His head came up at her words, and he stared at her through eyes wet with tears. “What are you talking about?”
“It doesn’t sound like a normal suicide note, Tomi.” She stared down at the letter again. “This part about finding the strength to save us all at the volcano. At the time, I assumed she meant to save us from herself and her depression, but now I’m not so sure. What if she went to the volcano for a different reason?”
“You’re grasping at straws. What possible reason would she have for going out there? And what could it possibly have to do with Leilani’s disappearance?”
Annie slumped. She didn’t know. Who knew what was in her mother’s mind?
Annie read the Psalms as Fawn had suggested, then asked God to help her conquer her fears. Though a strange peacefulness descended on her when she turned out the light, her subconscious had a different agenda. She barely slept all night. Her dreams were punctuated with scenes of her mother calling to her from a lava lake. Her gut told her Leilani’s disappearance was tied to their mother’s death, though she couldn’t see how the two were connected. Getting ready for work in the morning, she decided she couldn’t let it ride. Though she wasn’t ready to see him, Mano had a logical mind. Tomi was too guilt-ridden to be much help.
The doorbell rang as Annie put the last plate in the dishwasher.
“I’ll get it,” Tomi called. He bounded to the door and admitted two men in suits.
Annie joined Tomi and her father in the living room. The men went over the details of the sale pointing out the clause allowing the Tagamas to stay in the house for six months. Her father hesitated, then signed the paper slowly. The men handed over the check and left.
It took only half an hour to sign away their way of life. Instead of elation, all she felt when she looked at the large check was trepidation. Her life was going to change, and she didn’t know if she could handle it. She glanced at her watch and realized she was going to be an hour late to work. She grabbed Wilson and went out the door.
Rain drummed on the roof of her SUV. Moisture dripped from ferns and trees along the route. The rain forest was living up to its name today. She called Mano from her cell phone on the way to the observatory. He answered on the first ring. “Mano, it’s Annie.” It was all she could do to choke out the words.
“Annie. Are you okay?”
Typical how his first thought was of her safety. “Yes—no, I don’t know. I need your logical mind on a problem. Could you meet me for lunch?”
There was a pause. “Sorry, I was swerving to avoid a mongoose in the road. Not Wilson, by the way. Sure, I can meet you. In fact, why don’t I bring lunch to you, and we’ll have a picnic if it quits raining?”
At the last picnic, they’d shared their first kiss, but she refused to dwell on that. “Okay. Just come to the observatory. We can eat out on the observation deck.”
“Fish tacos okay?”
“Love them.” She ended the call and wiped slick palms on her jeans. It was stupid to be so nervous. While tossing and turning last night, she’d mulled over what Fawn had said about getting over her fears. She wanted to try, especially with Mano, but what if she failed him? Still, she couldn’t think that way. Living meant embracing the possibility of pain, and she didn’t want to just exist any longer.
She parked and carried Wilson through the downpour into the observatory. Flinging water on the floor when she stepped inside, she hurried down the hall toward her office. She sat at her desk and fired up her computer. The phone rang. She glanced at the display. Banos LLC. Was there a problem with the sale? Her hand hovered over the handset; then she picked it up. “Hawai’i Volcanoes Observatory.”
“I’d like to speak to Jason Sarris.” The voice on the other end was gruff.
She didn’t know whether to feel relief or disappointment that the call wasn’t about the house. “He doesn’t work here.”
“I realize that, since he’s our employee. But I’m having trouble tracking him down. He’s not answering his home phone, and this is an alternate number I have for him.”
“His mother works here.” Annie was becoming more and more curious. Could Jason be involved with the casino project? How strange no one had ever mentioned it.
“Could I speak to her?”
“She’s not here either. Did you try her house?”
“Of course I did. I just said I couldn’t get him.”
Annie flinched at the man’s testy tone. “I could have her call when she gets in.”
“Don’t bother. I’ll track him down.”