Page 59 of Tiki Beach
Kawika complied without protest; his shoulders slumped in resignation.
“He helped us,” I said quietly as Lei secured the cuffs.
“I know,” Lei said. “And that will count in his favor. But he still has to answer for what he has done.”
She recited his rights, then leaned closer. “Just so you know,” she said quietly, “I recognized your voice on that recording even before Kat confirmed it. It’s a good thing for you that you chose to help Kat and Pearl. You were never getting away with anything. It’s kind of ironic that you were the one who helped us get into the safety deposit box.”
“Meant to be, I guess.” Kawika nodded, accepting this. As Lei led him toward the door, he turned back to look at Pearl one last time. “I’m sorry,” he said simply. “For everything.”
Pearl, now awake and watching the scene unfold, nodded once. “I know you are,” she said. “Make it right, Kawika. Tell them everything and take down those other men.”
Lei guided him into the hallway where two uniformed officers waited to escort him out. As they disappeared down the corridor, I sank onto a box beside Pearl’s bed. The adrenaline was draining away, leaving me shaky and exhausted. I sent a text to Keone telling him what happened and that everything was fine, now.
And it was.
Or maybe would be.
I wheeled Pearl back to her room. We called for a nurse, and one she knew showed up, along with a different officer to monitor the door. I was glad to see it was Officer Palakiko. We conferred for a moment as I caught him up on recent events. “Hopefully too much has gone down for the suspects to make another move,” I told him. “But I’m glad you’re here, anyway.”
“Proud to do my part for a kupuna like Pearl Yamamoto,” he said.
Back in the room, I made sure she was settled, tucking in her blanket. I handed her a plastic cup of water with a straw; she drank thirstily. “Thanks, Kat. You solved this.”
“I had a lot of help, and I’m just glad it’s over,” I said, squeezing Pearl’s fragile hand gently. “You’re safe now. There’s no reason for Mayor Santos or Councilman Akana to move against you with Kawika in custody. The jig is up, as they say.” I studied her face, worried about the impact of Kawika’s betrayal on her health. “Do you really forgive him? Kawika?”
Pearl was quiet for a moment, her gaze distant. “Forgiveness isn’t the same as forgetting,” she said finally. “I forgive him because holding onto anger would only poison me. But I won’t forget. The garden will stand as a reminder—not just of what happened to our families all those years ago, but also of what happens when people choose to let power corrupt them.”
Outside, the sun was lowering, casting long golden rays through the window when I raised the blind. In the warm glow Pearl closed her eyes, instantly falling asleep in the way of very old people and babies. Her pale lined face looked peaceful, now that the danger had passed. The truth would come to light after decades in shadow; we had set everything in motion.
My job to serve and protect was done here; but there would be others.
For now, Keone was waiting for me.
16
I woke to the sound of vacuuming in the hallway, and the warm press of Keone’s body against mine. For a moment, I kept my eyes closed, savoring the simple pleasure of safety and comfort after the chaos of the past few days. The Hampton Inn’s bed was soft and the sheets luxurious, and I’d slept deeply.
When I finally opened my eyes, sunlight was streaming through the partially open curtains, highlighting the rumpled sheets. Keone was still asleep beside me; his face was relaxed in a way I rarely got to see.
I reached for my phone on the nightstand, careful not to disturb him, and saw a text from Lei:
“Team meeting at MPD in an hour to review the case. I’ll let you know the outcome.”
“Need us to come in?” I typed back. “To fill in any blanks.”
“Nope. Got it handled. Enjoy that hotel room.”
Maui Police Department had paid for the room as a case-related expense after the takedown of David Santos and Kawika Pali yesterday. Mayor Santos and Councilman Akana were also under arrest.
I smiled and typed back: “Not a chance I’m getting out of this bed anytime soon. Keep us posted!”
Setting the phone down, I nestled against Keone, who stirred and draped an arm over my waist. We’d called in to work, and both of us had today off.
“What time is it?” he mumbled into my hair.
“Almost nine,” I replied. “Lei’s heading into a meeting with the MPD brass about the case.”
“Mmm,” he acknowledged, his eyes still closed. “Good thing we’ve got personal time off.”
