“Are you still going to try to find the treasure? You really think it’s buried somewhere near Koma’s house?” Candace asked. “It would solve a lot of problems if you could find it. You probably haven’t heard this, but Shaina has filed for a paternity test to be done. If Tony really did father her child, I’m in even more trouble than I thought.”
“Candace, I’m so sorry.” Leia put her arm around Candace, and the other woman wilted against her.
Though Candace was still beautiful, the past days had left their toll in the dark circles under her eyes. Bane wished he could promise he’d find the treasure. “We haven’t given up yet,” he told her. He directed his next question to Leia. “Did Koma have any friends?”
“Just my grandmother. Oh, and one other man. Paulo Niau. I think he’s ninety-five. He used to run the general store in town, and Koma worked for him years ago. They played konane together regularly.”
Bane had never played the ancient Hawaiian board game that was similar to checkers and chess, but he’d seen older natives playing it. “How could he have told Paulo anything while playing konane? You’re not supposed to talk.”
She smiled. “Maybe they broke the rules. It’s worth talking to him, I guess.”
The door to the shop opened, and Detective Ono stepped inside. He was smiling in his usual genial way. “What’s this I hear about some men wanting to kidnap you, Pilgrim?” He winked at Bane. “I might try it myself if it wasn’t for my wife and the frying pan she’s liable to hit me with.”
Leia began to smile, and Bane knew she was finally getting over the shock of the afternoon. He listened to her tell the detective about the men. Ono jotted notes in his pocket notebook, then put it away. “Do you have any leads on Koma’s death?” Bane asked.
The detective shook his head. “Some poachers were shooting birds in the area. We found some bloody remains a few yards from Koma’s body. I was beginning to suspect it was a hunting accident until Leia told me her story. Now I just don’t know. I’ll check it out though.” He looked at Leia. “You’re sure you didn’t recognize the men?”
She shook her head. “I couldn’t see them well enough to be able to tell who they were. Only the tops of their heads.”
“Maybe you should have made a noise so they’d look up.” He laughed.
Ono smiled, but Leia frowned. “I’m not some flighty female, Detective. This is more serious than you seem to think. Bane ran off an intruder last night, and now we find I was the target. I don’t want me or my grandmother to end up like Koma.”
Ono held up his hands. “Kala mai ia’u. I meant no offense.” He smiled again. “I’ll see what I can find out.”
“Another thing—a man attacked Bane underwater with a knife just this morning.”
Ono shook his head. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“It was on the water. We called the Coast Guard. They’ve probably notified your office by now,” Bane said.
“I’d better get back then,” Ono said. He whistled as he sauntered out the door.
“He won’t find anything,” Leia said, her voice thick with disgust.
“How about dinner when you get off work, and then we can run out and talk to Paulo?” He ignored Candace’s knowing smile and kept his gaze focused on Leia’s face. Say yes, say yes, he thought.
“I guess that would be okay.”
He controlled his elation. She just wanted his help, he reminded himself. That was all. But if he could just get under the shell she’d erected and find out what went wrong between them, maybe the next date would be different. Tonight might be his one shot at the truth.
Nineteen
Leia dusted the counters of the dive shop, then emptied the trash. The afternoon had dragged by, and she gazed longingly out the window at the surf pounding the rocky shore. She’d rather be out on the water than stuck here inside with the scent of rubber swim fins. The shop had been dead too. Even dealing with tourists who didn’t know what equipment they needed would be preferable to this silence.
She heard the crunch of gravel through the open window and looked up to see Pete Kone getting off his Harley. Her gaze went to his hands to see if he was carrying a new court order, but they were empty.
He shoved open the door with effort and stepped into the shop. “Aloha, Leia. I was hoping I’d find you here.”
“Any more news on your bones?” She came around the counter to greet him.
His dark eyes shone with enthusiasm, and he nodded. “More bones washed up this morning. And more ancient tools. We’ve definitely got a site out there of something big.”
“Any ideas what it might be? How would the bodies get into the ocean, and then wash ashore?”
“We know that the ocean has covered over at least one burial cave in this area. I suspect it might be close to where you’ve been diving. A storm surge could have washed the bones out of a cave.”
She studied his face. “You don’t seem angry that your injunction was stopped.”