“No problem.” Mano’s gaze was on Annie while Tomi dialed and started talking.
She peeked at him from under her lashes. He should have been born during the warrior days of the early Hawaiians. He was a hero to her in every definition of the word. “Mahalo, Mano,” she whispered.
“I was glad to help.” He shifted, and she knew the thanks were making him uncomfortable. They waited in silence for Tomi to finish.
After he hung up, Tomi mussed her hair. “Little Annie hates change, just like Father,” Tomi said.
She sniffed, letting him know with her expression that she was wounded. She wanted to laugh and shout with the joy that infused her. Their financial troubles were over. Her playful brother was back again. “Don’t push your luck.”
He slung his arm around her. “You think we can salvage those shish kebabs? I’m famished.”
“You’re always hungry.” She glanced at the discarded food and shook her head. “I wouldn’t want to eat them. Why don’t we order a pizza, and you can get us caught up on what’s happening. Have you talked to Afsoon?”
Tomi’s open, expectant expression grew guarded. “Yeah. It’s become really hard for her to stay a step ahead of her father. She’s afraid she’s going to be discovered any moment. I’ve got to get her out.”
“Right.” Mano said urgently. “Because of the murder, I didn’t get a chance to check with my contacts. I’ll do that now.” He pulled out his cell phone, called his mother, and asked her to go through his safe again for his address book. She promised to call him back with the number.
“Mahalo, buddy,” Tomi said.
“Don’t thank me yet. We still don’t have her out of there.”
“With you on the job, she will be.”
“Who’s up for Scrabble while we eat our pizza?” Annie asked.
Tomi groaned. “Anything but that.”
“Have you forgotten everything I taught you while you’ve been gone?” Annie teased.
“It was a welcome reprieve.”
They played Scrabble while they ate their pizza. Annie beat both men in all three games. Tomi finally leaned back in his chair, then stood. “I’m going to bed. I can’t take another whupping. Besides, the casino is sending someone over early tomorrow to pay for the property and have Father sign the papers. They ordered the title work months ago. Can you believe that? It will all be done tomorrow.”
“And we have six months to find another place to live.” Annie looked around. She’d lived here all her life. She watched Tomi go down the hall to his room. It had been so long since he slept in that familiar bed. If only Leilani were here as well.
“Let’s walk by the water,” Mano suggested. “I need to walk off that pizza.” He stood and held out his hand.
Annie hesitated, then let him tug her from the chair and lead her out the back door.
The moon was big and bright. “The full moon will be here tomorrow,” Mano said. Wilson trotted behind them to the water. The surf rolled in on waves of white foam. Mano and Annie sat on a flat rock that had just enough room for the two of them.
Annie made a face. “I hate to be out on the night of a full moon. I know it’s just superstition, but I remember all the stories I heard about the dead walking about on the night of the akua moon.”
Akua meant gods, and in the old Hawaiian religion, the gods could be seen walking about on that night and could kill a person. Mano smiled at her. “We’ll go for a walk tomorrow, and I’ll show you I can protect you.” The waves just missed their feet, then were dragged back to sea. He breathed in the scent of the ocean.
“Mahalo for coming to my defense,” she said.
“You’re welcome.” He’d do anything for her.
“Why did you pay the mortgage? We wouldn’t have been able to pay you back if we didn’t sell.”
“I didn’t expect to be repaid. I wanted to do it.” Lame, lame. Why couldn’t he just tell her he loved her? She couldn’t do more than laugh at him, and he’d been laughed at before. It was no big deal. He leaned down and grabbed a stick. “Fetch, Wilson,” he said. He tossed it out toward the white foam the sea had left behind.
The mongoose growled and dashed after the stick. He carried it back with an air of triumph, then curled around it. “He’s not giving you a chance to get it,” Annie said, smiling. “What a selfish little pig.”
Kind of like me, Mano thought. He wanted Annie all to himself as well.
“Wilson needs to learn from your generosity,” she said. “You’re a good friend.”