Beach Happens (Hawaii Heat, #2)

by Jamie K. Schmidt

  Crap on toast. There was no one around. She turned to hurry back into the building, but another thug came out of the door she was about to go it. She had an instant to hope that maybe they were looking for Amelia and not her, but the thug made eye contact and she knew it was on. She recognized it as the man who had given Marcus Tetsuo’s regards while they were in Ho’okipa.

  “I’m probably going to head out to the beach tomorrow for some surfing, if you’d like to shoot a board at my head.” She surreptitiously reached into her bag for her phone.

  “Mr. Hojo would like to speak with you.”

  Holding eye contact, Michaela pressed a few buttons, hoping it would redial Marcus. “Is he one of the two gentlemen over there?” She jerked her thumb to the two guys by the car.

  And when he looked over, she pulled out the phone. Staring at the screen, she had redialed Gerald. “Fuck,” she said, before she could stop herself.

  A large hand closed over her phone. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to confiscate this for the time being.”

  “And why is that?” she asked, with her hands on her hips. Michaela looked around desperately for anyone who could help, but the parking lot was bare and no one was close enough to come to her aid.

  “Please come with us.”

  “How about I just follow you in my car? That way you don’t have to drive all the way back here.”

  The man considered her question. “One of my guys will drive your car. You ride with us.”

  “I just want to be clear,” she said, hoping that he hadn’t disconnected the phone call. If Gerald was listening in, maybe he could call the police. “I don’t have a choice whether or not to go with you, do I? You’re forcing me against my will to meet Tetsuo Hojo?”

  “We can do it the easy way. Or the hard way. I prefer the easy way.” He pointed to his friends. “They prefer the hard way.”

  Michaela half expected them to be leering and cracking their knuckles, but they were just waiting for her to decide.

  “Where are you taking me?” She gave up, handing him Amelia’s keys.

  He tossed them to one of the goons and opened the door to a big sedan for her. “Wailea. Mr. Hojo has a property there that he’d like you to see.”

  Well, she was certainly getting a tour of the island. North Shore yesterday, West Maui today. Hopefully, she wouldn’t end up at the emergency room again.

  “Can I have my phone back?” she asked.

  “After your meeting with Mr. Hojo.”

  She had a feeling if she whipped out the laptop to try and send an email, it would go flying out the window. So she spent the next half hour trying not to let her imagination get away with her. Was this how they kidnapped Amelia? Would they try and ransom her back to get the Kincaides to sell? What would they do to her when they refused?

  She was surprised when they turned into the most luxurious hotel she had ever seen. It was the Kaimana Beach Resort, which ironically was Gerald’s first choice as their honeymoon hotel.

  “Follow me, please,” her kidnapper said, getting out of the car. The valet gave them tickets for both vehicles while Michaela gaped at her surroundings.

  The lobby was teak wood with a plush carpet and shining marble on the walkways. Thick couches and pouf ottomans the same color as beach sand were sprinkled around the area. The ocean breeze swayed the palm trees and she could see the blue of the ocean, so bright it almost hurt to look at it.

  “How’s the surfing here?” she said, craning her neck to get a better look.

  “Snorkeling is better, but every now and then you can catch a wave.”

  The ocean called to her after spending most of the day inside, but she didn’t think her host would appreciate her paddling out. They led her into one of the hotel towers and then they took an elevator up to the top floor. Unlike Marcus’ suite, there were ten rooms on either side of the hallway. They went to room 1010 and walked in.

  Gerald would love this place.

  It was oozing with luxury and modern comforts. Not that she didn’t like those things, but it was a little cold and impersonal. It looked like every other luxury hotel she had ever in. She was sure the sheets on the bed were pure Egyptian cotton with a thread count that was closer to flannel than not. The comforter on the bed looked like it was softer than a cloud. There was a state-of-the-art entertainment center and quality artwork on the wall. The lighting was recessed and there was a docking station for a laptop and places to charge electronics. A designer bottle of water was settled into fresh ice on the desk along with a basket of snacks. Fresh flowers bloomed on the night stand, scenting the air with a soft, tropical fragrance.

  For someone who had been sleeping on a lumpy mattress with no amenities, she could admire it and look at the bed longingly. But, it didn’t have the shabby charm of the Palekaiko Beach Resort. It did have gangsters, though. And they were waiting for her out on the balcony.

  A small table was set up and a waitress uncovered the food as they came out. A slim Asian man with a cruel smile and mocking eyes, gestured her to sit across from him. In front of her was a Caesar salad and a glass of sparkling wine.

  In theory, she should have thrown it in his face. But she only had a PowerBar and a bag of stale Cheetos since breakfast, so she helped herself to a breadstick and sat down.

  “I’m so glad you were able to join me for dinner,” he said.

  “After reviewing my choices, it seemed the prudent thing to do.”

  He dismissed the thugs who had brought her here with a wave of his hand. “They can be a little over enthusiastic about my wishes.”

  “Like shooting a surfboard at someone’s head?” Michaela raised an eyebrow at him and dug into her salad.

  Tetsuo made a concerned face that was about as fake as her politeness. “I had heard about Mr. Kincaide’s accident. How is he doing?”

  “He’s fine. A little tired, but nothing seems to stop Marcus.” The Caesar dressing was easily the best she had ever tasted. The view off the balcony was mesmerizing. She could see the entire beach front and all of the ocean.

  “That’s Mokapu Beach,” he said.

  Michaela glanced down at the strip of white. It was no Kaanapali, but it was still beautiful.

  “This is a gorgeous resort,” she said, sipping her wine. It was a crisp Prosecco and her toes curled in happiness. “World class.” If only Marcus had been sitting across from her, instead of the man who brought her here under nefarious purposes, it would have been perfect.

  The door to the hotel room opened, and a woman stepped in carrying an ugly suitcase and a familiar carry-on.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, as the woman placed Michaela’s luggage on that big, beautiful bed.

  “I heard of your unfortunate situation. I was in the position to help. I’d like to offer you this room free for your length of stay, as a token of my good will.”

  “Why?” Michaela said. “How do you know I don’t already have a room?”

  “I have ears everywhere. Especially at the courthouse and records department. Did you find anything interesting today?” He looked at her over his wine glass.

  “You seem to be a few years behind in paying your taxes,” she said. It was public record.

  He shrugged. “I’ll get around to paying them before it becomes a problem.”

  Meaning he was probably greasing palms to keep from receiving dunning notices. What she didn’t tell him was she traced back a few holding companies to him and found that he was in a little more financial trouble than his surroundings indicated.

  “How did you get my things?” Michaela gestured to the maid who was unpacking her clothes and placing them into drawers. “Or do you have hands everywhere as well?”

  “Something like that,” he said. “Why are you so interested in my properties?

  “Why are you so interested in the Palekaiko Beach Resort?” she countered, pushing aside her salad plate.

  Immediately, it was whisked away and a battered lemon chicken
dish with rice pilaf was placed in front of her. Michaela tried to show a little restraint, but she was still hungry, so she dug in.

  “It used to be mine, you know?”

  Michaela nodded and swallowed. “Why did you sell it?”

  Tetsuo made a face and glared out into the ocean. “I had a moment of weakness, wanting to please my nephews. But even before then, the Palekaiko Beach Resort had been in my family for generations.

  Michaela frowned. “According to the land records, before the Kincaides bought it, it was owned by Mel Kawena.”

  “You have a good memory, Ms. Harris. I’m sure that helps you in your chosen profession. Were you planning on taking the bar exam here?”

  She wondered if he really knew she was an attorney, or if he was just fishing. Gerald had been required to get his license to practice in Hawaii from his firm. Her firm was more concerned with California law. They wanted her to specialize in divorce. Michaela was considering it, even though it wasn’t really her passion. Corporate law was more to her interest.

  She shook her head. “I’m just here on vacation.”

  “Honeymoon, don’t you mean.”

  Michaela’s face froze. “I said what I meant.” He must have spies everywhere, as well. She tried to rack her brains to remember who was in the lobby when she told her sob story to Hani.

  “Don’t be alarmed. It’s a small island. We like to talk.”

  She wondered if Marcus knew. She would have liked to have told him herself.

  “What would they tell me about Mel Kawena selling prime real estate to a mainlander?”

  Tetsuo’s lips twisted in a semblance of a smile. Happy that she scored a direct hit, Michaela went back to devouring the succulent chicken.

  “They would tell you a very tiresome story about a family feud. Kawena was my sister’s husband. He was a paniolo, a cowboy. He seduced my sister away from her family. It was a terrible mistake. Before we knew it, she was pregnant and wanted to marry the fool. My parents gave her the property that is now the Palekaiko Beach Resort. They lived there and raised two boys, Holt and Mike.”

  Michaela glanced up in surprise. Was it just coincidence? How many other Holts were there on the island?

  “So what happened?” she asked, soaking her rice in the yummy lemon sauce before spooning it into her mouth.

  “He was a cowboy, not a manager. He drove the resort into the ground and drank away the profits. I got my sister out of that situation, protected the boys and all I got for my trouble was his undying hate.”

  “You took his family away.”

  Tetsuo banged his fist on the table.

  “He didn’t deserve them.”

  Michaela flinched at the violence in his eyes. She was no longer hungry.

  “He sold the resort to the Kincaides to spite me. I would have bailed him out. I would have given them a nice stipend to live on, controlled by myself naturally.”

  “Naturally,” Michaela said.

  “It took a while and some planning, but the Kincaides eventually sold the resort to me.”

  “After you kidnapped Amelia,” she said.

  He gave a half smile, but didn’t deny the allegations.

  “If you think Marcus is going to sell it to you because you kidnapped me...”

  Tetsuo laughed in her face.

  Swallowing her anger, she glared at him.

  “My dear, you’ve been on the island five days.”

  “It’s been a long five days,” she noted.

  “You have a high opinion of yourself if you think you can get a man to sell a waterfront resort at a loss for you.”

  “Good,” she said. She didn’t want to be ransomed anyway. Still, it stung when he put it like that. “You had the resort. You got what you wanted. Why did you sell it back to them anyway?”

  “My nephews work there. They grew up there. They love that eye sore of a resort. They would have hated me for bulldozing over their childhood.”

  “Again.”

  He glared at her and she wondered if she pushed him too far with that comment. “So I made a deal. I figured there was no way in hell the Kincaides could make a profit in a year’s time. If they couldn’t, I would raze the place and put up condos. My nephews wouldn’t consider me the bad guy. It was a win-win situation.”

  “But you lost.” Yeah, definitely not winning any brownie points with him.

  “I did. I couldn’t go back on my word for personal and professional reasons. Although, I managed to raise the selling price a bit more than previously agreed on.” He smirked.

  “So now you’re trying to get it back by getting their licenses revoked and harassing them with legalities.”

  “I have an excellent lawyer.” He snapped his fingers, and dessert and coffee was brought out.

  Michaela argued to herself that even though Tetsuo was a douche, it didn’t mean that she couldn’t enjoy the crème brûlée.

  “How would you like to work for me?” he asked.

  “I have a job.”

  “I could set you up in your own law firm down here, after you pass the bar. Feed you some clients. What do you have waiting for you back in California? Your fiancé?”

  Michaela blinked at him. If he wasn’t such an evil bastard, she was being offered the gig of a lifetime. Her own firm? Instead of busting her ass to get to be a partner, she’d be her own boss. Make her own hours. She shook herself out of the tempting day dream. Tetsuo was a smart man and she couldn’t let her guard down.

  “Is that why am I here? So you can offer me a job? Why the gorgeous hotel room? I thought everything was booked for the surfing competitions this week.”

  Tetsuo was back to his fake smiles. “There are always rooms available. The fact that it’s been five days and Amelia hasn’t found you one should be a clue that the Palekaiko Resort is the armpit of Kaanapali. They can renovate as much as they want, but it’s like putting lipstick on a pig. Every business owner there wants condos instead of that resort. And they’re willing to help me obtain it.”

  “Seems a little unfair.”

  “Just think about my offer. Perhaps if you stayed in Maui longer, your fling with Marcus Kincaide could turn permanent. Perhaps you could influence him to consider another property. Maybe a coffee plantation upcountry? I think he’d make a better husband than Gerald Stone.”

  Pretty much anyone would at this point.

  “As you noted, it’s been less than a week,” she said.

  “I’m sure you’ll find that I’m a very reasonable man.”

  “When you’re getting what you want,” Michaela countered.

  He narrowed his eyes at her. “You may have noticed, the alternatives are not as pleasant.”

  “I will think about your kind offer.” Her answer was hell no, but this room was pretty nice, and it could give her an opportunity to observe Tetsuo up close. She didn’t trust him as far as she could throw him, though.

  He got up from the table. After snapping her fingers, her cell phone was returned to her along with a key folio with one key card in it. “Take your time. When you’re ready to return Amelia’s car to her, just ring for the valet from the room and it will be outside the lobby by the time you get downstairs. Enjoy your stay.”

  Michaela snagged his untouched dessert before his servant could. They all trailed out of her room and shut the door.

  Blissfully alone, she stared out into the ocean until it was too dark to see, tempted more than she’d like to admit by Tetsuo’s offer.

  Chapter Twelve

  Michaela parked amelia’s car in the parking garage and hung her keys up the peg behind the registration desk with Amelia’s name on it. Amelia had said to bring her laptop up to her room when she got back. She considered finding Hani or someone and getting them to do it because she didn’t feel like talking about her day right now. It would be so easy to drop it off and then turn right around and take a cab back to Wailea, where room service and that big, beautiful bed awaited her. But the luau was going on
full force, and she wandered outside to watch.

  “You look like you need some advice,” an older woman, with dark eyes stared up at her. She was dressed like a gypsy, with an island flair. She sat at a card table with a lacy tablecloth. Spread out in front of her were Tarot cards. The pin on her shirt said, Zarafina.

  “How much?” Michaela asked, taking a seat.

  “Ten dollars for ten minutes.”

  Michaela handed her the money.

  “Is there something special you would like to ask? If there’s romance in your future or a new job?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

  Zarafina shuffled the cards, the flashy rings on her fingers catching the light of the torches. “Cut them.”

  Michaela did and felt a tiny frisson of energy spark when she did. Must be static electricity.

  She dealt the cards with a practiced hand, doing a lot of “hmms” and “uh huhs.” Michaela waited, hoping to hear a good story.

  “I see a lover, a dark haired man.”

  She tried not to react. Marcus was blond.

  “He’s searching for you.”

  On the other hand, Gerald had dark, brown hair.

  “He has a selfish purpose.”

  Michaela leaned forward in her seat in spite of herself. Definitely Gerald.

  “He’s going to cause trouble for you. There’s a lot of trouble up ahead for you.”

  Michaela groaned. “That figures. Is there anything good?”

  “Oh yes,” she said. “The best. If the forces of evil are thwarted.”

  “Thwarting evil. Got it.” Michaela rose out of her chair. She had been hoping for a “you’re going to have fun, excitement and lots of sex before going back to work” type of reading. Heck, she would have settled for “you’re going to meet a tall, blond man who will give you a great orgasm.” Again. She sighed.

  “Wait,” the woman held out a hand.

  “You must tell him the truth.”

  “Who?”

  Zarafina looked at her. “You know who.”

  Ice tickled down Michaela’s spine. First Tetsuo knowing all about her, and now this crazy gypsy woman.