Killer Confections8 Delectable Mysteries(31)

“Did she say anything about her sister?” I asked.

He nodded. “She said she was glad the police discovered Keiki’s killer so quickly.”

“Was she surprised about Regan’s arrest?”

He shrugged. “If she was, she didn’t mention it to me. She said she was grateful justice had been served, and her family could go on with their lives.”

“I can sympathize with Walea, and I feel terrible about her loss,” Mother said, “but if we don’t find the killer soon, I’m not sure how my son and daughter-in-law will go on with their lives.”





Chapter 22





When I arrived at the boat that evening, I learned that Walea was substituting for the Sea Jinx’s principal performer, Noelani, who was sick once again. On a positive note, Noelani was overjoyed to learn her twenty-four-hour flu bug was in reality twenty-four-hour morning sickness.

I was thrilled at the opportunity to see Walea. Keiki’s sister might think the killer was behind bars, but I needed to prove otherwise. My empathetic manner would hopefully encourage her to confide in me. Between Walea and Timmy, I could discover some useful facts to help our amateur investigation.

My focus tonight would be 100% on detecting. No distractions whatsoever, not even hunky blue-eyed ones.

Even though I was looking forward to talking with Walea, I should have guessed she wouldn’t be happy to see me. Walea and Henry arrived a few minutes after I did, about fifteen minutes before the passengers were to board. She and her husband sent identical glares in my direction. Fortunately, I was standing next to Amanda. The naturalist’s bubbly personality could coax a smile out of Jaws.

Amanda threw her arms around Walea as she offered condolences. “Honey, how are you doing? I was so sorry to hear about Keiki.”

“Mahalo, Amanda. We are still in shock.” Walea practically spat at me as she cried out. “What are you doing here? Hasn’t your family brought enough pain to mine?”

I took a step back. So maybe Walea wasn’t in the mood for condolences from me. Amanda took Walea’s arm, guiding her to the other side of the Sea Jinx. Henry joined Rick in the bow of the boat where the young musician tuned his guitar. I recognized Rick from Liz’s reception. The young man’s muscular biceps boasted dragon tattoos curling down and around each elbow. As his arm moved up and down so did the dragon’s colorful tail.

Walea and Amanda chatted briefly then Amanda left to welcome the passengers. The dancer walked down the stairs leading to the lower deck, her garment bag and flowered tote in her hands.

I followed her down, figuring this might be my only opportunity to speak with Walea in private before she began her performance.

“Can I help you with anything?” I asked.

Her full lips curled in disgust. “What kind of help can you provide?”

She turned away and began pulling assorted items from her oversized bag.

I moved closer. “You can’t honestly believe Regan killed your sister.”

Walea grabbed a coconut bra out of the enormous tote and flung it at me. I ducked as the hard brown shells narrowly missed my head. The dancer could have doubled as a pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. The bra bounced off a beam then clattered to the floor.

I picked up the apparel-turned-assault weapon, debating if it was safe to return the item to the owner. Since dancing would be somewhat awkward without the upper half of her costume, I reluctantly handed it back to her.

Walea’s passionate outburst was short-lived. Her plump body seemed to droop along with her spirit. She muttered a soft mahalo. Tears ran down her plain, sorrowful face.

“I apologize,” she said. “My family’s tragedy is not your problem. I am only mad at myself for talking your brother into hiring Keiki. I thought a steady job and paycheck might keep my little sister out of trouble. But trouble always managed to find her.”

“Beautiful women are frequently magnets for trouble,” I responded. “And for men.”

She nodded in agreement. “Men looked at Keiki like she was their last meal. No matter where we went, they devoured her with their eyes. Once she realized her power over men, especially haoles, it turned into a quest for her.”

“A quest for money?” I ventured.

She shrugged, the movement fluffing her mahogany mane around her shoulders. “Money, trinkets, power. Whatever she could squeeze out of them. Sometimes I think Keiki did it for the thrill of the chase. Reel in a big fish, gut him, then drop him back in the ocean.”

“Someone mentioned she was your stepsister?”

“My father met her mother, Kiana, eight years ago when Keiki was fourteen.” Walea gracefully donned her grass skirt then modestly removed her capris. “Kiana worked at the same coffee farm as my father before he moved to Koffee Land. The coconut didn’t fall far from the tree when it came to those two women. Kiana went after my father with no holds barred. He left my mother and in less than a year, he and Kiana married. I had a new stepmother and stepsister.”