Ray's forehead wrinkled. He pursed his lips and jotted something down on his notepad. I was thankful that he didn't ask her to elaborate—the last thing Rikki needed right then was to be busted for public indecency. Instead, the detective continued with his current line of questioning. "What time did you come home from Coconut Cove?"
Rikki's expression turned thoughtful. "Just after midnight, I believe."
"And you didn't make any stops on the way home?" His lip curled. "No late-night trip over to the resort?"
Rikki shook her head.
Why would he ask that? My palms began to sweat, and a kiwi-sized lump formed in my throat. I didn't like way the detective was looking at my aunt, his eyes narrowed in silent accusation. He can't think she had anything to do with Louana's death, can he?
As if in answer to my question, Detective Ray leaned forward in his seat. "You had an argument with Miss Watson just hours before she was killed," he said to Rikki, his words stained with suspicion. "Interesting."
The lump in my throat grew even larger.
Detective Ray pocketed his notebook and rose from his seat. "I may have a few more questions for you later on," he said, his eyes boring into hers. "I'll be in touch." It almost sounded like a threat.
The detective told us we were free to leave and then excused himself to join his team in the back alley. As soon as he was gone, I swiveled in my seat and faced Rikki. "I've got a bad feeling about him," I said, inclining my head toward the doorway where the burly homicide detective had just disappeared.
Rikki shrugged. "He's just doing his job, ku'uipo," she said, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "I don't want you to worry. The police will find out who did this." Rikki gave me a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. I got the impression that she was putting on a brave face for me, which only fueled my worry. The detective's line of questioning had made it sound like he thought she was involved in this somehow.
But Rikki has nothing to hide, I told myself. She's right—the police will catch the real killer.
Rikki and I left her office and found a beast of a man waiting for us just inside Happy Hula's entrance. My aunt introduced him as Jimmy Toki, head of security at the resort.
Towering above us at over six feet tall, Jimmy had to look down to meet my gaze. "Come on," he said, giving me a compassionate smile. "Let's get you two out of here."
Rikki quickly locked the door, and Jimmy used his large frame to shield us from the crowd of curious onlookers in the courtyard. I kept my gaze fixed on the patio tiles, not looking up until we reached the main building. Word of Louana's murder had already spread beyond the resort, and according to Jimmy, a news crew was camped out in the main lobby. He took us through a side entrance to the building so that we could avoid being seen. At the end of a long hall, Jimmy pushed open another door and led us onto a stone path that ran behind the lagoon.
"This leads straight to the employee lot," he said, squinting against the bright sunlight. "I can walk the rest of the way there with you, if you like."
"We'll be fine from here," Rikki insisted.
Jimmy's broad forehead wrinkled. "Are you sure?"
"I think so." I offered him a smile, feeling grateful for his kindness. "Thanks again."
He gave a curt nod before retreating back down the hallway.
Rikki and I made our way silently down the path, each lost in our own thoughts. We reached the employee parking lot a few minutes later and climbed wearily onto her purple scooter. When we arrived home, my aunt trudged inside and headed straight for the stairs. "I'm going to lie down," she called over her shoulder.
"Aunt Rikki, wait." I put a hand on her arm. "I'm so sorry about Louana."
Her eyes misted, and she gave me a watery smile. "Thank you, sweetheart." Her face pinched. "I feel terrible for her 'ohana. Lou's family lives in Salt Lake City. I wonder if the police have even been able to get hold of them yet."
I chewed my lip. "Why do you think she came back to Happy Hula? And what do you make of the bag of clothes strewn around the dumpster?"
"I don't know." Rikki shook her head, frowning. "Maybe Lou decided to take a few parting gifts when she left the store."
That was a nice way of saying she'd tried to rob my aunt. I'd been thinking the same thing. Still, it didn't explain how she'd wound up dead in that alley. Had she brought an accomplice who had killed her and then run off without the loot? Or had she stumbled upon something sinister in the alley as she exited the store? I shuddered, not sure if I really wanted to know.
Rikki rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry, ku'uipo, but I really need to rest." She met my gaze again, and for the first time, I noticed the fine lines beginning to form around her eyes and mouth. I'd never seen my aunt look so tired. "There's food in the fridge if you're hungry," she said. "If you need anything else, just knock on my door."
Bless her heart, I thought, watching her trudge up the stairs. One of Rikki's employees had just been killed, and she was worried about whether or not I was comfortable. I crossed the living room and sank onto the couch. It was barely noon, but the adrenaline had seeped out of me, leaving me exhausted. I turned on the television but barely made it to the first commercial break of the daytime soap I was watching before I dozed off.
I woke up sometime later, sitting up on the couch in a cold sweat. Through the living room window, I could see the last few rays of sunlight fading from view. The soap opera had ended hours ago, and an old rerun of Castle was
on the television.
I brushed my hair out of my face and rubbed my eyes, trying to collect my bearings. The events of the morning slammed back into focus, and my breath caught in my throat. Someone had killed Louana Watson in cold blood right outside Aunt Rikki's boutique. They'd even used merchandise from the shop to commit the crime. It seemed like a dream fueled by a night of too many mai tais—except it had really happened.
I hauled myself off the couch and climbed the stairs to the second floor. I knocked softly on the door to Rikki's bedroom. When she didn't answer, I opened it just a crack and peeked inside. My aunt was curled on her side in her bed, resting peacefully. Somehow we'd both managed to sleep the remainder of the day away. Not wanting to wake her, I quietly backed out of her room and eased the door closed behind me.
My cell phone buzzed on the coffee table as I returned to the living room. I did a double take when I saw Noa's name flash across the screen. I pressed the phone to my ear. "Noa?" I asked, unable to keep the surprise from my voice. When he'd said we should catch up soon, I'd assumed it had been an empty promise.
"I just heard about Louana," he said without preamble. His tone was tense. "Is Rikki all right?"
At least he still cared about one member of this family. "She's fine," I said. "Just a little shaken up." And I'm all right too—thanks for asking. A new thought lifted through me, and I frowned. "How did you find out?" I asked, reaching for the television remote and flipping through the channels. Had Lou's murder made the evening news?
"I worked a lifeguard shift at the pool today. The police were there." The worry in his voice made my gut clench. Something was wrong.
"Did they talk to you?" I asked, my voice quavering slightly.
"No, but I heard the homicide detective speaking to a few women who were shopping at Happy Hula yesterday evening. He was asking if they witnessed an argument between Rikki and Louana."
Aloha Lagoon Mysteries Boxed Set Volume III (Books 7-9) Page 23