Page 58 of Tiki Beach
“Help me with this,” he grunted, and I moved to assist, the cabinet scraping against the floor as we positioned it in front of the door.
Kawika pulled out his phone. “I should text Santos. Keep him here until the police can find him.”
I nodded, and he quickly typed a message. “Done,” he said, sliding the phone back into his pocket. “I told him to meet me in the north stairwell in ten minutes.”
With the door secured, I pulled out my phone, relieved to see I had service. This time when I dialed Lei, my fingers were steady, my purpose clear. The phone rang once, twice.
“Where are you, Kat?” Lei answered, her voice crisp and professional.
“I’m with Pearl. We’re hiding in a storage room on the third floor, east wing.”
“Kat, what the heck . . .”
“David Santos is down in the cafeteria,” I interrupted. “And we have Kawika with us. He was working with Santos—he’s the one who poisoned Pearl’s tea. But he’s helping us now, and he’s willing to testify.”
I heard Lei’s sharp inhale. “Are you safe? Is Pearl okay?”
“Yes, for the moment. We’ve barricaded the door. But Santos is waiting for Kawika to . . . to finish the job.” I glanced at Kawika, who was checking on Pearl, adjusting her pillows with gentle hands that belied his earlier intentions. “Santos doesn’t know Kawika has switched sides. He’s told Santos to meet him in the north stairwell into the parking garage.”
“I’ve got units three minutes out,” Lei said, and I could hear her moving, the jingle of metal in the background. “I’m less than five minutes away myself. We’ll lock down the hospital and find Santos. Do not open that door for anyone but me, understand? I’ll identify myself when I arrive.”
“Got it,” I said, relief washing over me. “Hurry, Lei.”
As I ended the call, I turned to find Pearl and Kawika deep in conversation, their voices low but intense. I moved closer, catching Pearl’s words.
“. . . doesn’t excuse what you did, but I understand the pressure you were under,” she said, resting her hand on Kawika’s arm. “Mayor Santos has always known how to manipulate people, even back when his father ran things.”
Kawika shook his head, unable to meet her eyes. “I should have been stronger. Told you about my troubles, my debts. You trusted me, mentored me. And I betrayed that trust in the worst possible way.”
“Yes, you did,” Pearl was gentle but unflinching. “But you’re trying to make it right now. That counts for something.”
“How can you even look at me?” Kawika asked, his voice breaking. “After what I did? I could have killed you.”
“And I’m angry about that—angrier than I’ve been in a long time. But I’ve lived long enough to know that people are complicated, Kawika. Good people can do terrible things when they’re scared or confused.”
A tear slipped down Kawika’s cheek; he swiped it away angrily. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”
“Probably not,” Pearl said. “But it’s mine to give, and I choose to give it. What matters now is what you do with it.”
The distant wail of sirens filtered through the small window, growing louder by the second. I moved to peek through a crack in the blinds and saw police cruisers pulling up to the hospital entrance, lights flashing against the afternoon sun.
“They’re here,” I said, relief flooding through me. “The hospital will be on lockdown soon.”
Belatedly, I remembered Keone, waiting for news in Lei’s cubicle. I composed a text telling him what was going on, then didn’t send it. Better to inform him after we were safe.
We fell into tense silence then, listening to growing commotion outside—raised voices, hurried footsteps, the muffled announcements. Pearl closed her eyes and dozed off, exhaustion finally catching up with her. Kawika sat down on an overturned bucket and dropped his head into his hands, the weight of his actions visibly pressing down on him.
Minutes stretched like hours until finally, a firm knock came at the door.
“Kat? Pearl? It’s Sergeant Texeira.”
“Lei?” I approached the barricade cautiously as Kawika rose to his feet.
“It’s me,” she confirmed. “Santos is in custody. We caught him in the north stairwell, just where Kawika said he’d be. It’s safe to come out now.”
Kawika and I exchanged a glance, then moved aside the heavy cabinet. The door swung open to reveal Lei, her badge visible on her belt. Her gaze landed first on Pearl, checking that she was safe, then moved to Kawika, hardening instantly.
“Kawika Pali,” she said formally. “I’m placing you under arrest for the attempted murder of Pearl Yamamoto.” She reached for her handcuffs. “Turn around, please.”
