Page 132 of Still See You Everywhere

“Me,” I agree. “May I come in?”

She scowls at me, trying to figure me out. I stand there and take it. I remember this much from our prison chat. Keahi judges her opponents based on strength. If I’m going to survive this, I absolutely, positively can’t appear weak.

The tremors snaking up my spine aren’t helping.

“I have a message from Brent,” I volunteer, just to move matters along.

Keahi steps back. I enter the living room, leaving the door slightly ajar behind me. I take in Leilani and the items on the coffee table, including the gun and sat phones, as if seeing them for the first time. I keep my gaze away from MacManus, not just because of the gore, but because I can’t handle the flicker of hope in his eyes.

“Where is Brent?” Leilani asks sharply, while giving me a look that clearly questions why I’m still alive.

“Are you okay?” I ask her softly.

“Of course. What do you mean?” Her forehead furrows into a frown.

“The first time we spoke, I told you I was here for you. I work for you. Do you remember that?”

Slowly, she nods.

“Keahi sent me to find you.” I turn toward the murderess. “Though you didn’t really send me, did you? Your lawyer, Victoria, did that.”

“She always prided herself on her initiative.” Keahi smiles. It doesn’t reach her dark eyes. Her pale linen shirt is streaked with blood. Her hands and forearms look like she bathed in gore. Let alone the smears on her cheek, the splatters in her hair.

The Beautiful Butcher back to her full glory.

“The notes. I still don’t understand. You claimed they were from Leilani, but she denied sending them, and the handwriting doesn’t match.”

“I lied.” Leilani does the honor. “I wrote them with my left hand to make them seem childish and sloppy.”

“But why?” I’m still confused.

“Props. Later, when the police investigate the terrible mass tragedy that occurred here, they’ll want to know how Keahi knew where to find me. What motivated her escape. Hence, she received a note informing her that her long-lost sister needed her. Certainly, it was convincing enough for the lawyer woman.”

Leilani gives another small shrug. As in too bad, so sad that lawyer lady then had to die and oh, yeah, now me, too.

“But you even hid a note here.”

“Details matter.” Now Leilani gives MacManus a pointed look. “Investigators will scour this atoll, as well as search all the cabins. A few ominous messages tucked here and there, more proof that poor little me lived in fear of my controlling guardian and his nefarious intentions. Thank heavens my sister broke out of prison to save me. Though, of course, I regret the full extent of the carnage.”

“I never—” Mac gargles.

“Shut up.” Keahi points her blade at him. I watch in macabre fascination as a single drop of blood beads at the tip, then splashes down onto the ridiculously gorgeous hardwood floor.

“If your goal was to seed suspicion about Mac’s motives, why lie about you writing the notes to me? Wouldn’t it be better to get the ball rolling by acknowledging your cries for help?”

“No!” Now Leilani is completely exasperated. “It was too soon! The notes are for after the fact. I couldn’t have you raising a fuss and compelling others to ‘rescue’ me beforehand. Honest to God. I’m a complete stranger to you. How hard is it to just walk away?”

She has me there. So much so I feel profoundly stupid. Even ashamed. During all my years trying to save the world, I never once bothered to ask the world if it wanted to be saved. Never thought, for even a moment, it might be better for everyone else if I just stayed out of it.

I guess MacManus hasn’t been the only arrogant asshole on this island.

“Noodles the cat,” I prompt finally. “For my own sake. Please tell me—what the hell is the deal with Noodles the cat?”

For the first time, Keahi smiles. It’s so spontaneous it lights up her face, a macabre contrast to the blood smeared across her cheeks.

“Noodles was Leilani’s favorite barn cat back home. She tamed it as a kitten. It followed her everywhere.”

I sneak a peek at Leilani’s face, which has once more gone blank. She doesn’t like this story, I realize. Hence screwing her mask firmly in place.

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