Chapter 8 #2
She stared out the side window. “They were flying to Kauai for their thirtieth wedding anniversary. I’d paid for them to stay in a swanky resort with one of the largest paychecks I’d earned for photographs and a video I’d produced for a major resort chain.
They’d sprung for a charter flight with a friend who flew celebrities to the different islands.
” She paused, still looking out the side window.
Rex shot a glance toward her.
By the reflection in the window, it was clear she was fighting back tears.
A lump formed in Rex’s throat. He felt her loss like an echo of the pain he’d felt when his mother had taken her last breath, and her hand had gone limp in his.
He’d been alone, much like Kimo had been.
No other family to console him. His father, a cold, heartless bastard, had done nothing to help him through or even share in the pain.
Rex reached for Kimo’s hand and held it without pressing for more information.
Her fingers curled around his. After a moment, she brushed a tear from her cheek. “You’d think after a year and a half, I wouldn’t still get choked up telling the story.”
“I still get choked up. It’s been thirteen years. I still cry on my mother’s birthday,” he said.
She looked up at him, her brow wrinkling. “I can’t imagine you crying about anything.”
His lips pressed together. “That would be my father.”
“And you’re not like him,” she said with a nod.
“Not as much as I used to think.” He continued to drive, holding her hand in his.
He liked how soft yet strong her fingers were.
As an expert diver, she wasn’t a sissy or weak in any way.
She was smart, creative and cared deeply about others.
She’d cried several times since he’d taken her on as a client, but it was because of the loss of loved ones.
Though she’d cried, she hadn’t stopped looking for a way to save her friend.
“The plane was a single-engine prop job. The FAA investigation reported that they’d likely had a bird strike the propeller.
Another hit the windscreen. They were already coming down when it happened.
The pilot probably couldn’t see, and they were too low to recover or find a place to land.
They crashed into the ocean. They died on impact. ”
Rex squeezed her hand gently without saying a word.
She stared at their joined hands for a long moment. “Thank you.”
He looked her way. “For what?”
“For not saying at least they died instantly.” She gave him a watery smile.
“So many people said that to the point I wanted to scream that they shouldn’t have died at all.
If I hadn’t paid for the vacation on Kauai, they would’ve stayed home and celebrated as usual at our favorite restaurant.
” She shook her head. “I was so proud of making enough money to treat them.”
“You couldn’t have known a bird would crash into the plane. It wasn’t your fault,” he said softly. “They could’ve been run over by a bus crossing the road to your favorite restaurant. It’s probably even more likely for that to happen than for a plane to crash.”
“I know, but it happened to my parents and the pilot. I still feel guilty. And I feel just as guilty and responsible for Alana’s abduction.”
“You didn’t abduct her, Kimo,” he said softly. “Those men who attacked you two did it.”
She nodded. “I know. It doesn’t change how I feel.”
As they approached town, she pointed to a store in a strip mall. “There’s a beachy souvenir shop. I need a disguise. I bet I can find one in there.”
Rex pulled into the parking lot and shifted into park. When he went to open his door, she put a hand on his arm.
“You don’t have to go in. I’m sure there aren’t any bad guys in there. They wouldn’t guess we’d stop here.”
“True.” He covered her hand with his briefly. “But I’m not letting you out of my sight for a minute. You’re the only one who might know where to look for that camera. That means you have a big target on your back to bury those images, and you. And if they get to you before you get to the camera...”
“They have no reason to keep Alana alive.” She nodded. “Come on, BG, let’s get in and out so we can move on to the next phase of this operation.”
Rex grinned. “Look at you sounding all military.”
Her lips twitched. “I couldn’t help it. Seems like we’re a stealth operation on the move.
” Her smile spread. “Into a souvenir shop. Go figure. I need you anyway. Since I don’t have a purse, I can’t pay for this disguise.
Can you spot me for the amount? I can pay you back once I can get into my bank account. ”
“No problem.” As he opened the door to the store, he asked, “BG? Is that for bodyguard?”
“No, silly. It stands for Big Guy.” She ducked past him into the store, her smile still on her lips.
She was a beautiful woman, her Hawaiian heritage making her even more exotic and attractive. And when she smiled, the sun shone brighter.
Rex found his step lighter as he followed her through the store where she chose a beach cover-up, flip-flops, sunglasses and a floppy hat.
“This ought to do it. I’ll look like any other customer on one of Leliani’s snorkeling trips.” She laid the items on the counter.
“What, no swimsuit?” Rex asked.
“I’m wearing one under my clothes,” she pulled the collar of her shirt to one side, displaying the strap of her bikini.
“You came prepared.”
Her lips pressed together. “I’d hoped to be out on the water a lot sooner.”
“We’ll be out there soon,” he assured her and paid for the items. He gathered the bag and took the receipt from the clerk.
Once outside the store, Kimo reached out a hand. “I’ll take that receipt. I intend to repay you for lunch, my phone and my disguise.”
He hesitated. “That’s not necessary. It wasn’t that much.”
“I insist,” she said. “I’m not a freeloader.”
He shook his head. “Didn’t say you were.” Though he didn’t like doing it, he handed her the receipt and held her door open.
As she climbed into his truck, she stared down at him, holding the door for her. “Since so many people have seen me with you, you might consider a disguise of your own.”
“I have something I can use at my apartment. I won’t take long.” He closed the door and rounded to the driver’s side.
Once he settled behind the wheel, he drove to his apartment and backed into a parking space.
He’d watched in his rearview mirror and along the sides of the road for anyone who might be tailing them.
So far, he hadn’t spotted any suspicious activity.
When he got out of the truck, he hurried around to the passenger side and helped Kimo down, using his body as a shield.
He didn’t think anyone had followed him, but if they knew he was with her, they could have someone staking out his apartment.
“We have just enough time to change and get over to the marina in Lahaina,” Kimo said as she entered his apartment.
After he closed the door and twisted the lock,
Rex pointed to a door off the small living area. “You can have the front bathroom while I change in my room.”
Kimo ducked in and closed the door behind her.
Rex stared at the door for a moment, amazed at the woman’s resilience. She should be exhausted and ready to collapse. Instead, she was chomping at the bit to get out on the water, find her camera and save her friend.
Yes, she was like his mother in some ways. Kind, caring, strong.
Still, he didn’t feel at all like Kimo’s son. Quite the opposite, in fact. He found himself wanting to pull her into his arms, and not in a brotherly way.
Something about Kimo made his blood stir in a way no other woman ever had.
“I’ll be ready in two minutes,” Kimo called out through the bathroom door.
Aware he had more changing to do than she did, Rex hurried into his room, leaving the door slightly ajar. As he crossed to his dresser, he kicked off his shoes, shucked his jeans and pulled his shirt over his head.
He dug into the bottom drawer for the loud green and yellow swim trunks he’d bought to go with an equally obnoxious Hawaiian shirt.
Once he was suitably dressed, he dug in his dive bag, located his dive watch, snorkel and mask. He’d use the regulator and tanks Leilani was to provide, but he liked his watch. Angel had one like it, too. They’d be able to perform basic communications between them while underwater.
After checking the battery charge, he slipped the watch onto his wrist and emerged from the bedroom, carrying his snorkel and mask.
Kimo had pulled her hair up and tucked it beneath the floppy hat, hiding it completely.
The beach cover-up hung open, revealing a bright red bikini that complemented her dark, Hawaiian skin tones.
Yes, he’d seen her naked in the dark reflection on the hospital monitor, but seeing her gorgeous body peeking through the cover-up, her luscious breasts pushed up by the bikini top. ..
Rex’s groin tightened. “Uh.” He cleared his throat. “Great disguise.”
As Kimo’s gaze swept over him head to toe, Rex moved his mask to cover that part of him that was having a purely involuntary reaction to her.
Kimo’s widened, and she blinked, grinning. “You look like a pineapple plantation and a neon green paint factory exploded on you.”
“Thanks,” he grimaced. “I thought it looked touristy.”
“It looks something,” she said. “You bought that outfit?”
“In my defense, the guys pranked me.”
Kimo walked around him, studying his choice of beachwear. “I gotta hear this.”
“I was invited to a Christmas party at the Swaying Palms Resort, where Devlin’s woman, Kiana, worked.”
“Kiana’s my friend. I was invited to that party, too, but couldn’t make it at the last minute because I came down with the flu.”
“You didn’t miss anything. They’d told me it was mandatory to wear an ugly Hawaiian outfit as there would be a contest, the Hawaiian version of an Ugly Christmas Sweater contest. I showed up in this with matching neon green flipflops and neon green-rimmed sunglasses.”
Her brow furrowed. “I thought the dress code for that event was business casual and cocktail attire.”
His lips twisted. “It was.”
Kimo laughed. “Now, I have to get copies of the pictures from Kiana. That’s hilarious.”
He grimaced. “Maybe to you and my supposed friends.”
“What have you done to prank them back?” she asked as she headed for the door.
“Nothing, yet. Still working on it.” He grabbed his keys, sunglasses and a neon green fisherman’s hat from a hook on the wall. He plunked the hat on his head and opened the door. “Let me check the parking lot first.”
She nodded, her floppy hat bobbing.
Rex stepped out in his outlandish getup, scanned the parking area and the bushes and trees surrounding it. Nothing moved in the shadows. No different cars had arrived in the lot since he’d parked. “All clear,” he said and turned to take her hand. “But stay close to me.”
Kimo frowned. “Do you think we’re being stalked?”
“I’d rather act like we’re being followed than be surprised,” he said.
Kimo poked her head, floppy hat and all, out the door, looked right, then left and finally stepped out. She let him slip an arm around her and hustle her out to his truck, up and in. Once she was in her seat, she scrunched low until her head barely showed through the window.
Rex rounded to the driver’s side and slipped in behind the wheel. He didn’t say anything as he drove out of the parking lot and onto the road leading to the marina at Lahaina.
“Turn here,” Kimo said. “We can zigzag through the streets in case anyone is following us. Maybe even turn around and head back a couple of streets before we continue to Lahaina.”
Rex’s lips quirked. “I like the way you think.”
“I have to admit,” she said. “The fact that if something happens to us before we find the camera affects what happens to Alana scares me even more. I’m glad I have you to protect me—for Alana’s sake.”
“And yours,” he added softly. Once on the highway, heading for Lahaina, Rex checked the rearview mirror.
Kimo turned in her seat as well. “I don’t see anyone following us.”
“Same.” He hadn’t had time to call his father while they’d been in his apartment.
He wanted to ask if he knew anything about Marcus Holte.
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the one number he’d saved but hadn’t used in thirteen years.
He’d only saved it so that he’d know who it belonged to when, or if, it ever came across on his screen.
That way, he could ignore the call and get on with his life as usual.
When his team had decided to come to Hawaii, he’d balked. He’d joined the Army to leave the islands and his father behind. Being back had been difficult at first. It took him a while to realize he didn’t have to see the man or interact with him, especially since he was on Oahu and Rex was on Maui.
Sure, he might have assignments that would take him to Oahu. With a population of nearly one million people and many more tourists, the chances of running into the man were slim to none.
If not for Kimo and her friend Alana, Rex wouldn’t bother to call his father. For them, he’d call. His father might know more about Holte Maritime Group, and in particular, Marcus Holte.
The phone rang three times before a gruff voice answered, “Who the hell’s calling and who gave you this number?”
Rex drew in a deep breath and pushed the past behind him. He needed answers.