Veils and Vengeance

by Rachelle J. Christensen

Before I boiled over, I flipped open my laptop and searched for anything on Mrs. Amelia Harper. Unfortunately, all I had to go on was her name. I didn’t know where she was from or who she worked for, so the search brought up dozens of Amelia Harpers with nothing suspicious enough to pinpoint who I might be dealing with. The women were either too young or too old to be the same Amelia I’d encountered and most of the others appeared harmless. There were no glaring headlines about a criminal named Amelia Harper. I closed my laptop. There were other ways to find answers to my questions.

  I grabbed a robe and headed for a long, hot shower. Something strange was going on with the notorious Mrs. Harper. I couldn’t ignore her any longer. Tomorrow was Sunday—my day off. After a good night’s rest there would be plenty of time to do some snooping, and if I couldn’t find what I was looking for, Jon was willing to help me.

  The adrenaline and anger from too many frustrations zapped the tired bug out of my system. I was still exhausted, but every part of me felt too wired to sleep. I towel dried my hair and let it hang loose down my back, the ends still seeping moisture. My body called out for something comfortable, so I pulled on a gauzy turquoise skirt and a white blouse with a pair of silver flip-flops and headed out for a walk under the stars.

  Gusts of ocean breeze blew against the empty hammocks secured to the palm trees. When I stepped off the darkened path onto a patch of sand illuminated by light, a tiny brown lizard skittered across. The corners of my mouth lifted slightly as I watched the two inch lizard hide in the grass. Kauai’s beauty and diversity snapped me out of my funk.

  Inhaling slowly, I let the soft scent of plumeria overtake me and rub out the incident with Jenica and the indirect confrontation I’d had with Mrs. Harper.

  The wind blew one hammock almost sideways but its mate stayed in place. I squinted and leaned forward. The other hammock was occupied by a man. I wondered if he was asleep. I didn’t want to disturb him so I turned to step back on the path.

  “I saw you, Adri. You don’t have to hide.”

  I froze as I recognized Luke Stetson’s voice—the clear tenor cut through the night. I turned, but the spotlight made it difficult to see. “Luke?”

  “Yep. I got in a couple hours ago—couldn’t resist coming down to listen to the ocean.”

  A mixture of relief and anxiety moved through me as I stepped to the edge of the path. “Sleeping off some jetlag?”

  “Nah, stuffed myself full of coconut shrimp. I needed a place to stretch out.” He lifted his arms over his head and groaned as he sat up. He wore khaki cargo shorts with a light green graphic tee. I noticed his flip-flops in the sand near the hammock. I’d never seen Luke this relaxed before.

  “The food here is delicious. I tried my first Hawaiian shave ice today.”

  Luke lifted his eyebrows. “Yeah, I heard all about your date from Malia.”

  I tried to cover my surprise. Awkward didn’t begin to define the conversation we were heading into, but I didn’t know how to sidestep it. “The Connelly family has been very kind to show me around the island.”

  “Jon in particular, I’m guessing,” Luke said.

  I decided to be straightforward. “Yes, he took me on the bike trails along the coast today.”

  “Malia says you’re like two peas in a pod.” He said this in a teasing falsetto.

  “Not really. It was just a date.” I tried to keep my voice casual.

  “And you ended up nearly killing yourself, right?”

  I couldn’t hide the surprise at how much intel he’d already gathered since arriving. “What, am I under surveillance?”

  “When Malia gets excited about something she babbles, and Jon is her future brother-in-law, so it makes sense he would share details about his date with the hot wedding planner.”

  I blushed. “It was a close call. I’m still a little sore, and I’ll have some great bruises to show off tomorrow. Want to hear the whole exciting story?”

  Luke chuckled, but before he could wave me off, I launched into the details of how the wheel came off my bicycle and Jon and I wondered if it had been tampered with. I told Luke how the bikes had been moved, but were still locked up tight. “I guess it might have been better if the bikes were stolen, since I ended up nearly cliff-diving, and we didn’t get to finish the ride back.”

  “That’s a lot to deal with, Adri. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Luke had a way of piercing my outer shell and getting to my heart too quickly. “I’m fine.”

  “So you like the Connellys? Malia is going to be okay?” he asked.

  “They seem to be a wonderful family. Malia and Kyle remind me why I chose this profession. They’re so in love.”

  Luke rolled his eyes, just as I expected. “Kyle seems nice enough, but I don’t trust Jon.” He rubbed at the stubble on his face.

  “Is that jealousy I hear in your voice?” I cocked my head. “Jon asked me on a date. He lives here—hence, no future dates.”

  “Still, I don’t know about him.” Luke shook his head. “Have you heard about the class action lawsuit going against their company? The school district is suing because so many of the students and teachers were getting sick from environmental hazards.”

  “I knew the locals didn’t like the GMOs but I hadn’t heard that.”

  “It’s big time. Never happened before. I think your buddy might even be sweating a bit.” Luke stretched his feet down to the sand and stood, the hammock swaying behind him.

  The information I had about Kyle starting his own business and breaking away from the family business seemed even more relevant now. He must have known about the lawsuit. I wondered if that was motivating his plans. Jon had also expressed interest in checking out things in Idaho. Perhaps he was ready to move away from trouble as well.

  “The Connellys seem genuine. They’re wealthy, but down to earth. Neil isn’t the sole owner of Tri-C Enterprises. Maybe there are some conflicts between the owners.”

  “Just as long as Malia and Kyle don’t get caught up in it,” Luke muttered. “She needs her happily ever after, and even though I told her those don’t exist outside fairy tales, she insists that her life will be different.” He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

  I studied him, sifting through the varying emotions he’d just portrayed. He cared a lot about his cousin. Luke did his best to help people, but he was also a cynic. In our brief conversation, I’d already caught his anti-wedding vibe several times, and as usual, it left me confused as to whether it was a front or how he really felt. Was he that bitter about his own past?

  “I still don’t understand why you came.” I ventured closer to the hammock.

  He snorted. “Thanks for the warm welcome.”

  I touched his forearm, giving it a light squeeze. “No, that’s not what I meant. It’s good to see you here—I’m just surprised.”

  Luke cleared his throat. “Malia asked me to give her away. You know she doesn’t have any brothers.”

  The news floored me. I knew that Malia’s father had passed away a few years ago and that she didn’t have any brothers, but I didn’t know Luke would be giving her away. She’d been somewhat vague on that detail, at one time suggesting that Neil might be walking her down the aisle to meet her groom. I understood now that she wasn’t sure Luke would really show. “I didn’t realize you two were that close.”

  “We’ve always been close, but really, I think she wanted to force me to take a vacation.” He pulled his toes through the sand. “After my wife died . . .” He pressed his lips together. “Malia has worried over me a lot. She and Dana were good friends. And when Malia begs, she gets her way.” He smiled, but I wondered if it was just to reassure me since he’d mentioned his late wife. He cleared his throat. “I’m not sure how to say this.”

  “Well, you haven’t been hesitant about anything else tonight. Why stop now?” He was jealous about Jon, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

  Luke shook his head. He studied me for a second and t
hen shrugged. “Don’t you think it’s strange that you had an accident with your bike and Jon was there to save you?”

  I wrinkled my nose. “Why is that strange? Should he have let me fall off the edge of the cliff?”

  “No, I mean you said that he locked the bikes up so securely. Why would anyone bother messing with them?” Luke leaned back against the palm tree, studying me.

  “I don’t know. People do strange stuff all the time.”

  Luke continued to stare at me, and I couldn’t read his expression. “Or maybe someone was trying to give you a warning.”

  “What kind of a warning? Don’t ride your vintage bicycle to Donkey Beach?”

  “It just seems strange.” Luke rubbed his chin. “Malia was the one who first brought it up, but she didn’t think Jon would go to those kind of lengths to impress you.”

  “Luke, he didn’t have anything to do with it. Accidents happen.”

  “Like that woman you found out on Tunnels?”

  I flinched and took a step back as her face came to mind again. It made sense that Luke knew about the body, but I hadn’t brought it up for obvious reasons.

  “I’m sorry, I think my brain is fried right now. Malia talked nonstop from the airport to here and through dinner. I basically know every move everyone has made since they’ve been here.” He took a step toward me. “It made me worried for you when Malia told me how you were the one that found that woman. And then when she told me about your accident. I didn’t like it. They probably don’t see how much that could affect you, but I do.”

  My chest tightened as the images I’d been pushing away floated back into focus—the woman’s green eyes, her arm moving back and forth. I sucked in a breath, the harsh reminder of a young life taken settling on my chest.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.” Luke pushed at the hammock and it swung back and forth behind him, brushing his legs. “I’d better get to bed.” He moved to walk past me.

  I grabbed his hand before he could leave and pulled my thoughts into focus. “Luke, I’m glad you could come. And I don’t mind you watching out for me. Don’t be afraid to tell me something if you think it’s important.”

  Luke patted my hand and nodded. “Okay, I think you need to be careful. I worry about you even when you tell me everything is fine. Do you want me to walk you back up to the hotel?”

  “No thanks. I’ll just be a few more minutes. I promise to be careful,” I said, removing my hand from his arm. “Good night.”

  After he had walked down the lighted pathway, I stepped into the darkness again and looked up at the stars twinkling. The ocean’s constant movement was soothing, and it made me realize just how tired I was. I retraced my steps back to my room and prepared for bed. As I fluffed my pillow, I thought about what Luke had suggested, that someone had tampered with my bike.

  My skin chilled. Mrs. Harper came to mind, but that seemed ludicrous. She wasn’t an all-powerful mobster or something, was she? I brushed Luke’s speculation off, but later I had a bad taste in my mouth when I thought about how Jon had taken an extra-long time to lock up the bikes. Would he have orchestrated something like that to get close to me? Of course, if someone did tamper with the bike, they expected the wheel to come off much sooner than it had—it was pure luck that I happened to be riding downhill toward the edge of the ocean cliff when it finally disengaged.

  I groaned. It was exhaustion and stiff muscles making me think crazy thoughts. The bike accident was just that—an accident. But as I closed my eyes and fought for sleep, I couldn’t ignore the warning bells going off in the back of my mind.

  Chapter 8

  HAWAIIAN OMELET

  Whisk 3 eggs with 1 Tbsp. water and pour into heated sauté pan. Let eggs cook for about 30 seconds. Layer diced ham, shredded cheese, pecans, and diced pineapples over egg mixture. Cook for one minute, then using spatula, fold half the egg mixture over the other half to create omelet. Cook on medium-low heat for about one minute. Flip over and cook until done, one-two minutes.

  Serve garnished with fresh pineapple and basil leaf.

  Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com

  Even though I’d planned to be up early, I skipped the sunrise Sunday morning and stayed in bed for a few extra luxurious moments, moving my stiff muscles slowly. My mind whirred with questions about every person I’d come into contact with since arriving. When I thought of Jon Connelly, his easy grin came to mind. I liked his playful personality. I’d had a lot of fun with him, and even though I wasn’t happy that I’d broken down in front of him, it had provided a connection between us that meant more than teasing and flirting.

  The cleansing release of sharing my past with someone had helped me to see how far I’d really come. Most of the past six months had been filled with me working to exhaustion, trying to convince myself that I was stronger than every weak moment I curled up in bed, trying to stop the night terrors from haunting me.

  I sat up and let my bare feet dangle over the edge of the bed, brushing the carpet. I slipped through the sliding glass door on the balcony and lowered myself into the wicker chair. The waves rolled relentlessly toward the shore. The ocean was powerful. Well, so was I. Adri, you’re stronger than you think, Jon had told me yesterday. I straightened and breathed in the salty air. He was right. I was stronger, and I could handle what life had given me. It was time for me to let go of my fears and figure some things out. Mixed feelings about Luke twirled in the back of my mind. I knew I’d have to do something about them, but I wasn’t sure how at the moment. Right now, it was enough for me to say that I was strong enough to deal with my problems.

  The next person I thought of was the green-eyed woman chained under the water at Tunnels Beach. She’d haunted my thoughts ever since I discovered her arm waving in the current, as if signaling me to find her. Who was she? And why did someone kill her? Even though I’d made my best effort not to dwell on her, an emotional pull kept me thinking about the body. She’d seemed young—perhaps not too much older than me. Her whole life was still in front of her and someone had snatched it away. I wanted to know why—I needed answers.

  Something itched at my memory of that day. There was something I should know, a missing detail that would answer a question. I closed my eyes and listened to the surf and allowed my memory to take me back. Removing the fear and anxiety, I reminded myself of my own personal strengths. If there was something I could do to help this woman, I needed to take the chance. I went through everything in my mind, struggling with the emotion connected to the memory. After a few minutes, I sighed in frustration. There was something on the fringes of my memory, but I couldn’t access it. At least I’d decided not to be afraid of the murdered woman. Maybe whatever was locked away would be triggered by something else, and I’d finally be at peace.

  A clatter of dishes in the hallway interrupted the investigation into my mind’s secret compartments. Time for me to get going. I showered and pulled on another maxi dress. This one had a pattern of purple hibiscus flowers on a creamy yellow background, and the fabric was soft against my skin. I took a minute to tame the curls in my hair before hurrying out the door.

  I didn’t see anyone I knew at breakfast, but I wasn’t familiar with everyone in the wedding party. Malia’s mother and her siblings had arrived last night, and the last of the guests would fly in later that morning. It was a happy time, and I was grateful to be a part of it. I noticed that fresh fruit seemed to be the norm for breakfast. The sweet taste of pineapple and crunchy pecans added a unique flavor to an otherwise ordinary ham and cheese omelet. I savored each bite of my breakfast. With a belly full of good food, I was prepared to study the next person on my list: Mrs. Amelia Harper.

  With purpose, I strode toward the concierge desk. Chelsea wasn’t working today because it was Sunday, and I hoped that would be in my favor. A young man with thick black hair and a freshly-shaved face sat in front of a computer, clicking through screens. He wore the signature hotel uniform and looked up as I ap
proached.

  “Good morning. Can I help you?” he asked.

  My eyes flicked to his name tag. “Yes, Pua. I have a few questions I need help answering.” I was proud of myself for not butchering his name. Even though I couldn’t speak many words, I’d taken time to study up on the Hawaiian language. The basis of only twelve letters in the alphabet made it easy to remember that it was most important to pay attention to all of the vowels.

  Pua nodded. “Have a seat, and let’s see what I can do.”

  I paused for a moment to collect my thoughts. I had to word my question so as not to arouse suspicion and still get the information I needed. “I’m Adri Pyper, wedding planner for the Wright/Connelly wedding. I’ve been working with Mrs. Harper this weekend.” I hesitated, noting how Pua flinched when I spoke her name. I smiled sweetly. “We had some booking conflicts, so I’ve spoken with her and received some correspondence as well, but I can’t remember to which man I was supposed to deliver my message. Can you direct me?”

  Pua licked his lips, probably deciding how to answer my question without divulging private information. “You say you’re supposed to talk with someone from PFI?”

  “Yes, that’s right.” I didn’t miss a beat. “But I don’t have a name. One of the other concierge’s pointed him out to me yesterday, but I’m afraid I’ve seen too many faces since then.”

  Pua looked behind me, his gaze flitting from one end of the room to the other. “I’m not sure where Mitt is, but Teo is right over by that column. He must be on surveillance.” Pua didn’t point, instead he looked to the right behind me. I turned, following the direction of his focus. It took all my will power not to widen my eyes when I saw the same Polynesian man who had gestured to me yesterday in a threatening way. I turned, averting my eyes from his penetrating study.

  “I see him. I remember him now.” I tapped my fingers on the countertop as my mind raced. I needed to pump Pua for more information, but I wasn’t sure what else to ask.

  “I wouldn’t contact Mrs. Harper directly without talking to Teo first. I saw a few police officers approach her today and Teo about got himself arrested.”