Relapse in Paradise

by Roxanne Smith

  “Drop it, Hani.” Weary inside and out, Boston rubbed his forehead and tried to not ruminate on the long list of reasons he’d never be good enough for Emily. “She’s a mainlander, anyway.”

  “Oh, yeah, brother. You’re right. It’d be damn hard to convince her to stay in Paradise. People with 401Ks hate Paradise.”

  Hani’s sarcasm often left something to be desired, but Boston received the message loud and clear. Unfortunately, his friend’s hopes were so far-fetched, it almost hurt.

  Because Emily was exactly the kind of woman he imagined he’d find happiness with. Headstrong, take-no-shit. But to meet her caliber, he’d have to return to his old life. A soup kitchen owner had nothing to offer Emily, but maybe she’d consider dating a nice high school teacher. He grimaced at the vision of himself in his old pleated khakis.

  He didn’t have it in him to go back, not even for a woman he fancied himself half in love with. Besides, no matter how he dressed, he’d still be a jagged lump of rock next to a polished gem. Maybe she’d pretend not to notice for a while, act like she didn’t care, but eventually she’d meet another polished gem and that would be the end of it.

  And quite frankly, Boston was tired of getting dumped.

  He re-tied his loose ponytail and tried to focus on the more important problem at hand. “Forget Emily for a minute. We need a distraction to keep Ryder busy.”

  Neither of them had noticed Akela’s entrance at first.

  Boston startled as he caught sight of her form, fear leaping into his chest that Ryder had overheard their entire conversation. It didn’t fade as he took in Akela’s unusually disorderly appearance.

  No flower in her hair. The sleek strands were bunched and twisted where she’d attempted a braid. Her dark eyes were wide, and her hands balled into fists which she held at her breasts like tiny shields.

  Boston reached for her arm, concern creasing his brow. “Hey, you okay?”

  She shook her head at the same time Hani brushed past Boston to wrap his little sister in his big, meaty arms.

  “What’s the matter?” Hani asked. “What happened?”

  She stepped back from Hani’s embrace and cast a nervous glance behind her. “It’s Kale, you guys.”

  Boston met Hani’s worried gaze over her head. With a hand on each of their shoulders, he drew them farther into the small kitchen, away from the open entrance. With the three of them crowded into the space, their mingled sweat and anxiety filled Boston’s nose. “Did you find Kale?”

  Akela worriedly licked her lips. “No, he came to me. He heard you’re looking for him, Boston, and he says to stop.”

  Boston didn’t give Hani a chance to respond. “Can you get a message to him?”

  “I—I’m not sure. He tapped on my window at home.”

  “We can spread the word through the streets,” Hani pointed out. “He’ll get wind of it like he got wind we’ve been hunting for him. Hell, we had this much already planned.”

  “Right. We gotta keep Ryder from getting the message, too.” Boston let out a puff of frustration. “We need a red herring.”

  Akela swallowed and eyed them each in turn. “I’ll do it. I’ll tell Ryder I saw Kale somewhere else in the city.”

  Hani snapped his fingers. “Kalihi! Ryder ain’t gonna ignore two separate rumors of Kale in the same area.”

  Boston rubbed his hands together and dropped his voice. “In the meantime, we get the word out I’ll be holed up somewhere nearby. Emily will be with me. A place not too far, but not so close to The Canopy he’ll be afraid to come around.”

  Akela nibbled her thumbnail and tugged on her messy braid. “A crowded place where he can blend in.”

  “Okay. I’ll find Emily, and we’ll figure something out.”

  Where the hell was she, anyway? He expected her to not be far behind him. She must’ve gone home to shower and change.

  Boston put a hand on each of their shoulders and looked from one to the other. “I’ll call you when we’ve decided on a secure location. Hani, you put the word out. Wait until Ryder’s on his way to Kalihi. Akela, practice your acting. Ryder has to believe you.”

  “Right. Got it.”

  Deep breath. They could pull this off. Maybe not with military precision, but how hard could it be to orchestrate some clever misdirection? He grinned at his two accomplices. “Go Team Canopy.”

  * * * *

  Boston knocked on Emily’s door, after playing a round of Twenty Questions with the shop owner downstairs.

  Emily opened the door a crack and peered out. “Boston?”

  “Were you expecting Chicago?”

  She opened the door without returning his smile.

  He slid inside and closed the door behind him. “You seem a little down.”

  Was it the hug thing? Maybe she wanted him to hug her, and he offended her by not hugging her. Did he hug her now to make up for it? What if her mood had nothing to do with the hug thing? What if she was just hungry? Or tired?

  When in doubt, he employed the process of elimination. “You want to get some lunch or something?”

  “Nope. I had a ham sandwich for breakfast, which I proceeded to eat alongside Jordan while we had a fascinating discussion regarding you.”

  Her name made the small hairs on his neck stand up. Jordan had mastered head games the way one might master chess. Emily was damn smart, but she’d never know what hit her if Jordan pulled out all the stops. “That sounds like the best time ever.”

  “A total blast.” Emily’s response held the usual underlying dry sarcasm he’d come to love.

  The flat tone contradicted the cheery rose-pink summer dress she’d changed into. Strappy gold sandals completed her outfit, and he wished he had no more important plans for the day than to take her somewhere worthy of her adorable dress and the spunky ponytail high on her head.

  He stepped closer and gave it a little tug. “You copying my style?”

  This earned him a real smile. With raised eyebrows and a scholarly nod, she appraised his holy denim shorts and ribbed gray tank. “You are the height of fashion.” More sarcasm.

  “I wasn’t exactly thinking of my appearance when I left my place this morning.”

  Emily moved to the dresser on the far side of the room and picked through a small collection of jewelry. She plucked gold hoops no larger than dimes and the thin chain of gold he’d come to admire from the pile. “You talked to Hani?”

  Boston filled her in on the latest development and the subsequent plans. He had no control over how Kale’s situation had gathered steam, and his own role of responsibility in the unfolding events. He expected Emily to show some disappointment, maybe even beg off from joining him.

  Of course, he guessed wrong. Damn if he’d ever get it right when it came to Emily.

  A smile spread, slow and wide. “We’re meeting Kale today? You think he’ll feel safe coming back if we get rid of Ryder?”

  “To get rid of Ryder, we need to know what he’s after. I guess how much he’s after is the correct term.”

  She bit her lip. “Where do we go? Somewhere nearby but not too close. He’s got to be on foot.”

  He’d thought of that. “Waikiki. Stick close to the beach side. There’s enough foot traffic for Kale to simultaneously search for us and stay hidden. As an added bonus, we get to pretend to do the touristy stuff I’ve severely neglected.”

  The small gold hoops danced beneath her lobes as she tilted her head to look at him full on. “Tell me about your tattoo again.”

  Jordan’s face popped into his mind. She had to be responsible for the sudden change of subject. No doubt about it. Boston refused to moan and make excuses for being caught in an untruth. A part of him recognized he didn’t owe Emily an answer.

  A louder part of him wanted to give her one, despite it. “A hui hou.”

  “Until we meet again,” Emily recited.

  If they had time, he’d sit down and spil
l every drop. But his stage had a strict one-drama-at-a-time policy. “I’m not dodging you, Em. I promise. Once we’re where Kale can find us, I’ll answer any question you want.”

  She straightened. “Any question?”

  “Any and every.” He held out a hand for her to take. “C’mon. Akela’s waiting until we’re gone to enact the greatest scene of all time.”

  Emily grimaced as she took his hand. “You’re sure she won’t overplay it? Ryder has to buy it.”

  “She’ll do great.” He had to believe it.

  During the short drive, Emily took many quick inhales like she wanted to say something, only to let out the breath in a slow exhale, without expelling a word.

  Boston didn’t push. He’d put a fifty down it had something to do with Jordan. He’d have to deal with it soon enough. Too soon, if his opinion counted.

  He kept Emily occupied with window shopping and the excitement of Honolulu’s most visited district until he ducked inside an ice cream parlor with outdoor seating, drawing Emily by the hand. Despite the impressive sensory input, she was unusually subdued and wouldn’t come back to him until she got whatever was eating her off her chest.

  With small vanilla cones in hand, they chose the most exposed table on the wide sidewalk of crowded tourists and commuters.

  Boston tried not to gawk when she licked the curled top from her ice cream scoop. She stared right at him, almost through him, and he had to do something or he’d lose it, throw her over his shoulder, and make for the van. “I figured you for a chocolate person.”

  Her eyes refocused and met his. “Because everyone loves chocolate?”

  He twirled a finger near his temple. “Because of your hair and eyes. Probably some subconscious thing.”

  She paused mid-lick. “What are you talking about?”

  “The color makes me think of hot cocoa.”

  She searched his face, as if he’d said something truly profound. “This is going to sound insane, but that’s an enormous compliment. I’ve always hated my eyes. My hair, too. They’re the color of mud. My sister has my mom’s amazing light green eyes. And Jack, you met him. Unworldly eyeballs. The kind that make you look twice.” She nodded her chin toward him. “You, too. Cornflower blue is what they’re called, but I don’t get why. Even Blake has—”

  Full stop. Boston almost laughed out loud. His ex-wife had wreaked havoc on Emily’s vacation, but the mention of her ex-husband’s eye color was a big no-no? “Surely we’re past the whole ‘let’s not talk about our exes’ thing.”

  “Beautiful eyes,” she finished. “Hazel. Quinn says, ‘like mint and honey.’ It’s a perfect description.”

  He settled forward. “Well, for the record, you have nice eyes, too. Very pretty.”

  She squinted. “Compliments won’t make me forget you owe me answers.”

  He squinted back. “I’m offended you think I’d try. Ask me now.” With an eye scanning the crowd for any sign of Kale, or Ryder, Boston braced himself.

  Emily took her sweet time. In the end, what came out wasn’t really a question. “You got the tattoo for Jordan.”

  “Yeah. But that’s the great thing about tattoos. Meanings and associations change. It means whatever it means, and it’s been some time since I let Jordan have that much of me. I got it for her, but I wasn’t lying when I said I think of my parents.” Well… If he was going to tell the truth, he ought to tell the whole truth. “Until her recent appearance, anyway.” He bit into his cone and ignored the dribble of melted ice cream on his knuckles. “What about you, Em? Ever consider getting a little ink?”

  “Me?” She frowned. “Of course not. What would I get? An Excel spreadsheet on my forearm? My company letterhead across my lower back?”

  It came so close to Boston’s first thoughts weeks ago, he choked on his attempt to cover his laugh. “Maybe a little flower or something. A good artist will make suggestions.”

  Emily dropped her gaze. “Jordan said you—”

  She never had a chance to finish the sentence. Boston caught sight of Kale eyeing them from behind a large banyan tree across the road, on the beach side of Kalakaua Avenue. He stared from beneath the hood of a navy blue sweater zipped closed. It stood out like a bruise in the sea of bright tropically themed clothing and bared skin. A pair of oversized shades concealed most of his face but no hiding the full lips and dark skin of his heritage.

  There weren’t many black families in Honolulu to begin with. Maybe two percent of the population. Kale must’ve had a hard enough time staying under the radar without dressing like he was on his way to a bank robbery.

  Boston pushed back his chair. “Kale’s here.” He didn’t wait for Emily to follow as he dumped the remainder of his cone in a nearby bin and made for the nearest crosswalk.

  She caught up in seconds and looped her arm into his. “You’re supposed to keep your cool in case Ryder didn’t buy Akela’s story. If he’s watching us, we don’t want to look like we’re making a beeline for anything—anyone—specific.”

  She had a point. He slowed his stride. “What are you, a pro?”

  “Merely a practitioner of the common senses.”

  “Some would say genius is uncommon sense.”

  “You sure you were a teacher? They should screen people before giving them access to our country’s youth.”

  Together, they crossed when the light flashed white. When they started toward the banyan tree where Kale had been spotted, the hooded figure turned due south and started for the wide expanse of sandy beach and low waves, sand kicking up from his tennis shoes.

  Emily leaned into his shoulder as they slowly strolled in Kale’s direction and squinted against the midday sun. “Does he realize he’s drawing attention to himself? I don’t think you would’ve noticed him in one of those aloha shirts everyone’s wearing.”

  “He’s in analyst training.”

  Once they were close enough to converse, Kale smiled at him. His dark brown eyes met Boston’s over the top of his shades. “Hey, man.”

  Boston didn’t return the smile. Not knowing exactly what sort of danger Kale faced only made it more sinister. “Hey, yourself. I’d say you have at least five minutes to tell me what the hell is going on, Kale.”

  He turned appropriately sober. He licked his lips and ducked his chin after sparing a glance for the busy sidewalk behind them. “I wanna tell you the whole story. Where can we go?”

  His Midwestern accent stretched out his vowels long and slow. He was from Missouri or Oklahoma, Boston didn’t recall which.

  “We stay here.”

  At Kale’s disagreeable response, Boston clamped a hand on his thin shoulder. He’d always been a skinny kid, but his bones were like jagged peaks rising under his skin.

  “I’ve got a guy named Ryder, who is claiming to be your cousin, off on a wild goose chase so we can have this meeting, but it won’t buy us much time. Talk and let me figure out how I’m going to help.”

  Kale groaned and hung his head. “Man, you can’t help me, Bos. I’m AWOL, you know that, right?”

  “Yeah, Hani and I figured it out pretty much immediately.”

  “Ryder is the reason why.”

  Boston ran a hand through his hair, dislodging the rubber band. Strands fanned across his shoulders. “I’m a regular detective, Kale. Knew that, too. C’mon. Fill me in on the stuff I don’t know. Like why you owe him money and how much.”

  Agitated, Kale put his hands on his head and growled. “Gah, man. Everything is so messed up. I had money. I could’ve paid.”

  “One thing at a time, Kale. How’d you end up in debt?”

  Kale nibbled his lip, his head angled toward the ground. “You know how it is. Some of the guys party, but I ain’t in that crowd. I like to gamble. It’s no secret the locals don’t like soldiers around here. Ryder said he wasn’t from here, either. It seemed safer than owing money to the other guy.”

  Boston nodded his understand
ing. “You let Ryder buy out your debt from a local.”

  “Yeah. I had money coming from my trust. That’s why I gambled in the first place. I’ve got funds. But then shit happened. My trust is from my dad. Him and my ma, they weren’t never together. But when the money came in, I had to give it to her. She lost her job. House is foreclosing. I can’t be there to help her.” He topped talking, seemingly overcome with emotion. He swallowed and toed the sand.

  Boston didn’t blame him. He’d put himself in a hell of a pickle.

  Once again, it boiled down to money, the one thing Boston didn’t have to give. “Why’d you go AWOL?”

  “I caught Ryder snooping around the base. Look, I don’t know what they do to people here, but I know it ain’t no game. I owe serious money to serious people, and I can’t pay it back. I went into hiding and fell off the grid. I can’t believe they tracked me to The Canopy.”

  A plan formulated in Boston’s mind. A stupid idea at best. At worst, a dangerous one.

  “Let’s walk a minute.” He left Emily’s side and put an arm around Kale’s slim shoulders. With a bob of his head, he indicated to Emily to give him a minute alone with the kid. He wanted to talk one-on-one but not because Kale needed a man’s advice—more like Boston didn’t want Emily to object to the plan.

  He had to do it. Of the two of them, Kale had a real chance at a future. Hell, he was, what? Early twenties? Far too young to screw up his life. “Here’s the deal, Kale. The plan, do you understand? I’m explaining, and you’re going to do exactly as I say because there’s no other way for this to turn out okay. I’m going to take on your debt from Ryder.”

  The sunglasses dipped low as he jerked to look at Boston. His dark brown eyes were as round as half dollars. “You can’t—”

  “I can. You’re running on an island, brother. Think about it. Forget about Ryder, okay? He’s my problem now. You’re going directly to Schofield to turn yourself in. You tell them everything, Kale. Then you pray for leniency. It’s not ideal, but it’s the only shot you have at undoing any of this.”

  Kale issued a grieved sigh and searched Boston’s face. “Ryder is a dangerous dude.”

  “He won’t be once he gets his money. One way or another, he’ll get it.”