“Karshmer Cave? What was that about?” Shaina asked. “I’ve heard of the Forbes Cave thing, where they turned over the priceless relics to Hui Malama without authorization. Is this the same thing?”
Akoni took a sip of his drink. “The museum had some priceless artifacts—including human remains—that had been recovered from Loke Lau Caves on Moloka’i. The museum held them for several years, but native organizations wanted to rebury them, just as they did the Forbes Cave remains. Bishop Museum wasn’t going to allow that, which saddened me. The artifacts disappeared one night. We lost an irreplaceable part of our culture.”
“What went missing?” Jermaine asked.
“Some wooden gourds, a kapa depicting the death of Captain Cook, hand-carved wooden bowls with nene figures on the outside, and several la’au palau. And the bones of course.”
“Why did some people want to rebury them?” Rae Jardin asked.
“Their spirits are not at rest if they’re not buried. The power of our ancestors is in their bones. They are not to be some profane display for tourists to ogle.” Akoni’s voice was sharp. “The people are our grandparents. They deserve to rest in peace.”
“What do you think happened to them?” Jermaine wanted to know.
Akoni shrugged. Behind him, the horn of the arriving ferry split the air. “We’d like to think a native Hawaiian group reburied them, but no one knows. The pieces could have been sold on the black market for millions of dollars. All we know is that they’re gone. I doubt we’ll ever see them again.”
“Sam Westerfield claimed you stole the pieces yourself,” Bane said, catching the surprise in Leia’s eyes at his boldness. “Did you suspect he might have taken them? Rumor was he wanted to buy them.”
“I’d rather not talk about Westerfield,” Akoni said. With an abrupt movement, he threw a stick on the fire.
“And I’m sick of hearing about it,” Ingrid said. “The fiasco has ruined our lives. People gawk at us and think my husband had something to do with the theft. Let’s not talk about it anymore.” She tugged on Akoni’s arm. “I’m tired. Get your youngest daughter and let’s go home.”
Akoni nodded and rose. He gently shook Eva. “Time to go home, keiki.” She murmured but didn’t stir as her head lolled against Leia’s shoulder. He finally succeeded in rousing his daughter. She leaned against her makua as he led her to the boat. “Call us if you need anything,” he told Leia. She nodded.
The ferry pulled away with the last of the guests, and Bane and Leia were left alone in the moonlight. He took her hand and squeezed it. She didn’t pull away, which emboldened him to slip his arm around her and inhale the familiar plumeria fragrance of her hair.
She went still. He wondered if she could hear his heart pounding like the drum her father had played. He turned her and pulled her against his chest, then leaned his chin on the top of her head. She stood like that for a minute, then began to withdraw. He put his fingers under her chin and tipped her head up to look down into her face. Having her in his arms was sweet torture. Her lips parted, and he could see the fear in her eyes.
“I should get T?t? home.” Her sweet breath whispered over his face.
He rubbed his thumb over her chin. “I’ve missed you, Leia. I’d like to start over.”
She inhaled and stepped away. “I don’t think so, Bane. It’s over between us. You know it too.”
“But why? I’ve never understood that. Not fully. I know you were mad when I tried to talk you out of going to San Francisco, but I only wanted what was best for you. That couldn’t have been enough to result in this.” He ran his hand through his hair. He wanted to tell her he was afraid, but what kind of admission was that to the woman he loved? He needed to show strength and courage. “Would you pray about it?” he asked.
Her only answer was to turn and head back toward T?t?.