Mano nodded toward the bar. “And Kim? Where does he fit in?”
“Kim?” Confusion clouded Tomi’s face. He blinked, and his expression cleared. “You mean Tab? He’s just the contact for the consortium that is building the theme park. Banos.”
“You need to ask him about Leilani.”
Tomi frowned. “The casino has nothing to do with Leilani, but I’ll ask him. First, I’ve got to get that money off my hands. It’s the key to getting us all out of this situation. As for Afsoon, I’ll work on talking dad into selling the house instead.”
“Even if you give them the money back, they’re still going to want that information. They’ll do whatever is needed to keep you under their thumbs. It’s not going to be that easy, Tomi.”
Tomi capped his water. “I’ll figure out a way.”
Annie sat on the hard wooden chair the detective offered her, with Fawn beside her. A drunk bellowed to be turned loose from the corner where he was being interrogated, and a woman with a blouse cut to her navel leaned over the counter and tried to talk the officer into not booking her for prostitution. Two kids hauled in for vandalizing a deserted house cried for their mothers, then one vomited on the nondescript vinyl tile floor.
“Where’s Sam?” Fawn asked in a frustrated whisper. “We’ve been waiting for nearly an hour.”
“If he doesn’t come soon, we’ll just leave and call him.” Annie didn’t think he would be much help anyway. She didn’t know where to turn for answers. She chewed on her ragged thumbnail and tried to ignore the bedlam.
Sam finally appeared in the doorway. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Come on back.” He escorted them to his office and pointed to two chairs that faced his desk.
Annie glanced around at the jumble of papers on the desk and the stacks of files on the floor. She itched to organize it all for him, but she had to be content with moving the stacks that inhabited her chair to the floor before sitting down. “You saw the report about our garage being broken into?”
“Sure did.” He rooted through his papers. “So these guys threatened the family? Any specifics about Leilani?”
“No, but if they threatened to kill all of us, that surely means they have Leilani.” She half stood, then sank back into the chair. “They shouldn’t be that hard to find.”
“You’d be surprised. We’ve got a whole raft of Arabs here on a tour right now. We’ve been talking to people. So far all we’re finding are tourists.” He narrowed his eyes and stared at her. “And why would some Arab men break into your house? I don’t get it.”
She couldn’t tell him about Tomi. It was a mistake to have come here. “That’s what we want you to find out.” She rose. “Mahalo for your time, Sam. You’ve got my number.” Her knees nearly buckled when she stood. She had to get out of here before he became suspicious.
He came around the end of the desk. “I hope to have some answers for you this week. Try not to worry.”
He sounded kind and concerned. Fawn followed her to the door. Annie exited the police station like she’d been set free. “I don’t know what I was thinking to go there,” she muttered to Black Sands Fawn. “Of course he’s going to wonder why some Arab men would target us.”
Fawn examined Annie’s face. “You need a break tonight. How about I come over and sacrifice myself on the Scrabble altar.”
Annie laughed. “Again?”
“I’d do anything to cheer you up.”
“You’re a good friend.” Annie was tempted to say no. She wasn’t in the mood even for her favorite pastime. But Fawn was right— she needed to think about something else. She was helpless right now, at the mercy of the police investigation. Or lack of it would be more accurate. “Okay,” she said.
Fawn waggled her eyebrows. “I’ll bring some granola bars and my juicer. I just picked some new grasses. Very healthy. It will put a sparkle in your eyes.”
“More likely a pain in my stomach.”
Fawn punched her in the arm. “You’ll love it.”
“I’m supposed to meet Mano in about an hour. How about you come over around seven? I’ll get some snacks on the way home.”
Fawn made a face. “I’ll bring the food. You’re not a good judge of what’s best for your poor body.”
“As long as we get more than just grass and granola bars.”
“Deal.”
Annie dropped her friend off at her car in the parking lot and drove to town to meet Mano. She hoped he’d found Tab Watson. Frustration and helplessness combined to make her feel out of sorts and ill-tempered.