the edge of the tie out cable, yanking at it, then back to the other end where it was padlocked to the tree, scrabbling at it until her hands were bloody.
Terror held him still. She’ll kill me if she finds me or die trying, he thought. He waited until she finally sat on the fallen ice chest. He could see her trembling, and the asthma was back, muffling her voice as she cursed him.
It seemed like forever before she stood up, looking at the sun. She examined the contents of the ice chest, spilled on the ground. He had left a sandwich wrapped in plastic for her, and more water bottles. There was a bag of ice. She put the ice, food and water back in the chest, righted it. He could see her weighing where the drug might have come from, tearing a hole in the ice bag, taking a handful out and sucking it.
Good. He didn’t want her drugged all the time, she could die too soon.
She propped the shelter poles back up. Her body was trembling all over now, and the asthma was strangling her. She saw the inhaler where he had left it for her to find, and she pounced on it. Then she paused, considering, her wheezing, constricted breath audible even where he crouched among the ferns.
She must think it’s a trick, or drugged. He smiled in satisfaction. Gotta keep her guessing.
Finally she took two puffs of the inhaler and sat down, holding the vapor in her lungs as long as possible, sighing with relief as it took effect.
He moved away slowly, as one does when stalking something wild, careful not to make any noise. Eventually she would get hungry enough to eat, and the sandwich was fine. All of the water bottles were doctored, and he had a back up plan if she didn’t drink any. Wouldn’t it be funny if she deprived herself for nothing?
The thought was so satisfying he smiled, almost forgetting how terrified he had been of her-but not quite.
Chapter 23
Lei and Keiki pounded along Hilo Bay, past the hotels, under the massive banyans that buckled the sidewalk with their roots. It felt good to really stretch herself physically after the tension of the last few days, and she and the dog pushed their limits until Lei felt the knots inside loosening. By then they were at the park, jogging along the levee.
Weathered old fishermen dotted the canal with their bamboo poles, fishing for pan-fryer papio (jack) and ama`ama (mullet). Lei went into the center of the park under a big kamani tree and put her foot up on a cement bench, stretching. Keiki flopped in the damp grass.
Her cell rang and she dug it out of the nylon jacket pocket she wore to conceal her gun. It was Lono, the detective working Mary’s case.
“The hair your stalker sent wasn’t a match to Mary.”
“Good,” Lei said, still a little out of breath. “Do you have any leads?”
“We interviewed the bar guy. Just like you said, she ordered her usual beer and grilled cheese sandwich, went back to the bathroom to change and freshen up, and never came back. That had happened one other time when she got an emergency call, so the bartender didn’t think much of it.”
“What about the boyfriend?” Lei said, feeling guilty. Poor Roland. He’d seemed so distraught-but when a woman goes missing, it’s usually her boyfriend or husband, she reminded herself.
“We’ve been looking at him but so far nothing there. He was at work during the time frame when she disappeared. We’ve also been looking at people she busted, like that. She wasn’t working on anything interesting.”
“Thanks,” Lei said. “From all regular officers, everywhere.”
“Well, you know. Nothing specific, nothing too intense,” he said. “Anyway I’ll keep you posted. We’re searching her apartment tomorrow.”
Lei clicked the phone shut, shocked that another police officer could just disappear in broad daylight and no one had a clue what might have happened. She scanned the park, her hand on the butt of her gun.
The exercise high vanished. Mary would have told her if she knew she was being stalked. Whose hair could it be? And how did he get the underwear? Thoughts whirled through her mind. She snapped Keiki’s leash and the dog lunged to her feet, tongue lolling. Though it was still early, volcanic emissions from Kilauea Volcano that the locals called “vog” already blanketed the Bay. She turned back toward home and picked up her pace again, still puzzling over the situation.
“Hey,” she heard. She turned her head. Tom Watanabe pulled alongside her, running easily, his Nike net shirt streaked with sweat.
“Hey yourself,” she said, not slowing. Keiki flicked him a glance but kept up the pace. “I’ve never seen you run down here.”
“Got an inspection, needed to get my run in early.” He wasn’t out of breath at all. They jogged along side by side.
“Any more weird notes?” he asked.
“Yeah, as a matter of fact.”
“Like what?”
“I can’t discuss it. Have you seen anybody around my house?”
“No, and I’ve been keeping an eye out.”
I bet you have, she thought cynically. Suddenly it occurred to her that the stalker could have been watching her from outside and seen her underwear that way. She relied on her chain-link fence for security in the back yard, and the plumeria tree blocked her window, so she didn’t always close her curtains. Someone might have been able to spy on her from a distance… including Tom.
“Well,” he said. “You’re in shape.”
“I guess.” He sure had a way with words.
“I was thinking… maybe we could go out sometime,” he said.
This was an interesting twist. Lei slowed down, stopped. She bent over, touching her toes, buying time.
“Sounds fun,” she said, with forced cheerfulness. He was attractive, and she didn’t want to keep being paranoid. On the other hand, he was the easiest candidate to be the stalker. Take a chance, you might get him to reveal something. “What did you have in mind?”
“How about a run in the park and lunch at the Volcano House?” She looked at his face for the first time. He seemed nervous, and sweat popped out on his forehead. He swiped it away with his forearm.
“I’d like that,” Lei said.
“How about Saturday?”
“Sure.”
He nodded, smiling for the first time, a flash of white teeth. Damn, he’s good looking, she thought. But this was just a fishing expedition. Stevens’ skeptical look flashed into her mind-he wasn’t going to like the idea.
“I’ll pick you up at 9:30 or so,” he said. “I’ll drive. I’ve got room in my truck for your dog, if you want to bring her.”
“Okay.” More like, hell yes she was bringing Keiki.
He turned off at his house with a wave. “See you Saturday.”
Later, she was on patrol with Pono when her cell rang. She dug it out of her pocket while steering the Crown Vic with her left hand.
“Hi, Stevens.”
“Hey. Sorry I wasn’t around when you woke up, I had to get going early this morning. The futon was a big improvement and my back thanks you.”
“Least I could do. What’s up?”
“I’m meeting with the lab techs who’ve been working on the crime scene trash. Can you come back to the station? After we find out the results we’ll be planning strategy for the rest of the week.”
“Sure.” She clicked her phone shut. It wasn’t the right time to tell him about her date with Tom Watanabe- especially with Pono sitting next to her, all ears.
“What’s Loverboy up to?”
