Distant Echoes (30 page)

“I think Kaia is in trouble. Can you keep Heidi until I find her?”

“Of course.” She trailed after him as he carried his niece to the spare room. “Where’s my daughter?”

“We’re not sure, but we think Aki’s thugs have her.”

Her hand went to her mouth. “Oh no,” she whispered.

Curtis came to the doorway. “What’s wrong?”

His wife told him. “I’d better go with you,” he said.

“We need you here,” Jesse said. “I don’t want to leave Faye and Heidi unprotected. Do you have a gun?”

Curtis nodded. “It’s just a small pistol, but I’m a good shot.”

“Have it ready. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He dropped a kiss on Heidi’s sleeping forehead and ran for his Jeep.

Driving out to Waimea Canyon, he asked God to keep Kaia safe.

They picked up Bane in Hanapepe and left his car parked at a gas station. The storm Jesse feared had blown in, and the wind lashed rain against the vehicle as Mano directed him up the winding road toward the top of the canyon. With the heavy downpour, the night was even blacker than usual with the lights of Waimea below obscured. There was no other traffic on the road this late.

It seemed they drove forever. The storm finally began to abate.

“There,” Mano said, pointing to a nearly overgrown lane.

Jesse slowed the Jeep. “How far is it?”

“A quarter of a mile or so.”

“Maybe we should hide the Jeep and walk back. We don’t want to announce our presence,” Bane said.

Mano nodded. “I know just the spot.”

Once the Jeep was stashed behind an outcropping of rocks, Mano led the way through the mud to an imposing two-story house on top of a hill.

“It’s not as easily approached as it looks,” Mano said. “There are usually at least two guards walking the property.”

“Can you get in by just walking to the door?”

“Probably not now. I challenged Kim.” Mano’s voice was low. “You might as well know, I was investigating them undercover. My cover is blown, so it doesn’t matter now.”

Jesse didn’t know what to say. He’d been sure Mano was involved up to his neck.

“Sorry,
kaikunâne
. I misjudged you,” Bane said.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Mano said with a cockeyed smile. “I figured if I could fool my own family, Aki’s group would believe me too. Unfortunately, they found out before the meeting anyway. They shot at you to warn me not to betray them. I was told to follow through on my orders or next time they wouldn’t miss.”

“What are they planning?”

“They intend to blow up the munitions caves.”

“That’s why the helicopter was out there,” Jesse said.

Mano nodded. “I think they might be canceling that plan now though. They know they’ll never pull it off.”

“Then why take your sister?” Jesse asked.

“Probably to keep me quiet until they can get away.”

Jesse knew all the suspicion had to have hurt. He pressed Mano’s arm. “You’re a good man,” he said. “Now how are we going to get in there?”

Twenty-four

T
he car stank of garlic. Kim Aki must have had the mother of all Italian meals, Kaia thought. He oozed the sharp stench. Pipe ashes littered the leather seat, and a cigarette burn marred the armrest near her left arm. Kaia had to figure out a way to escape. She sat tensed in the passenger seat as her mind whirled.

The night was black up here on top of the mountain. The stars hid behind clouds that had rolled in after sunset. Kim braked at the crest of a hill. With the motor still idling, he twisted in the seat and looked at Kaia. “Get out.”

Kaia caught her breath at the man’s growl. Her skin prickled at the intent in his voice. He was going to kill her, she just knew it. Kim Aki was too big for her to overpower, but maybe she could outrun him.

Her hand crept to the door handle. His gaze veered toward the dash as he turned the engine off. In that moment, she flung open her door and hit the pavement running. She heard Kim shout, but she didn’t look back. She turned off the road and plunged into the black gravel. A grove of koa trees beckoned her up ahead. She dared a glance back and realized Kim wasn’t in pursuit. The glare of the headlamps revealed his bulky figure by his car talking on a cell phone and smoking a pipe. His stance as he leaned against the car fender suggested he didn’t care that she’d escaped.

Kaia reached the coolness of the grove and stopped. Panting, she glanced back toward the car again. Had he just intended to release her here anyway? If so, then why had he taken her? She’d stepped out of her car for a minute to get a closer view of the road. When she returned, he’d rushed out from behind a tree and marched her down the lane to his vehicle.

He’d said nothing the last three hours. Kaia had to find out what was going on. She circled a large black boulder and crossed the road behind Kim. Once on the other side, she crouched behind a thicket.

The wind was coming from the west and carried Kim’s words to her.

“Yeah, she’s gone.” He listened a bit then swore viciously. “What do you mean, find her? It’s as black as lava out here tonight. You said to scare her and I did. What do you want her for anyway?” His stance changed as he listened. “Then take someone else. The kid would be an easier target. That will keep Mano in line just as well. He’s a soft touch. I don’t know why we ever trusted him.”

Kaia froze. Heidi! Jesse was undoubtedly looking for Kaia by now. Where would he have left Heidi?
Tutu kane
’s maybe? She wished she had her cell phone, but it was in her purse back at her car. She had to get to a phone and contact Jesse before it was too late.

She backed away from Kim’s car. He had taken her high onto Waimea Mountain, and the road down would be long. There were no houses along the way.

Please, Lord, send help.
Her only hope was if a passerby saw her. She knew it wasn’t likely at this hour. Few people drove up the dark canyon at night. She recognized the growl of an engine behind her and ducked behind a boulder until Kim drove past. His meaty arm hung out the window, and he crooned a Hawaiian tune with the radio.

When the sound of his car died in the distance, she stepped back onto the road and continued to walk. The moon came and went behind clouds, and the night grew darker. It was hard to keep from wandering off the road, but she knew she had to stay alert or she was liable to go over the edge.

She began to shiver as the air cooled. Her mu´umu´u offered little warmth. She shook her hair free from the French braid and spread it over her shoulders and down her back. It offered a welcome bit of coverage.

Her watch said it was after eleven. Jesse would be frantic, but he’d have no idea where to look for her. Jesse. Bane had said
she had an unforgiving spirit. She didn’t want to be like that. She would start by releasing her anger against Jesse for taking her away from her research.

“I forgive Jesse, Lord.” She waited. Maybe she felt a little different—lighter. She wanted to say she forgave her mother, but the words still stuck in her throat.

She rounded a curve and caught a glimpse of a flicker of light down a narrow, nearly hidden lane. Was that a house down there?

She stopped on the road and considered her options. The light was possibly only a security light for a park service building. She couldn’t remember ever going down this lane so she had no idea what lay at the end. Going that way could delay her at least a half an hour, time that would increase Heidi’s risk. On the other hand, if there was access to a phone this way, she could call for help at least an hour sooner than if she walked down the road.

Kaia dithered. She wanted to sit in the middle of the road and cry.
What should I do, Lord?
Almost without considering it, she turned into the lane at an inner urging. All she could do was step out on faith and trust that God was the one leading her down this path.

The moon came out again and illuminated her way. She saw a dark shadow hidden in a pull-off. Squinting, she realized it was a vehicle. Someone had to be back here. The Jeep looked familiar, and she glanced inside. It was Jesse’s Jeep. She closed her eyes. Mahalo,
Jesus.

But where was he? A rising sense of urgency propelled her back to the road. She began to run down the cinder driveway. “Jesse!” she called. The rising wind snatched her cry and threw it behind her.

She paused to catch her breath. Had Jesse run into Kim and the rest of the Pele Hawai’i thugs? Maybe he was hurt or in danger somewhere in the wilderness out here. She wouldn’t know where to look for him. All she could do was to keep trudging down this narrow track.

She veered back to the ditch and kept walking. The light grew larger, and she realized it was a house. No, not just a house, but a mansion. The thing towered high in the moonlight, but only a single light blazed from a downstairs window.

Kaia stopped and listened. She thought she’d heard something. Her straining ears caught nothing but her own ragged breath. Though she wanted to call out for Jesse again, some sense warned her to keep quiet. Something about the house deterred her from marching to the front door and knocking. She’d never realized a place this grand was here, and she had to wonder who would have had the money or inclination to build something this fabulous so far off the beaten path.

Nahele Aki’s face flashed through her mind, and she wondered if this could be his place. It looked secure enough to be a compound of some sort. A small structure stood guard at the driveway up to the house, and a heavy iron gate barred the way. She went back toward the Jeep. Maybe Jesse had left his keys in there. If not, she could honk the horn and alert them.

T
he house was dark and silent. “I’ll go first.” Jesse crawled under the fence. Bane and Mano followed him. They approached the back of the house where no light shone from the windows.

“I’m not sure anyone is here,” Bane whispered.

“Where else would they have taken her?” Jesse asked.

“It could be a trap,” Mano said. “Pele Hawai´i never does what you expect.”

“I’m going to look in the window.” Jesse stepped into the yard, and instantly a flood of light illuminated the backyard from a motion-sensor security light.

He ducked to the ground. Kaia’s brothers lunged for the shadows. No alarm seemed to be raised, so after a few minutes Jesse raised his head and got to his hands and knees.

“We’re wasting time. I don’t think anyone is here. Let’s look for Kaia and get out of here.” He couldn’t let himself think about what she might be going through or fear would paralyze him.

He led the way toward the house. The soft grass underfoot was soft and springy. A twig snapped, and he froze. “Did you hear that?”

“It was me,” Bane said.

Jesse nodded and went forward again. He peered in the window but saw no one. The house had that empty feel. He was sure Kaia wasn’t there. “Let’s go,” he said.

He was nearly halfway to the front yard when he heard a low growl. He stopped. “Was that you too, Bane?”

Before the men could react, three dobermans came running toward them.

“Run!” Jesse turned and shoved Bane ahead of him. They raced back the way they’d come, toward the house. Bane leaped for the low overhang of the porch and heaved himself up. Mano did the same, swinging easily onto the roof. Jesse wasn’t sure he was going to make it. One dog was snapping at his heels as he reached up and caught Bane’s hand.

The dog’s teeth fastened on the cuff of Jesse’s jeans, and he nearly fell, but Bane and Mano jerked him to safety. He scrabbled back from the ledge and looked down on the three dogs. They were barking and practically foaming at the mouth.

“Now what?” Mano asked.

“We’ve got to get out of here.”

“How? Those dogs will stand guard all night if necessary.”

“Why did they just now come out?” Jesse asked. It seemed suspicious to him. He stared into the darkness in the direction the dogs had come. “I have to wonder if someone is out there laughing at us.”

“The door is open on the shed,” Bane said. “It was closed earlier.”

Jesse balanced on the steep roof and walked to the side of the house. He thought about shouting at whoever was out there but decided not to give the man any more thrills. If only he could get to his Jeep. The cat food Kaia had purchased for Hiwa was in the back. Maybe they could distract the dogs with the food long enough to get out of here.

“I’m going to go over the roof to the front yard,” he told the other men. “Keep these guys occupied.”

Moving carefully, he climbed the tall house to the peak then half slid, half walked down the other side. He could hear Bane and Mano jeering and talking to the dogs, but one had followed him around the house in spite of the men’s attempts. It stood near the front porch with teeth bared and growling as if it would like to eat him.

As he reached the porch, he heard his Jeep horn begin to blare. It gave three short blasts then a long one. A slight figure came from behind the rocks where the Jeep was hidden. He recognized Kaia when he saw the flowing black hair. Relief swept through him. She was all right.

He stood and waved. “Kaia!”

She heard him and her head came up. She started toward him.

“Get the cat food from the Jeep,” he shouted.

She hesitated then went back to the SUV. She rummaged in the Jeep then came toward him carrying some cans.

“You need to distract the dog,” he called. “But be careful, he’s mean.” He heard the sound of the top popping on the can.

“Oh, there’s my sweet boy,” she crooned to the dog. She began to chant a soothing Hawaiian
mele
. It must have been pleasant to the dog, because it quit growling and went to stand by the fence.

Kaia walked along the outside of the fence to the far corner. The dog followed, whining now. “What a good boy you are,” she said softly, a placating tone to her voice.

When the dog was as far away as possible, he dropped from the porch and ran for the fence. The dog didn’t seem to notice as it wolfed down food from the tin Kaia held in her hand. Brave woman. He wouldn’t have gotten that close to the animal.

Jesse reached the fence and opened the gate. He stepped through then shut it behind him. How would they get her brothers out? He hurried to Kaia. “Can you go around back and do the same with the two dogs back there? Your brothers are trapped on the back porch.”