Belle was right. I’d had no choice. I had discovered the truth of Richard’s death. Now was the time to discover the
truth of his life. And mine.
“Belle—”
The heart hears far more than words say. Or perhaps my voice said it all.
Belle’s pale face was grave and thoughtful. “I’ll be leaving soon, too. I believe I’ll go to London for a while. Keith is going back to Texas. I’ll be getting a divorce.” Her tone brooked no discussion. This was now and would forever be a closed chapter. She would never speak about the reason this marriage had failed or what Keith’s promiscuity had cost her. Or the terrible price she’d paid because of Gretchen’s anger.
Then Belle’s eyes met mine directly, with no pretense. “I’ve never been unfaithful in marriage, Henrie O.”
Those words were meant for me. I knew that.
She reached out, gently clasped my hand. “We should have been friends, Henrie O. Because we both cared so much for Richard. He was the best friend I ever had.” She sighed and looked out into the valley. “I should not have taken advantage of that friendship.”
I scarcely breathed. Why had Richard always hurried to her side, whenever Belle called?
She dropped my hand, smoothed back her hair, looked at me steadily. “I saved Richard’s life in Vietnam. When our patrol was attacked and we escaped, I grabbed a dead soldier’s rifle. Richard and I found an abandoned rubber plantation. We hid there. The next day, when Richard was drawing water from a well, a sniper shot at him. I heard the shot. I took the rifle and wormed my way to the clearing. I killed the sniper. I made Richard promise he would never tell anyone. He kept his promise.”
I looked at her with a rush of affection. I understood her request. I’d read her book. This was not a woman who sought attention. She wanted to do her job and leave it at that. If word had got out that she’d saved Richard, there would have been stories, interviews, admiration. Belle didn’t want that kind of admiration.
I knew then why Richard had valued her friendship, how much it had meant to him. I knew that he must have wanted to tell me why he felt so in her debt. But being Richard, a promise made was a promise kept.
“I didn’t expect him to repay me.” Belle looked at me for understanding. “But I’m afraid he felt in my debt. Whenever I asked him for help, he came.”
So now I knew.
“Thank you, Belle.”
We embraced. Then I turned to leave.
“Before you go,” Belle said quickly. She snapped two blossoms from one of the hibiscus shrubs. She handed one to me.
“For Richard,” she said quietly, and she threw her blossom into the valley.
I held the bloom against my face for a moment, gave the flower a gentle kiss. I lifted my arm and let go, let go of pain and anger, fear and jealousy.
The pink blossoms drifted on a wind current, down, down, down toward the kukui trees.
Acknowledgments
I am especially indebted to three wonderful librarians who read the manuscript of Death in Paradise. My thanks go to Caroline Spencer, Director, Hawaii State Library, Honolulu; Marya Zoller, librarian in the Hawaii and Pacific Section, Hawaii State Library, Honolulu; and Alice Miles, library assistant, Kalihi-Palama Library, Honolulu. I am also indebted to fellow mystery writer Connie Shelton, whose knowledge of and affection for Kauai were of great help to me.
About the Author
An acknowledged master of mystery and spinetingling suspense, CAROLYN HART has written three previous Henrie O mysteries: Dead Man’s Island (an Agatha Award-winner), Scandal in Fair Haven (nominated for and has won multiple Agatha and a Macavity Award) and Death in Lovers' Lane. She has been nominated for the books in her popular “Death on Demand” series, the most recent of which is Yankee Doodle Dead. One of the founders of Sisters in Crime, Ms. Hart lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
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Praise for Carolyn Hart, Henrie O, and DEATH IN PARADISE
“HART AGAIN IS IN TOP FORM with skillful plotting and characterization…She is especially successful in creating a complete character in Henrie. This is a senior citizen who refreshingly fits no stereotype, a woman who is as independent, confident and capable as anyone half her age…. In Death In Paradise, Hart continues to show that she is an expert at seamless storytelling.”
Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
“A VERY PERSONAL MYSTERY…Hart has always been a fine writer, but her work gets better with each novel. In Death in Paradise, the reader is captured by the depth of the mood Hart creates in each scene. The award-winning author has a sure winner this time.”
Oklahoma City Oklahoman
“HENRIE O IS THE JANE MARPLE OF THE ’90S.” Aaron Elkins
“READERS CAN USUALLY COUNT ON HART FOR A WINNING WRITING STYLE, ENGAGING CHARACTERS AND A CLEVER PLOT, AND HER LATEST IS NO EXCEPTION…Hart fans will find plenty to like in this latest installment in a popular series.”
Booklist
“IT’S ALWAYS A DELIGHT TO FIND A NEW BOOK
BY CAROLYN HART.”
Chattanooga Times
“HART IS AT HER AWARD-WINNING BEST as she tightens the suspense and keeps the killer’s identity out of focus until the cliffhanging finale…A cast of murder suspects as exotic as Belle’s dramatic mountainside home…Henrietta O’Dwyer Collins, better known as just Henrie O, proves that toughness is more a mental attitude than a physical attribute in her fourth outing.”
Publishers Weekly
“I’VE MISSED MISS MARPLE…THIS SIXTYSOMETHING SLEUTH IS DEFINITELY HER UPDATED, STREET-SMART SISTER UNDER THE SKIN.” Margaret Maron
“IT TAKES OFF LIKE AN OLYMPIC SPRINTER OFF THE BLOCKS…The denouement is surprising, but utterly logical…The cast would do Agatha Christie proud.”
Los Angeles Times
“CAROLYN HART EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF AGATHA CHRISTIE MORE THAN ANY OTHER CONTEMPORARY MYSTERY WRITER. With her energy, ingenuity, and sparkling sense of humor, Hart writes stories that Dame Agatha herself would have loved.” Dean James, co-author of By a Woman’s Hand
“HART TAKES THE READER ON A TIGHTLY WRITTEN AND SUSPENSE-FILLED RIDE THAT IS HARD TO PUT DOWN…She emotionally opens up Henrie O to the reader, offering a character who is both sensitive and filled with anger and pain.”
Huntsville Times
“A SASSY HEROINE…She says what she thinks (when it serves her purposes) and pulls no punches. Think of today’s no-nonsense Lauren Bacall.” Chicago Sun-Times
“CAROLYN HART IS A SHINING STAR IN THE MYSTERY GALAXY.”
Jackson Clarion-Ledger
“CAROLYN HART IS A JOY TO READ. She is literate, entertaining, and her Henrie O is a delightful addition to the world of the ‘no-longer-as-young-as-they-were’ sleuths.” Glen Cove Record-Pilot
“HART GIVES A SENSITIVE, INTROSPECTIVE NATURE TO A SUSPENSEFUL STORY…Mystery lovers won’t want to pass up this opportunity to help Henrie O put her past to rest and solve three murders along the way. Sit back and enjoy the twists and turns…and you’ll see why Hart is an award-winning writer.”
Green Bay Press-Gazette
Also by Carolyn Hart
Henrie O
DEAD MAN’S ISLAND SCANDAL IN FAIR HAVEN DEATH IN LOVERS’ LANE DEATH ON THE RIVER WALK
Death on Demand
DEATH ON DEMAND DESIGN FOR MURDER SOMETHING WICKED HONEYMOON WITH MURDER A LITTLE CLASS ON MURDER DEADLY VALENTINE THE CHRISTIE CAPER SOUTHERN GHOST MINT JULEP MURDER YANKEE DOODLE DEAD
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEATH IN PARADISE. Copyright © 1998 by Carolyn Hart. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-
exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
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