Page 3 of Maliea's Hero

“Is anything missing that you can tell?” the officer asked from the doorway.

She shook her head. “Would it be all right if I took some clothes for me and my daughter?”

The man nodded. “Take what you need. And you might want to find somewhere else to stay for the night.”

She snorted softly. Maliea would have to find somewhere else to stay for a while. She couldn’t bring Nani back to this disaster. She’d be traumatized.

After giving her information to the officer and gathering a trash bag full of clothes and toiletries for herself and Nani, Maliea left the apartment, climbed into her car and drove to Tish’s apartment, sick inside, the feeling of having had her home violated making her skin crawl. Their safe haven was no longer safe. Where else could they go?

Tish Jenkins already had a new roommate, Solange, since her old roommate, Meredith Smith, had moved in with her half-sister, Tina. Tish and Solange were models who worked in an escort agency between modeling assignments.

Solange didn’t mind when Tish watched Nani, but their apartment was too small to take on another woman, especially one with a small child.

Maliea would have to find temporary lodging for herself and Nani, at least until she could clean up the mess and find furniture to replace what had been destroyed.

Her fingers tightened around the steering wheel. She had no savings, and her father’s estate was in probate. Living paycheck to paycheck wasn’t conducive to affording a hotel for an extended period or even one night. Not at Honolulu prices.

The important thing for her to remember was that she and Nani were unharmed. Until the police found the person responsible, Maliea wouldn’t feel safe in her apartment. If he could get in so easily the first time, he could do it again. If the intruder came back, he might catch them at home.

She couldn’t risk it. Not when her daughter’s life was at stake.

Maliea parked outside Tish’s apartment building, gathered her trash bag of belongings and climbed the stairs to Tish’s apartment, looking over her shoulder the entire way.

When Tish opened the door, she stared at Maliea and the trash bag. “Mal? Are you okay?”

Maliea shook her head, holding it together by a thread. She glanced over Tish’s shoulder. “Where’s Nani?”

“Asleep on my bed.” Tish stepped aside and motioned for Maliea to enter the apartment. She reached for the trash bag and dragged it across the threshold.

Once Maliea was inside, Tish closed and locked the door. “What’s happened? Why do you look like you’re about to fall apart?”

Tears welled in Maliea’s eyes. “Someone broke into...” a sob rose in her throat, choking off her words, “...my apartment.”

“Oh my god, Mal, are you okay?” Tish pulled Maliea into her arms, her own body shaking. “Did he hurt you? Did you call the police? What the hell?”

Maliea let the tears she’d held back flow now that she was in the relative safety of her friend’s arms. After a minute, she sniffed and pulled back, wiping the moisture from her face. “I’m okay. Just shaken. I wasn’t there when it happened. Whoever did it came through while I was at work.” She shook her head. “Oh, Tish, you should see the mess he left. I don’t think he left anything untouched. It looks like a war zone.”

Tish hooked Maliea’s arm and led her into the living room to the sofa. “Sit. I’m going to get you a drink, then you can tell me everything.”

Maliea sank onto the sofa, snatched a tissue from a box on the end table and blew her nose.

Moments later, Tish appeared with two wine glasses and a bottle of cabernet sauvignon. “Sweetie, spill while I pour.” She sat beside Maliea and poured two glasses of wine.

Maliea told her how she’d arrived at her apartment and found the door opened and the door jamb busted.

Tish’s face blanched. “You didn’t go in, did you?”

Maliea shook her head. “I ran back to my car and called the police. It wasn’t until they cleared the apartment that I went in. The intruder was already gone.”

“Thank God,” Tish touched her arm. “I’m so glad he didn’t break in while you and Nani were there.”

Maliea hugged Tish. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be unloading on you. Not after what you went through.”

Tish hugged her with one arm, careful not to spill the wine in her other hand. “Honey, I’m fine. I survived. That’s what counts. You don’t have to tiptoe around me.”

“Tish, you were in a coma.” Maliea shook her head. “You nearly died.”

“But I didn’t.” Tish lifted her chin. “I took self-defense classes. I can kick ass now. And I’m stronger for having gone through the attack.” She sat back and stared into Maliea’s face. “The question here is why someone would target your apartment, or you, for that matter?”

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