Maui Murders

by Kathy Callahan

  “Yes, we must do all we can to save the beautiful wood. Also, I insist that central air-conditioning be put in. I want to lock up at night and will need that for cool air during that time. I imagine that can be installed while work on the wood is being done. What I would like is for the master bedroom and kitchen to be the first rooms completely finished. That will enable me to move from the Boones’ and give them their privacy back.”

  “That’s a good idea. However, to keep all the flooring one color, refinishing all the wood floors should be done at the same time. The other individual rooms can be painted later after the rooms you requested are finished. While the work is being completed, you and I will need to find furniture and appliances. Many times, what you want is a catalogue item and can take several months to make it here from the mainland. Believe me, Layla, this is no simple project. It could take a year or more before it is finished to your satisfaction.”

  “Great, a project I can work on that will end up being my new home, something I can build from the ground up, just as I want it to be. I’m excited about the prospect.”

  Ned returned with the paperwork for Layla’s inspection. She read it carefully, gave her approval, and said she had to be getting back to the Boones’.

  Ned and Fiona sat on their front lanai and lay in wait for Mr. Soo and Dewey to catch them returning from their afternoon sojourn.

  Back at the Boones’, Layla felt happy, and a calm began to settle inside her. She found a place to belong, one she could make her own.

  Layla had returned to the Boones’ swiftly, not wanting Dewey or Mr. Soo to spot her, afraid that if she saw either of them before dinner, she might say something about her meeting with Ned and Fiona. She didn’t want to do that until she found out if Ned was successful in his meeting with Mr. Soo. If he was, she intended to surprise them at dinner tonight. Mr. Soo was treating everyone to dinner at Mama’s Fish House.

  She made herself a sandwich, got a glass of iced tea, and went out to the front lanai. She ate her lunch at the end railing, looking at the Soo home, hoping she would be able to make it hers and stay close to her friends. All except Dewey, and he was as close to Maui as he was to New York. Annie, George, Mr. Soo, and all his windsurfing friends were here, much better than traveling to New York. Layla felt assured Dewey would visit often.

  Last night had been such fun. Everyone had gone to Spreckles Beach at high tide to watch the windsurfers. Mr. Soo had not seen them up close, and he was thrilled. Afterward, they went to a beach fish shack and had baskets of fish and chips; they sat at a beachside table, ate dinner, and talked well after sunset.

  Layla spent the next couple of hours killing time, hoping she would hear from Ned before the Boones returned home. Her cell rang, and she jumped, grabbing it out of her shorts pocket.

  “Hello, Layla speaking.”

  “Layla, it’s Ned. I just finished talking with Mr. Soo, and he is thrilled at the deal. I’ll draw the papers up tonight, talk with your trust officer tomorrow, and this should be in the works in a couple of days. Be sure you call your trust officer. Tell him what is going on and to expect my call.”

  “Ned, that’s terrific news. You made sure not to mention my name?”

  “I told Mr. Soo once he was presented with the final papers to sign, he would know the name of the buyer, but currently, the buyer wished to remain anonymous. Just between us, I think he believes it’s a celebrity.”

  “That’s so cute. I’m having dinner with him, George, Annie, and Dewey tonight, and I’ll break the news to him them. Hope he won’t be too disappointed. And I’ll be sure and phone my trust officer tomorrow morning. Thank you, Ned. Both you and Fiona have been very professional and swift with this transaction. Please tell Fiona she and I will have to start working on the remodeling project immediately after all the paperwork is completed.”

  “No problem. She is already lining up people to do the work. Fiona is a person who makes plans ahead of time.”

  “That’s great. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, and thanks again.” Layla was thrilled and excited; she could hardly wait for dinner this evening.

  Everyone was seated, drinks had been served, and Mr. Soo had ordered appetizers. Mr. Soo cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention, then said, “I have some good news. My former home has been sold. I do not know yet who the buyer is and won’t until the final papers are signed. However, I believe it might be some big celebrity.”

  Appetizers arrived, and everyone began eating, forgetting about the possible celebrity who bought Mr. Soo’s former home.

  Enjoying either tea or coffee after dessert, Layla saw her opportunity and said, “I know who’s buying your home, Mr. Soo.”

  “You do?” Mr. Soo questioned.

  “I bought it.”

  “What?” Dewey exclaimed.

  “Excellent,” said Mr. Soo. “I’ll have a lovely lady to take to Otis’s.”

  George grabbed Annie’s thigh under the table, too startled to utter a word.

  “Oomph,” Annie said in reaction to George’s pressure on her thigh.

  “I realize some of you may think I’ve lost my mind, but I feel like I belong here and I want to live here permanently. Fiona has already begun lining up workers to help restore Mr. Soo’s home. Annie and George, I can assure you I will be out of your hair just as soon as possible. We will finish first with the kitchen, the master bedroom, and then I can move in and finish up with everything else. That should take no more than three months according to Fiona.”

  George’s squeeze on Annie’s thigh became even more intense.

  “I’m glad you have decided to stay here with your friends,” said Dewey. “Will you have much work to do on your new home?”

  “I can answer that,” said Mr. Soo. “She will have a great deal of restoring to do. Mrs. Soo never remodeled, and she divided rooms off with those silly Shoji screens. It drove me crazy, opening and closing them all the time. Layla has undertaken a costly project, but with her restoration background, she is more than up to the task.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Soo. It is a large task, but the wood in your home is wonderful, and bringing it back to its original state will be a joy.”

  “It will be nicer to come to Maui to visit than to New York. Sure you don’t want to move to Salt Lake City?” Dewey asked with a grin.

  Layla was the only one at the table not knowing he was asking a serious question. “Nope, I’m setting down my roots here, and, Dewey, I expect to have you as a regular guest.”

  Annie found her voice after forcing George’s hand from her thigh. “Layla, I’m so happy for you, and I think you have made a wise decision to stay here where all of us can be your extended family.”

  “Thank you, Annie. I hope you and George can put up with me until the house is semicompleted. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. You know, I could always get a hotel room. I wouldn’t mind.”

  “Heavens no, you’re staying with us, right, George?”

  “Huh,” George said.

  Annie could tell George was still in a state of shock and suggested they leave the restaurant.

  They walked to Pearl where everyone piled in, and George drove back home. He stopped at Mr. Soo’s and let Dewey and Mr. Soo out; Layla said she would go with them as Dewey said he would show her the video game he and his team were working on, the one he had brought for Mr. Soo’s approval.

  Annie gave Layla her key to the back door and said to be sure it was securely locked when she came in if she and George were already in bed.

  Once inside, George made sure everything was locked, set the air on low, and went into the bedroom. He undressed, brushed his teeth, took off his glasses, and laid them on his nightstand, then crawled into bed. Having trouble sleeping, he realized he was mad at Layla for asking or assuming something, like being able to stay with them, and putting them on the spot by asking in front of Mr. Soo
and Dewey. Most of all, he was mad at Annie for giving approval without even asking him, not even considering the lack of privacy and intimacy her living with them for months would mean. George felt they had renewed their close and often playful relationship that waned during the years the kids were growing up and both of them were working so hard. Now they were enjoying this renewed closeness, but obviously, his wife did not share his feelings. George felt hurt, sad, and betrayed.

  Annie needed a cup of coffee, and instead of starting the pot, she made a cup of instant. She needed to talk to George about Layla staying several months while Mr. Soo’s former home was being made livable. She sat at the counter and finally walked into the bedroom, looking for George. Finding him in bed, asleep, surprised her because he didn’t even say good night. She hoped he wasn’t feeling ill.

  Annie walked back to the kitchen, got her coffee, and went to the living room to read a couple of chapters in her current book. Finally feeling tired, she went into the bathroom and got ready for bed. Getting into bed, she kissed George softly on his back. He hadn’t said or kissed her good night; she knew he was angry. They would talk in the morning and get everything straightened out.

  CHAPTER 33

  Early the next morning, George got out of bed, trying not to wake Annie. He was awake when Annie came to bed and kissed him on the back; he thought about confronting her then, but he wanted his comments to be concise and clear. He put on his running shorts, shoes, and slipped on an old T-shirt, then went out to the kitchen to start the coffee. He sat at the counter with his coffee and cereal, doing the morning crossword when Annie came out.

  “That coffee smells great. I need a cup of the good stuff. Made myself a cup of instant last night, but it doesn’t hit the spot like this brew.” She poured herself a cup.

  George finished his breakfast, took his dishes, rinsed them off, and placed them in the dishwasher.

  “I’m going for a run,” he said and headed out the back door.

  Annie watched him as he ran down the sand and knew he was still mad. She began to surmise that Layla, whether she realized it or not, had placed them in a bad spot last night by asking in front of Dewey and Mr. Soo about extending her stay for several months. Invited for a week or so was one thing, but two or three months was something else. Annie felt antsy and thought a run might be best for her too; she needed to clear her head in order to talk with George about the situation. She made herself some toast, had another cup of coffee, then went back into the bedroom, and changed into her running attire. Returning to the kitchen, she found Layla pouring herself a cup of coffee.

  “I’m going for a run. You can keep the key I gave you last night. I found another one and put it on my key ring. Be sure and lock up if you leave. George is also running, and he always carries his key.”

  Without waiting for a reply, Annie was out the door.

  “Wow,” Layla said quietly, “someone must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed.”

  She wasn’t going to let Annie’s shortness diminish the joy she was feeling. The only thing she felt bad about was this was Dewey’s last evening on Maui. She was glad Annie and George was having everyone over for grilled steaks. George had also invited the sheriff to join them; the whole group would be together for Dewey’s final evening. It was not quite eight o’clock, maybe Dewey and Mr. Soo hadn’t gone to Otis’ yet, and she could join them for a final breakfast. She got her cell and dialed Dewey. He told her they had just got coffee and were trying to decide what to order, they would wait for her but to hurry; they were hungry.

  George finished his run; the strenuous pace he maintained did nothing to diminish his anger. He unlocked the door, then went to take a shower.

  Annie came back and heard the shower running. She decided maybe if she joined George in the shower, they could kiss and make up and work through this dilemma. She went into the bathroom, undressed, and opened the shower door about to step in when George turned off the water, grabbed a towel, and stepped out, saying, “I’m done, it’s all yours.”

  Annie walked into the shower and turned on the water, putting her face up to the spray. She wanted to hide her tears. She knew George was very mad at her, and all she wanted to do was grab him, hug and kiss him, and find out what she could do to rectify the situation. As soon as she was out of the shower, they must talk.

  George finished dressing and went out to the kitchen for lunch. He found some tuna salad and made a sandwich, along with a glass of iced tea. He opened up the lanai sliders and walked out, sat down at the table, and began to eat.

  He had just finished and was drinking the last of his iced tea when Annie came out on the lanai. She sat down at the table and looked at him, a worried frown on her face.

  “Honey, I know you’re mad at me, and I realize it has to do with Layla staying with us for several months. What can I do to fix things?”

  “It appears you did it all. You gave your consent for both of us. I don’t seem to have a say in the matter.” That said, George got up took his dishes inside and put them in the dishwasher.

  “George, I felt trapped. It wasn’t right that she asked us in front of others. I didn’t know what to say.”

  “Well, why did you have to say anything, or at least say ‘George and I will discuss it’? No, you happily agreed right away. I know many times you think you run our marriage, and I go along because most of the time I agree with you. However, this time you were wrong. Well, on second thought, maybe you’re not into our newfound relationship as much as I am. Maybe I’m just seeing things for the first time.”

  Annie gasped, but before she could say anything, Layla unlocked the door and came into the kitchen. “Hi, folks, had a final breakfast with Dewey and Mr. Soo, then joined them on their constitutional.”

  “Lovely, I’m going to the grocery to get beer for tonight. Do you need anything while I’m there?” George asked.

  “Yes, I’ll make you a list,” Annie said, walking inside and taking a small memo pad and pencil out of a drawer.

  “I’m capable of making a list. What do you need?” George took the pad and pencil from her hand.

  Annie walked to the refrigerator and opened the door, peering inside. “We need a dozen eggs, another big can of Yuban, a couple of Maui onions if you can find them. If not, don’t get any.” She shut the door and scratched her forehead, trying to remember if she needed anything else. Her mind was so muddled with what George had said, and not being able to respond was only making things worse.

  “Be sure that is all you need. I’m not going back out once I get home,” George said sharply.

  Layla stood at the door, dumbfounded, watching the exchange between them.

  Finally, she realized they both were looking at her, and she said she was going to make a sandwich and have a glass of tea. She opened the breadbox and Annie said to add bread to the list and a pound of soft butter.

  George got his wallet out and checked the bills, knowing he did not have enough for his expanding list. He slammed the wallet down on the counter and went to their bedroom, getting into the closet safe, retrieving a couple of fifties. He went back to the kitchen, opened his wallet, and placed the bills inside. He tore the list off the memo pad, grabbed his car keys, and left.

  After he was gone, Annie could hardly hold back the tears. She opened the refrigerator door and took out the big bowl of potato salad she had prepared yesterday and gave it a good stirring. She then got the filet steaks she had laid out to thaw and prepared them for grilling. She rubbed salt, pepper, and garlic powder on them; wrapped a strip of bacon around each; placed them in a glass dish; covered it with aluminum foil; and put everything back in the refrigerator. Going to both bathrooms, she picked up the dirty towels and brought them to the washer. She got the washer going and went back into the kitchen to fix herself a sandwich and glass of tea.

  “Annie, I can only assume you and George are having
a disagreement. I’m sorry, is there anything I can do to help? Get out of your way or anything?”

  Annie had poured her iced tea and was beginning to prepare her sandwich. That was all she could take; she sat things down, rushed off to the bedroom, slammed the door, and cried. After about ten minutes, she got control of herself and went back out to the kitchen. Layla had finished making Annie a sandwich and placed it and the tea back in the refrigerator.

  “Here, let me get your sandwich and tea. Sit at the counter,” she instructed Annie. “Do you want to talk about anything?”

  “No.”

  “OK, just eat then. You had a good run. You need the protein.”

  Layla left Annie at the counter and went to her bedroom where she placed a call to her trust officer. She explained everything and gave him Ned’s phone number. He told her he would call Ned and have him fax a copy of the signed documents, and they would then be able to work out all the details. Layla felt buoyed, then remembered the drama going on between Annie and George and just shook her head in disbelief. She returned to the kitchen, just as Annie finished her lunch and George drove back into the garage with the groceries. He brought the groceries into the kitchen, and Annie put things away. He grabbed a cold beer from the refrigerator and went out on the front lanai. Instead of sitting in the glider, where he and Annie usually sat, he sat in the lounge chair with his beer and the rest of the day’s paper to finish reading.

  Annie came out, and seeing him in the lounge chair, she sighed and sat in the glider. “George, we really must talk. This thing between us is driving me crazy. Honey, I love you so much, I never want anything I do to come between us, especially something I do without thinking. I’m sorry, and you are right, I should have talked things over with you.”