She flipped open the notebook. “I’d call it a cult. They claim to be a Hawaiian cultural group, but worship of Ku is at the heart of it.”
Ku was an ancient Hawaiian god of war, a bloody god who demanded human sacrifice. Mano grimaced. Some natives were bringing about a resurgence of Hawaiian culture, including religion, though in this case it would have been better left in the past. He’d read the old stories and stood at the sites of some of those sacrifices. The evil in the air had been a palpable presence.
Annie sat on the edge of the bed and began to leaf through the pages. Sam peered over one shoulder and her father over the other. Mano wished to do the same, but he knew better than to get too close to Annie. She was uncomfortable enough with him just being here.
“I can’t believe she’d belong to something like this,” Annie said. She tossed the book onto the bed. “It’s a bunch of bunk about having power with Ku. Leilani knows better than this.” Her dark eyes burned with an inner fire.
Sam picked it up. “I’ll take it to headquarters and look it over.” He went back to the closet and began to sort through the jumble of shoes on the floor. “You’re sure nothing is missing?”
“Not that I can tell.” Annie joined him. “I’ll go through it. Leilani wouldn’t want you looking at her personal things.” She stood and went to the dresser, where she began to put the cosmetics in order.
Mano had to hide his grin at the emergence of her old bossiness. The real Annie was still in there somewhere. He took the opportunity to study her again. Her short, dark hair flipped up in a carefree way that was kind of cute. The cut skirted her shoulders and suited her long, graceful neck and slim frame. She had the longest eyelashes he’d ever seen. Thick and lush, they framed large expressive eyes that always told exactly what she was thinking. Her hands had always fascinated him. The fingers were long, like a pianist’s, and he’d often teased her for having “monkey hands,” because they were never still. They almost seemed to have a mind of their own. When she was sitting idle, they would roam around whatever was close by, picking up an ornament on a table or playing with the fringe on her cutoff jeans.
Those busy fingers quickly set the dressing table to rights. She wore an expression of intense concentration, and Mano wondered what she was thinking. He couldn’t believe the Tagama family would have to endure another tragic loss. He hoped Leilani was off somewhere with a new friend. She never met a stranger, and she was always on the lookout for fun. She’d turn up in a day or two laughing about all the fuss. Or else . . . Another idea surfaced, and he turned it over in his mind.
Annie turned, and Mano caught a glimpse of fear in her eyes. His hope about Leilani vanished. Before he could stop himself, he touched Annie’s shoulder as she started to walk by.
She stopped, and her eyes widened. Her lips trembled, and she pressed them together and jerked her body away. She stalked past him and hurried through the door and down the hall. Mano drew in a deep breath. His gaze met Edega’s, and the older man looked away. His expression turned vague, and he vanished down the hall after his daughter.
Sam raised his brows. “Am I picking up some tension here?”
“What was your first clue? They blame me for Tomi’s death.”
Sam grunted. “You do leave a trail of damage behind wherever you go.”
Mano turned and went down the hall. Sam brushed past him to enter the living room first. Mano listened as Sam offered reassurance to the Tagamas and then departed. Once Annie closed the door behind the officer, Mano glanced at the boxes he’d hauled in from the car. Could his flash of inspiration be right? “I went through the apartment and boxed up everything of Tomi’s.” He laid his hand on the top box. “This one is his clothing, and the other two boxes have stuff like electronics and his personal things.” His voice faltered when he saw Annie’s eyes tear up. He dropped his gaze.
“Mahalo for bringing them.” Annie’s voice was a stilted whisper. Her gaze locked on the boxes. She reached out her right hand and then drew it back.
Mano wanted to bolt for the car, but he had to finish. “I’d like to talk to you both for a few minutes. Can we sit down?” He didn’t wait for an answer but moved to the sofa and perched on the edge of the cushion.
Edega frowned as he went to his recliner by the window. “Annie will listen. Then I would ask you to leave us.”