Killer Confections8 Delectable Mysteries(35)

We arrived at the Kailua Pier shortly after the Sea Jinx docked. Several Hawaii fire department vehicles were parked in the loading and unloading area. Although it was reassuring to know they’d noticed my absence, I still questioned if someone intentionally pushed me overboard. If Phil and Glenn hadn’t come along when they did, my shark-mangled body parts might not have been discovered until they rolled in with the surf.

Glenn tied up his boat, the aptly named Survivor, at the dock. He and Phil helped me climb up onto the pier. The Sea Jinx passengers were disembarking, some of them looking a lot greener than when they’d first boarded. As we drew closer, I spotted Timmy among the departing tourists. I shouted his name. Timmy turned and his eyebrows rose to his hairline when he saw me. He ran off and disappeared behind the ticket building.

At the sound of my voice, Steve looked up, his expression confused. When he recognized the curly-haired woman dressed like a soggy burrito, he dodged around the passengers and ran toward the three of us. Steve scooped me up in a hug and spun me around the dock.

When he finally put me down, he kept my still-trembling hand gripped in his large comforting one. “I was so worried about you. What happened?”

Members of the Search and Rescue team joined us. “Are you okay, Miss? Do you need to go to the hospital? We can get you there in a flash.”

I shook my head and droplets of water spewed everywhere, making me feel as attractive as a wet dog. Between my salt-water dunking and over-the-side stomach cleansing, I looked and smelled worse than a sodden Schnauzer.

“I’m fine.” No sooner had I uttered those words then I sneezed three times.

“You should get checked out.” One of the men eyed me up and down. “Did you hurt yourself when you fell in?”

My eyebrows drew together as I frowned at him. “I didn’t fall in. I was pushed.”

Steve dropped my hand. “Pushed? What makes you say that? I assumed you slipped on the deck and fell overboard.”

“Nope, I was definitely pu…” I hesitated and thought back to those moments before I ended up in the ocean. “Well, I think someone pushed me. It’s all kind of a blur now.”

“You’ve had quite a scare,” said one of the rescue workers. “It might be a few days before you remember what actually happened.”

“You’re lucky these fishermen found you,” his partner added. “It could have taken us hours to locate you. There are some mighty unfriendly creatures in the ocean.”

As far as I was concerned, there were unfriendly creatures on Steve’s boat. Although I’d have to admit I’m not the most graceful person in the world. A big gust could have blown me overboard.

But if that was the case, why did Timmy run away when he spotted me?

The rescue personnel walked away to update the Coast Guard on my safe return. I spun around and scanned the pier. Most of the passengers had dispersed, but the crew and entertainers should still be around.

“Have you seen Walea and Henry?” I asked Steve.

“I think they’re packing up their stuff. Do you want to talk to them now?” he asked. “Don’t you want to get back to the hotel and get cleaned up?”

Hmmm. Not too subtle. I guess my eau de ahi scent wasn’t exactly a man magnet. I noticed Walea and Henry walking down the gangway. Her hands moved rapidly as she spoke, although not in the graceful style she used when she performed. It looked like they were arguing.

I broke away from Steve and ran toward the couple, huffing as I drew closer. My few minutes thrashing in the ocean must have depleted my oxygen supply.

“Walea,” I yelled, hoping to catch them before they disappeared.

She dropped her garment bag and stared at me as if I was a ghostly apparition.

Did Walea or Henry push me overboard? If so, they’d be better off facing a ghost than the wrath of Laurel McKay.





Chapter 26





“You’re alive,” Walea cried out.

“You seem surprised.” I wrapped the blanket tighter around my shoulders as my eyes shifted from Walea to her husband. Henry set his ukulele case on the dock, pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Despite his calm demeanor, his hand trembled as he shoved the lighter back in his shirt pocket.

“You should go back to your hotel. You could catch cold.” Walea picked up her oversized tote and nudged Henry with her elbow. He grabbed his instrument, and the couple headed toward the parking lot conversing in hushed tones. Was it my sashimi scent that sent them away? Or the surprise of seeing me alive again?

It was too bad my son wasn’t here. His selective bionic hearing would come in handy since my own ears felt plugged with salt water. Someone screeched my name, and I turned back to the boat.