Double Cross. Terri Reed

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СКАЧАТЬ long, dark, gray-streaked hair was gathered into a loose bun, and a hibiscus blossom rested at her ear. Her blue-and-white floral housedress reached her ankles and revealed the ballerina-style slippers Kiki had brought her from Philadelphia.

      Kiki launched herself into her grandmother’s arms.

      “You’re okay?” Kiki gasped, panting in terror.

      “Yes, dear.” Tutu pulled Kiki back to inspect her. Tears gathered in her eyes. “Are you hurt?”

      Kiki shook her head as relief spread through her system, but the panic and fear wouldn’t release their grip. “What happened?”

      Tutu shook her head, anxiety clouding her eyes. “I don’t know. I was resting and I heard a loud bang. I came out to see this.” She gestured with her hand toward the small grassy yard and beyond to the crops of plant life, which stretched to the cliffs that kept the Kaapa Flower farm in business.

      Kiki turned to look and sucked in a sharp breath. A dark layer of grime coated everything—the swaying Tahitian ginger plants, the various colored proteas, the sunny cup of gold blossoms and all the other plants. Even the porch was dusted with gunk. She could feel the filth on her own skin through the cotton of her T-shirt and her green board shorts. Could see it floating in the air.

      Then her gaze landed on Ryan at the foot of the stairs, his expression concerned as he stared back at her. The memory of what he’d done hit her smack in the middle. He’d used his body to shield her from the explosion.

      Kiki turned to her grandmother. “Call the police, please, Tutu.”

      Looking dazed with worry, Tutu nodded and headed back inside.

      Facing Ryan, Kiki said, “Thank you.” She suddenly felt self-conscious as she descended the porch steps. She could only assume she looked as filthy as he did. His navy pinstriped suit was ruined and his once-shiny black shoes would need more than just a polish. “Do you know what happened?”

      His troubled brown gaze met hers. “I just got here. Saw you, headed over to talk to you, and as I closed in something went ka-boom.”

      Something? Her gaze searched for the origin of the explosion. She walked down the path toward where the company trucks were parked. “My fertilizer truck!”

      Ryan joined her on the path. “It was your fertilizer truck. I’d say that’s what we have all over us.”

      Slanting him a sideways glance, her lip curled upward. “You think?”

      He grinned. That same drop-dead grin that he’d used on her the first time he’d come to the flower farm five months ago to try to buy her out. Only now that smile held more charm and appeal, even coated with flecks of dirt.

      He’d protected her, putting his own life in jeopardy.

      Her heart did a double Dutch jump. But then a thought occurred to her. She narrowed her gaze. Had he blown up her truck? Distrust wound itself around her in a choking grip.

      The squeal of sirens filled the air, distracting her. Two police cars sped up the dirt drive that ran alongside the fenced-in crop of indigenous and exotic flowers, a cloud of dust billowing in their wake.

      She turned on her bare heel and walked back toward to the front yard. Tutu was already waiting to greet the officers. Two men stepped out of each car.

      “The explosion came from the fertilizer truck,” Kiki yelled and pointed the way.

      While three of the officers headed in the direction of the smoldering remains of the fertilizer truck, one man came straight to Tutu. Nikolao Abiko, Kiki’s kalabash-cousin, the Hawaiian term for close as a cousin but not by blood.

      Tall, handsome and very much Hawaiian, Nikolao had been around Kiki her whole life. Seeing him here in an official capacity in his navy uniform with its yellow patches didn’t feel right, wasn’t normal.

      But nothing about this day was normal.

      She swung around to tell Ryan he should go and rammed smack into him. His warm breath fanned over her cheek.

      “Hey.” She gestured with her hands. “Have you never heard of personal space?”

      His dark eyes flashed with humor as he stepped back. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to intrude inside your bubble.”

      She approached Tutu and Nik in the driveway with Ryan on her heels.

      Surprise and recognition showed in Tutu’s eyes. “Ryan McClain, I thought that was you. By the looks of it, you’ve been here for a while.”

      Ryan smiled wryly. “Yes. For a bit.”

      Ryan took Tutu’s fragile hand. Even after years of sun and despite her own natural darker Hawaiian skin tone, the blue veins beneath her thinning skin could be seen.

      He brought her hand to his mouth and placed a kiss on her knuckles. “How are you, Auntie Lana?”

      Using the traditional title of Auntie for someone older than one’s self showed respect in the Hawaiian culture. Kiki was impressed, even though she didn’t want to be. He at least hadn’t come to the island thumbing his nose at their customs.

      Kiki rolled her eyes as her grandmother’s smile widened.

      “Gotta love a man with classy manners,” Tutu commented, her worried dark eyes showing appreciation.

      Kiki would give him the manners, but his charm could only be calculated and didn’t fool her for a moment. No man that suave could be sincere.

      Tutu made the introduction to Nik. “Ryan McClain, this is Officer Nik Abiko.”

      As Ryan’s gaze turned to Nik, the charm receded, and in its place was a shrewder look that matched the one in Nik’s eyes. “Officer.” Ryan put out his hand.

      The men shook hands. “McClain. I have to ask what you are doing here,” Nik said.

      “Mr. McClain was just leaving,” Kiki interjected. No way did she want Ryan to explain the purpose of his visit with Tutu standing there, because he undoubtedly had come back to take another run at buying their land. And Kiki had no intention of letting her heritage go.

      Nik shot Kiki a hard look. “No one leaves until we know how and why the truck blew up.”

      Knowing there was no way around Ryan answering Nik’s questions, Kiki took Lana’s hand. “Let’s go back inside, Tutu, and let Nik do his job.”

      Tutu squeezed her hand. “I know why Ryan is here, dear.”

      Kiki sighed. Of course Tutu knew. Why else would McClain have come back other than to try to buy the farm from them?

      Nik arched an eyebrow. “Care to enlighten me?”

      “I represent a developer and a group of investors who would like to purchase the land from the Kaapa family,” Ryan explained, and handed Nik a business card.

      “We are not selling,” Kiki stated for everyone to hear, while she stared hard at Ryan, willing him to back off. She СКАЧАТЬ