Death in Paradise Read online

  Jessica had met Simmy before and wasn’t a fan. “Put it down, leave, and don’t come back or I’ll have you arrested for trespassing,” said Jessica.

  “Listen, bitch—”

  Before Simmy could say another word, Jessica stepped behind her, grabbed her right wrist and swung it behind her back. She had Simmy by the neck and pushed her out the front door, just like she’d done a thousand times taking people to jail. Jessica slammed the door behind her as if she had just taken the trash out. Simmy got in her car and left in a cloud of burnt rubber, and spewed profanities out the window as she sped off.

  Jessica called Jasmine. “Hi, honey, is Keoki still the handyman?”

  “Yes,” Jasmine answered.

  “Send him up to Dad’s place and have him change all the locks–today.”

  “I’ll send him right up.”

  That moment Jessica decided she would fly back to LA as soon as possible and put in her retirement papers. There was no way she could leave Jasmine and Pua alone to deal with Simmy and run Aloha Village. And Pua would need her support while she battled breast cancer.

  Cousin Keoki was full-blooded Hawaiian and a jack-of-all-trades at Aloha Village. Not only was he the resort handyman during the day, but he was also the fire knife dancer at the Friday night luau. It was a good thing that he was handy, since he’d almost burned the stage down during the show one time causing quite a commotion. He had flung the torch too high and it had landed on the stage’s thatch roof. It had taken him two days, with a lot of teasing to repair the damage. After turning the stage roof into a tiki torch, his co-workers nicknamed him the torch.

  Five minutes later, Jessica heard a knock at the front door, she opened it and smiled as she gave Keoki a big hug.

  “Good to see you again, cuz,” she said.

  “You too, Auntie,” Keoki said, and smiled back. “Jasmine said you need me to change the locks. Should I be on the lookout for anyone suspicious?”

  “If you see Simmy, call the cops–then me,” said Jessica.

  Keoki scowled. “You got it. I never liked that woman much anyway.”

  11

  Paddle Out

  Mike Murphy’s will stated that when the day came, there would be no memorial service on land. Instead, there’d be a Paddle Out, and his ashes would be scattered at sea. And just as he wished, about two hundred and fifty family and friends met at Kohanaiki Beach Park on a beautiful Saturday morning. At 9 a.m., they all paddled out past the shore break and formed a circle. Jessica, Pua, Jasmine, and Kainoa sat on their surfboards in the inner circle, floating in the sea like one big plumeria lei, surrounded by over two hundred people on boards or in canoes and kayaks, all draped with Hawaiian flowers of every color. With clasped hands and hearts, they shared memories and love, their joined hands were raised together. Mike’s ashes were then spread in the circle along with hundreds of beautiful leis and flowers.

  After a short prayer, an old Hawaiian friend of Mike’s paddled out to the center and joined the daughters. “You are your father’s legacy–do him proud. And going forward, know that his heart and memory kiss the shore with each wave. He will never be forgotten.” He then hugged each one and they followed him back to shore as their eyes brimmed.

  Afterward, there was a celebration in honor of Mike’s life on the beach. No speeches, just people hanging out, grilling fresh fish and talking about the good times they’d had with Mike.

  An hour later, a black stretch limo pulled into the parking lot near the beach. Two men got out of the car and walked down to the main tent on the beach to sign the guestbook and pay their respects to the family. The older man was Mr. Lau, the owner of the Ming Resort. He was in his late sixties, dressed in a five-thousand-dollar suit, and wore a poker-faced smile. It was obvious he hadn’t gotten the memo this was a casual affair—or he didn’t care.

  Mike Murphy’s family sat in the main tent and talked story with all the folks who had come to sign the guestbook and pay their respects. Pua knew Mr. Lau and introduced him to Jessica and Uncle Jack. They all shook hands and were cordial, as each tried to read the other’s face. Except for Mr. Lau’s bodyguard, Woo Ching, who stood silently off to the side with lips tight and glared at everyone. Mr. Lau’s presence had little to do with paying respects–the gloves would come off soon enough on both sides.

  After Mr. Lau and Woo Ching were on their way back to the limo and out of earshot, Jessica whispered to Uncle Jack. “Who was the creepy guy with Mr. Lau?”

  “Funny you should ask that. I ran him through Interpol when he first showed up here a few months ago. His name is Woo Ching, he’s Mr. Lau’s nephew and personal henchman. He’s also connected to the Triads in Hong Kong, and he has a rap sheet as long as your leg. He’s a real nice boy,” Uncle Jack said sarcastically.

  “I don’t suppose your recent trip to Hong Kong had anything to do with him.”

  But before Uncle Jack could answer, Sam walked up and greeted everyone.

  Uncle Jack stood and said he had to get ready for a trip back to Hong Kong. He put his hand on Jessica’s shoulder and told her to have a nice trip if he didn’t see her again before she returned to the mainland.

  “No worries, Uncle. I’m coming back. I have to put in my retirement papers and clear out my apartment. Then I’ll be back to help Pua and Jasmine.”

  Uncle Jack looked perplexed. “I thought you had to finish working a case.”

  “It’s obvious my family needs me more than the LAPD,” answered Jessica.

  The sudden revelation stunned everyone. Even cousin Keoki, who was playing his ukulele, stopped strumming for a moment. No one had ever expected Jessica to move back to Kona.

  Sam’s eyes lit up, as he concentrated to contain his excitement. “Do you need a ride to LA?” he asked.

  Jessica glanced at Sam, a puzzled look crossed her face.

  “I’m going to LA myself, and I have a plane here,” Sam explained.

  “That’s very generous, Sam, but I’m fine with the red-eye,” Jessica replied.

  “We can leave at night if that’ll make you feel better,” Sam said. Everyone laughed, even Jessica, who was always too serious. And to sweeten the deal, Sam said, “No TSA, and no long lines to wait in to board the plane, unless you’re a fan of that.”

  Uncle Jack put his hand on Jessica’s shoulder and whispered in her ear, “Sam is a good man. Accept his offer, and I’ll tell you about Hong Kong when you get back.”

  “Okay, Uncle. I’m trusting you to keep your word,” she teased.

  Uncle Jack smiled, hugged Pua and Jasmine and then left to go pack for his trip to Hong Kong.

  Jessica didn’t want to give Sam the wrong idea; she still wasn’t interested in a relationship. Not because she didn’t like Sam, but because she was on a mission to find out what happened to her father. After that, who knew? Maybe she would think about it–maybe.

  “Okay, Sam, I’d love to hitch a ride. When do you plan on leaving?”

  “How about tomorrow morning? The plane is always ready to go. Meet me at Air Services at about 10 a.m.?”

  Private jets and traveling on a whim wasn’t the world Jessica lived in, but it sure sounded inviting and definitely more comfortable. Putting in her retirement papers would be bittersweet after twenty-one years on the force. And moving back to Kona could be just the thing to fill the void in her life.

  12

  LA

  The next morning, Jasmine drove Jessica to the airport. When they pulled into the parking lot, Sam was already there, and stood out in front of the office, next to the Air Services shuttle, talking with Kai Santos, the FBO manager.

  Jessica hugged Jasmine a little longer and harder than usual. “I’ll be back in a week.” Jasmine beamed a big smile, nodded, and then drove away.

  “Howzit, Jessica,” Kai said. “Long time no see.”

  He knew her from high school, they’d both attended Konawaena at the same time. “Aloha, Kai, you look good,” she said as she walked toward him and Sa
m.

  Kai smiled and said, “Thanks, it’s from paddling every day after work.”

  Sam opened the side door of the van, smiled, and with a grand gesture, motioned to Jessica. “Please, after you.”

  Kai drove them out to the Gulfstream jet on the ramp and wished Sam and Jessica a safe trip. As they walked up the short staircase of the plane, Sam placed his hand on the small of Jessica’s back. His touch sent a warm feeling up and down her spine, something she hadn’t felt for a long time.

  Once on board, Captain Mike Johnson stood in the doorway next to the cockpit and greeted Sam and Jessica as they entered the plane. “Good morning, Mr. Stewart. Good morning, ma’am.”

  “Good morning, Captain. This is Ms. Kealoha.” Jessica smiled and shook his extended hand.

  “Winds are light today. Flight time is five hours and four minutes, sir,”

  “Giddy up, Mike.” Sam said with a grin.

  Ten minutes later the Gulfstream jet climbed out of Kona, and made a right turn over the sparkling blue ocean, as it headed toward the US mainland.

  Jessica sat buckled into the soft leather chair next to Sam and looked around the cabin. So this is what it’s like to be a member of the wealthiest one percent.

  “If you want to take a nap, there’s a button on the side of the chair that will recline your seat flat, converting it into a bed,” Sam said.

  “I’d like that. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

  Twenty minutes later, as she slept, Sam got a blanket out of the closet and carefully covered her with it. She briefly woke up when she felt the blanket touch her skin and saw Sam’s outline through her squinting eyes. For a moment, before she fell back asleep, she thought about how quickly she could get used to a lifestyle of being cared for by a man.

  Sam had hoped he would get to know Jessica better on the flight to California. However, she’d slept almost the entire trip and didn’t awake until just before they landed at John Wayne Airport in Orange County. It was the first time she had slept over three hours in a row since her father’s death. She felt safe with Sam, and started to think she wanted to be with him–sooner than later.

  Security was always a concern when Sam was anywhere else in the world besides Kona. And because of that, after they’d landed, Captain Johnson taxied to Sam’s private hangar. This allowed Sam and Jessica to depart without the prying eyes of the tabloids’ mercenary photographers. The last thing Sam wanted was to have Jessica scrutinized in the press. That was the benefit Sam loved about living in Kona part-time—the anonymity that came with it. Nobody cared what you did on the mainland or how famous you were there.

  Inside the hangar were two black Ford Expeditions with dark-tinted windows, each with a driver who stood nearby. After Sam and Jessica walked down the staircase of the plane, he pointed to one of the SUV’s and said, “The driver will take you anywhere you want to go.”

  He handed her a piece of paper. “This is my contact info, if you need anything, just call.”

  Sam spread his arms out to hug her goodbye and she warmly embraced him as she fought the urge to lift her chin up and kiss him on the lips. It just felt so–right. But not now she thought as she quickly released him and briskly walked to the nearest vehicle.

  As instructed, the driver took Jessica to her apartment in Anaheim, it was just a few miles from Disneyland. She didn’t care much for Anaheim, but she liked going to Disneyland at least once a month. It was, after all, the happiest place on earth, at least according to the marketing. But it was a nice contrast to the ugliness she witnessed daily, investigating murders. She enjoyed watching the families interact, the children’s excitement and the laughter.

  13

  Week Later

  Before making up her mind to go to LAX, Jessica again fought the urge, this time to call Sam and hitch a ride back to the Big Island on his plane. She needed to focus on her father’s suspicious death and not battle her hormones all the way back to Kona, as Sam sat next to her. He had become more desirable each time she saw him but she didn’t have time for distractions. At least that was what the business side of her brain told her. It was in contrast to what her emotions whispered in her ear, go for it.

  It had been a busy week for her. She had put in her papers, said her goodbyes, and packed up her apartment. There was nothing left to do except go back to Kona, and the logic overruled her heart’s desire for Sam for the time being and she caught the afternoon United flight out of LAX.

  The funny thing about Kona was that it was such a small town, it wasn’t unusual to see people you knew on the plane. Although Jessica had been away for many years, she’d been born and raised in Kona and still knew a lot of people there. While she waited in the lounge, to board the plane, she recognized Sonny Palio. Their eyes met at the same time, and it was obvious by the look on his face, he recognized her too. Annoyed with herself for not looking away sooner, she now felt obligated to talk with him when he beelined over to strike up a conversation. He was an old boyfriend, and as they chatted, it became evident why their relationship hadn’t gone past three weeks in high school.

  Their short conversation went something like, “Now that you know what I think about me, what do you think about me?” he said, with a grin. What had she been thinking back then? Hormones were the only rational explanation.

  After they had boarded the plane, she sat about sixteen rows away and tried not to look in his direction for the entire flight. He stopped by her seat to chat once more while he was on the way to the bathroom and said they should get together in Kona. Ugh. Did that mean for coffee, or did he think he’d just asked her out on date? Men were funny; you never knew what was going through their brains. Most of the time it had something to do with their penis doing the thinking. She smiled. The other thought she had was that she now regretted she had not called Sam for a ride back to Kona.

  That was one thing she’d miss about the big city: the anonymity that came with it. Going to the store and not recognizing a soul—there was comfort in that sometimes. But right now, her family needed her more than ever. She would have to put her personal preferences aside for the time being.

  * * *

  Sam had also been very busy. He’d signed the documents for the sale of the Newport house and was ready to move on with his life after five years of being alone.

  He had his businesses programmed to run by themselves. He liked setting them up, but he didn’t care to run them on a day to day basis. He would always find a key employee to take over. And when possible, he would pick one who came from the humblest of backgrounds because he just liked helping people succeed. The next venture he had in mind was an inter-island ferry system in Hawaii.

  Sam had always lived near the ocean and felt a connection to it. The next step would be to call the governor of Hawaii to arrange a meeting to see if he would smooth the regulatory process. Hawaii was just like any other place; it wasn’t always what you knew, it was who you knew. The backroom deal was alive and well in the Aloha State.

  Sam called Melissa. “I need you to call the Hawaii governor’s office and set up a meeting.”

  “What should I tell him it’s about?” asked Melissa.

  “I want to start an inter-island ferry. And I would prefer not to spend five years in court with the conservationists before getting started.”

  “I’ll take care of it and let you know when I have a date for the meeting,” Melissa said.

  Sam had one more phone call to make. “Hey, Mike, it’s Sam. Meet me at the airport tomorrow morning at ten. It’s time to go back to Kona.”

  “10 a.m. tomorrow. Roger that,” Captain Mike said.

  It bummed Sam out that he hadn’t heard from Jessica during the week they were on the mainland. But he was patient; he knew they would be together in due time. All he needed to do was convince her of that.

  14

  Return to Kona

  As soon as Jessica landed in Kona, she turned her phone on and it pinged with a dozen text messages. On
e of them was from Uncle Jack. “We have to talk.” Rather cryptic, she thought.

  Six hours earlier, before she boarded the plane, she had called Pua and asked if she could pick her up at the airport. Pua had agreed and said she’d be parked in front of the airport. When Jessica reached the curb, she found Jasmine waiting for her instead.

  “Where’s Pua?” Jessica asked as she put her suitcase in the trunk of Jasmine’s Kona Cruiser, a yellow ’85 Toyota Tercel.

  “She’s sick. She asked me to come get you,” said Jasmine. Jessica’s momentary annoyance evaporated, and was replaced by guilt.

  Jessica asked Jasmine to drive straight to the harbor first so she could see Uncle Jack. When they arrived at the slip, the Hui Hou wasn’t there. He must still be out on a charter, Jessica thought. As they were got ready to leave, she saw the Hui Hou come around the point. Uncle Jack and another man, that Jessica didn’t recognize, were the only ones on board.

  Jessica asked Jasmine to wait in the car and said she’d be back in a few minutes. Jasmine was content with that, since she’d be able to resume texting with a guy she’d met online the day before and planned to meet for a drink later.

  “Hey Uncle, I got your text,” Jessica said, as she walked up to the boat.

  “Where’s Sam?” he asked, with a curious look on his face as he secured the lines from the dock.

  “California? I don’t know. It’s not my day to watch him. Anyway, what’s up?”

  Uncle Jack looked down at the deck as he rinsed it with the freshwater garden hose from the dock. Then he looked up and said, “Did you see that guy that left the boat?”

  Jessica nodded.

  “He’s the lead NTSB investigator assigned to your dad’s crash. I’ve got a friend in the FAA who knows him. My friend got me an off-the-record phone call with him, which led to an off-the-record day of deep sea fishing on the Hui Hou. He found sugar in the gas tank of your dad’s airplane. The sugar plugged up the fuel filter, which prevented the engine from getting fuel and caused the loss of power that resulted in the crash.”