Spoils of Eden

by Linda Lee Chaikin

“And I wanted to see Silas? Nonsense.”

  “All right. Let’s go through this again.”

  Eden joined them. “Tell them exactly what you saw, Zachary.”

  “Silas broke into Nora’s room to steal some diamonds she keeps,” Zachary said firmly. “I know, because she told me she keeps them there. If anything happened to her, she said, they were to go to Eden, because she hadn’t included them in her will.”

  “Silas wouldn’t risk his future for so small a treasury,” Rafe said. “He has much greater treasure on his mind.”

  Eden looked at Rafe with surprise. Rafe was beginning to sound like Zachary. Rafe ignored her frown and continued.

  “You were there at dinner that night when Ainsworth all but crowned Silas the golden boy of the Derrington legacy.”

  Zachary ran his fingers through his hair. “Yes, how could I forget? And now all that remains is for Ainsworth to hand him the crown jewels.”

  Rafe looked at him sharply. “Exactly. So ask yourself why Silas would risk the Derrington crown by breaking into Tamarind to steal a few diamonds—a brooch or some earbobs.”

  “If it is Townsend, as you insist, wouldn’t I have recognized my own father on the lanai, and at Tamarind?”

  “I thought you were tackled by someone coming out of Nora’s room?”

  “I was!”

  “You told me the lights went out when he opened the door, is that right?”

  Zachary stopped pacing, and by his scowl it was clear that Rafe’s reasoning was becoming feasible.

  “Then, also,” Rafe said, “it may have happened too fast for you to see his face. Right?”

  “Well—yes. It was dark.” His voice calmed. “But on the lanai at Hawaiiana, I got a look at him.”

  “You must have been a good twenty-five feet away from him on the lanai, Zach,” Rafe said.

  Eden looked at Zachary. “Candace insists it was you she saw on the lanai outside Nora’s sitting room. I made a point of asking her.”

  A light rain again begin to rap on the windowpanes.

  “Well, why shouldn’t she have seen me on the lanai?” Zachary said uneasily, looking from Eden to Rafe. “I was there—” he stopped short. “Wait!”

  “What’s wrong?” Rafe asked.

  Zachary looked pale. “She couldn’t have seen me. Because I was on the far side of the lanai, near those flowering vines, and I couldn’t see Candace’s room.”

  “You’re right, Zach. From the guest room where Candace stayed, you can’t see the far side.”

  “Yes! When I first followed whom I thought was Silas up to the house, he went one direction, toward Nora’s room, and I climbed up near the vines to keep out of sight.”

  “Candace must have seen Townsend,” Rafe said, “covered up with a jacket and a hat. And his posture can look a lot like your father’s, especially at that distance.”

  There was a rapping on the front door. A minute later the Hawaiian serving man entered with Ambrose.

  Ambrose, his frock coat wet and his hat askew, looked at Eden, then scanned the room with a grave face.

  “I’ve news that wouldn’t wait, so I had Liho bring me over on his boat.”

  “Cousin Liho, where is he?” Keno asked.

  “Still on the boat. He preferred to stay.”

  Rafe took his uncle’s hat and wet coat. “What news, Ambrose? It must be important for you to come here now.”

  “It is.” He looked at Zachary, who stood tensely watching. “It’s your father. It isn’t pleasant news. Why don’t you have a seat, Zachary, my lad.”

  “I—I don’t expect anything good from him. Go ahead. I can handle it.”

  Eden’s heart was thudding.

  Ambrose looked at Rafe. “It is as we thought all along. Townsend was responsible for Matt’s death, just as Ling said.”

  Rafe stood perfectly still.

  Eden’s hands tightened. She moved to Rafe’s side, her hand on his arm.

  How had Ambrose known about Ling? Rafe must have told him. She shouldn’t have been surprised. Ling had been here at Hanalei for some weeks, and Rafe was in Honolulu at the Legislature a mere two days ago.

  “I was with Ainsworth at Kea Lani, preparing him for the onslaught I knew would be coming, when Townsend burst in,” Ambrose said. He shook his head sadly. “Townsend was in a bitter foment. At first he denied everything we put to him. Then he became arrogant. He admitted deliberately setting fire to Ling’s hut to silence Ling and his wife. He’s admitted the worst, Rafe. When you were a lad, Townsend left Matt to die in the lava bed where he’d fallen in an argument over Celestine. He claims he didn’t think Matt would live anyway, but even if it wasn’t murder, it’s willful contributory neglect toward manslaughter.”

  “He wanted my father dead.” Rafe’s chiseled jaw set. “He wanted Celestine and Hanalei. Where is he now?”

  “He’s fled the Islands.”

  In the days following, evidence against Townsend accumulated. Eden received a letter from Great-aunt Nora and Candace. Candace wrote that she’d seen the truth about Townsend while they’d all been having breakfast at Tamarind the morning before Eden and Zachary set out for the Big Island.

  When I stepped out on the lanai, Great-aunt Nora called from the table, “Do you see Zachary below in the garden?” I was about to answer, “Yes, he’s here now,” when I realized with a shock that it was Townsend ducking behind the trees. It struck me like a flash that it had been Townsend I saw on the lanai outside Nora’s room.

  I never thought much about the lanai incident after I told Rafe what I’d seen, until the night of the dinner. Eden, you were so insistent, wanting to make absolutely certain it was Zachary that I saw. I remember watching you leave the bedroom, and I thought for the first time, Am I certain? As it turned out, I was wrong.

  After I told this to Great-aunt Nora here at Tamarind, she confessed that she, too, now believed it was Townsend. Nora has sadly told Uncle Jerome and me that, “It was my own nephew Townsend who’d exchanged Dr. Bolton’s heart medicine.”

  I’ll let her finish this letter.

  Candace.

  That afternoon when we were at Hanalei, I remained in the sitting room off from the guest bedroom after everyone left me. We’d just had that dreadful row between Zachary and Silas over the Gazette. After you, dear Eden, left to go up to the nursery to see Noelani, I sat there thinking how dreadful jealousy can be. I must have dozed off for a few minutes, for when I awoke, I found Townsend standing there by my chair watching me. He had the saddest look on his face. Unusual for Townsend, as we all know.

  Where did you come from? I asked him rather sharply, for he had startled me. He claimed he was looking for Celestine. Perhaps he was. I stood up to leave and get dressed for the dinner that night when I dropped my knitting bag. Townsend insisted on picking it up, along with some items that had rolled out. I believe it was then that the evil idea took root in his heart—and he must have slipped the prescription bottle into his pocket in order to change the medication. Later, in my room, when I looked for the bottle in my knitting bag, it wasn’t there. But strangely, after dinner, it was in the bag again. At the time I thought I must have previously overlooked it. Now, unfortunately, I realize I hadn’t.

  Then, weeks later after I returned to Tamarind, on more than one occasion I saw Townsend about the property watching the house. At times, from a distance I thought it was Zachary. Remember the binoculars? Well, this time when I saw him I wanted to make certain. It was Townsend. I believe he was waiting for me to take the medicine and pass from this world. (I do so hate saying, “waiting for me to die from the poison.” It’s still painful for me to think of Townsend that way.)

  It may be he wasn’t planning to hasten my death, but to permanently weaken my health so I would turn over my financial assets to him. I had once mentioned doing so, but after he became such a tyrant to Celestine, I changed my plans and altered my will, though I never informed Townsend.

  I believe he learned I was wri
ting about Matt Easton’s suspicious death in my Derrington family history book. I remember having seen Townsend walk out to meet Matt in the field on the day of his accident so long ago on Hanalei. However, after Matt’s death, Townsend claimed he’d not been there on that day.

  Why would he say such a thing? I wondered. It caused me to recall that at the time Ling worked for Matt. Ling came running up to me speaking Chinese-English that I couldn’t quite understand. Later, of course, I realized he was trying to say, “Townsend and Matt Easton.”

  Unfortunately, I’ve waited much too long to deal with this apparent injustice done both to Matt and dear Rafe.

  Nora

  The next morning Eden left Hanalei for Honolulu with Zachary and Ambrose. As she boarded the Lily of the Stars, it was with a heavy heart. Rafe stood on the wharf, a handsome, robust figure who seemed to be offering her a paradise of their own, if only she would stay.

  Ambrose came up and stood beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders. “Cast aside your gloom, my dear,” Ambrose told her with a warm, encouraging voice. “The onward path, so full of obstacles, still leads God’s children in the way that is everlasting. As for our earthly fathers, they are not always what we wish for them to be. How much more wonderful is our heavenly Father, who is never absent and never late, always knows every detail of the problems we confront, and has determined to work His perfect will in all things.”

  Tears came to her eyes. She blinked them back, still looking toward Rafe.

  “By God’s grace you’ll both arrive where He intends. Believe that, Eden. I know Rafe does. He told me so this morning.”

  Eden thought of the others in and out of the family she loved. She trusted they would have their arrivals, too. They will—if they surrender their plans and desires to the will of the Father. In His will there can be perfect peace.“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.” The peace that passes understanding-even in the midst of the storm.

  That faithful promise alone was enough to sweep her heart clean of the recent dark concerns.

  Before she boarded the Lily of the Stars, Rafe had taken her left hand and looked to see that the engagement ring was still there. “Aloha, my sweet. Till we meet again.” His energetic dark eyes had spoken far more.

  Aboard the boat Eden lifted her hand to wave at him. “Aloha,” she whispered into the trade wind. “Till we meet again—don’t ever forget I love you.”

  THE END OF BOOK ONE

  Read more about Eden and Rafe, Candace

  and Keno, Molokai, and the Revolution

  in book two of The Dawn of Hawaii series.

  THE FAMILIAR STRANGER

  Denise wonders why her husband, Craig, has been so distant. Was it his job? The family? Her? When she gets the phone call that he has been in an accident, she rushes to his side. While keeping vigil by his bedside, she determines to make the marriage work. Perhaps this is the chance for a fresh start.

  And when Craig regains consciousness, he appears to want the same thing—except for one small problem. He doesn’t remember who she is; nor does he remember anything about their life together, their children, or his career.

  As he struggles to regain his memory, ugly secrets begin to emerge. Can Denise deal with what she learns?

  RAISING RAIN

  Raised to be a “new woman” by her mother and three college roommates in the 70s amid anti-war protests, feminist rallies, and finals, Rain Rasmussen discovers that putting her career first has left her overdrawn at the egg-bank, and her baby fever has now driven off her significant other.

  When her terminally ill mother demands a Celebration of Life before she dies, they all confront ghosts from the past on a stormy weekend in Monterey. Bebe, the roommate closest to Rain’s heart, revisits choices that made the most impact on Rain, raising doubts about God’s—and her own—willingness to forgive and to be forgiven.

  LATTER-DAY CIPHER

  When rebellious Utah socialite Kirsten Young is found murdered in Provo Canyon with strange markings carved into her flesh and a note written in 19th-century code, questions arise about the old laws of the Mormon Church. Journalist Selonnah Zee is assigned the story—which quickly takes on a life of its own. Even before the first murder is solved several more victims appear, each one more mysterious than the last.

  Adding to a slew of other distractions, Selonnah’s cousin Roger has recently converted and is now a public spokesperson for the Mormon faith. But paradoxically, Roger’s wife, Eliza, is struggling to hold on to the Mormon beliefs of her childhood. If something is really from God, she wonders, why does it need to be constantly revised? And could the murderer be asking the same questions?

  THE MISSIONARY

  David Eller is an American missionary in Venezuela, married to missionary nurse Christie. Together they rescue homeless children in Caracas. But for David, that isn’t enough. The supply of homeless children is endless because of massive poverty and the oppressive policies of the Venezuelan government, led by the Hugo Chavez-like Armando Guzman.

  In a moment of anger, David publicly rails against the government, unaware that someone dangerous might be listening—a revolutionary looking for recruits. David falls into an unimaginable nightmare of espionage, ending in a desperate, life-or-death gamble to flee the country with his wife and son, with all the resources of a corrupt dictatorship at their heels.

  MISS FORTUNE

  In 1947 Allie Fortune is the only female private investigator in New York City, but she’s kept awake at night by a mystery of her own: her fiancé disappeared in the war and no one knows if he’s still alive. When there’s a knock on her office door at four in the morning, Allie suspects trouble as usual, and Mary Gordon is no exception. Mary claims someone is following her, that her apartment has been ransacked, and that she’s been shot at. Allie takes the case, and in the process discovers an international mystery that puts her own life in danger.

  MISS MATCH

  FBI agent Jack O’Connor receives a letter from Maggie, a woman he used to love, saying she’s in trouble in Berlin. The FBI refuses to get involved, so Jack asks Allie Fortune to help him investigate. Allie and Jack pose as a missionary couple who want to bring orphans back to the United States. A child finds important documents that everyone in the city—Soviets and allies alike—want for themselves. Maggie refuses to tell Jack what the documents are, saying if things go wrong, they are better off not knowing. Through the course of the search, Allie’s past is brought back to her, half a world away from home.