Winter in Waianae (Love in Oahu Book 2)

by Aubree Lane

  Erika grabbed the boy’s arm. “We’re cool. Ben, this is my brother-in-law, David Crandall. He’s the private detective I warned you about.” Ben’s eyes grew wide and she rushed to reassure him. “Don’t worry. We’ve come to an agreement. As soon as he sees this is a safe place, he will give my parents the Crandall seal of approval.” She tilted her head coyly. “Do you have time to give him a private tour? He wants to see the birds.”

  Ben’s head bobbed up and down.

  Erika already had the boy wrapped around her little finger. David shouldn’t have been surprised. She was her mother’s daughter, and Erika watched Hannah Turner manipulate everyone around her up until the day the ink dried on the unusual family contract. He was very grateful Grady had been able to resist her charms.

  An unpleasant suspicion crossed his mind, and he didn’t like the direction his thoughts were traveling. He couldn’t shake the idea that perhaps the crush Erika had on the kid across the street was a ruse to throw Annie and Terence off the track of something a little more devious. David hoped to hell the girl didn’t have anything to do with the marijuana growing in the kid’s backyard.

  He had to find the guilty party as quickly as possible. If his young sister-in-law was complicit in any way, he wasn’t sure they would be able to save her.

  “Thanks anyway,” David said, bowing out of the tour. “I’ve seen enough seagulls in my life.”

  Ben snickered. “You might like to see the place, Mr. Crandall? We don’t have seagulls in Hawaii.”

  That was a relief. David felt he dodged a bullet, but birds would be birds and his ball cap needed to stay pristine for a few more days. “Some other time, kid.”

  17

  Kap stood on the bluff and looked out over the sea. The full moon hovering in the midnight sky cast a shimmering glow across the waves. He closed his eyes and concentrated. A few minutes later, the spinners appeared and danced playfully in the water below. Kap sighed heavily. The Winter Solstice was almost upon them.

  The Javier family had once again touched his heart. They would never know the depth of his appreciation, loyalty, and never-ending devotion. He wished he could tell them the entire story, but it wasn’t allowed. His goals had always been accomplished in the shadows. If his luck held, he would forever be the stranger who came in with the dolphins, and brought luck and love to the family. With David Crandall back on the island, he didn’t dare push his luck any further. It was time to leave.

  • • •

  “I can’t believe it’s the twenty-first already,” Lena pouted as she watched Kap pack his suitcase. “Please stay through the New Year. If money is the issue, I’d be happy to comp you the room.”

  Mr. Kaplinger tucked in another pair of pants and snapped the case shut. “I wish I could. I hate to leave when Grady and the girls might still need my help, but I don’t have a choice.”

  Lena brushed off his concerns. “We appreciate your help, but that’s not why I’m sorry to see you go. I like having you around. You’re one of us now. I hope you come back soon.”

  Kap pulled the owner of the B&B into his aged arms. “When I planned this vacation, I thought I’d spend the majority of my time sightseeing. Instead, I found myself perfectly content to look out at your beautiful ocean view, help a couple of kids in the garden, and play nursemaid to a baby bird.” He squeezed her just a little tighter and kissed the top of her forehead. “It’s been a long time since I felt this at home. Your family has graciously accepted me into the fold, and I will never forget your generosity.”

  “But you’re our lucky stranger.”

  Kap’s eyes went soft. “Would you believe me if I said your story was a myth and nothing more?”

  She stepped out of his embrace. “I guess you’re right. We thought Warden was one of the lucky ones, but he jumped ship days ago. I suppose it’s time to let go of my mom’s bedtime story and grow up.” Lena touched his shoulder affectionately. “But it was fun while it lasted.”

  He pulled her down beside him on the bed. “Young woman,” he said firmly, “don’t you dare grow up. This has been the best vacation an old man could ask for. I am the lucky one. You and your family have enriched my life beyond belief.”

  Lena searched his eyes. She brought her hand to his face and let her fingers explore the lines of his brow and the crags of his wrinkled jawline. “You’re a mystery, Mr. Kaplinger. On the surface, you appear to be open about your past, but upon closer examination, I don’t believe you’ve revealed anything personal about yourself. You say you feel like one of the family, but you’re leaving without giving me a forwarding address. We won’t be able to contact you.”

  “Just talk to the spinners,” he whispered in her ear. “They’ll get a message to me.”

  The moment she stopped believing he was the benevolent stranger in her mother’s stories, Kap brought the tale back to the forefront and made her question it again. Lena scratched her neck and probed for a few answers. “Kap, the day you and Annie found Turnabout down by the pier, Erika said her ornament display was full, but Annie insisted she sold out. Do you know anything about that?” Before he could answer, she pushed on, “And all the new tools in the shed... we don’t know where they came from. Then Annie said you told her to hurry after she received the phone call from Marissa asking her to track Larry down. How did you know it was an emergency?”

  His eyes beamed with joy. Kap crossed his heart with his finger. “I swear, I have no knowledge about the tools in the shed, but I saw Brittany and Terence offloading his truck the day they arrived. I always assumed that’s where they came from.” He lowered his voice and pressed a finger to his lips. “Keep this on the down low, but I caught Brittany hanging the ornaments on Erika’s display when Annie was calling out to the baby bird. Britt told me Erika taught her how to make them the night before and she wanted to surprise her. I find it hard to believe anyone thought I was involved. As far as Annie and Larry Wright are concerned, I could tell something was wrong by the look on Annie’s face. Besides, Marissa is a loud phone talker. I could hear the worry in her voice. I simply encouraged Annie to investigate.”

  There were a lot of holes in his explanation, but Lena let it drop because a huge part of her wanted to keep the magic alive.

  It wasn’t unusual for a guest to leave a lasting impression, but this man was special. “At least wait until tomorrow,” she implored. “Let me invite the family over. We’ll have a fish fry down on the beach, and everyone will have a chance to say goodbye.”

  With sad eyes, Kap declined the offer. “I’m not good with goodbyes. I’ve grown quite fond of those young people. You might end up watching a grown man cry.”

  A horn honking in the drive announced Mr. Kaplinger’s ride to the airport.

  They embraced each other one last time. “Don’t be a stranger,” Lena demanded. “You come back and see us.”

  Kap tittered slyly, “I’ll take it up with the dolphins.”

  The horn honked again and cut off Lena’s smart retort. “I guess this is it. You better get going before the cab driver has a conniption. He must be an import. An island boy wouldn’t be in such a rush.”

  They walked downstairs. Lena stayed on the front stoop and let Kap make his way to the cab without her. The trunk popped open and the old man tossed his bags inside. Before taking his seat, he waved one final goodbye.

  Lena wagged a reluctant shaka in reply.

  The cab driver glanced over his shoulder and pulled away from the curb. It was Warden. Lena squinted at the disappearing cab. She couldn’t absolutely swear the driver was her yard boy, but the cab was definitely a late model Chevy Caprice.

  With shades of the mysterious strangers lingering in her mind, Lena turned around and headed back inside the B&B.

  • • •

  “You can’t be serious,” Marissa exclaimed at David’s outrageous theory. She raised her sunglasses from her eyes and leveled him with a vicious glare. “Just because you haven’t found the guilty party does
not make my little sister a drug dealer.”

  Not even Marissa’s angry tone could diminish his loving appraisal of his wife’s beautiful body. Clad in nothing but a dark blue bikini, his eyes raked hungrily down her long, firm limbs. David glanced around the pool area to make sure their conversation was unheard by any other pool goers, but he had nothing to worry about. No other humans inhabited the immediate area. Only a single gecko scampered up the wall. It was hard to be certain with all the mystical, magical strangers and dolphins hovering about, but David was practically positive the reptile would be discreet.

  “You didn’t see how she worked that Kaʻuhane kid,” he explained. “It was Hannah all over again. If we were here under any other circumstances, I would warn Terence and Annie they were in for a world of trouble.”

  Marissa shoved her shades back over her eyes and eased her body into the lounge chair. “Erika probably doesn’t realize what she’s doing. I’ll talk to her. Who knows how many men she saw Hannah manipulate, use, and discard. Some of it was bound to rub off.” She covered her face with a wide floppy hat. “But that doesn’t mean she had anything to do with the weed growing in Grady’s backyard. You’ll have to explain that leap just a wee bit better, because I don’t buy it.”

  David sat down in the all-weather recliner next to her. He had absolutely no proof. It was a gut feeling. Marissa usually trusted his spidey sense, but Erika’s big sis wasn’t having any of that today. He let his mind run back over the facts. Erika had the means and opportunity. The motive had to be money, but she was busy running her own little ornament business.

  He supposed it was possible she didn’t have as much opportunity as he originally thought. Larry and Eleanor would have kept her extremely busy with school, and afterward she worked a few hours at the B&B with Lena.

  David couldn’t shake the feeling something was up with Erika, but growing pot across the street probably wasn’t it. She was supervised too much. It was only since Larry’s passing and the school break that freedom rang for the teen. The timetable didn’t add up. David let it go. Marissa’s gut was probably more right than wrong this time around.

  “What did you find out about the girls in Grady’s little black book?”

  Marissa relaxed deeper into the lounger. “Not much. They are all a little older. I assume Grady planned it that way so he’d have someone to buy him alcohol. They all hang out at the same beach. I went down and talked to a few of them while you were out bird watching. What I find odd, is none of them cared that he used them. It seems Grady’s most appealing feature was that he had his own place. They liked him, but what they liked more was having a place to party.”

  “Girls have changed since we were in college.”

  Marissa’s hat shook when she chuckled. “How would you know? We got together our first semester and married the third. We didn’t hit the party scene. We nested in our tiny apartment, worked, and went to school.”

  “You’re right again.” His fingers brushed his wife’s silky calf. “We focused on our future and making love. Nothing else mattered. My only regret is that we didn’t take a little more time to be just the two of us before we had kids.”

  One eye peeked out from under the huge hat. “We appear to be childfree right now. Want to go up to our room and pretend we’re back in college?”

  He did, but it wasn’t going to happen. “We don’t have a lot of time. I better hit the computer. Since we struck out with the Tapped That list, I think it’s time to dig up more information on the kid’s dead parents.”

  “His parents!” Marissa’s hat fell off, and her long blonde hair whipped across her face when she jumped up to look at him. “I never considered that possibility.” A look of total admiration swelled in her eyes. “You’re good. Do you need me for anything or can I stay here and bask in the sun?”

  “Just don’t burn. I have plans for that body after we get this all sorted out.”

  Marissa readjusted her hat. “Have fun, and don’t let Agent Tam find out you’re invading her territory,” she said, calling out an unnecessary warning.

  • • •

  Marissa rolled onto her tummy and closed her eyes. Staying under the radar was tiring stuff. All she wanted to do was sleep. It was an ingrained part of every trip to the island. The first two days they powered down, slept in, and let Lena cook for them. They didn’t even watch their own kids. Jack and Sandy would go off with her dad and Eleanor or hang out over at Terence and Annie’s. Her body didn’t understand she wasn’t here on vacation.

  She worried about Brittany. After Annie moved to Hawaii, Marissa made a point of checking up on the girl every few months just in case an intervention was necessary. Although far from stellar, Darleen and Carl Sutherland never crossed the line into a prosecutable case of child abuse. Agent Tam was undoubtedly aware of Brittany’s tragic family history in San Diego, and the beach buddy potheads she called friends.

  As Marissa began to drift off, a shadow crossed her face. She was irritated that her nap was being interrupted, but someone either wanted to talk or was in the process of slipping her wallet out of her beach bag. Marissa reluctantly opened her eyes and saw a brown-skinned girl hovering over her. Her breasts were just beginning to bud and Marissa estimated she was around Erika’s age.

  “I’m sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Crandall, but I heard you asking about Grady down at the beach.”

  That caught Marissa’s attention. “Please call me Marissa. I’m not sure your parents would like you following a complete stranger, but I hope you have something important to tell me.” She gestured for the young girl to sit in the chaise beside her. “What’s your name?”

  “I’d rather not say. Like you said, you’re a complete stranger.”

  Marissa liked that. The girl caught on fast. Hoping that would translate into some good intel, Marissa nodded. “Understood, tell me why you’re here?”

  The young lady rubbed her knees nervously. “The girls at the beach lied to you. None of them were cool when Grady dumped them. One girl got really mad. Her name is Callie. If Grady is in trouble, I bet she has something to do with it. I heard her yelling at some dark-haired kid about a week ago. She was super angry. So was the boy. He called Callie stupid and blamed her for something. It was really weird. Usually the girls are heartbroken when Grady moves on. Some of them even try to get him back, but Callie’s reaction was different. It stuck in my mind.”

  Excitement pulsed through Marissa’s veins. This unnamed stranger might have given them a new lead, and she wanted to hug her for coming forward. Remaining as calm as possible she inquired, “Does Callie have a last name?”

  The girl shook her head. “I don’t have any idea.” Out of the blue, she jumped to Grady’s defense. “He can be a jerk, but Grady can also be really nice. One day, after I had a fight with my mom and dad, he sat down and let me talk.” A small smile formed on her round face. “I doubt he knows my name, but he helped me feel better.”

  Marissa reached out to touch the girl’s shoulder, but she recoiled.

  The no-named girl jumped to her feet and declared abruptly, “I have to go.” Her bare feet padded towards the pool gate.

  Stopping her from leaving didn’t appear possible so Marissa didn’t try. “Thank you.”

  A hand of acknowledgement waved in her direction, but the girl hurried on her way.

  • • •

  The story Marissa told, didn’t make sense. David needed further clarification. “How far away is that beach?”

  “About five miles or so.” Marissa restated.

  “She walked barefoot that far?”

  “I guess.” Marissa’s agitation grew. “David, why aren’t you jumping up and down with joy? We have a new lead.”

  There was a missing piece David wasn’t comfortable with. “I don’t understand how a pre-teen was able to follow you. You were in your rental car, and she was hoofing it. Unless that girl has some nifty superpowers, it’s not possible.”

  “Why does it matte
r?” Marissa exclaimed. “Maybe she was with an older friend who parked down the street. She wouldn’t tell me her name. It stands to reason she wouldn’t want me to have any other details about her either. Now, can we start tracking down this Callie person?”

  David wasn’t sure where to start. “Her name is not in Grady’s contact list. That girl must have done something because Grady purged her from the system. Maybe I can track her down using social media. If she’s like most people, she’ll have left behind some kind of digital footprint.”

  Marissa leaned over his shoulder and watched as he searched the net for somebody named Callie. He guessed her age to be approximately twenty-one and that she lived somewhere nearby.

  “Callie is probably a nickname for something longer. You should add that to your search.”

  David racked his brain, but came up blank. “Any suggestions on what that name might be?”

  Marissa prattled off a list. “Caroline, Kaitlyn, Catherine, Calista, California.”

  “And the search widens. I think I’ll leave that last one off.” His wife leaned in closer. The scent of her hair and the softness of her skin proved to be a major distraction. “You can go back and nap by the pool if you like. I’ll text you if I find anything.”

  “Are you trying to get rid of me?” Her seductive fingers traced small circles between his shoulder blades.

  David shrugged her off. “Babe, this is not the time.”

  Her hands flattened and caressed their way around his waist. “Are you sure?”

  His cock jumped to attention. He pushed the task chair away and stood up. Marissa was playing with him, but he pressed her body firmly against him and kissed her delicious lips.

  She broke away and as expected, said, “You’re busy. I’ll let you get back to it.”

  “I knew you weren’t going to follow through.”

  Her eyes danced with mischief. “That was just a taste of what’s to come.” She backed out of the room and licked her lips in anticipation.