Distant Echoes (32 page)

She was still reeling from Jesse’s revelation that Mano had been working undercover. She shouldn’t have doubted him. What kind of sister was she?

She glanced at Jesse. “You’re quiet,” she said. “Are you doing okay? We’ll find her.”

“I’m scared,” he admitted. “I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to Heidi.”

“This isn’t your fault.” She laid her hand on his arm.

“She was my responsibility.” His jaw flexed, and his gaze stayed on the road.

“The missile test is in the morning too, isn’t it?” From his sudden intake
of breath, she realized he’d forgotten about it.

“Yeah.” He pulled to the side of the road. “I wonder if there’s any correlation.”

“Wait, I’m not following you. How could Heidi’s kidnapping be related to the missile test?”

He ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know; maybe I’m grasping at straws. Maybe they want to use Faye and Heidi as hostages.”

“For what purpose?” Kaia hated to discourage him, but she didn’t see how he was coming to this conclusion. “We already know they were planning on blowing up the storage caves in the mountain. Mano thinks they’re buying time for Aki and his thugs to get away. He never said anything about the missile test.”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “You’re right, it’s probably completely unrelated.” He dropped the Jeep back into drive and started driving again.

His cell phone rang, and he grabbed it. “Matthews here.”

He listened then said, “Yes sir. I’ve got problems here too. My niece has been kidnapped.” He listened a bit longer then said, “Yes sir,” again and clicked off the phone. “I’m being called back to duty. The officer in charge of security was just killed in a helicopter crash.”

“Right before the missile test? What about the espionage charge?”

He shrugged. “My prints weren’t on the papers they found. Lawton is giving me the benefit of the doubt.”

“What about Heidi and my—I mean Faye?” She’d almost said “my mother.” The realization shook her.

“The captain is giving me until seven to report for duty. Everything at the base seems under control. I’ve got six hours to find them.” He sounded grim. “And we’re going to find them. This island isn’t big. They have to be here somewhere.”

Kaia nodded. “Could Heidi and Faye have been taken somewhere by helicopter?”

Jesse’s eyes widened. “We can only pray that’s not the case.”

“Let’s try the Aki house again. Maybe he’s gone back.”

Jesse shook his head. “He wouldn’t be that obvious. No way would he take them there. The police are checking there and the helicopter pads on the island.” He frowned. “And he wouldn’t take them to the mill. Do you know of any remote buildings around?”

“There are some old sugar mills.” Kaia directed him where to go, and they drove out to the closest sugar mill. The track back to the mill was overgrown, and there had obviously been no cars along this way in years.

Jesse sat staring at the road then slapped his thigh. “I’m so stupid! My cousin Kade is here on his vacation with his family. His wife, Bree, has a search-and-rescue dog who is just phenomenal. Maybe they can help us.”

“A search dog?” Kaia hadn’t heard much about them, other than a brief mention or two on television after national disasters.

Jesse dialed Kade’s cell phone. He explained the problem then gave them directions and clicked off his phone. “They’ll meet us at Faye’s house in half an hour.” He wheeled the Jeep around and drove back toward town.

The police were still on the scene when Jesse parked on the street. The yard was illuminated with halogen lights, and the yard had been roped off with crime-scene tape. Kaia saw the police dusting for fingerprints at the back door.

“I’ll get a personal item,” Jesse said. “You wait here and watch for them.” He loped to the front door and said something to the policeman then disappeared inside. When he came out a few minutes later, he was carrying a paper bag.

“Kade told me what to do.” He showed the bag to Kaia. “I’ve got Heidi’s socks in here and Faye’s hairbrush.”

A few minutes later, a tan SUV pulled up behind them. “There they are,” Jesse said. He jumped out of the Jeep, and Kaia followed him. A stocky, dark-haired man got out of the SUV and opened the rear door to let out a big dog. The dog seemed to be a mix of German shepherd and maybe chow, Kaia thought. A petite woman with red-gold hair hopped out of the passenger side.

“Kade, thanks for interrupting your vacation.” Jesse gripped his cousin’s hand then introduced them. “Did you leave Davy with Lauri?” The man nodded. Jesse turned to Kaia. “I hope you’ll get a chance to meet the rest of the family—my cousin Lauri and Bree’s son, Davy.”

Bree held out her hand to Kaia. “Jesse has told us so much about you. I’d love to meet Nani some time while we’re here.”

“I’ll make sure to do that.” Kaia looked down at the dog. “This is Samson?” The dog woofed and nosed her hand that she’d placed on his head. “What a beautiful dog.”

“He’s my boy,” Bree said, her smile widening. “Let’s get started. Jesse, what do you have for us?”

“Some socks and a brush.” Jesse handed the bag to her.

She held the bag open, and Samson sniffed it. “Search, Samson,” she told him.

The dog woofed then raced around to the back door. They followed him. He nosed the entry then went to the driveway and started toward the street. Bree ran to intercept him and clipped the leash onto his collar.

“Follow us in the Jeep,” she called. The dog dragged her down the street, dimly lit with streetlights.

“I’ll take our SUV too,” Kade said. He ran to his vehicle and followed his wife while Jesse and Kaia got in the Jeep.

Once the dog determined which direction to travel in, Bree and Samson got in the Jeep and rode to the next crossroad, where Bree and the dog got out and figured out which way to go again. Within fifteen minutes they were at a dock looking out toward the dark waves. Kaia noticed her brothers had been here and gone, leaving her truck parked along the water for her.

“They’re on the water somewhere,” Bree said. “It will take some time to find them out there, even with Samson.”

“I’ll call Nani.” Kaia pulled a whistle out of her pocket and blew the call signal for the dolphin. She repeated it several times over the next few minutes, but Nani didn’t come. “She must be out a ways,” Kaia said. “I’ll try the hydrophone.” She got her backpack out of her truck and took the hydrophone to the dock and dropped it in the water.

Fifteen minutes later, Nani still had not arrived. Kaia tried not to worry, but Nani always came when she called. What if the men who took Heidi and Faye had harmed the dolphin? She needed to find Nani now too.

“Thanks for your help,” Jesse told Kade and Bree. He rubbed Samson’s head. “And especially you, big guy.” The dog woofed and licked his hand. “We’ll get in the boat and see what we can find, and I’ll get some birds in the air. I don’t want to interrupt your honeymoon anymore than we have already.”

“Glad to do it,” Kade said. “Call if you need us again.”

Kaia paced the dock while the good-byes were going on. She wanted to get out on the water now that she knew Heidi and Faye were out there somewhere. The breakers rolled onto the shore. Their tops foamed and formed eddies in the sand. She stared out on the horizon but couldn’t see anything in the dark. No boat lights or ships were in sight.

“The
Porpoise II
is the closest boat. Let’s stop by our dock and get it,” she told Jesse when he joined her.

“I’ll call in some helicopter searches as well.”

“There are bound to be a lot of boats out there even though we can’t see them right now. It’s prime tourist time,” Kaia reminded him.

“Yeah, I know.” His
voice sounded depressed. He glanced at his watch. “It’s almost two thirty. Sunup won’t be for a while yet.”

“If only I could find Nani.” Kaia looked out over the whitecaps as they glimmered in the moonlight. The bloated moon gave the ocean an eerie glitter like some gaudy painting that was meant to be viewed under black lights. She shivered. What if the kidnappers tossed Heidi and Faye overboard?

“Let’s get out there. Maybe she’ll come when you call again.” Jesse put his hand at her waist and guided her back to the Jeep.

His touch comforted her, and she realized she craved this connection she felt with him, even though he didn’t share her cultural background. She’d always intended to marry another Hawaiian someday, someone whose roots ran deep in taro like her own. Though Jesse didn’t fit into the plans she’d made, she found she didn’t mind much.

They drove to the dock and boarded the
Porpoise II
. Jesse fired up the engines, and they headed out to sea. Once they were about a mile from shore, he cut the engines. “Try to call Nani again.”

Kaia nodded and dropped DALE into the water. She called the dolphin four times before she gave up again. “I’m worried, Jesse. She’s never ignored my call before.”

“I wonder if she followed Heidi. She loves that kid.”

F
aye held Heidi close as the sea spray struck them. The boat’s bow rose high in the air as the craft slammed into the waves. She couldn’t see shore from here, so they had to be far from land. Far enough to drown if that’s what their kidnappers intended.

She prayed it wasn’t, but she didn’t know why the man would have taken them. The target had been the
keiki
, which made no sense. Faye’s eyes filled with tears at the thought of Curtis. If only she knew he was all right.

The boat slewed sideways in the water then settled into a buoyant motion on the water as the man at the helm cut the motor. The moon went behind some clouds and a light mist began to fall. Faye scooted back under the canopy out of the moisture.

Heidi woke at her movement and lifted her head. “Where are we?”

“Somewhere out to sea,” Faye told her.

The man who had carried Heidi from the house walked toward them. He wore a scowl. “I don’t want no trouble from either of you,” he said. “Do what you’re told, and you won’t get fed to the sharks.”

Heidi cringed back against Faye’s chest, and Faye patted her back, feeling the chicken skin along the child’s arms. “It’s okay,” she whispered. She looked up at the man and attempted a smile. Sometimes charm worked where nothing else did. “Why are you holding us?”

He returned her smile, but it wasn’t pleasant, and chicken skin prickled along her back. “As insurance for now. This will all be over by this time tomorrow.” He turned and ducked into the helm.

There was no sound but the lapping of the waves against the hull of the boat. Faye strained to catch a glimpse of light along the dark horizon but saw nothing. She was a strong swimmer, but she knew her limitations now that she was getting older. She might have been able to manage a mile or so with Heidi in tow, but not this distance.

They were going to have to wait for help.

She heard a sound, a squeak and whistle.

“It’s Nani!” Heidi slipped from her lap and went to the rail. She leaned over and dangled her fingers at the dolphin.

“Quiet,” Faye cautioned. “We don’t want the bad man to shoot Nani.”

Heidi’s smile dimmed, and she stepped back from the railing.

Faye joined her and looked down at the dolphin. “Go get Kaia, Nani,” she said softly. “Kaia.” She wished she knew how to make the sounds that meant “Kaia.”

Nani rode the waves then plunged into the ocean. Faye saw her dorsal fin slice through the water as she headed away from the boat. She could only pray the dolphin knew enough to find her daughter.

Twenty-seven

J
esse guided the boat along the cresting waves. The craft bottomed out then rose on the next wave. He glanced at his watch. “It’s nearly four.”

“This night has been the longest in my life,” Kaia said. She must look as haggard as she felt. They’d been wandering aimlessly out here for over an hour. Jesse had received an update from the police, who hadn’t found a sign of Heidi or Faye.

Her cell phone rang. “This is Kaia.”

Her brother’s voice sounded weary and ragged. “It’s Mano. We found Aki about to leave the island with his son. He claims to have no knowledge of Heidi or our mother.”

“Can’t they force him to tell where he’s got them?” She heard the sharp edge of panic in her voice and tried to tighten her control, but time was running out. Every moment that ticked by brought disaster closer.

“They’re trying. You having any luck?”

“Not yet. I can’t find Nani either. If she would come, she might be able to help us.”

“You’ve called her?”

“Many times. I’ve never known her to be so unresponsive. I’m worried.”

“She’s fine,” Mano assured her.

Kaia wasn’t so sure. Something felt very wrong. “Keep me posted,” she told him. She clicked off her phone and told Jesse what Mano had said.

“We know Pele Hawai´i is behind this. Are there any other officers in the organization who could be hiding them?”

“I don’t know. We just have to pray the police can get Aki to talk.” Kaia rubbed her eyes. She wished she could talk to Nahele Aki herself. She could look into his eyes and find the truth behind his lies.

Jesse’s cell phone rang, and he answered it. His eyes widened. “Listen,” he mouthed to Kaia. He held the phone tipped so she could put her head next to his and listen with him.

The distorted voice raised the hair on the back of her neck.

“Jesse, you’ve got a problem,” the voice said.

“Who is this?”

“I’m the person you want to keep happy if you also want to see your niece again.” Kaia locked eyes with Jesse. This could not be one of the Akis.

“Where is my niece?”

“She’s safe. For now. But whether she remains safe will be up to you.”

“What do you want?” Jesse said.

“Nothing. That is, I want you to do nothing. When it’s all over tonight, we’ll talk again.”

“When what is all over?”

The phone went dead.

Jesse hung up and stared at Kaia. “I don’t get it at all,” he said.

Kaia didn’t like what she was thinking. “The missile test will be over by tonight. What if the problem with the last test wasn’t an accident? What if this one is going to veer off as well?”