The men came splashing after her. She dove into the next wave. The water engulfed her and hid her from her pursuers. She kicked out and surfaced then took another gulp of air and plunged under the water again. Something brushed her ankle, a hand fumbled to snag her foot, but she shot forward in the waves.
The next time she surfaced, her pursuers were farther behind. Nani’s dorsal fin sliced the water toward her. Kaia reached out and took hold. She looked back and saw them scrambling for their boat. She had to get to her own, or they’d nab her again.
Nine
Jesse tried to move, but his arms were tied to his sides with long strands of black hair, dark as midnight and just as thick. He could smell the scent of orchids, sweet and cloying. Christy called his name, and he tried again to move, to go to her. The horn on the car blared an evil sound that made him want to scream. He turned to look at Christy again, but instead of her lovely face, he saw her father. His lips were twisted in a snarl that made him look like one of Kaua’i’s wild boars, all crooked teeth and wild eyes. Jesse tried to pull his hand free, but he was pulled toward those jagged teeth.
Jesse thrashed to free himself and woke up in his bed with the sound of his own voice crashing like tropical surf. Covered in a thin sheen of perspiration, his limbs felt weak and shaky. He untangled his legs from the damp sheet and took several deep breaths. It was just a dream.
“You yelled, Uncle Jesse.” Heidi stood in the doorway clutching her tattered teddy. Rubbing her eyes, her hair was rumpled around her red pajamas.
“I was having a bad dream.” He’d thought they were over, but this one was as bad as in the early days. He passed a hand over his damp forehead then rubbed his hair. The memories wouldn’t stay locked away.
Heidi scampered to the bed and clambered onto the covers. She patted his face and tucked Boo under his arm. “Want me to sing to you? Kaia taught me a new song in Hawaiian. Mom always likes me to sing to her when she can’t sleep at night.”
“It would be better than hearing me sing. Or Kaia,” he said, grinning at the memory of Kaia’s froglike voice. Jesse knew nothing could induce him to go back to sleep now, but Heidi would feel useful. And it might distract him.
She sat back with her legs tucked under her. Raising her hands above her head, she began to sing a hula mele. “E h? mai i ka `ike, mai luna mai e.” She closed her eyes and swayed with the beat. “I na mea huna no`eau o na `?lelo e, E h? mai, e h? mai, e h? mai e.” She bowed her head when she was done.
“That’s beautiful. What’s it mean?”
“It asks God for wisdom from above,” Heidi said.
“I sure need that now.” Jesse could still hear the echo of the chant in his head. What was wisdom anyway? He’d read in Proverbs that the fear of the Lord was the beginning of wisdom. God could take things he treasured most away in a heartbeat—Jesse had learned well the lesson on fearing God. But he still didn’t know much about being wise.
Aware of Heidi’s expectant face, he hugged her and kissed the top of her head. “You need to go back to sleep, princess.”
“Okay.” She returned his hug with a fierceness that warmed him then climbed down from the bed and went to the door. “Call me if you have another bad dream.”
“Okay.” You’d think she was the grownup and he was the child. He grinned and settled back against the pillow.
He prayed for peace to settle over him and Heidi for the rest of the night, though he still felt uneasy. But his eyelids grew heavy, and he settled down into the bed.
The phone rang just as he was beginning to drift off. The bright numbers on the clock radio said it was four. He grabbed the phone before Heidi awakened again. “Matthews.”
“Kaia’s been attacked,” Ensign Masters said.
“On my way.” He dropped the phone back into the cradle and sprang out of bed. There was no way around it. He’d have to take Heidi with him.
Kaia sat in the control room with her foot propped on a stool. The doctor probed her swollen ankle with impersonal hands, and she winced when he moved it around.
“I take it that hurts,” he said, standing up.
“Is it broken?” That was her biggest fear. The thought of being laid up when the future of her research was at stake frightened her.
“I don’t think so. We’ll get some pictures and see for sure, but I think it’s just a sprain. I’ll wrap it, and you can stay off it a few days.”
“I don’t have a few days. Can I get back on the boat and just keep it propped up?”
“If you have to.” He took off his bifocals and rubbed his eyes.
She noticed the bags under his eyes. “Sorry to get you out of bed at this hour.”
“I was on duty, but it’s about time to go off.” He patted her toes. “Come see me at the base hospital when you’re done being debriefed. I’ll get X-rays and wrap it.”
She nodded, her gaze on the tall figure coming through the door. Jesse’s gaze swept the room and came to rest on her face. Heidi clung to his hand, her eyes droopy with sleep. She saw Kaia, and her mouth made an O.
She dropped her uncle’s hand and ran to Kaia. “Is Nani okay?”