A breeze tousled my hair, and I turned to head back to the hotel. Breathing in the salty air, I smiled. I had a date to get ready for.
I was halfway back to the hotel when someone called my name. Turning, I saw Heather wave and quicken her step to catch up with me.
“Adri, I’m so glad you’re still here. I wanted to tell you what a wonderful job you’re doing with all the wedding celebrations.”
“Well, thank you. I’m enjoying it.” I looked past Heather to see if someone was with her but didn’t recognize anyone from the bridal shower. “And thanks again for your help with Jenica. She must have thought I did it or put you up to it. She definitely didn’t suspect you.”
“But it’s nice to have deniability.” Heather raised an eyebrow.
“I agree.”
Heather smiled. “I had a few minutes so I thought I’d walk the grounds. Are you heading to the spa?”
“No, not right now. But Malia did try to talk me into it. She keeps insisting that I need to have fun here too.”
“This is a magnificent place, and you should soak up every minute.” Heather rolled her shoulders. “Malia said she’d schedule a massage for me, and I’m definitely looking forward to it.”
“That does sound nice. I’m not sure what spa treatment I’ll try first, but anything that involves being pampered is fine with me.” I started walking, and Heather fell into step beside me.
After a few beats of silence, Heather glanced at me. “I don’t want to bring up bad feelings, but are you doing okay after finding that woman?”
My throat tightened. I didn’t really want to think about that, but I also didn’t want Heather worrying. “Yes. I mean, I feel terrible about it all, that poor woman being murdered.” I shuddered.
“I kept hoping it wouldn’t be murder.” Heather cringed. “It is awful.”
“It sounds like that’s what the police think too. I keep wondering who she was.”
“Have the police been in contact with you again?”
Mrs. Harper and her henchmen came to mind, and I thought about confessing that the police had been in contact with me for a different reason, but I didn’t want to upset Heather. “No, but they did tell me if I thought of anything else to give them a call.”
“Anything else? Like what?” Heather tilted her head slightly, her expression full of concern.
“There was something about the body—I don’t know—I just keep feeling like I should remember something, but I don’t.” I shrugged. “I guess it was just the shock.”
Heather patted my arm. “You’re probably right. I’m sorry that you had to start out your trip with a bad experience.”
“It’s okay. I’m staying busy, so that helps.”
“I hear Jon is trying to keep you busy as well.” Heather smiled at me.
My cheeks warmed with her attention. “Jon has been very nice. You have a great family. You should be proud.”
Something passed over her face and her eyes grew shiny with moisture. “Thank you. It’s been a stressful time, but I think everyone has been more than gracious.”
I squeezed her hand. “Malia and Kyle are going to have a beautiful wedding.”
She sighed. “It’s all come up so fast after months of planning, but I do believe they will be happy together.”
We had made it to the spa entrance, and I reached to open the glass door for her, but Heather stopped me. “I hope you’ll take time for yourself and enjoy this beautiful island. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“Thanks, I will.”
It almost seemed as if she wanted to say more, but someone opened the door from the inside and ushered Heather into the warm beauty of the spa. My attention shifted to first-date preparations with a divorce attorney, and I hurried toward my room with a skip in my step.
Chapter 11
EASY HOMEMADE RUB FOR MUSCLE ACHES
2-3 tbsps coconut oil and 7-10 drops of wintergreen, peppermint, white fir, and/or lavender essential oil.
Mix and store in cosmetic jar or other airtight container.
Coconut oil melts at room temperature, for best results store in refrigerator until ready to use. Scoop out a small amount and massage into skin.
Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com
Luke and I practiced on the paddle boards we’d soon be riding next to the Hanalei River. Luke wobbled and grabbed my arm and we both stepped off our board onto the platform.
“Sorry.” He shook his head as he stepped back on the board. “Hopefully my balance will improve.”
“You’d better not do that on the water,” I replied. “I’m going to keep my distance for safety’s sake.”
Luke held out his paddle and tapped me on the backside. “It wouldn’t take much to make a splash.”
I held up my paddle in return. “Watch it, Mr. Stetson.”
We both laughed and turned our attention back to Tommy. He walked around our group of about ten would-be paddleboarders, giving tips on stance and how to enjoy the ride. When he finished, he helped us down into the water with a few more instructions.
“You’ll be paddling down the Hanalei River, following it as it empties into the Hanalei Bay.” He pointed downstream. “Be careful when you enter the ocean. It’s a whole new set of skills to navigate the boards on the waves.”
“What’s the best way to hold the paddle if we want to try surfing?” Luke asked.
“You can use it to aid your balance,” Tommy replied. “Just keep paddling and stay out of the choppy waves.” He held up his paddle. “Keep your distance from the other surfers and ride the wave in, letting the blade of the paddle skim the surface of the water.”
I lifted my eyebrows as Luke copied the move. “You are so going to biff it.”
“Hey, you might be surprised at my athletic prowess.” Luke hefted his board, and we walked to the edge of the man-made canal that connected riders to the Hanalei River. He wore a carved seashell necklace on a thin strand of twine. The white shell rested just below his collarbone. Luke’s broad chest was bare and incredibly toned for someone who spent a ton of time creating divorce papers—not that I was looking too hard at the way his delts flexed when he practiced paddling through the air.
My fingers tingled from clutching my paddle so tight, and I took a deep breath as we pushed off from the shore. We started in a kneeling position, moving carefully along the canal until it emptied into the river. Then with a little squeal, I managed to stand up and keep my balance, holding the paddle in front of me and swiping through the shallow river near the bank.
Luke stood right after me, wobbling slightly until he planted his feet in the stance Tommy had demonstrated. “I can’t believe I’m finally on a date with Adrielle Pyper, wedding planner extraordinaire.”
I rolled my eyes and chuckled. “You are privileged, you know.”
He laughed. “Really though, thanks for coming with me. This is pretty awesome.” He rubbed his hand across the back of his neck, his fingers brushing the black curly hair dampened by humidity.
“My older brother Wesley would love this.” I motioned to the jungle of trees, vines, and flowers overhanging the riverbanks.
“I always wished I had a brother, but it was just my two sisters and me,” Luke said.
“And I always wished for a sister. Wes and I used to fight a lot when we were younger, but now we’re best friends, and he got me a sister when he married Jenna.”
From the riverbank, a rooster crowed, and Luke and I laughed. Luke switched his paddle over and directed his board closer to mine. The river moved slowly and we floated on the lazy current, paddling leisurely as we passed houses with private boat docks, red bougainvillea bushes, and trees that blocked the view of anything beyond the banks.
“So, tell me something about how you grew up.” I reached my paddle out and tapped the back of Luke’s board.
He hesitated, eyeing me as if trying to decide where to start. “I was born in Colorado, lived there until I
was eleven and then we started moving east. My dad owned a carpet cleaning business and did other odd jobs on the side.”
Luke stared ahead as he spoke. “He wasn’t a very good businessman. Every time he made too many enemies in a town, we’d move on. When I was fifteen, my parents divorced and my sisters and I stayed with my mom in North Carolina. We were happy kids, despite the circumstances.”
“I’m sorry. That must have been hard.”
Luke shrugged. “Not really. When you don’t know any different, you don’t realize what you’re missing out on. Dad died two years ago. I’d tried to keep in touch with him, but he just didn’t care to have much of a relationship. Mom still lives in North Carolina near the Great Smoky Mountains.”
I listened to Luke’s story. His words evoked a profound sadness and disappointment in his father. The relationship that my dad had with Wesley was what made the two such good farmers and fathers.
“I’m sorry that things weren’t better between you and your dad. I can’t imagine what that must have been like.”
“You know, I loved my dad.” Luke let his paddle skim along the water and his voice dropped a notch. “I just don’t want to be like him.”
“You’re not.”
It was quiet on the river for the moment. A few kayakers were up ahead of us and the rest of the paddleboarders from our group were spread out, some behind and some out of sight down the river. He tipped his head back and I followed his gaze to the helicopter flying past. “Sometimes it feels like I am. I ran when Dana died—left everything and started fresh in Ketchum. I worry if I made the right decision.”
“I ran too. After Briette died, nothing made sense anymore.” Her memory didn’t hurt like it used to when I spoke of the past. “It was like the whole world went flat, and the only way I could get my bearings was to go back home.”
“I know what you mean,” Luke responded. “Only I ran about as far away from home as I could get.”
“Are you happy?”
Luke paddled on his left side, mulling over the question. “I think so.”
“Then don’t worry—that’s what my dad tells me.” I smiled at Luke. He wasn’t wearing his glasses, and his dark blue eyes reminded me of the ocean up ahead.
“I am a little worried about entering Hanalei Bay.” Luke pointed to where the river met the ocean. “Looks like some of our classmates are trying out the water.”
There was quite a bit more activity as we entered the bay. Several people were wet from falling off of their board. Even as the current changed and my board wobbled, I saw a guy about Luke’s age splash into the water. I concentrated on paddling to maneuver my board into the oncoming waves. They were quiet waves, rolling into the bay and losing most of their force by the time they rubbed up against the beach. That’s probably why I wasn’t worried when I should have been.
“Wow, this is different than the river,” Luke said and knelt down just as a wave rolled into his board.
I didn’t react quickly enough and the seemingly tiny wave pushed my board up and knocked me off balance. With arms flailing I entered the salty water of Hanalei Bay.
The water was only about five feet deep this close to shore, so I stood and wiped my dripping face with wet hands. That reminded me that my hands were empty. Where was my paddle?
“Nice day for a swim.” Luke called as another wave lapped against my board. He held up my paddle. “Need a hand?”
“The water feels great,” I said. “You should jump in too.”
“Oh, so you jumped in, huh?” Luke smiled. “I must need my glasses ’cause from here it looked like a pretty decent fall.”
“You’re right,” I paused. “You do need your glasses.” I climbed on my board and sat upright as if I was in a kayak. Our instructor had showed us the method of paddling while sitting, and I decided to try it until I mastered the waves.
We meandered along the shoreline watching surfers and other paddleboarders. A Coast Guard cutter trolled on the outskirts of the bay, its dark gray hull sometimes blending in with the surf. Several sailboats were anchored farther out in the bay. Luke wanted to try surfing, so I told him I’d watch to see if he decided to “jump” in the ocean. I laughed when he did just that to escape a wave that was larger than he expected.
He finally rode one mini-wave to shore and I cheered for him. “You did it!”
“That was cool.” Luke grinned. “And look at you. You’re doing great.”
“I think I got the hang of this.” While he’d been trying to catch waves, I’d practiced paddling into several waves, going back and forth along a section of the beach.
“I’m going to be sore tomorrow.” Luke rolled his shoulders back and sat down on his board.
“Definitely. I think I discovered a few new muscles today.” I paddled next to him and followed suit, sitting on my board carefully. “But it is worth it. This is awesome.”
“Agreed.” Luke held my gaze, his smile deepening.
My insides fluttered. “You really are a nice guy, no matter what Lorea says.”
“See, now I know you’re teasing because Lorea likes me now.” He chuckled. “Better watch out, Adri. You can’t hide behind the man-hater anymore.”
“Well, that’s true because I think she’s giving up on the whole ban against dating. She’s acting all twitterpated this week about a date she took to her sister’s wedding.”
“Really?” Luke narrowed his eyes. “I’ll have to give her a talking-to.” He tried to keep a straight face, but we both started laughing.
My stomach growled loud enough that I think Luke heard it above the waves. He stood back on his board. “I’m ready to head back and get something to eat. How about you?”
“That sounds good.” As I pulled myself to a standing position, Luke swiped his paddle so a sheet of water caught me from the waist down.
I squealed and leaped for his board, knocking him into the water. Luke grabbed me as he toppled over and held onto me as a wave pushed us toward the ocean floor. We emerged and he still didn’t let go, his hands firmly on my waist. “Don’t you dare dunk me,” I sputtered, grabbing his shoulders.
“I’d never,” Luke said. “I’m just hanging on to my beautiful date.”
Even though we were playing, it felt different being this close to him. I resisted the urge to put my arms around his neck, instead keeping my hands on the tops of his shoulders. “Thank you,” I said. The words sounded much more intimate than I’d planned. I told myself that the warmth along the back of my neck was probably sunburn, not me flushing like a schoolgirl over Luke Stetson.
The water glided past us ,and he reached out an arm and grabbed hold of my board. “Here you go.”
He helped lift me up, and I tried not to feel self-conscious about his closeness as I scrambled onto the board. The way he kept smiling made me wonder what he was thinking.
We joked with each other and enjoyed a leisurely pace back up the river against the current. The time went by fast, and soon we were docking our boards and climbing back onto dry land. Luke had picked up sandwiches which we ate under the canopy of trees. Neither of us tried too hard to disguise the appetite we’d worked up. I caught him looking at me a few times, and I’m sure he noticed my attentions on him. I didn’t want to compare and contrast Luke and Jon—I just wanted to enjoy the long-awaited date with Luke, but I couldn’t ignore the happy jolt zinging through my chest each time he smiled at me.
He walked me to my room back at the hotel. “That was one of the best dates I’ve been on.”
“Yeah, I think you have an unfair advantage whenever the date is set in Kauai, because that was perfect.” I said.
“Thanks for coming.” Luke leaned in for a hug.
“Thank you,” I mumbled against his shoulder.
He pulled back, but kept his hands on my arms. “Hopefully these girly muscles will feel okay tomorrow.”
“I’m stronger than I look you know.” I resisted the urge to copy his motion and squeeze his bice
ps.
“Oh, I know,” he said. “That’s definitely true.” He rubbed my arm with his right hand. “Good night, Adri.”
“See you tomorrow.” I stepped into my room, my hand touching the warm spot on my arm where he’d just held me.
I sat on my bed and let out a happy sigh. I really liked Luke, but as soon as that thought entered my mind, it was chased by images of Jon Connelly. I shook my head. I wouldn’t ruin a perfect date by over-analyzing things. There was certainly enough going on that I could easily shift my concentration, so that’s what I did.
I checked my email and found a letter from PFI declining my request for more information. The organization stated that they wouldn’t be allowing any new members in until after the rally to protect the privacy of others involved.
I decided it was exactly the reason I needed to call Officer Kinau. It would give me a good opening into my other questions.
When he answered, I told him briefly about how I had tried to gain more information about PFI and their ensuing rally.
“Yes, I’m aware of that. Kauai’s police force is on alert. Your information at least helps solidify the leads we have that say the rally will be happening this week.”
A nervous tremor tingled up my spine. I hoped that nothing would interfere with Malia and Kyle’s happy day. “There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”
“How can I help?”
“Were you able to identify the woman I discovered?”
“We were, but unfortunately we haven’t been able to contact her next of kin, so I can’t release that info.”
“Oh, I was hoping to know who she was. I thought maybe it would help me. There’s something that keeps bugging me, like I should know something or remember something about that day, but it’s right on the edge of my memory.” The pen I had ready to record the woman’s name sat idly in my fingertips. I frowned and twirled it around before dropping it on my notepad.
Veils and Vengeance Page 13
