“Women don’t know their own mind half the time,” Jesse said. “Tell her again tomorrow, and it will probably be fine.”
“You’re a lot of help,” Mano said with a grin. His cell phone rang, and he glanced at the caller ID to see that it was his mother. “Hi,” he said, answering it. Jesse motioned that he was going to the kitchen to make coffee. Mano nodded.
“I’ve got the number you wanted, son,” his mother said. She rattled off the number, and he jotted it down on his notebook then stuck it in his pocket. “Mahalo, Makuahine.” He hesitated before he rang off. Maybe she’d have some idea. “Can you answer a question for me about women?”
“Women in general or one woman in particular?” She sounded amused.
“Annie. If a woman cares about a guy, would she run away if he told her he loved her?”
His mother was silent for a minute. “I think she’s afraid, Mano. From what I could see, she seemed the typical middle child who always wants to please her parents. Her father seemed the kind who is never pleased. That can generate a lot of fear in a woman’s heart. She may feel she can never live up to expectations. Going into a relationship, the expectations of the other person are as high as Haleakala. She probably is afraid of failing you.”
“But I love her.” It shocked him to confess his feelings to his mother, of all people. But she seemed to understand.
“Then woo her gently. She’ll respond.”
“Mahalo.”
“You’re welcome. It seems I didn’t return to your life too late to give some advice once in a while.”
He could hear the smile in her voice. “Love you, Mom.”
“I love you too, Mano. Sleep tight.”
He clicked off the phone and whispered a prayer of thankfulness that he had a mother in his life again after all these years. The clock on the mantel said it was almost ten. It would be early afternoon in Tehran. A perfect time to call. He dialed the number and waited.
“Asad, my friend, it’s Mano.”
“Mano, my good friend. Too long I have not heard your voice.” Asad’s voice was as vibrant as Mano remembered it.
“I need a favor.” Mano explained the situation.
“To my family you have given a new life. Such a small request I could never deny. I will set it up and let you know when the package is ready to be picked up.”
“You’re a good man, Asad.”
“I am honored, my friend, to be of service.”
Mano disconnected the call. He thought about calling the Tagama house to tell Tomi but then rejected the idea. It would be soon enough to tell him once the rescue was set up.
Sam had come and gone with the old familiar promise to do what he could to find Leilani. He questioned Tomi while he was there, and Annie could see he still suspected Tomi of the murder. She didn’t believe Sam would find Leilani. Not any more. It was going to be up to her to find her sister. Tomi paced the living room floor, and her father seemed even more shrunken and older after hearing what the caller said. He shuffled down the hall to bed after Sam left. Annie longed for Mano, but she resisted the urge to call him.
A notebook in her hand, Fawn sat beside her on the sofa. “Okay, let’s make a list of what we know. See who our possible suspects are.”
“Tab Watson was the last to see her,” Annie said. “The Ku cult she’s involved with. Or the casino people.” Fawn’s eyes questioned this last one.
“They’ve got our house now,” Tomi said. “And wouldn’t they have used her to strong-arm us into selling?”
Annie shrugged. “It’s just that we know Tab works for them.” She looked at her brother. “And I can’t ignore that she disappeared right before you showed up. This seems to be tied to you.”
Tomi shook his head. “Other than the Iranians, I can’t think of anyone who would have a grudge against me. And why pick on Leilani?”
“I’m adding the Iranians to the list anyway,” Annie said. She rubbed her forehead. “I want to check out the cult. If we could just attend a meeting, maybe we could find out something.”
“Kauhi likes me. Maybe he’d take me to a meeting,” Tomi suggested.
“I want to go too,” Annie said.
“Let me see if I can talk him into it. He’s up until late. I could run over there right now.”
“I’m coming with you.” Annie rose. “I’ll never be able to sleep anyway.” She followed her brother to the door.
“Me too,” Fawn called.
“This isn’t your problem,” Tomi said. “You’d better let me and Annie handle this.”
Love was the pits, Annie decided, looking at Fawn’s crestfallen face. She wanted to be with Tomi, and he was too dense to even see it. Mano’s face floated before her mind’s eye, but she wouldn’t think about him. She couldn’t bear to disappoint him.
She didn’t say anything on the short drive to Kauhi’s. Tomi parked the car in the bright moonlight. “Let me do the talking,” he said.