by Kay Bratt
In town it had felt brutally humid and hot, especially considering it was only just before nine, but now it was cooling down the higher they climbed. She took a sip from the bottle of water he’d pulled from behind the seats. It wasn’t cold, but just the moisture against her tongue brought relief.
“We’ll help finish up the painting tomorrow,” Liam said, breaking the lull in conversation. “I’ll have to demote Pali, but he’ll live.”
“I can be up early to help too. I just hope he won’t be angry that I’m here.”
“If he is, he won’t show it. He knows if he disrespects you in front of me or Kupuna, he won’t be able to sit down for a week,” Liam said.
Quinn felt her face flush. She hated the thought of someone not liking her. Years of being a people pleaser were too ingrained for her to just shake it off.
“I wish he didn’t hate me so much.” The night before she’d gone into the house to talk to Maria. Just inside the door, Pali was arranging a stack of boxes marked GOODWILL. Maria had taken Quinn’s advice to first clean out all the years of clutter before beginning to pack what was left. Quinn was relieved she had finally begun the process and was making good progress. Liam had even taken a truckload of better household items to be dispersed around the family, including their shabby green couch and armchair, which Kupuna said weren’t worth keeping.
“It’s not you,” Liam said, looking sideways at her. “It’s the situation you represent. Don’t take it personal. But on the brighter side, now do you feel like you can handle most power tools?”
She blushed. His question made her remember the lesson he’d given her, his arms around her, and his hands on hers as they glided across the wood in smooth, caressing movements. It had felt too close for comfort. Almost sensual. But she hadn’t had the will to break away.
“I’m sure I could figure them out,” she lied. “One by one.”
He nodded emphatically. “No doubt. You handled that sander like a pro. I’d put you on my crew any day.”
The shutters, once cleaned and sanded, had looked pretty rough, but Liam had assured her that with a fresh coat of paint, they’d look like new.
“But I don’t want them to look like new,” she’d said.
“Oh,” he’d mocked her in a pitifully orchestrated girly voice, “you want them shabby chic?”
She’d thrown her head back and laughed loudly. Just hearing feminine words coming out of his masculine face had almost brought her to hysterical tears. She couldn’t believe he even knew the term, but he was right. That was exactly what she wanted.
The moment had broken the weird vibe that their closeness over the sander had brought about, and she smiled, remembering it. It took some practice, but by the end of the afternoon, the sander beneath her hands moved slowly and smoothly, with languid strokes that felt almost forbidden.
Liam was something else. He could be tough as nails when he was working, soft and sweet when performing, and then amusing as could be when he wanted. Yes, she had to give it to him, he was quite the chameleon.
Like today. Magically, instead of the intense construction guy or the fearless surfer, she was looking at a gracious tour guide behind the wheel. He was full of surprises.
“Just a few more miles,” he said when they rounded another hairpin curve. “Oh, Quinn, I forgot to tell you that I saw the car on the way over to Maria’s this morning.”
“What car?”
“Jaime’s car,” he said. “It’s for sale at a car lot up town. I went in and asked about the man who sold it to them, and I was right, it was Jaime’s.”
“So he sold his car,” she said. “What does that tell us?” For a moment, Quinn thought of Dateline and how so many people ended up being found murdered after their car was discovered abandoned or sold.
“Nothing, if that was the case, but he didn’t sell it. He traded it.”
“Traded?” she asked.
He nodded. “He traded it for a van and five hundred dollars. A Volkswagen, to be exact. And that tells me he probably got the van to live in. We see a lot of that around here. Go to any beach after dark, and you’ll find a van or two, the occupants camping out in it. But at least that means he hasn’t left Maui. If he planned to jump islands or go to the mainland, he wouldn’t need a van.”
Quinn thought of the $500 that someone had left Maria. So maybe Jaime hadn’t abandoned them completely, after all.
“Did he give you a description of the van?” she asked.
“He didn’t. Once I got excited, he clammed up. Said it wasn’t any of my business. But on my way out, I stopped and asked the guy washing cars, and he said the only van sold in the last few months was a 1970 canary-yellow Volkswagen.”
“So we just have to look at every yellow VW van we see then,” Quinn said, already thinking of how they could map out the island and check it, section by section.
“I’m still not so sure that’s a good idea. Obviously, he doesn’t want to be found.” Liam shot her a doubting look.
“I don’t care,” Quinn said. “He can tell that to my face after I tell him how badly he broke Maria’s heart. And those kids. They need their dad.”
Liam shook his head. “I’m just warning you. That’s not the way things are done around here, but if you’re going to be out there digging around, I’ll help you. Or at least be there to shove off anyone who tries to take advantage.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” Quinn said. But she hoped that Liam really would come. So far, most of the homeless people she’d seen around the island looked harmless, but there had been a few she wouldn’t want to come upon alone. Having Liam with her could mean the difference between a crummy experience and a tragic one.
Liam slowed down and then turned in and parked near a small building.
“Twin Falls Farm Stand,” he said, shutting off the car and turning to her.
“More food?” Quinn asked. “I don’t think I can.”
“You will later. And this is how we repay the owners of the land that Twin Falls sits on. They make the best smoothies and have all sorts of local treats and tropical fruits. Even souvenirs. The upkeep of the trails and parking lot and all this traffic takes a toll. I wish more of the tourists would support their efforts.”
He led her over to the colorful stand. While he paid for a few loaves of what he called the “famous Maui banana bread,” she lingered at the eclectic collection of souvenirs, picking through until she found some unique wooden bookmarks. She didn’t know whom she’d give them to, but she wanted to do her part too. She quickly went to the cashier and paid, then waited over on the side for Liam to finish.
When he joined her, he handed her a small package filled with long, brown candies of some sort.
“Coconut candy,” he said. “Pali loves it. Maybe you can use it as a peace offering.”
“Great idea,” Quinn said, tucking the package into her bag. She was willing to try anything. She didn’t need to win him over, exactly. But it would be nice not to think she was sleeping so close to an enemy.
After Liam returned to put the bread in the car, he led her to the beginning of the trail to the falls. She could already hear the rush of water in the distance.
“Be careful,” he said, taking her hand.
Tingles shot up her fingers and then all the way to her brain at the sudden warmth he radiated through her. She thought of Ethan and wondered how long it had been since he’d tried to hold her hand.
That was unfair, she realized.
She also hadn’t tried to hold his. Somehow over the years, the habit had just faded away.
A few minutes later they made their way through a majestic bamboo jungle, the stalks reaching high for the sky like some sort of fortress to protect the fragile nature within. Within, it felt surreal and quiet. Quinn was sorry when they left it behind.
“Now you’re going to get those nice shoes wet,” Liam said, guiding her over a small stream.
“I don’t mind,” Quinn said, but she cringed when she thought of w
hat she’d paid for the popular canvas sneakers. She should’ve brought hiking shoes.
The wide varieties of exotic plants and tropical trees were beautiful, but, just as she was thinking of how exhausted and hot she was getting, the trail opened up and they were there.
It was a magnificent scene. The roar of the falls decimated any silence that might have thought about gathering there. Quinn could also hear birds and other sounds of nature as she and Liam approached the water.
Even the water was like a painting. The cool greens and blues swirled together, creating a lovely and cool-looking portrait of peacefulness.
A young couple was wading around, a small boy on the father’s shoulders. Quinn smiled at what a perfect picture they made. A family enjoying some of God’s most simple but remarkable gifts of beauty. On the bank another couple lounged on a large towel, eating fruit.
“Want to cool off in the river?” Liam asked.
She nodded, and they went to the edge of the water. He pointed at a large rock, and she leaned against it and took off her shoes. She was glad she hadn’t worn socks, and she set the sneakers aside. After taking her bag and tucking it beside the rock, Liam removed his shoes and joined her.
He took her arm protectively and helped her into the water.
She gasped, her eyes wide with shock.
“Cold, eh?” he said, laughing.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” Quinn choked out. “But it feels nice.”
After a minute or two, they climbed out and sat side by side on the bank.
“Wow, did you know you have a small birthmark behind your ear that is shaped just like a turtle?” he said.
Quinn reached up, self-consciously covering the small brown mark.
“Yeah, I know.”
“Don’t tell me you don’t like it,” Liam said.
She shrugged. “What’s to like?”
“It looks just like a sea turtle!” he said, his voice incredulous. “We call them honu. In Hawaiian culture the sea turtle is considered a guardian spirit. It can change shape at will, just like the Hawaiian god of the sea, Kanaloa. You’re lucky to have been given such a significant mark.”
“Well, I never appreciated it. When I was a just a girl, my mom would pull my hair back for school, and sometimes the other kids would make fun of it. I tried to hide it through junior high.”
“That’s really sad that they would try to put down such an exceptional gift,” Liam said.
“My mom tried to help me get over it. She also told me turtles are special in the Hawaiian culture. We had a jar—or we still do somewhere. She called it our spirit jar, and we would write our wishes down and put them in there. My mom always said the spiritual powers of the turtle and the sea would make our dreams reality.”
She wondered where the jar was now. She hadn’t seen it in ages and would love to read through the notes and see what both she and her mother had written down so many years ago.
Liam was quiet, staring off into the distance as though he were somewhere else.
Quinn wasn’t usually comfortable with intruding on someone’s thoughts, but she decided to take a chance. She really wanted to know.
“What are you thinking of?” she asked.
He blinked, joining her again. “Of my childhood. This used to all be wild and unkempt. Such a secret place. Back then you had to jump a fence to get here. There were cows everywhere, and it was fun to play around them as we threw rotten guavas at each other. By the time we’d get to the water, we’d be covered in mud and smelly fruit and would race to the highest rock to be the first to jump in.”
Quinn smiled. She couldn’t even imagine a magical childhood immersed in such a tropical paradise and enjoying it with siblings. Her heart always longed for that kind of connection when she heard stories like his.
“Aww, shut your mouth!”
They both turned toward the insult that had broken the special moment.
A group of teenagers had come up and were talking to a woman who appeared to have just gotten off an ATV. She was pointing at the top of the falls and looked to be giving them a lecture.
“I asked you not to do that today. It’s not safe due to the rains we had this week,” she said.
“Who the hell made you queen for a day? You can’t tell me what to do,” the teen said.
Liam stood, and as he approached the small group, Quinn could see the sudden stiffness in his shoulders.
“Is there a problem here?” he asked, using a low, calm tone of voice that Quinn had yet to hear from him.
The three boys and the woman turned to him. The teen who was the main talker lifted his chin stubbornly and pointed at the woman.
“This crazy old bat is trying to tell us where we can and can’t go,” he said. “She doesn’t own this place.”
“It’s too dangerous for rock jumping today,” she retorted.
Quinn stood but stayed where she was. They didn’t need to make the scene any bigger than it was. Already the dad carrying his toddler was getting out of the water, worry on his face as he joined his wife on the bank. The other couple was watching quietly.
“Lady, this is a public place,” the teen said. “And you can kiss my—”
“Don’t say it,” Liam interrupted, taking another step, putting himself between the woman and the teenagers.
The atmosphere went from serene to electric.
When he spoke again, it was almost too quiet to hear, but Quinn strained.
“First of all, this isn’t a public place. It’s private land, and the owners are gracious enough to share it with the public. And second, but most of all, this isn’t some old lady, as you put it. Her name is Auntie Ute, and she’s been giving of her time and energy here for longer than you’ve been alive. What she tells you is for your own good. But you’d better believe that if you are foolish enough to ignore her warnings, she’ll be the first one to administer first aid and keep you stable until the paramedics arrive. She’s saved many stupid people like you over the years.”
The woman, Ute, crossed her arms over her tie-dyed shirt and smiled proudly. “I remember you,” she said to Liam.
Quinn noticed her accent sounded very European.
He nodded. “Yes, ma’am. It’s been a while.”
She gave him a sly grin. “I believe I gave you and your brothers a lecture or two when you were a wee bit wet behind the ears too.”
He smiled slightly. “I believe so. But I don’t think we ever disrespected you like this numbskull just did. Our upbringing was better than that.”
The boy sneered, looking from Liam to the woman. “What is this? A family reunion?”
His friends snorted with laughter.
Liam turned back to the boy, his body rigid, reminding Quinn of a snake ready to strike. He nodded to the trail. “Would you like to take a walk off the path with me for a second? I believe we need a private conversation.”
Suddenly the teen looked more like a child than the man he was trying to be only seconds before.
“Listen, dude . . . ,” he began, his voice wavering.
Liam held a hand up to stop him from talking. “Don’t call me dude. I tried to be nice about it, but now before you go a step farther around here, you’ll apologize to Auntie Ute for being a mouthy little punk. Or if you’d rather, you and I will take my secret trail, where you might soon find yourself taking a long walk off the next short cliff.”
It took another few seconds, but the boy spat out an apology.
“Now, if you can’t behave yourself like the guest you are on this sacred ground, you and your buddies can leave,” Liam said.
Quinn didn’t think it sounded like a suggestion, and obviously neither did the boy, because he took off for the trail. His not-so-brave friends followed.
Ute laughed when one of them tripped over a rock and pounded the one in front of him in the back to catch his fall.
“I could handle that sort all day,” she said to Liam, her tone tough as nails.
“I know you could, but you shouldn’t have to,” he replied.
She patted him on the back before moving toward her ATV.
“I always thought you’d turn into a good one,” she called out, then started the four-wheeler and headed out on another trail that Quinn hadn’t even noticed was there.
They watched her go. She made a colorful and amusing picture, her hair rumpled in the wind and her tanned hands expertly gripping the handlebars.
Liam turned to her.
“I think we’ve seen enough of Twin Falls. You agree?”
Quinn nodded, ready to move on. As they headed for the trail back to the truck, she couldn’t get the vision of Liam standing up for the woman out of her head.
Chapter Thirteen
The rest of the afternoon flew by as Liam played tour guide to her curiosity. After they left the falls, they stopped and walked through a small part of the Garden of Eden. He said it included a meticulously maintained thirty acres of botanical beauties but took her the short route to where he showed her postcard-perfect panoramic views of the Pacific. He offered to take her to see the Puohokamoa Falls within it, but it had started to drizzle, so they ran back to the car.
“You’ve just seen where the opening scene of Jurassic Park was filmed,” he said when they climbed back into the car.
“I haven’t seen the movie, but now it’s on my list.”
At her proclamation, he gaped at her as though she’d grown horns.
“You have to see it. And the sequels.” His tone invited no arguing, and she laughed. She wasn’t much into nail-biting movies, but if it made him happy, she’d watch it. Especially now that she had a point of reference.
Back in the truck, they traversed more blind curves before cruising through Hana Town, a place so small and subtle that it was gone before she knew they were there. They had their windows all the way down when, from the tall grass beside the road, a huge owl flew up.
Quinn gasped at the size of it, then was captivated as the creature seemed to keep pace with the truck, flying right beside them so closely that she could see every detail of its wide span of wings and its sharp beak.
It was a moment she would tuck away as a favorite from Maui.
