Death of the Big Kahuna

by Catherine Bruns

I laid a hand on his arm. "I think I could learn a thing or two from you."

  "Perhaps." He nodded in understanding. "You have had your trials too, ho'aloha. I am sorry about your father."

  "Wow, this sounds like a deep discussion."

  Something inside me tingled as I recognized the voice and turned around to see Keanu's attractive tanned face. Poncho and I had been so engrossed in our conversation that neither one of us had heard him come in.

  He had his sunglasses pushed up on the top of his head and was dressed casually in dark green khaki shorts and a white Adidas T-shirt that may have been painted on him. He looked terrific, as always. I noticed Poncho watching us, a hint of a smile beneath the moustache. I scowled, and he immediately turned back to his pumpkin-roll filling.

  "So what are we talking about?" Keanu asked.

  "It's nothing." My face warmed as I turned in the direction of the café. "I'll start waxing the floor."

  Keanu followed me into the café and reached for my arm. I turned around to meet his gaze. "What happened to your father? Is he dead?"

  This place was starting to feel like Grand Central Gossip. Still, it was nice to know he cared as I stared into those concerned blue eyes that hinted at an even more beautiful soul underneath. "It's not something I really want to talk about right now."

  He smiled, but I thought I detected a flicker of hurt in his eyes. "No problem. I'll be upstairs if you need anything." With that he pushed through the kitchen doors, and a moment later I heard him jogging up the stairs to the office.

  Wonderful. I hadn't meant to be a jerk to him, but I hated reliving that part of my life. I wanted to forget all that, but it seemed like everyone wanted me to continue drudging it back up. There didn't seem to be a happy medium for me.

  In a panic, I remembered my luggage upstairs. I had shoved the makeup case and suitcase behind an armchair in the corner of the room before I left, thinking I might have time to retrieve them before Keanu arrived. Great. Now how would I get them out of there? I prayed that somehow he wouldn't notice them.

  I worked in silence for the next hour, with only my thoughts to keep me company. Poncho left, and then there was only Keanu and me. After I finished the floor, I cleaned underneath tables, polished chairs, and even knocked down a couple of cobwebs that were hanging from the lights. One of the light fixtures was slightly higher than the rest, so I grabbed a chair and stood on it to reach the dust.

  "Jeez, we don't need it that clean."

  Startled, I shrieked and lost my balance. The chair toppled to the side, and I landed face down on top of Keanu. He let out an oof and lay still underneath me.

  "Are you okay?" I stared down at his handsome face, and something stirred from within me.

  Keanu opened one eye to look at me. Neither one of us moved or said anything. Heat flowed through my body, and for a moment I let myself wonder how those lips would blend with mine.

  He reached out to me, and I was paralyzed by the sudden movement. Oh my God, he's going to kiss me.

  "I can't breathe," he choked out.

  Embarrassed, I rolled off of him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

  A slow grin spread across his face as he stood and righted the chair. "You were fine. Actually I would have been quite happy to lay there for a while longer."

  I wondered what he meant by that statement and waited for him to continue, but he busied himself with examining the chair to make sure it wasn't broken.

  My hair had come loose from the ponytail, and I stopped to adjust it. "Oh great. My hair must be a sight."

  "It is," Keanu admitted. "A beautiful one."

  He spoke so low I didn't believe he thought I'd heard. When our eyes met again, I was the one who turned away this time. This was crazy. I had just broken up with my boyfriend. Was Keanu attracted to me? I liked him, and he was a sweet guy, not to mention gorgeous, but what did I really know about him? Not all guys were like Brad, right? Good grief, the self-doubt anxieties were really starting to kick in at an alarming rate.

  Keanu broke the uncomfortable silence. "I'm starting to wonder if you might be bad for my health. I mean, in a couple of days you've given me first-degree burns and almost cracked my head open on the floor. I can't wait to see what you've got in store for me next."

  The teasing smile reassured me that he was kidding, much to my relief. It's a good thing you can't read minds, Keanu.

  Keanu placed his hands on his hips. "So…here's a question for you. Why is there a suitcase upstairs?"

  Okay, this was going to be awkward, so I drew a slow, deep breath before answering. "Well, it's kind of complicated."

  "Try me."

  I bit into my lower lip, hating this part. It would sound like more self-pity. "I moved out of the apartment I was sharing with Brad. I spent last night here because I didn't have any other place to go. Please don't tell Alana—she'll kill me."

  Keanu's expression was puzzled. "Your secret is safe with me, but why did you move out?"

  Poor little Carrie. I tried to make light of the situation. "I found out that he was cheating on me."

  Keanu's mouth set in a thin, hard line. His eyes locked on mine and resembled cold steel. "What a loser."

  "I hope you mean Brad," I quipped.

  "Of course I mean Brad. God, what a fool that guy—" He stopped and didn't finish his sentence. "Is there anything I can do?"

  I sighed. "Not unless you know of a place where I can stay for next to nothing. Maybe a tent on the beach somewhere? I'm guessing that the resort is out of the question cost-wise for me."

  "Those rooms don't come cheap." Keanu traced a pattern in the floor with his sneaker, obviously trying to analyze my situation. "But I think I can help you out. It just so happens that—"

  "Carrie can stay with me tonight," a small voice said behind us.

  We both turned around to see Vivian standing at the double doors of the kitchen, watching both of us with a bemused look upon her face. This was the second time someone had come into the café without me hearing them. I wouldn't make a very good watchdog.

  "What are you doing here, Viv?" Keanu asked.

  She lowered her eyes to the floor. "I uh—was meeting someone at The Lava Pot and—"

  Keanu smiled, and I saw a flash of his dimple. "Mooning over Casey again, huh?"

  Vivian scowled. "Oh shut up." She turned and winked at me. "I saw the lights on as I walked past and was curious what was going on." She cut her eyes back to Keanu. "So what are you two doing here?"

  Keanu managed to sidestep her question. "By the way, did either one of you happen to find a key on Saturday? Alana called and said hers was missing. She thought it might have fallen off her key ring." He watched me closely. "Carrie, you didn't happen to see it, did you?"

  Great, he knew. The jig was up. "Um, as a matter of fact, I did find a key. I meant to give it to Poncho earlier." I dug into my jeans pocket and handed it to him.

  Keanu opened his wallet and dropped the key inside. "I'll stop by Alana's place and drop it off to her. Well, ladies, if you'll excuse me, I have to finish my paperwork. Carrie, it looks like you're all set here, so feel free to leave whenever you like. I'll bring your suitcase downstairs."

  He gave me one long, last look and then disappeared into the kitchen.

  Vivian grinned. "Sounds like I might have interrupted something intense. And what's this about a suitcase? Did you sleep here last night? What happened with your main man?"

  I held a hand up in front of me. "Okay, way too many questions. Brad's been cheating on me. I was so angry that I punched him in the nose and walked out on him last night. I really didn't have time to think the situation through and ended up spending the night here."

  Her nostrils flared. "Good for you. I'd never let a man treat me like that. Did Keanu ask you to come in here to clean?" Her mouth turned upwards into a sudden smile. "He's never asked me to come in and clean."

  "Oh, cut it out," I growled. "He knows I need the money and was just being nice."


  Vivian rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, that's definitely it. Well, if you're done, we can shove off now."

  "Viv, I don't want to inconvenience you. Is there a hotel around here where I could get a room? A cheap one?"

  She looked at me like I was an alien. "Honey, one thing you should know by now is that there's nothing cheap in Hawaii. I don't mind you bunking with me for a couple of nights until you find a place. I only have a one bedroom apartment, but you're welcome to stay there."

  "What about Lola?" I asked.

  "She's been crashing on my couch," Vivian explained. "I have a sleeping bag, if you don't mind the floor. We'll look through the real estate section of the paper and see if we can come up with something for you. What time is your shift tomorrow?"

  "I'm down for noon until closing," I said.

  "Yeah, same with me. Tuesdays usually aren't real busy, so hopefully we'll have time for a lunch break. I need to get off my feet for at least a little while during the day." She glanced up as Keanu brought my suitcase and cosmetics bag into the café and placed them down next to me.

  "So, you girls are all set?" Keanu asked.

  Vivian nodded. "Care's coming home with me. We're going to grab a pizza and have a regular slumber party."

  I picked up the suitcase. "Sounds like fun. I haven't done anything like that in ages." It made me miss Kim from back home.

  Vivian shot Keanu a coy look. "Want to crash the party, K?"

  He grinned. "Ah no, Viv, thanks. I think I'll pass." He turned to me. "I'm glad you won't be combing the streets late at night. If I find anything decent for an apartment, I'll give you a ring. See you ladies tomorrow."

  Vivian picked up my cosmetics bag. "We'll pretend we're in high school again. I'll make up a pitcher of margaritas, and we'll talk about boys and everything." She watched as Keanu disappeared through the swinging kitchen doors, and lowered her voice. "Maybe one particular boy."

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  "So," Vivian said. "How are you holding up since you found out about your boyfriend? God, I hate men some days. Well, all except Casey, that is."

  We were devouring pizza on the floor of Vivian's small living room, using the coffee table as our eating surface. Vivian said she ate this way most of the time. Since there was no room for a dining table, it worked out fine. The place was comfortable and homey, with a couple of pieces of modern art on the light green walls that mixed well with the beige carpeting. She had a small kitchen, a bathroom, and bedroom.

  To me, it looked like a palace. When Vivian told me what she paid for rent each month, however, my heart sank. It might take forever for me to afford a place like this. Lola's cat, Benny, a big fluffy orange and white feline, was sprawled out next to me. I took bites of pizza with one hand and petted him with the other while he purred up a storm. As a child, I'd always wanted a pet, but my mother had claimed they were just something else for her to take care of.

  "It was a shock," I admitted, "and pretty stupid of me since I never really suspected anything until the last few days. But I'm dealing with it. What else can I do? Curl up in a ball and cry my eyes out?"

  "That's probably what he's hoping you'll do." Vivian refilled her glass and gestured at mine, but I declined. I was a cheap drunk, and after one alcoholic beverage, it was time to put me to bed. "No great loss. This island is filled with hunks."

  I snorted. "No thanks. It's probably a good idea if I don't get involved with men again for a while. I've been burned enough lately."

  She winked at me. "Are you sure? We do happen to have a major hunk working at the café."

  "Poncho?" I teased, and we both burst out in laughter.

  Vivian was still smiling as she muted the channel on the television. "Keanu's a hard one to figure out. I've only been at the Loco Moco about five months, but I can tell you he's one of the nicest guys I've ever met."

  "Really? So how come you two never hooked up?"

  She chewed her pizza thoughtfully. "I don't know. He's a good-looking guy and all, but there are no sparks for me when I'm around him. And I'm a big believer in sparks. Now when I see Casey the bartender, my whole world becomes a Fourth of July display."

  I rolled my eyes at her, and then we both giggled again. "Ask him out then."

  She made a face. "I wish. I heard he's into one of the surfing instructors. Just my luck."

  "Interesting. Must be one of Brad's co-workers." Okay, I had to stop thinking about him. It was time for me to put Brad out of my head and heart—forever.

  "So tell me about your family." Vivian reached for another slice. We'd ordered two small pies—one with bacon and pineapple, which I was drooling over, and the other with pepperoni and sausage.

  I shrugged and tried to keep my voice on an even keel. "There's not much to tell. My father ran off when I was four. He used to send my mother money once in a while, but I haven't seen him in twenty years. I have an older sister, Penny, whom my mother adores. Mom's pretty much tried to ignore me my entire life."

  Vivian's eyes grew wide. "Wow, that really bites. If it makes you feel any better, I don't have much of a family either. My father raised me. My parents were never married, and from what I understand, neither one wanted to be. I was the accident waiting to happen."

  I raised my hand. "I know something about that."

  She continued. "My father was always super overprotective. He didn't even let me date until senior prom rolled around. Finally I couldn't stand being under his thumb anymore, so after community college I moved here. I worked in an office then got a job waitressing at a place similar to the Loco Moco."

  Her voice took on a wistful tone. "My father got married two years ago, and he and his young wife—who's like five years older than me—have a one-year-old baby, my half sister. He's too busy with his new family to spend any time with me anymore. The last time I heard from him was at Christmas."

  My heart went out to her. "I guess we're more alike than I thought."

  She lifted her glass in the air and clinked it against mine. "To making it on our own."

  "Here, here." I was already feeling a bit tipsy but drained my glass anyway.

  Vivian watched as Benny found his way into my lap. "He likes you, and it appears the feeling is mutual. That fur ball never comes near me. Guess animals are more perceptive than I give them credit for."

  I stroked his soft fur. "I've always wanted a cat. Maybe I'll get one when I find a place that I can afford." If that ever happens.

  It was so nice to have a girlfriend to talk to. I stretched out on my back, and Benny lay himself down on my chest. "So where's Lola?"

  Vivian made a face. "She's staying at her boyfriend's tonight. I texted her while we were at the café and told her you were sleeping over. She said to be careful we didn't knock her boxes over. I swear—she's a little cuckoo in the head about the whole personal-space thing." She pointed to the neat stack of cardboard boxes in the corner of the tiny living area. "You should see my closet. She's got so much stuff crammed in there that I couldn't even find my shoes this morning."

  "Can't she move in with her boyfriend instead?" I asked.

  She did a palms up. "He's got a roommate, but I guess the guy is away tonight. I think Steve's planning to move into her place eventually. She's supposed to be going back home tomorrow or the next day. Let me tell you—it isn't soon enough."

  I felt comfortable enough with Vivian to ask her opinion on the murder. "So, who do you think killed Hale?"

  She blew out a sigh. "Who knows? I bet you anything that Detective Ray will be back again tomorrow, surveying the place like a vulture looking for his prey. Seriously, there are suspects galore, so why is he tormenting us? And don't let that wench Mrs. Akamu fool you. She's watching all of us, waiting for somebody to screw up. I know she's been going around saying Carmen did it. She thinks Hale slept with her."

  "I thought you said Lola slept with him?" I asked.

  "I don't know for sure," Vivian admitted. "Alana has her own ideas about everyt
hing anyway. That woman is nuts."

  "How long did Carmen work for him?"

  Vivian grabbed a pillow from the couch, punched it a couple of times, then lay on her side, propping it underneath her. "I'm not sure. She started before me. It sounds terrible to say this, but I think Carmen had major problems."

  I raised an eyebrow. "What sort of problems? You mean with Hale?"

  "Carmen was acting really weird for a long time. Then she was out sick a couple of weeks ago for four days. I thought for sure Hale would fire her then, but he didn't. And when she came back—" Vivian hesitated. "I went to put my stuff in a locker one day and didn't notice Carmen's bag already there. I accidentally knocked it to the floor, and a bottle of prescription pills fell out."

  "But a lot of people take prescription drugs," I said. "That doesn't mean anything."

  Vivian gave me a shrewd look. "True, but maybe she was abusing them. She acted weird all the time. One day she'd be over-the-top happy and then the next day all weepy. Personally, I don't think Hale fired her because of the tip situation with the customer. I think he was sick and tired of her strange moods and it was an excuse to be rid of her."

  But why was he paying her money, then? Could Carmen have killed him, and if so, for what reason?

  "It looks like Keanu was right." I didn't realize I'd spoken the words out loud. Me and my big mouth again.

  "Oh really?" She shot me a coy look. "What exactly was Mr. Hottie right about?"

  "The night of the murder, Keanu gave me a lift home. He told me everyone had a reason to want Hale dead—" I stopped suddenly. "Keanu's not a killer. I'm sure of it." At least I didn't think so.

  She sighed. "I don't think he is either. And please don't lump me into that category. Sure I disliked Hale, but not enough to kill him. This whole thing totally bites."

  "Did Lola ever actually tell you if she slept with Hale?" I rubbed Benny behind the ears, who didn't seem to care that I was saying nasty things about his owner. The purring was so loud it resembled a V-8 engine.

  "Lola's pretty private about most things. When she does open her mouth, her tongue tends to get her in all sorts of trouble. Even though I can't stand having her here, she's okay to work with. She was pretty friendly with Carmen too."