“Sharks?” Lily’s eyes went wide.
I glanced a question at Ryan.
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “Definitely tell her.”
“A few days back, body parts were recovered from a cove on the southern end of the island. The ME asked me for help. I think we’ve established who the two men were.”
“You can share a little more detail than that.” Ryan’s eyes were hard on his daughter.
“The victims were probably members of a gang called Sons of Samoa. They may have been murdered and thrown off a cliff.”
“For dealing drugs,” Ryan added.
“Who were they?” Katy asked, tone a bit gentler.
“Sorry, sweetie. I can’t tell you that.”
“How old were these men?” Now and then Lily’s island childhood sounds in the lilt of her speech. It did so in that question.
“Your age.” Again, Ryan spoke straight to his daughter.
“It happened at the southern end of the island?” Katy guessed.
“Makapu’u Point. I finished early with the ME, and decided to take the scenic route home.” Rueful smile. It hurt. “Bad choice.”
Katy’s eyes met Lily’s. I was clueless as to the message that passed between them.
“Hey, this sauce is great,” I said. “Whose recipe?”
“It came from a jar,” Lily said.
“Then, hats off to the shoppers.” I raised my glass.
Only Ryan tapped my drink with his.
“Listen,” I said. “Look at the upside. We’ll get a better set of wheels.”
Katy opined that the Cobalt was a piece of crap. Lily agreed.
Lily said I should soak in a hot bath. Katy seconded her suggestion.
Katy volunteered to do the dishes. Lily said she’d help.
Lily offered to drive Katy to her surfing lesson in the morning. Katy accepted.
Ryan and I exchanged glances. Huh?
I did take the bath.
While submerged in wisteria-scented bubbles up to my chin, I reviewed my efforts since arriving in Honolulu.
I’d wrecked a car. Fine. Point against me.
I’d determined that Spider Lowery hadn’t been killed in Vietnam. The news would shatter Plato Lowery’s world, but a wrong would be righted.
I’d identified the man buried in Lumberton, North Carolina. Forty years after dying in a chopper crash, Luis Alvarez would finally go home.
I’d located the remains of Xander Lapasa. Though not exactly gracious, the Lapasa family would also get closure.
I’d helped Hadley Perry close the Halona Cove cases. And open a beach. Perhaps Logo’s and Kealoha’s killers would be brought to justice.
And Lily and Katy were getting along.
Lily was right. The hydroaromatherapy relaxed my muscles and calmed my nerves. I emerged from the tub feeling pretty damn good.
I AWOKE TO THE FEELING I WAS BEING WATCHED.
Opened my eyes.
The room was shadowy gray. Through the balcony door I saw pewter clouds skimming the ocean.
The clock said 8:40.
“That’s going to be one sick scab.”
I rolled to my back.
Katy was standing beside my bed.
Scooching to my bum, I stuck a pillow behind my head and patted the mattress.
Katy dropped down beside me. I noticed she was holding a paper.
