She trusted her sister but damn, she was confused as hell, and she didn’t like being the one with the least amount of knowledge about what they were doing.
“Our guy is shy.” There was a thread of amusement in Arin’s voice as she opened her car door. “Let us all get out first, and we’ll open the door when it’s good for you to step out.”
Mali glanced at Raul. He gave her a sympathetic smile but also disembarked from the SUV, leaving her alone inside as Zu took up a position outside the window where Raul had just left and Arin opened the back.
Each of the dogs had come to their feet, but they all waited in response to some quiet command from Arin. One at a time, she had each of them hop out until she, Raul, and Zu all had their dogs. Mali waited impatiently for long minutes as Raul and Taz remained outside the vehicle with her. Arin and Zu took their dogs in two different directions up and down the shoulder and then across the road as well. It felt like a long time, and Mali wondered what they were looking for.
Surely, the people who wanted the ransom money wouldn’t be able to find her out here. Her stomach did a flip, and she peered out the windows past Raul and Taz, searching for any movement along the roadside. Raul had been super careful when they’d been out earlier in the day. She’d thought he’d been overly cautious but Arin had taken him aside for a discussion earlier in the afternoon once they’d finished asking Mali everything she knew. No one was as careful about every detail as Arin was, and Raul had come back with the expression of someone who’d caught the sharp edge of one of Arin’s serious lectures. Maybe Arin had felt the precautions Raul had taken were insufficient.
Not maybe. Definitely.
Nothing was ever good enough for Arin, ever. In a lot of ways, Arin was too much like their mother for Mali to ever feel completely comfortable. It was why Mali and Arin didn’t ever meet up for long on visits. Dinner, maybe an afternoon of chatting, but never more than a weekend together before they started pricking each other’s nerves. Mali loved her big sister far better when they had plenty of time to miss each other.
“At least she never says ‘I told you so.’” Mali wrapped her arms around her torso, trying to control her growing unease.
Sitting alone in the car, even with Raul and Taz right outside, Mali was left with nothing to do but finally pay attention to the churning thoughts hovering in some other part of her mind. Without something to pay attention to right now, things were sinking in again.
Her colleagues, her friends, weren’t safe. They’d never made it back to the hotel. They’d been kidnapped.
She’d been telling herself to stay calm. After notifying the university, the process was started to make arrangements for the ransom. She’d done all the right things. Arin had even said so.
But Raul and Arin and Zu were all being so very careful. She needed to be hidden, protected. She wasn’t safe. Which meant her friends weren’t safe either, wherever they were.
Her heart rate picked up, and anxiety kicked those thoughts into repeat inside her head. Hide. Be protected. Not safe.
She squeezed her eyes shut but images of horrible things happening to her friends played out in her mind’s eye so she opened her eyes again. The moonlit road stretched out on either side, lined by the dark shadows of trees here and there. It could be beautiful.
At the moment, she felt small. She cowered inside the car as her stomach twisted into knots.
Arin had always been there when they were children. Once her big sister had gone into the military, it’d been a tough adjustment for Mali. Arin had been a steady influence in her life, a source of comfort and confidence. Yes, Mali had made her own way as an established adult, but the last day or so had brought all that rushing back. Even if it was ridiculous to feel this way, Mali couldn’t shake off the sense that something bad was going to happen while Arin was away.
Raul shifted his weight, catching her attention. She honed in on his back just outside the window. The tips of Taz’s upright ears were just visible from where she huddled inside the vehicle. They were there with her, keeping watch. She stared at Raul’s broad back, and the churning in her gut eased. He’d kept her out of danger so far. He was right here, while her big sister was farther off doing whatever it was Arin needed to do. It’d be okay to knock on the window. Right? She wouldn’t open the door or get out. She just wanted to interact with him, hear his voice, be constructive.
She scooted closer to the door again and lifted her hand but Raul turned at that moment. She snatched her hand back as he opened the door. “All’s clear. They’re waiting for us across the street.”
His dark eyes were kind as he gave her a quick smile before looking out over the road again. The faint moonlight lit his profile, and she stared, completely distracted. He was a beautiful man.
He faced her again. “Ready?”
She nodded, a blush heating her cheeks. It was probably too dark for him to see her being flustered. Right? “Thanks.”
“Sure thing.” He held the door open for her as she slipped out.
“I mean thank you for being here.” She glanced across the street. The silhouettes of Arin and her dog were visible in the space between two trees. “We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. I wouldn’t be.”
His smile faded. “Hey, no. Don’t think like that. You acted fast when your research team was taken and you evaded capture. You came looking for the people who could help you and kept yourself safe until we could get to you. Don’t go making me out to be a hero inside your head.”
Mali shut her mouth with a click of her teeth. She hadn’t expected this response. Embarrassment joined the mix of emotions stirred up in her belly.
He held out his hand then, palm upward as if he was helping her out of the car even though she already had both feet safely on the pavement. She considered brushing past him and just going across the street, but there was a steady patience in his gaze. Aside from her discomfort, there was no good reason to blow off his offer of help. She placed her hand in his.
“You’re an impressive woman, Mali Siri.” He led her across the road. “I’m glad I’m here to help you, too.”
His words pinged against her sternum, making her heart skip.
“So I feel guilty having you thank me,” he continued, his voice dropping lower as they approached her sister. “Because my intentions aren’t entirely altruistic. I would’ve helped regardless because this is my new team and your sister is my best friend, but I’m also taking every second I can get to get to know you better.”
They were close enough to see Arin now, more than a shadow, and her big sister was glaring at Raul. Mali tightened her hand around his. Getting to know each other.
Oh, that could take on so many levels of interesting.
* * *
Raul handed Mali off to Arin. It was the wisest course of action with Arin already staring a hole through his head. Considering Arin’s sniper skills, it was a possibility for the near future.
The moon had risen fast in the evening sky, and there was enough light to see by, especially for people trained to find things in the damnedest places. Arin had been waiting for them at the head of a very short trail leading to a beach.
The ocean breeze was cool and balmy. But now the waves crashed very close by. The short rise from beach to roadside and the line of trees had acted as a sound barrier, and he hadn’t been sure of what he’d been hearing until they’d crossed the road. There was a small strip of sand along the edge, and Raul could imagine people parking up on the shoulder to just cross over and enjoy their lunch break there during the day.
“Watch your step,” Arin murmured to Mali, steadying her younger sister with a hand under Mali’s elbow. “The sand is deep.”
Raul and Taz fell back into the rear-guard position as they started down onto the beach. Taz handled the uneven sand with ease, ears up as the dog took in the night sounds and smells at easy alert. They stayed in the shadows of the tree line mostly, and Raul’s position gave him some perspective
.
The two sisters had a lot in common but what he saw now was a stark comparison of basic physique and posture. Mali was more delicate than Arin, not only shorter by a few inches but slighter in build and more slender in bone structure. She stumbled as the beach sand shifted beneath her feet.
Arin was broader through the shoulders and carried more muscle mass. His best friend had better footing than most soldiers and moved with surety over any kind of terrain. Most important, Arin was the support. She held her sister up, caught Mali when she stumbled, and had trouble letting Mali set out on her own again.
But the Mali Siri he’d gotten to know over the last day and a half was stronger than either of them might realize at this point. He’d served through hell and back again with Arin and had serious respect for her capabilities. But maybe neither of them had really seen the other under duress because Arin didn’t seem to understand the resourcefulness he’d witnessed from Mali.
“Close now.” Arin’s murmured reassurance was so faint that he barely heard it carried on the breeze, but there was a whole lot of caring there. Arin would do anything for her family, but his best friend was especially protective of her little sister.
He was in a lot of trouble being anywhere near Mali. Arin had flipped out on him over his actions since retrieving Mali from Waikiki Beach. Her tirade had been focused specifically on Mali’s safety and she hadn’t even touched on any possible attraction between him and Mali. He hadn’t breathed a word about the heat between them, but Arin couldn’t have missed it when she’d walked in on him and Mali earlier.
Being near Mali was a bad idea if he wanted to respect his best friend. Problem was, the attraction was impossible to ignore the longer he was around her. He could step back, let Arin and Zu take this situation from here. He’d planned to after tonight. But then Mali had gone and thanked him.
He’d stopped her but he’d gotten the message. Her relief to have him nearby—not anyone else, just him—had been loud and clear. How could he step back and disappear for the rest of the time she was on the island?
He couldn’t. He’d be a bastard to try. And he’d told her the truth earlier; he fiercely wanted to get to know her better. The chemistry between them was amazing. But she deserved better than him, and he needed to step back before this became more than amazing chemistry. He’d done too many things, too recently, and he hated himself for them. With as much emotional baggage as he was carrying around, he couldn’t be anything but bad for someone like Mali. So he was left with trying to be a good friend and a gentleman. He’d see this through to get her friends back and then see her off to the mainland.
And he’d have some amazing dreams about her for the rest of the foreseeable future.
Chapter Twelve
They’d been moving along the edge of the beach for several minutes before Mali started to give in to frustration. It wasn’t the dark or the soft sand rolling under her feet, making her legs ache with every step. She wanted to know who the hell they were trying to meet up with out in the middle of a beach.
A pair of bright eyes appeared ahead of them, reflected light in the eyes of an animal, and Mali stopped in her tracks.
“It’s Buck, Zu’s partner.” Arin’s hand squeezed Mali’s elbow gently.
Intellectually, Mali had known dogs and other animals had pupils that picked up the light and reflected it back. She just hadn’t realized how little light they needed for the effect or how damned creepy it was.
They turned away from the waves and onto a portion of the beach nestled in a thicker patch of trees. Hidden in the brush was a rusty old RV. A small fire was burning in a tiny pit sheltered by a few sheets of metal. Maybe the light of the flames had been what she’d seen reflected in Buck’s eyes, but she hadn’t even noticed its light until they were right on top of it.
“Arin, lovely lady of doom, howzit?” A genial tenor voice greeted them quietly as a tall man unfolded himself from a squatting position by the fire.
He was tall, way taller than either Mali or Arin. Mali was five feet even, and Arin had a few inches on her so this man had to be six foot three, maybe. He reached out a big hand with long fingers—their mother used to call those piano fingers—and grasped Arin’s hand in greeting, pulling her older sister into a loose hug and leaning in to press his forehead against Arin’s for a moment.
Mali raised her eyebrows. Arin was not a hugging sort of person.
“Kenny, I’d like to introduce you to my little sister, Mali.” Arin turned and held her hand out to Mali.
Mali allowed herself to be pulled in close to her sister, awkwardly giving the man a wave. He had a gentle sort of smile and springy corkscrew coils framing his cheerful face. His skin was a lighter shade than Zu’s deep black, more of a copper brown. Where Zu was a wall of intimidation, this man gave off an air of easygoing reassurance. Nothing dangerous here; just enjoying the island life.
Kenny spread his hand over his heart. “Ohana. Arin doesn’t introduce her family to just anyone. I’m honored to meet you.”
Zu cleared his throat, saving Mali from having to find something to say. “We have new team members, too. Raul and his partner, Taz, joined us this week.”
“Right on.” Kenny took the introductions in stride, reaching out to shake hands with Raul.
Taz sniffed the man as he stood relaxed, his long arms loose at his sides. Then the big dog’s attention zeroed in on something on the other side of the fire. Taz leaned forward, almost trembling with eagerness.
Mali followed Taz’s gaze and noticed both Arin’s King and Zu’s Buck were looking, too. A small pig wandered out from the shadows.
A pig. Dressed in a T-shirt.
DON’T EAT ME was printed across the back.
“Zu, brah, I know your dogs are smart.” Kenny rubbed his palms against the sides of his shorts. “But can they read?”
The pig strolled right past King and Buck to sit next to Kenny’s feet. Obviously, the pig had no worries.
Mali covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. This could all turn very bad in a split second. These dogs were fast. She was sure of it. But she’d also watched Taz pick up a piece of fruit and place it back on a plate.
“Laki is safe.” Zu’s tone was dry. Neither he nor Arin or Raul seemed worried at all. “Give that pig some time and he’s going to be as big as our dogs.”
“He’s good company.” Kenny grinned. “Come, sit. How can I help you?”
Mali sat gingerly on a woven grass mat several feet from the small fire as Kenny crouched and turned a fish grilling over the tiny flames.
Zu gave Kenny the summary of recent events. “We need to know who is active on the island. Someone who doesn’t care how identifiable their men are. We sent you images from a camera, too. Were there hits on any of the faces of the armed men in those photos?”
Kenny’s eyebrows lifted at the mention of them, and he glanced her way before turning his attention back to Zu.
“Ballsy.” Kenny nodded once Zu wrapped up the overview, feeding the fire with twigs. “No hits on the facial recognition yet. Those queries take time to run, but while we’re waiting, a few names come to mind. Some of those images showed some heinous deeds. What kind of research were you conducting again?”
“Human trafficking.” Mali bit out the two words, putting some punch behind them to see if this information specialist had any kind of reaction to possibly the worst thing a human could do to another human.
Arin gave her a sharp look. Raul looked from her sister to her and cleared his throat.
Mali doggedly kept eye contact with Kenny.
Okay. Minor miscalculation. She’d been so intent on inciting a reaction in the laid-back man with no cares that she’d forgotten to anticipate how upset Arin was likely to be. So maybe Mali hadn’t told her sister exactly what research had brought her to Oahu. She hadn’t lied. In fact, her big sister was the master of misinformation by omission. When their brother had been with them, their mother had called the three of them See No
Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil.
Under duress, Arin never gave up anything, not even when she’d be the one punished.
Mali had never been one to endure listening to any negative commentary, not about her and not about the people for which she cared. But she’d learned from her big sister over the years. She could leave a few things out of a conversation, too.
Oblivious or maybe too polite to pause, Kenny patted his pet pig and considered the topic at hand. “This is the portal to the mainland from many points overseas. Sadly, there’s more than one organization dealing in flesh, and one is already too many.”
Mali sat forward, wanting to prompt the man to think harder, but Kenny held up a hand to stall her.
He reached over the pig and pulled a ukelele off the step of the RV and began to strum a few light chords. “One guy comes to mind, though. He stands out from the crowd. Created space for himself here a few years ago. Not easy with the local elements. Takes a special kind of ruthless with the financial backing to supply him with more firepower than the established organizations could counter right away. He’s a haole with an estate up here around North Shore. Hand picks his own estate workers from the flesh he’s shipping in from East and Southeast Asia.”
“Haole?” Raul tossed the term back as a question.
“Just about anyone who isn’t from Hawaii,” Mali explained absentmindedly, never taking her eyes off Kenny. There were specific slang or pidgin terms for people of color who’d grown up on the mainland. But there was no need to get into that here. “We were focused on women forced into the sex trade. We didn’t gather metrics on other types of human trafficking.”
Kenny nodded, switching to minor chords. “Nasty business. No doubt. This guy, though, he brings in men and women, whole families. Splits them up. Some go into the sex work in a few businesses he has here on Oahu. Others go into forced labor on farms over on the Big Island and elsewhere. Eventually, a lot of them trickle onto the mainland or up to Alaska. They get to the place they’ve dreamed of as better but it’s not the future they risked their lives to have.”
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