Photo Finished

by Dane McCaslin

  As soon as Annie was within reach, I swept my leg out, catching her off guard, and she tumbled to the ground. I scrambled up on two feet as quickly as I could, trying to keep my balance since my hands were tied behind my back. Annie stuck out her foot, tripping me, and I fell to the ground. She pounced on top of me, trying to stick the needle in the vein in my neck. I felt a slight prick in my neck as she lowered her head closer. I rammed my forehead into the bridge of her nose. Blood spurted, spewing from her nose like someone had turned on a fountain, and I could feel the warm stickiness on my face.

  Annie rolled off me, and I struggled to right myself. She was writhing on the floor, her hands over her nose, moaning in pain. I took a moment to revel in the hurt I'd caused her.

  The joy was short lived. My body felt heavy, and my vision blurry. Black edges surrounded my vision, and everything started to look and feel so far away. I got to my knees to crawl to the door and get help, but my legs refused to cooperate. Annie had managed to inject the drug into my system.

  I was dying.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  A loud bang sounded, and I jerked my eyelids open. A huge figure stood in the door. I tried to scramble backward, but my body wouldn't obey my commands. Lights came on, and I squinted at the brightness. Then I saw him. Jimmy Toki. But why was he so far away?

  I tried to call out to him, but my tongue had a mind of its own.

  "Autumn!" I heard him call my name.

  I loved the way he said my name. Even when he called me Red, it was laced with such tenderness and affection. I tried to answer back, but I was so sleepy. I closed my eyes to rest them for just a minute.

  Strong arms lifted me up, cradling me up against something hard and unyielding. My head fell back, and I opened my eyes. Where was I going? Annie was screaming, yelling obscenities and things that might have made me blush if I'd had the ability to do so in my condition. Two men surrounded her, picking her up by her arms.

  "Annie," I tried to tell the giant that was carrying me. "Killer."

  "We know, Red. We know. Just hang on, ok?"

  Red. That was Jimmy's name for me.

  Bright lights brought me to once again. Sirens were blaring, and police lights spread a red and blue glow along the beach. Everything was fading in and out.

  A prick pierced my arm, and I tried to move away. "No!" I cried out.

  "Shh, Autumn. We're trying to help you. Just relax." That warm voice that I knew so well but for some reason couldn't place the name whispering in my ear.

  I didn't want to die. I'd never kissed Jimmy. I'd never told him how I felt. I'd never told him that I wanted to give us a shot. I'd die never letting my best friend know that I felt more than friendship for him. It wasn't fair.

  Someone grabbed my hand, and I heard his voice, even though I couldn't open my eyes to see him. There was a siren going in the background, and it felt like the bed I was lying on was rocking gently. I tried opening my eyes and saw Jimmy's face close to mine.

  "What happened?" I croaked. My throat hurt, and my body felt like it was so heavy, weighted down. Jimmy's eyes were filled with tears. He blinked, and one rolled down his cheek.

  "I almost didn't make it in time."

  "I left you that message." I tried to tell him that I hadn't lied. That I had told him where I was going.

  "I know. But you weren't in the house. We searched the sheds on the beach, but there was more than one. You were in one about half a mile down the shoreline. It took us a while to figure out where you were. We followed the tracks from the large beach cart she'd used to get you all into the shed."

  "Annie?"

  "The police have her. Just rest, Red. You've been through hell." Jimmy leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on my lips. So gentle, as if he would break me.

  I closed my eyes, letting sleep overtake me.

  * * *

  When I woke up, there was a weight on my leg and a vice around my hand. I opened my eyes and found Jimmy sitting in a chair next to my bed. His head was resting on my thigh, and both of his hands were wrapped around mine.

  I looked around, taking in the stark white walls, the IV in my hand, and the machines I was hooked up to. I was grateful to be alive.

  I tried to adjust my position, and Jimmy jerked awake.

  "Autumn?" His eyes were filled with worry. "Are you ok? Are you hurting?"

  "I'm fine. I feel so weird. And my mouth tastes like ash."

  Jimmy jumped up, grabbing a cup from a tray nearby and bringing it over for me to drink. I sipped out of the straw, taking in huge gulps of the water. Nothing had ever tasted so good.

  "Why do I feel so weird?"

  "Heroin. And then several doses of Narcan to combat the opiate effects. She didn't give you enough to kill you. I'm assuming her broken nose got in the way."

  "Yeah, I wasn't going down without a fight."

  "That's my girl."

  I startled at the words. Of course he didn't mean my girl as in his. As in more than just his friend. I ignored the longing in my heart and pushed on.

  "Summer!" I tried to get out of bed, and Jimmy pushed me gently back down.

  "Is in the next room and going to be fine. She'd been given a heavy dose of heroin too, but the Narcan seems to be working. On top of being drugged, you also have a concussion. So double whammy."

  "That's why my head feels as if construction workers are hammering away up there with a jackhammer."

  "Cute."

  "What happened to the drug bust?"

  "We got everyone. As soon as we started wrapping it up, I looked around for you. I saw the vacant tripod and instantly knew only something urgent would make you leave it. I checked my phone, I'd had to turn it off during the bust," he said, almost apologetically.

  I squeezed his hand. "I know. It's fine."

  "But it's not fine. She almost killed you. Had we not shown up when we did, she would have finished the job.

  "She was going to kill me and Summer and Patti and Derrick. Make it look like a murder-suicide when we caught her in the act of killing Derrick. Annie forged a letter from Patti, confessing to the murders of Noe, Kailani, and Phil."

  "She knew Patti's handwriting well. She was also responsible for the note in Phil's room. As soon as they got her into custody, she sang like a canary, hoping she could bargain for a lighter sentence. But she'll never see the light of day," Jimmy reassured me, after I'm sure my face gave away my distress.

  "Patti and Derrick are alive, although Derrick will have a headache for a long time. Annie got him good. They'll also serve a long sentence. They were both in on the drug ring. Patti will be tried as an accomplice and serve a lighter sentence, but Derrick was the ringleader. He'll go away for a long time."

  I settled back into the pillows, my eyes starting to get heavy.

  "They found your camera in Annie's room," Jimmy said, sitting back down in the chair and picking my hands up, wrapping them in his own.

  Hope rose in my heart. It was a small thing. Something that could be replaced, but after so much death and destruction, the return of my camera lifted my spirits just a little.

  "When will I get it back?"

  "The police are developing the film. If you caught her switching out the sushi, there will be nothing her attorney can do to get her off. Maybe offer an insanity plea."

  "She's definitely insane. But I think she knew what she was doing. Crazy in that she was obsessed with Derrick. They were having an affair. He kept promising to leave his wife but wouldn't. She went nuts trying to prove her love to him by setting fire to the Royal Orchid Resort and killing off those who threatened her beloved's drug business."

  "She's the one responsible for the arson? I don't think the police know that. Detective Ray wants to talk to you, but I convinced him to do it tomorrow."

  I yawned, worn out from the little effort it took to have this brief conversation.

  "How's Dax?"

  "Fine. He did what the police asked of him. Detective Ray said he wouldn't
press charges. And he won the Classic, despite his watery eyes from the pepper spray."

  I was proud of Dax. It took guts to do what he did. Also I was glad the pepper spray didn't inhibit his ability to win first prize. I might have felt bad about that.

  "He says he wants to come work for me, if I'll have him. He's out a sponsor right now, and I guess he got a taste for being on the right side of the law."

  "Will you hire him?"

  "I'll start him off slow, but yeah. I think it'd be great to have him working for me. But after winning today, I don't think he'll be sponsorless for long. So it might be something he does later on."

  Fatigue had settled in now, and I was struggling to keep my eyes open. Jimmy brought my hands up to brush his lips across my knuckles. I felt the flutters in my belly and sighed in contentment.

  "Sleep. I'm not going anywhere."

  I knew Jimmy and I had a lot to talk about, but for now I didn't argue with him and settled back against the pillow.

  That night, I dreamed of Jimmy.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  One Week Later

  The knock at my door sent nervous butterflies all through my belly. I wasn't worried about psycho killers anymore. This time I was worried about my heart. I'd only had to spend one night in the hospital, and Jimmy had been by my side every day since. My back doors had been replaced, although I was still staring at bullet holes in my wall. I hoped after the insurance claim went through, Tom and Doris would have the Sheetrock replaced. Doris had nearly had a coronary when I told her what had happened.

  I would start back to work on Monday, but that night Jimmy was taking me to dinner.

  Only this time, he'd asked. Like on a date.

  I brushed my hands over the yellow flowered sundress I wore. The skinny straps showed a lot of skin without being too revealing. The short flouncy skirt highlighted my legs and made them look longer than they were. I topped it off with red espadrille sandals that wrapped around the ankle. Rumor had it short girls weren't supposed to wear things that wrapped around their ankles—it shortened their legs. But these were way too cute not to wear them. The red fabric accentuated the red flowers on the dress.

  Taking a deep breath, I opened the door. Jimmy Toki stood there in gray linen pants and a black V-neck T-shirt. It was tight and fit him as if it had been custom-made for his body.

  The butterflies were flying around like crazy now. I couldn't keep the stupid grin off my face. I knew it was there. I could feel it stretching my lips and warming my cheeks.

  "Hello, Red," his low voice rumbled.

  My pulse picked up its pace. I noticed Jimmy looking at my throat, and I wondered if he could see it hammering away. A slight smirk pulled at the edge of his mouth.

  "Hey, big guy." I grabbed my purse off the table next to the door and walked past Jimmy, who still stood blocking the door way. I had to duck under his arm, and his warm chuckle did funny things to my belly.

  Jimmy closed and locked the door behind me. When I stepped onto the driveway, I paused.

  "What's this?" I asked, confused at the blue Jeep I was staring at.

  "My new ride. You like it?"

  "Like it? I love it! When did you get this?"

  "I couldn't have you riding around in that jalopy of a car, now could I?" He smiled warmly. "It was time. New beginnings and all that."

  I hopped up into the Jeep, trying to keep my skirt from flying up. When Jimmy rounded the corner and slid into the driver's side, the look on his face indicated I might not have been successful.

  We drove in companionable silence, and Jimmy pulled up to a local restaurant that I'd only heard about but hadn't had a chance to eat at. It was way too fancy for our normal meals together, and even though I knew this was a date, it still felt kind of weird.

  The hostess took us to an outside table surrounded by candlelight and tiki torches. The restaurant was located right on the beach, and the view was stunning.

  We'd still barely spoken other than thank yous and yes ma'ams to our waitress. After we ordered our food, Jimmy took my hands in his.

  "I have something for you," he said.

  I couldn't for the life of me guess what it might be. "Ok?" I squeaked. Hey, no one could say I wasn't smooth.

  Jimmy dropped my hands and pulled a manila envelope out from the waistband of his pants.

  "Did you have this in your pants?" I asked, incredulous.

  "Where else was I going to keep it?"

  "So basically this envelope has touched your bare butt?" I blushed a little at the thought but was grateful that our lively banter had returned.

  "You know you're just jealous of this folder," Jimmy said and waggled his eyebrows. "Just open it."

  I carefully opened the flap on the envelope and pulled out three 8x10 photographs. The first one was of Chef Aki working on his food art with Annie standing close by. The second one was of Annie, her hands in her purse, pulling out a plastic container. You could tell that I was aiming for one of Chef Aki's creations, but she was almost front and center. The final picture was of her placing the fugu sushi on Noe's plate.

  "I did catch her!" I said, maybe a little too loudly for a public place. I glanced around at the people staring at me and lowered my voice. "I caught her red-handed, and I didn't even know it."

  "You did. Annie will be going away for a long time."

  "How did you get these?"

  "I asked Detective Ray if I could have copies. I'm sure it's against protocol for him to let me have these, but since they are your property, he relented."

  I gazed at the photo. Annie was staring right at the camera, the look in her eyes predatory. So unlike the mousy, unimpressive girl that she portrayed. But she hadn't been kidding about blending in. I'd never even noticed her.

  "The transformation is unbelievable, isn't it?" I asked Jimmy.

  "It is."

  I slipped the photos back into the envelope and handed them to Jimmy. "I'm assuming Detective Ray would like to keep these in his possession? Not to mention, I don't really want them."

  "He does, and I didn't think you'd want to keep them. But I wanted to show you what you'd captured."

  "Thanks. I wonder why Annie kept the film? She could have destroyed it." It would seem that she would have wanted to destroy the concrete evidence that could put her away for life.

  "Sometimes people are too confident and, in their arrogance, don't think they'll be caught. Maybe she wanted a memento of her evil deeds. Something to document the occasion. Who knows? I get the feeling Annie's got a few screws loose."

  "You're not lying. I still hear her creepy laugh in my nightmares." I shivered at the memory.

  Jimmy laid the envelope next to him on the table. The waitress brought our food, and we ate, chatting about the case and all the players. So many lives had been cut short by one woman's obsession with another man's wife. I hated that Noe, Kailani, and Phil had died such horrible deaths. But I was so glad that Annie would pay for her crimes.

  "Want to take a stroll?" Jimmy asked after he paid our bill.

  "Sure!" I said, the flips and flops in my stomach distracting in their intensity.

  Walking along the shore, Jimmy slipped his hand into mine. The night was perfect. Warm with a slight breeze. The tang of the salty ocean air always brought peace to my heart.

  Jimmy stopped and turned toward me, his silhouette outlined by the moonlight. Taking my hands again in his own, he brought them up to his lips.

  "I thought I'd lost you," he said quietly, his lips brushing my skin.

  "But you didn't."

  "But I almost did. And it made me realize that I didn't want to waste another second apart from you."

  My breathing came hard and fast.

  "Red, I care about you. More than just as a friend. I know we've been dancing around each other for a while now, but I think it's time to take the plunge." He dropped our hands and wrapped his arms around me, drawing me close. I had to tilt my head way back to meet his gaze.


  "We only get one life, and I don't want to spend mine wishing I'd taken a chance on something amazing."

  "What are you saying, Jimmy?" I found myself staring at his lips, those lips I'd been dying to taste for longer than I'd like to admit.

  "Let's try this out. See what we have here. Will you jump with me?"

  Words wouldn't come, so I simply nodded my agreement. His gaze found my lips, and he dipped his head.

  Our lips touched, and it was magic. Fireworks were exploding over our heads. Birds were chirping, and I'm pretty sure I heard angels singing the "Hallelujah Chorus." Those butterflies that had been ever present in my stomach were having a party, and when Jimmy traced the seam of my lips with his tongue, I was undone. I met him stroke for stroke, each of us battling for domination and control. I threaded my fingers into his hair, tugging slightly.

  He smiled against my lips. "You kiss like you fight."

  "What did you expect?"

  "Exactly this. I want a future filled with all the same passion and fire that consumes your life, Red. I want you."

  What was a girl to say to that? Since words wouldn't do, I pulled his head down for another kiss, showing him exactly just how hot this fire could burn.

  * * * * *

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  ALOHA LAGOON BOOKS

  Ukulele Murder

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  Deadly Bubbles in the Wine

  Mele Kalikimaka Murder

  Death of the Big Kahuna

  Ukulele Deadly

  Bikinis and Bloodshed

  Death of the Kona Man

  Lethal Tide

  Beachboy Murder

  Handbags & Homicide

  Tiaras & Terror

  Photo Finished

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