Chapter 19 The Statement
The Statement
Koholā: humpback whale
Minnow and Nalu sat at the bar sipping a rum and coconut drink that the bartender slid in front of them as they read over
the menu. Surprisingly, no one else from the meeting had stayed. It was a weeknight and they probably all had long drives
and families waiting at home.
“So what did you think?” Nalu asked.
“I have this feeling like I’m drowning. I want to do everything I can to help these sharks and educate people, but it’s really
all beyond my control. I wish Joe and the rest of the team were here.”
“Joe said he’d be here next week if things go well, and the rest of the guys get back from the symposium on Friday. But what
else are they going to say that you haven’t already said?”
Minnow shrugged. “They’re men, Nalu. And men listen to men.”
“Huh. I never thought about it like that. I listen to you, don’t I?”
Because you’re practically still a boy, she wanted to say.
“You do, and I appreciate that.”
He sat up a little straighter. “I promise to keep fighting this with you, whatever it takes.”
“Thanks, Nalu. That means a lot.”
As they waited for their food, every time the waitress—a cute blonde with a spray tan—came by to collect drinks, Nalu said something to her. Why did they get umbrellas on their drinks and we didn’t? Impressive how you balance all those drinks without spilling a drop.
Do you ever swim after work, in the moonlight? What’s your name?
Dixie, it turned out.
When Dixie walked to another table, Minnow peered over at him. “Are you ever not hitting on some girl or another?”
“I haven’t hit on you, have I?”
She made a face. “No, thank God. I’m almost old enough to be your mother.”
“Not quite. Aunt maybe but not mother. And I know when someone is off-limits,” he said, pausing to shove a handful of mochi
crunch in his mouth. “But look who’s talking. You think I haven’t noticed the way you go all fluttery-eyed when you mention
Greenwood?”
She almost spit out her drink. “Please, give me some credit.”
“Why deny it? He kind of has that bad boy thing going, which chicks love. But do you want to hear my thoughts on him?”
Nalu had this way about him that made it hard to be mad at anything he did or said. And he was perceptive, she’d give him
that.
“I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation.”
He shrugged. “You want to hear it though, don’t you?”
“Sure, tell me.”
As soon as the words came out, she regretted saying them. Talking about Luke with someone else felt like bringing to life
something that until now had just been a thought, a glimmer, a question mark.
“He’s hiding something,” he said.
“Tell me something I don’t already know.”
Dixie came back, loading up another round of drinks. The way she eyed up Nalu, chances were good that they’d end up at least
exchanging numbers.
“What time are you off, Dixie?” he asked.
She looked at her watch. “Ten minutes. I’ve been here since eight a.m.”
“Ouch, long day. Can I walk you to your car?”
She shot a look Minnow’s way. “You two haven’t even eaten yet.”
Nalu held up his drink. “Oh, I’m not here to eat. We just finished up at the Shark Task Force meeting and I was thirsty. Dr.
Gray and I work together and she’s staying next door at Hale Niuhi.”
“Dr. Gray must be super hungry, then, because I saw your order.”
Mahi-mahi plate. Large order of fries. Margherita pizza. Caesar salad with mac nut croutons.
Minnow gave her a wide smile. “Nah, I’m taking the mahi plate back to Woody, and Nalu and I were just strategizing before
he goes back to his hotel room.”
She actually liked the idea of walking back alone under the stars with nothing but lava and ocean for miles.
Dixie leaned into Nalu. “Meet me by the fishpond behind the gym.”
Once she’d walked off, he said, “Thanks, I owe you one.”
“Just behave and be a gentleman.”
“Always.”
When the food came, Minnow ate a slice and a half and picked at the salad, wondering all the while how to sway the minds of
those who wanted the hunt. Images of that beautiful, dead white shark on the dock in Catalina reared up, making it hard to
breathe. That and the shark on the Farallones. Underwater, sharks were all speed and grace, but take them out of the water
and they became limp, helpless, lumpy sacs. Right after her father’s death, some of the divers on the island had taken it
upon themselves to catch all the sharks they could, and it had been awful for Minnow.
“How’s the food?” someone asked.
She turned to see Josh Brown, dressed in a tweed coat of all things. Thankfully, he had not been allowed in the meeting, but
she figured he was probably lurking somewhere.
“It’s great.”
“Mind if I sit?” he asked.
“I was just leaving, so have at it.”
He slapped his notebook down next to her. “How did the meeting go? I got Sawyer’s take on it, but I’d love yours.”
As much as she wanted to flee, talking to the press was partly why she was here, a way to the people. And Angela’s statement
still burned a hole in her pocket.
“Everyone made their points, one way or another, so it went well in that regard. But I still maintain that the evidence against
a hunt is clear. In my mind there’s really no other option.”
“Sam Callahan begs to differ. I caught up with him after he walked out,” Josh said.
“No one can blame him for feeling that way. Or Angela Crawford. But that’s the thing. Angela feels differently.”
He perked up. “How do you know?”
She fished around for the paper, pulled it out and waved it. “I have a statement from her.”
“Hell, why didn’t you say so in the first place?”
“Sorry, I forgot.”
“You forgot?”
“Just momentarily. My mind was on other things.”
It was true, she had been ruminating about the meeting, but now it dawned on her that she might be able to use Angela to help
her persuade the rest of the task force.
“I need to get this on tape. Can you hang on while I get my guy? He’s right over there.”
“Yes.”
While he went off, Minnow wet her hands and smoothed her hair with her hands. It was all she could do.
“You look good, no need to worry.”
Luke had replaced Josh and was holding a frosty glass of beer, smiling at her.
“I’m not worried,” she said.
“You could be hiding some seaweed in there and no one would be the wiser. Untamed suits you, though.”
“Wow, two compliments in one night from you. I’m not sure how to feel about that.”
In truth, it caused a strange lightheadedness that was not entirely unpleasant.
He looked into his beer. “Yeah, well, it’s true.”
“Having seaweed for hair has always been a dream of mine, ever since I was a little girl.”
His face slowly turned back to her, one side of his mouth lifted. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“Completely.”
A voice cut through the thick air. “Dr. Gray, we’re ready for you. Let’s go out front. On the beach, if you don’t mind.”
Josh and his camera guy were standing by the steps.
Luke saluted. “I’ll be here if you need a drink after—I know I would. The press makes my skin crawl.”
“Why is that?”
He shrugged. “I don’t like the way they manipulate the truth. Some of them, at least.”
“Fear and drama sell,” she said. Then she added, “Will you come out there with me, for moral support?”
If he was surprised, he didn’t show it. “I’m already there.”
When she stood, her arm brushed his shoulder and she had the sudden desire to sit back down, shut the world out and talk.
Just the two of them. Being so close, she could smell a tangy aftershave that reminded her of ocean. Or maybe it was ocean. He followed her out without a word.
Josh and his guy were standing under a coconut tree, clamping a bright light to a beach umbrella. “This is my main man Danny,
and you are . . . ?” he said, eyeing Luke.
“A friend of hers.”
It was like someone had flipped off his thermostat and the warmth she’d felt from him at the bar turned to cold, hard ice.
Josh ignored him and looked at Minnow, gaze slipping over her chest, down her thighs and back up.
“This is freaking perfect. A shark scientist who could be a movie star. So, I need you to stand over here, across from me. I’ll just ask you a few questions, and then we’ll lead into Angela’s statement. How does that sound?”
Minnow moved to under the coconut tree, facing the blinding light. “Fine.”
“Okay, let’s roll,” Josh said.
She could barely see his face, only the outline of his coiffed hair.
In a somber tone, Josh began. “Aloha from the Big Island of Hawai?i, where a series of deadly shark attacks killed one man,
possibly two, and left a third victim badly injured. With spring break and an international open-water swim coming up, state
officials are considering a shark hunt to make waters safe again. Joining me now on the beach in front of the Kiawe is Dr.
Minnow Gray, a great-white scientist from California who studies these beasts for a living. Dr. Gray, can you tell us what
you know about the shark involved, because if I’m not mistaken, it’s been the same animal.”
Minnow stole a glance at Luke, who gave her a nod. “Yes, Josh. We do believe the same white shark is responsible for the bites
of two people here along the coast, but the third is currently ruled as a missing swimmer since there’s no evidence pointing
otherwise.”
“But the missing swimmer was within a mile of where Stuart Callahan was killed, was he not?”
“Yes, but there are far more drownings than shark incidents, so we can’t jump to conclusions. We need evidence before we can
make a determination.”
“What kind of evidence are you looking for?”
“For one, his body has not been recovered, so that would be a first step.”
“I understand you attended a shark task force meeting earlier this evening. Were any decisions made about how the state plans
on stopping this man-eater?”