“The military has already been around asking their questions. Why do you care?” Her gaze lingered on Jesse’s ribbons. “You’re a little higher rank. The big boys are getting involved, huh?” She blew a ring of smoke in his face.
“You have a chance to help your country out by just telling us what you know.”
She gave a bitter laugh. “What’s my country done for me lately?”
Kaia had a feeling she was enjoying putting them off. “What was Jonah’s relationship with Nahele Aki?”
“I suppose you won’t leave until I answer your stupid questions.” She dropped the cigarette to the porch and ground it under a foot clad in a pink fuzzy slipper. “He hated that Aki guy. They had a big fight a couple of days before Jonah died. But why the questions? Didn’t he shoot himself with a dart gun accidentally?”
Jesse shrugged. “That’s what we’re trying to find out. Did he have a diving buddy?”
“Sometimes. Some guy from the group. I can’t remember his name. Big Hawaiian guy with scary eyes.” She shuddered.
“Did he have a birthmark on his nose?” Kaia asked.
Lindy nodded. “That’s him.”
“I don’t know his name either, but I’ve seen him,” Kaia said.
Lindy glanced at her watch. “Look, I’m bushed. I don’t know anything about Jonah’s death, and I’m going to bed.”
“Mahalo,” Jesse called through the door as she slammed it in their faces.
Sixteen
The man glanced at his watch. The others were late. A grove of monkeypod trees surrounded this clearing in a sheltering fence of tangled roots and overgrown vegetation. Mynas chattered from the trees above his head, and his nose caught the faint scent of orchids blooming along the wild path that led to this remote spot.
The mynas squawked and flew off just as he heard the sound of careless feet crashing through the vegetation. He rose from his seat on a tree stump and brushed the debris from his pants then turned to face the two who stepped into the clearing. “You took your time about getting here.”
His blond assistant gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry. We got lost.” He approached and held out a file.
The man took it and opened it. He flipped through the pictures. One photograph showed Jesse Matthews aboard a boat, another at his quarters, still more at Seaworthy Labs. “This is all you got?” He closed the folder and stuffed it in his briefcase.
“Yeah. He’s pretty wily. We had to make sure he didn’t see.” The third man stomped on a line of ants heading for the safety of the jungle.
“Why did you want them anyway?”
“I have my reasons.” While revenge on Jesse Matthews hadn’t been part of his original plan, he couldn’t deny the thrill the opportunity brought him. One of life’s serendipities. He pulled out his cell phone and an electronic voice synthesizer.
“What are you doing?”
Ignoring his assistant, he dialed the phone and asked to speak to the base commander. “Hello, I have some information about the recent breakin where missile schematics were stolen. I think if you look in Lieutenant Commander Jesse Matthews’s quarters, you’ll find what you’re looking for.” He shut the phone quickly and wished he could see Jesse’s face when he found the military riffling through his belongings.
Arush of excitement propelled Kaia out of bed. Jesse had arranged for navy personnel to patrol the waters so they could both have a day off and get caught up on their rest. She needed the break.
She showered then blow-dried her hair, leaving it down in a curtain of black that fell to her waist. The red print dress she chose showed off her tanned arms and legs. She wondered at her desire for Jesse to notice her. Never before had she really cared whether a man found her attractive.
She took special care brushing her teeth then flossed as well and put on red lipstick. It was all she could do to keep herself from pacing. Jesse was different from any man she’d come in contact with though. He was more—well, manly. Everything about him exuded confidence and strength. She felt safe with him. It had been a long time since she’d felt safe. Not since her dim memories of being held in her father’s strong arms, of looking up into his laughing face. Not that she equated Jesse with being a father figure. He was much too attractive to be thought of that way.
She tucked her hair behind her ears and put on silver hoop earrings, then touched a drop of perfume behind each ear. Tutu kane had been delighted she was attending church this morning. He’d been after her to get back to church, and she’d intended to. Jesse’s leadership in that direction was another quality that appealed to her. Not very many men had the kind of spiritual strength she sensed in Jesse.