Chapter 19
MARRIAGE ADVICE
Never go to bed angry. Always kiss me goodnight.
Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com
“You’re right. I forgot that.” Jon squeezed my hand. “It was Dad’s idea to go to Tunnels. Mom and Kyle thought we should take you and Malia to Ke’e beach instead. Mom and Dad were arguing about it the day before.”
“It still doesn’t look good that your dad recognized Charly and didn’t tell the police, but that part at least is understandable.”
Jon moved his hands up my arms. “She couldn’t have been dead long. I don’t think my dad has had a minute to himself for the past two weeks. I’m sure he’ll have an alibi.”
“So you’re certain that he didn’t have anything to do with Charly’s death?”
Jon hesitated, rubbing at the neatly trimmed sideburn on the right side of his face. “All I can trust is my feelings. I know it looks bad, but it just doesn’t feel right. My dad couldn’t kill someone.”
“I don’t know what to say, other than I’m sorry.” I gave Jon a weak smile.
He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. “Thanks for understanding,” he whispered.
I hugged him back, resting my cheek on his chest. The air was thick with feelings and my mind struggled to know what to do with them all. Part of me wanted to melt into Jon’s arms, to feel his closeness and to comfort him. The other part of me resisted, telling me to run and close my heart to any dangerous emotions. My forehead tingled as Jon brushed his lips near my temple.
“I never want you to feel scared again. I wish your heart would give me a chance.”
Jon rested his chin on my forehead, unaware of how his words stirred something inside me. I wanted my heart to open its iron gate and let someone in, too. I hated to admit it, but I’d been lonely over the past couple years. The loneliness wasn’t easily recognizable because of all the companion emotions at war for my attention. Fear, anger, betrayal, grief—they were all best friends with loneliness.
I leaned back and looked at Jon, my gaze flicking to his lips. The hint of a smile curled the corner of his mouth upward on the left and he bent closer to me, his eyes asking permission for something that I wanted but wasn’t sure I could handle. Some part of me must have answered yes because Jon put his hand gently on the back of my neck as our lips met.
He kissed me softly, and I wavered for half a second before kissing him back. He paused with a breath of space between our lips, his hand moving to my waist. I leaned forward and covered his mouth with mine, and he pulled me closer. A spark of fire flashed against the gates of my heart, and I allowed myself to revel in the past few days of Jon’s company. He was funny and charming. He’d saved me twice from precarious life-threatening situations, but he hadn’t imposed on my wishes. Jon was so different from—but no, I wouldn’t think of his name, his face, or the way he’d kissed me.
Before my mind brought up images of my ex-boyfriend—the last person I had let get close to me, I opened my eyes and stepped out of Jon’s embrace.
But he pulled me back into his arms. “You’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you. I’ll never hurt you.” He stroked my jaw with two of his fingers. “I’m not him. I promise. I’m a good guy.”
I leaned my head on Jon’s chest and blinked against the moisture in my eyes. How had he known what I was feeling? He only knew a brief account of my history, yet his every action seemed considerate of how I might be feeling. This was different. There would be time to figure things out, but I held onto the one assurance I had. Jon was different. I hadn’t felt this way about any of the guys I’d dated in the past, and I wanted to get to know him better.
I surprised Jon by kissing him again. He moved his body closer as he returned the kiss, his hands tangled in my hair. His lips caressed mine. My heart thumped against those iron gates. Jon kissed the sides of my mouth and trailed three kisses down my neck, and then he sighed and held me close again.
His voice was husky. “I vote we stay here and try out this kissing thing some more.”
“That sounds nice, but—”
The jangle of Jon’s phone interrupted me, so I waited for him to answer the call.
“It’s Kyle. I better get this.” Jon stepped away and leaned against the wall as he spoke. I was going to say that sometimes people hold secrets we’d never think were possible, but just because I had issues with trust didn’t mean that Jon was wrong about believing his father.
Jon ended the call with a curse. “Something’s happened at the test farm,” his voice held an edge of panic.
“What? Is someone hurt?”
“I’m not sure, but the entire test plot for our new seed has been destroyed.” He pushed his hands through his hair. “Come on. I have to get over there now. Someone’s vandalized a bunch of property, too.”
I gasped. “But who?”
We jogged to the car, and Jon helped me inside before peeling out of the parking lot. “Kyle’s there with the police now.”
“How could someone even get through the gate?” I trailed off as my research answered my own question. “PFI. Those people did this.”
“Who?”
“Pure Foodists International. They set up a rally here, and I’m pretty sure a group is staying at the Hyatt. Their aim is to raise awareness and destroy GMOs.”
Jon swore. “There’s dozens of those groups. They’ve had rallies here before but never caused any problems.” He shifted into a higher gear. “What makes you think it’s this particular group?”
“I’ve had several run-ins with Mrs. Amelia Harper. She’s with PFI and has threatened me several times over double-bookings with Malia and Kyle’s wedding. I did some homework and maybe a bit of sleuthing and found out what they’re up to. But I didn’t think they’d do anything illegal.” I didn’t tell him that I’d even tried to join up with their group to get information, but they denied access to me and anyone else smart enough to try to figure out their plans.
Jon pulled off the paved road and drove up to a gate that hung open. A white SUV was parked just inside the gate with a Tri-C emblem on the driver’s door. “That’s Kyle.” Jon pointed toward the open field. He cut the engine and jumped out of the car. I followed him, half-jogging to keep up.
ATV tracks crisscrossed over the path, and I saw where they swerved into the field tearing up the once-neat rows of corn seedlings. Garbage and debris dotted the dark black earth and angry gashes from some kind of equipment had torn up half the field.
Jon knelt in the dirt and picked up a trampled seedling. His face hardened with anger and he swore again. “How would they know to target this plot?”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember the special nutrient seed I told you about?”
I nodded. Kyle was across the field, stomping in our direction.
“This was the first test plot.” Jon threw a mud clod. “Literally years of research went into the planting of this little parcel of land.” He stared at the dark soil and muttered, “And several hundred thousand dollars.”
“I’m so sorry. You said Kyle contacted the police?”
“Yes, they’ve already come and started an investigation.” Jon kicked at the dirt. “We can replant, but it will be several weeks from now. We’ll have to prepare another batch of the nutrient-rich seeds.”
The destruction before me was mind-numbing. Even though it was only tiny corn plants and muddy earth, I recognized the danger behind the threats that Mrs. Harper had sent my way. This seemed to be a direct hit, and it made me nervous. What if PFI planned to do more?
I followed Jon around the field and did my best to commiserate with him and Kyle, but after a while I returned to the convertible, carefully removed my muddy shoes, and leaned the seat back. Everything was spinning out of control and there were too many emotions to process at that moment. I closed my eyes and thought of Luke. I brushed my fingers across my lips and wondered why I wanted to know how it would feel to kiss hi
m. The sun was warm on my skin. I dozed until the car started moving. With a yawn, I opened my eyes and stretched.
“I’m sorry about all that,” Jon said. “Did you have a good nap?”
“Yes, I dozed off for a minute. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.” I rotated my neck to release the kinks from sleeping against the headrest. “I think all the stress is zapping my energy.”
“No problem. There’s not much anyone can do now, but we’ll do our best to start over.”
Jon dropped me off at the hotel, and I went inside and cleaned up. The ringing of my phone interrupted my shower. I wrapped a towel around myself and dried my hands before sliding my finger across the screen flashing with the name of Jonathan Connelly.
“Is everything okay?”
“My mom just called,” Jon’s voice broke, and I could barely hear his next words. “They’ve arrested my dad for murder.”
“No! But how? There couldn’t be enough evidence.”
Jon sounded as if he had been crying. “They think Dad killed Charly.”
The shock hit me like a punch to the gut. I found myself struggling to find enough air for the next breath. “No. He didn’t do it. Can’t his lawyer help him?”
“I guess they’re talking now. They said he’ll get a reduced sentence if he confesses. I think he’s considering it.”
“But why would he confess? He didn’t kill her.”
“I don’t know what’s going on,” Jon mumbled. “I’m heading home. I’ll let you know if I hear any more.”
“I’m so sorry. I wish there was something I could do to help.”
“We have to figure this out. My dad didn’t kill her. There has to be something else going on.”
“Don’t worry. The truth will come out.”
Jon ended the call. I slumped on the bed swallowing my tears. Truth. I thought of what I’d just said to Jon. The words were to comfort him, but I had meant every one of them—despite the fact that some cases did remain unsolved. I asked myself the same question that was probably haunting Jon. Had Neil actually killed Charly? No. The immediate answer was no because none of this made sense. He’d left us with determination to prove his innocence. Something had happened between the time he’d left Jon and me and when he’d met with the police. I dialed Officer Kinau’s number. He answered after several rings.
“This is Adri Pyper. Officer, you have to help me. Neil Connelly didn’t kill Charly Wilks.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t really discuss that.”
“But he didn’t do it. You can’t let him confess to a crime he didn’t commit. Someone is going to get away with murder.”
“I know it’s hard to believe, but he’d be doing the right thing by confessing. That girl deserves justice.” His voice sounded clipped.
Anything I said would be futile, but I tried anyway. “Look at the evidence. There’s something wrong with that bracelet she was wearing.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not sure. I have to do some checking first, but that bracelet was a prototype. I don’t think Charly was even supposed to have it. There’s something about it.”
Officer Kinau ended the call with forced politeness, and I clenched my jaw, swallowing the anger and frustration welling up inside. My favorite purple pen sat on top of the lined notebook I’d been toting around Kauai. I flipped to a blank page and jotted down notes as fast as I could. I wrote down everything I could remember, starting with the discovery of Charly’s body last Friday. Turning back a few pages, I searched through my previous notes and questions to see if anything connected the dots of the mystery involving Stacia/Charly.
I called Jon ten minutes later. He sounded worse when he answered the phone. I didn’t know what else to say, so I launched into my questions.
“Do you remember your dad saying something about the bracelet sample—that there were only three made?”
“Well, yeah.”
“I need you to get me permission to go and talk to the person at Tri-C who would know what happened to those samples.”
“My dad was wearing one today. I know his was the original prototype. He showed us right after it was made,” Jon replied. “You’d need to talk to Osamu—he was in charge of those, I think.”
“Can you call ahead and get permission for me to go inside and speak with him?”
“I think so, but Adri, are you sure you want to follow this lead? I don’t think there’s anything we can do at this point.”
“There’s plenty to do. All we have to do is find the real killer.”
“I’m meeting with another lawyer in ten minutes or I’d come with you.” Jon’s voice sounded tired.
“Don’t worry about me.” I ended the call and hurried to the fourth floor and banged on the door to Luke’s room.
He opened the door, his expression wary.
“I need to borrow your rental car.”
Luke raised his eyebrows. “Okay?”
“Neil Connelly was just arrested for murdering Charly Wilks—the woman whose body I found at Tunnels Beach.”
Luke shook his head. “I know. Malia called me. She is completely freaking out. I told her there was no way they’d get this straightened out by Saturday.”
I rubbed my left ear as I thought about the calls I hadn’t answered from Malia. They had started coming right after I talked to Jon, but there was nothing I could do to help her until I proved Neil’s innocence. “I think we can help Neil and help Malia in the process.”
“How? The police wouldn’t have arrested him unless they had some solid evidence. I don’t think there’s much we can do about that.”
“Neil didn’t kill Charly.” I spoke the next words almost without thinking, “Do you want to come with me? I can explain everything.”
Luke raised his eyebrows. “Well, it is my rental car.”
“C’mon then. We need to get over to Tri-C Enterprises.”
“Where’s that?”
“It’s not far. I have the address loaded into my phone’s navigator.”
“Okay.” Luke slipped his flip-flops on and followed me out the door. “But how are you going to help prove Neil’s innocence if he really did kill that woman?”
“He didn’t kill her.”
“You said that, but how do you know?”
“Because he had no motive.” We walked briskly to the car, and Luke opened the door for me. His skin looked golden from the Hawaiian sun, a nice complement to his dark hair.
Luke put on his seatbelt, and I showed him the address and started the GPS navigator. “There’s something that doesn’t add up with some of the evidence in this case.”
“And you’re going to figure it out?”
“Don’t sound so shocked. I’m pretty smart and observant.” I gave him a smug grin. “There’s kind of been a lot going on that I haven’t told you.”
Luke shook his head. “You haven’t been being careful, have you?”
I bit the inside of my cheek. “Let me explain.”
And for the next ten minutes, I debriefed Luke on everything that had happened, every suspicious move including Mrs. Harper and PFI, but I didn’t feel brave enough to tell him how I had found the bracelet in Jon’s swim trunks. Luke had already given me the evil eye a few times, but I didn’t let him interrupt. When I finished filling him in, I leaned back against the seat.
Luke shook his head. “What a mess. But I agree, things aren’t adding up right. This reminds me of a Castle episode—do you really think you can figure this out, Beckett?”
I laughed. Luke loved the same weekly detective show as much as I did, even if he did like to tease me about it. “We’re going to talk to Osamu. Turn right here.” I pointed at the GPS and then at the stop sign we were approaching. “He works at Tri-C, and he designed the bracelets and special-ordered the samples. There were only three of them. It sounds like Charly was never supposed to have one. Neil is wearing one. We need to find out what happened to the other two.”
“Tha
nks for letting me come along. Please don’t do any more sleuthing on your own.” Luke pulled into a parking slot and fixed me with a look that was part pleading/part bossiness.
I nodded. “You can be my partner as long as you behave.”
“Does that mean you think I’m as good looking and smart as Castle?”
“I’m not answering that one.”
Chaos was a good word to describe the setting of Tri-C when we arrived. The receptionist looked frazzled and several groups of employees were clustered, talking and gesticulating, while some sniffed and wiped their eyes. It must have been quite a blow to find out about Charly’s murder and Neil’s arrest seconds apart. We only had to wait about five minutes before Osamu came out.
He wore a white shirt and red tie and his black hair had a sprinkling of white around his ears. He looked to be in his fifties. He greeted us without a smile and led us to his office. I explained that we were there to help Neil and needed to know about the samples of the gold bracelets.
“We gave the prototype to one of our stateside clients and kept the other two,” Osamu said. “As you noted, Mr. Connelly took them.”
“Wait, he took them both? Do you know who he gave the other one too?”
Osamu shook his head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know, but I do know he was going to get them engraved.”
I sat up straight. “Really? Do you know how he was going to do that?”
“I think Charly was going to do it for him.”
“Oh. That makes things more difficult.” I tapped my fingers on my notepad. “Did he mention what he was going to engrave on the bracelets?”
“I thought it was initials.”
“Thanks for talking with me.” I shook his hand. “Do you mind if I call you if I have another question?”
“Not at all. Here’s my card.” Osamu handed me a business card, which I pocketed. My unanswered questions created a tornado of what ifs concerning Neil’s innocence and who was really behind Charly’s murder. It was so close, close enough to reach out and grab it, but at the same time the elusive truth taunted me. I gritted my teeth and didn’t make eye contact with the receptionist as I exited the building with Luke.
Veils and Vengeance Page 21
