Double Cross

“I’m afraid I’ll soak your car seat,” he said.

Kiki shrugged distractedly. “No big deal. You sure you want to leave?”

He gathered his belongings together. “Yes.”

She sighed. “All right, then. Hop to it.”

Kiki led the way back through the grass and trees to the parking lot in silence. Ryan folded his towel in half and laid it on the seat to help absorb some of the water from his wet shorts, the lack of conversation continuing.

They drove for several minutes in silence. Along the side of the road a family of mongooses foraged for food along a hedge. Kiki and Ryan passed the woman with the jewelry stand. Ryan made a note to himself to stop there some time to pick up something pretty for his mother and sister. He slanted a glance Kiki’s way.

She didn’t wear jewelry. Her ears didn’t have the piercings in the lobes and he hadn’t yet seen her slender neck adorned with a necklace. Though he wasn’t surprised that her graceful hands, with their blunt nails, didn’t sport any rings, since she used her hands so much working with the plants she cultivated.

Studying her profile, the tapered nose, the high cheekbones and the concentration on her face made him wonder what was going on in Kiki’s mind? The worry lines around her mouth and eyes didn’t sit well with him. What had her so tied in knots? Something more than a pipe bomb?

He wanted to ease her tension and break through the barrier that kept her from agreeing to sell the parcel of land. Now might be a prime moment. Ryan asked, “Would you like to stop for lunch? I’m buying.”

Her hands gripped the steering wheel so tight color drained from her knuckles. “I need to go home,” Kiki stated.

He laid a hand on her arm. The warm supple skin branded his palm. “Tell me what has upset you.”

“How do you know I’m upset?”

“I can just tell.”

She took a deep breath and seemed to be debating with herself before she flipped on the blinker and brought the car to a halt on the side of the narrow dirt shoulder. Reaching past him, she opened the glove compartment and pulled out a white envelope. “This is why.”

He slipped the folded sheet of paper out and read the words. Shock and anger spiked in his veins. “Where did it come from?”

“When I came back to the car to get Carol a hair tie, I found the envelope with the letter inside on the seat.”

Someone had been in the makeshift parking lot while they were at the beach. Concern for Kiki’s welfare arced through him and overshadowed his own agenda. “You have to take this to the police.”

“Right.” She pulled back onto the road. “What are they going to do? It’s just a stupid note.”

That freaked her out.

“After what happened yesterday? Are you kidding me? This is a threat. Any threat should be taken seriously.”

He refolded the note and tucked it back into the envelope, wishing he could as easily put away the roaring trepidation kicking its heels in his blood.

Someone wanted the flower farm sold badly enough to threaten the Kaapas.

Ryan’s client, Horatio? The syntax of the note was off, though. And certainly not something Ryan pictured Horatio Lewis, the owner of the largest land development company in the nation, doing. Though there had been rumors over the past year that Horatio’s business practices bordered on unethical. But on the previous deals Ryan had worked on with Horatio, Ryan hadn’t seen any hint of underhanded dealings. No, the note was too…unsophisticated to have originated with Horatio. Wasn’t it? “Do you think one of your neighbors could have left the note?”

“The thought occurred to me. But I can’t see any of them trekking all the way here to leave a note on my car seat.”

“They have something to gain if you sell the land, however.”

“True.” She blew out an agitated breath. “I have to check on Tutu. If something happened to her, I…I don’t know what I’d do.”

He held open his cell phone. “Call.”

She reached for the phone, but Ryan returned her attention to the road with a tilt of his head. With another sigh, she rattled off the number and Ryan dialed. She took the phone from him while keeping one hand on the steering wheel.

After a moment, she handed it back, her eyes bleak. “No answer.”

“Then let’s go straight to the farm,” Ryan said.

“I’ll drop you off first.”

“No.” He wasn’t about to let her walk into some unknown situation by herself. He prayed that his worry was unfounded, but just in case…he was sticking close to Kiki. “I’d like to check on your grandmother, also.”

She shot him a quick glance. “Why?”

“Because I like her. And I certainly don’t want anything bad to happen to her. Or you.”

Her lips pursed together and she didn’t comment again as she sped down the Piilani Highway into the countryside away from town. She turned the car onto the long dirt drive running alongside the fields and leading up to the ramshackle traditional-style Hawaiian house.

The rows and rows of flowering blossoms stretched toward the sun without any signs of uninvited guests. Nor were there signs of life near the greenhouse, the big huge metal building off to the left or the tiny shed barely visible beyond that.

All was quiet and still. Almost too still.

Kiki stopped the car in a spray of gravel and jumped out before the engine had even stopped rotating. Ryan quickly followed her up the porch steps. He slipped his sandals off, leaving them beside Kiki’s flip-flops and entered the house.

“Tutu?” Kiki called, her voice a little high. She disappeared down the hall, only to reappear a moment later, her eyes wide and panicky. “She’s not here.”

Kiki looked as if she was about to hyperventilate. Ryan grasped her by the elbow and made her sit on the faded upholstered couch. “Could she be out shopping? Buying groceries?”

“I suppose.” She rose and headed toward the door.

Ryan hurried after her, but he at least paused long enough to slip his sandals back on before vaulting down the porch steps to catch up with her. She halted as they rounded the corner of the house. “Her car is gone.”

Relief eased through Ryan. “There you go. She’s out shopping, doing errands or whatever else, so there’s no reason to worry.” He hoped.

“But I told her I’d get groceries after I got back from the beach. She’s seventy years old, Ryan. Tutu shouldn’t be out driving around.”

Ryan’s mouth twitched with a smile. The lady wanted to be in control and sure didn’t like it when she wasn’t. “Your grandmother is a vital, energetic woman who’s more than capable of doing as she pleases. At her age, she’s earned the right to go shopping by herself.”

Kiki frowned at him. “Of course. I know that. It’s just…”

“The note.” The threat. The explosion yesterday. Anger burst anew in his gut.

“Yeah. The note. I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything and I’m being ridiculous. It just unnerved me.”

“Which I would imagine was the sender’s intent. But the pipe bomb yesterday wasn’t meant only to scare, it destroyed your truck. I’m telling you, call the police.”

She waved his suggestion away. “Later.”

“Waiting is not a good idea.”

That stubborn, you’re-not-going-to-tell-me-what-to-do look came into her eyes. He could argue with her until he was blue in the face and he wouldn’t get anywhere. So he took a different tactic.

He grabbed her hand. “My father was a cop. One of my brothers is a sheriff. I’ve heard enough stories to know waiting is never a good thing when it comes to threats of any kind. Yeah, it may be nothing but it might be something and wouldn’t you rather be proven right than wrong?”

Her gaze narrowed but the worry there didn’t lessen. “Fine. I’ll go call Nik.”

“Good idea. Nik seemed competent.”

Ryan released her hand and she went inside.

Taking a seat on the porch steps, Ryan blew out the tension and focused his gaze on the tropical vista spread out before him. No wonder someone had decided this piece of property would be the perfect spot for a resort.

The rolling landscape, full of colorful foliage extending toward the rugged cliffs, was a glorious contrast above the churning, white-capped waves of the Pacific Ocean. The darker hues of the water blended with the brighter blue sky at the horizon line. A truly captivating scene.

He shifted his attention to the flower farm’s rows of exotic plants. He had no doubt that even when the beautiful array of red, yellow, white and pink of the cultivated flowers were gone, the view would still be breathtaking.

He could envision a lush, manicured lawn in place of the crops and a huge white gazebo for weddings. Possibly even a small stage for miniconcerts. The place would be a gold mine in the tropics. A gold mine that would fill his own bank account.

“Nik’s on his way,” Kiki stated as she joined him on the stairs.

“Great.” Ryan shifted his gaze to meet hers. “This would be a wonderful place for a high-end resort set up for weddings and events where people want more privacy than can be found at the other resorts right on the beach.”

She frowned and turned her gaze toward the ocean. “There are other places on the island that would work. Places that aren’t currently occupied and aren’t important to me.”

A cramp of remorse gripped him but he suppressed it. This was the land his client wanted. He purposefully ignored her last statement. “Really? Hmph. I didn’t find any other suitable properties when I researched the island.”

A flash of annoyance crossed her face. “That’s because you don’t know where to look.”

“So where are these other places?”

“I’ll show you after church tomorrow.”

Was she suggesting they spend more time together? Unaccountably pleased by the notion, he teased, “Does that mean you’re inviting me to church?”

She met his gaze dead on and straightened her spine. “Yes. I guess I am.”

He blinked. Pleasure, followed closely by a twinge of guilt, chased down his spine. He’d just imagined her beloved flower farm being replaced with a mega resort. How would this personal step affect his deal? Hmm. He wasn’t sure he wanted to analyze that. “I would love to join you for church.”

“Really? So you’re a churchgoer?”

“Every Sunday, growing up. Faith is very important to my family.” And to him. Though there were times he wished he understood God better.

“Good.” Her mouth twisted wryly. “It’s not your traditional church.”

His eyebrows rose. “What does that mean? You don’t offer sacrifices or burned offerings, do you?”

She laughed, the very appealing sound tingled in his chest.

“No, of course not,” she said. “It’s a Christian church, but with some Hawaiian traditions incorporated into the service.”

“That sounds interesting.” He held her gaze, liking how open she was at the moment.

As if she sensed his appreciation, she looked away, following the same visual path he had wandered moments ago. Though he doubted she was envisioning a five-star hotel.

“I hate this waiting. Where could Tutu be?”

The anxiousness in her pretty eyes troubled him. He wished he could lift the burden of fear off her slender shoulders. Her very personal and nonbusiness invitation to church gave him an idea. Taking a chance that she’d not rebuff him for invading her bubble, he slipped his arm around her waist, drawing her close, liking how perfectly they fit together. “Would you like to pray?”

“Oh, yes,” she replied, her expression grateful and heart-wrenching. She bowed her head slightly and closed her eyes.

Writing off this very intimate action on his part as only human decency, Ryan bowed his head but kept his gaze alert for any sudden threats.

“Father God, we humbly ask for your protection over Tutu. Bring her home safely. I…”

A tear fell and landed on the dirt-covered stair by her feet. Ryan couldn’t stand to see her cry and hugged her closer, aching for her and wishing he could make her fear and worry evaporate. He added his own silent prayer, Please, God, give this woman peace and comfort and don’t let anything bad happen.

Where was Tutu?

Kiki shook her head and wiped at her eyes as she pulled away. “Sorry.”

“No need to be. Not with me.”

She smiled slightly and caught his gaze. Light flicked in the depths of her gold-flecked eyes. He wanted to reach toward the glow, to rejoice within the heat of her stare. The moment stretched as some indescribable emotion welled in his chest, constricting his breathing.

“Are you hungry?” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Starved,” he replied as his gaze dropped to her lips. What would she do if he kissed her?

She scrambled to her feet as if she’d read his thought. “Come in. I’ll fix something.”

Ryan shook his head to clear his thoughts, glad she’d broken the moment. Kiss her? No way was he going down some romantic road just because he’d lost his mind for a few seconds.

Pure insanity.

He was here for a reason that had nothing to do with forming an emotional relationship with Kiki. He really had to get a grip and keep focused. To remind himself of his purpose, he looked back over his shoulder at the view.

The land, vibrant and energizing in all its natural beauty from the densely tree-covered hillside, the acres of terrain with so much potential, all the way to the cliffs where the reverberation of the churning surf crashing on the rocks and sand below made a calming background sound.

Definitely worth the money Horatio was offering. The money Ryan would make if the sale went through. The money that would bring him that much closer to financial success. Then he could plan his future.

But first he had to protect his investor’s interest.

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