Winter in Waianae (Love in Oahu Book 2) Read online

  “No, but I feel guilty. Larry was like a father to me. I should be there.”

  “And how would you feel if one of those kids faced arrest, and you weren’t here to help?”

  Annie flashed an enticing smile and showed off two rows of pretty white teeth. “We could postpone the service in San Diego. Then you could stay and help with any legal issues which might arise from this fiasco.”

  Marissa’s face filled with sympathy. “Good try, my friend, but I’m in the same boat as Mr. Kaplinger. If this occurred in California, I could help, but as it stands, my words hold no weight in Hawaii.”

  Annie sat cross-legged on the bed. Her worried eyes were wide and anxious. “I’m scared.”

  Her BFF climbed up next to her. “If you think it will do any good, I’ll confer with Mr. Kap and make sure he’s covered all the bases before my cab arrives. I’m sorry, girlfriend, but that’s the best I can do.”

  Annie covered her face with her hands and tried to push back her growing fear. “My mind keeps envisioning the worst case scenario with Grady, Brittany, and Erika all being thrown in the slammer for growing pot. Then we’ll need a real lawyer.”

  Marissa patted her knee. “If it comes to that, I’ll make a few phone calls and find you someone exceptionally good, but I seriously doubt it will.” She exited the bed and slid her toiletries inside a bag. “Brittany’s right about getting ahead of this. The kids aren’t guilty. They’ve done nothing wrong. I was talking to David earlier and he brought something to my attention you might want to consider. Whoever planted all that marijuana didn’t do it just for fun. They are going to want their crop.”

  Marissa’s private detective husband was always on the lookout for anything suspicious, and this time Annie loved him for it. “Brittany said she doubted if many of the plants would have survived. They tried to be sneaky by hiding them behind other plants. In the shade. Even I know pot needs direct sunlight to grow, and I doubt the wannabe felons realize how big the plants actually get. By sheer size alone, they would have been found out.”

  Marissa’s eyes bugged slightly. “I didn’t say they were smart, I just said their grove appears to be a serious attempt at making a semi-fast buck. How long does it take for a marijuana plant to mature anyway?”

  Annie giggled. “Sista, you were standing right next to me the last time I smoked a joint. That is the extent of my knowledge, but if you still have Stoner Sam’s number, I’m sure he has all the answers.”

  Marissa eased her body back on the bed and reminisced, “Stoner Sam. That’s a blast from the past. I wonder if that dude is still alive.”

  “I wonder if he graduated high school,” Annie added.

  “Or how many years are left on his sentence.”

  Annie was surprised how fast their exchange degenerated from serious to practically joyful. “Watch, we’ll Google him and find out he’s more successful than both of us put together.”

  “I have to admit it,” Marissa’s eyes sparkled with amusement, “that boy could turn a buck.”

  “And roll a doobie.”

  Marissa dabbed the corner of her eye. “This conversation is highly inappropriate. I’m grieving. I shouldn’t be laughing.” She waved a warning finger under Annie’s nose. “And my kids are never to hear about our brush with illicit drugs.”

  “I’m right there with you,” Annie agreed. “I have two kids right down the hall who I want to remain blissfully unaware.”

  A light tap at the door interrupted their walk down memory lane. Erika stuck her head inside. “Sorry, Mom, it’s too late for that.” Her smiling face slipped back through the frame and the door snapped shut.

  “Did you hear that?” Annie gasped with excitement.

  “Yeah, I guess we weren’t exactly quiet. The cat’s out of the bag.” Marissa cautioned Annie again. “For you, not me. There is still a chance I can hide my lawless past from my babies.”

  Annie waved her hand frantically in the air. “Not about the weed. Erika just called me mom!”

  12

  Brittany gripped Grady’s hand as they waited in the hall of the Honolulu DEA office. The hard metal bench was bolted to the floor, and the scars of handcuffs being scraped against the arms had her wondering if they were about to sign their own arrest warrant.

  Grady’s sweaty palm indicated he was equally nervous.

  Mr. Caprice hovered over them. He held a manila folder under his arm. Brittany didn’t have any idea what the folder contained, but the image he presented was of an astute professional. Knowing their savior was with them brought her immense comfort.

  A door opened a few feet away and a middle-aged Asian woman motioned for them to join her. When they drew close, she extended her hand. “Hello. I’m Agent Tam. Thank you for coming in today.”

  Once they were seated in her office, Agent Tam said, “I understand you wish to report a marijuana grow.”

  Brittany, Grady, and Mr. Kaplinger all raced to explain. They talked over each other and not a single word could be understood.

  Agent Tam raised her hand. “One at a time, please.” She reached out and patted her battered wooden desk. “Let’s start with the owner of the property. Simply tell me what you know, Mr. Barlow.”

  Grady’s gaze shifted to Kap, who nodded for him to tell all. Grady drew in a deep breath and replied, “It’s not much. I was attending a funeral service for a good friend. It brought up memories about my parents’ death. I couldn’t handle it, so I left.” He gave Brittany’s hand a squeeze. “Brittany saw me leave and followed. When I got home, I went out back to the garden my mom created and tried to calm down. That’s when I noticed my dad’s dead pot plant was alive and had sprouted a couple of suckers.”

  Mr. Kaplinger jumped in and interjected, “Grady’s father had a medicinal marijuana card. Since the state of Hawaii doesn’t have any pot shops, growing for personal use is allowed.”

  Agent Tam cocked her head. “I’m aware of Hawaiian law, but thank you for refreshing my memory, Mr. Kaplinger.” She gestured for Grady to continue.

  “Just about that time, Brittany showed up. When I didn’t answer the front door, she walked around back to find me. She’s the landscaper at Lena’s B&B in Waianae. When I showed her the plant, she didn’t think it sprouted on its own and began looking around the garden. Within minutes, she found eleven plants. Since then we have found around twenty more. I did not plant them. I don’t have any idea where they came from. I didn’t even smoke any of my dad’s, one and only, plant.”

  Agent Tam shifted her focus to Brittany. “Is there anything you’d like to add to Mr. Barlow’s story?”

  Story? Agent Tam didn’t believe them. Erika wasn’t going to have to share her room tonight. She and Grady were going to jail. Britt rolled her shoulders to release the building tension and to help quell her growing anxiety. “Not about the actual events which led to our discovery, but I do have some opinions I’d like to share.”

  The DEA agent gave Brittany the floor.

  Brittany let go of Grady’s hand and propped her arms on Agent Tam’s desk. “I’ve never grown pot myself, but I have a good working knowledge of what they would need. Whoever planted the stuff in Grady’s yard didn’t have a clue what they were doing. The only plants that have a chance of surviving are the ones in his dad’s pot. Even it’s too small to support all three. One would probably thrive and drink up the majority of the soil’s nutrients. The others would shrivel up and die.”

  Agent Tam cocked her head. “And what did you plan on doing with the surviving plant, Miss Sutherland?”

  Brittany narrowed her eyes and studied Agent Tam’s face. “Stop messing with me.”

  Mr. Caprice placed a calming hand on Brittany’s shoulder.

  Britt took a breath and attempted to regain whatever composure she had left. “I plan on you and a bushel of cops raining down on Grady’s property and confiscating every last one of the offending plants. There won’t be any survivors, so your question has no relevance.”
/>   Agent Tam picked up a pencil. Tapping its eraser on her desk, she looked at them for a hard five minutes before she spoke. “You’re wrong, Miss Sutherland. We aren’t going to pull up a single plant... just yet. If there are thirty plants in Mr. Barlow’s yard, then we need to find out who put them there.”

  Mr. Kaplinger raised his hand. “We thought you might want the names of the people who had access to Grady’s home.” He pulled a sheet of paper out of the folder. “This should get you started.”

  Agent Tam scratched her chin. “How do you fit in all this, Mr. Kaplinger?”

  Mr. Caprice stood and walked behind the young couple he’d been called upon to protect. Placing a hand upon each of their shoulders, he said, “I was an attorney in a former life, but I’m only here for moral support and to retain appropriate counsel if this meeting happens to turn south.”

  Agent Tam leaned forward. Her manner was both aggressive and defensive. “You must realize there are questions I need to ask.”

  Mr. Caprice held his hands up in surrender. “Ask away. The moment they realized something was afoot, they came to me for advice. They have come to you freely and without reserve, but I give you forewarning, if I get so much as an inkling that you plan on arresting them for a crime they did not commit, I will do my utmost to protect them.”

  Agent Tam eased back in her seat. “Duly noted, Mr. Kaplinger. Now, can we get on with it?”

  Brittany loved how Mr. Caprice stood up to the DEA agent. It looked like she was about to simmer down and take them seriously. Brittany touched the paper. “I just want to point out, that even though we believe her to be completely innocent of any wrongdoing, we added my niece, Erika Turner, to the list. She had access to Grady’s backyard, but she’s not responsible.”

  Agent Tam placed an asterisk beside Erika’s name. “Is your sister Erika’s mother?” she probed. “And which is it? Do you only believe she’s innocent, or do you have proof she’s not responsible?”

  Brittany’s jaw dropped. The DEA agent twisted her words and Britt unwittingly brought suspicion on the teen. Annie and Terence were going to kill her. Not knowing what to do, she turned to Grady for help. “How do I answer that?”

  Grady took command. “Erika is the daughter of Hannah Turner and Larry Wright. When Erika was born, Hannah put Terence Javier on her birth certificate as the father. For years, Larry did not know he was her dad. Erika’s mom obviously has some problems. Eventually, it was decided that Larry and Terence would share custody here in Hawaii while Hannah worked on her issues.”

  Agent Tam made note of the family history. “So Erika is a troubled child.”

  Both Brittany and Grady jumped to Erika’s defense.

  Mr. Kaplinger squeezed their shoulders to quiet them down. “Let me assure you, Agent Tam,” he said calmly, “Erika Turner is one of the most industrious teenagers I have ever met. She has developed a beautiful line of Christmas ornaments. Between the production and sale of these lovely items, she wouldn’t have time to invest in this type of sideline.”

  Agent Tam’s narrow eyes sliced thinner. She looked as if she was going to continue with the interrogation, but she relented. “I have enough for now. Since you believe Miss Turner is completely innocent, let’s get her crossed off the list. Have her and both her fathers available in about an hour. I see she lives across the street from you, Mr. Barlow. I’ll be able to see the property in question and speak with her at the same time.”

  Brittany and Grady looked at each other again. This time Brittany answered, “That won’t be possible. Larry Wright passed away a few days ago. It was his funeral we were attending.”

  The disbelieving look on Agent Tam’s face made Brittany shrink back in her seat.

  “Is there anything else I should know before we go forward?” Tam barked harshly.

  Wanting to ease the tension, a sweet cajoling smile formed on Brittany’s face. “I’m pretty sure my sister will insist on being present when you talk to Erika.”

  Agent Tam placed her chin in her palm. “The more the merrier. I can’t wait to see this family dynamic in action. Tell me,” she inquired, “how well did the two dads get along, and did there happen to be anything suspicious about Larry Wright’s death?”

  Once again, Brittany and Grady jumped to the family’s defense, and once again, Mr. Kaplinger settled them down. When the young couple fell silent, he stated plainly, “This is one family you have to see for yourself. You aren’t bound by blood to be welcomed into the fold.” He stepped back and opened the office door. “You can bet, in addition to Annie Javier, there will be a few more family members in attendance as well.” He motioned for Brittany and Grady to come along. After they passed through the doorway, Mr. Kaplinger turned and faced Agent Tam one last time. “See you in an hour.”

  Brittany held Grady back and let Mr. Caprice walk ahead of them. “Did you hear what he said?” she whispered in his ear.

  “Mr. Kaplinger? Yeah, he said a lot of stuff.”

  “Former life, Grady. He said he was a lawyer in a former life. That proves he is our mystical savior.”

  Grady rolled his eyes.

  • • •

  Terence Javier sat brooding on his front porch swing. His coal black eyes intently watched the house across the street. Agent Tam, Kap, and Grady walked the grounds. In, out, and all around the property they strode studiously. Agent Tam was suspicious of everyone and everything connected to the kid, and it didn’t sit well.

  The interview with Erika was a disaster. His smart-mouthed daughter popped off sarcastically several times and had not helped her case one bit. Terence regretted not being stern and that he hadn’t insisted on her learning better manners. He understood his daughter’s sharp tongue showed how intimidated she was by Agent Tam, but the DEA agent didn’t. Erika was her own worst enemy. It took a mighty effort for Eleanor, Lena, himself, and Annie to keep their mouths shut. Max didn’t feel the need for discretion and voiced his objections so loudly that Annie had to take him out of the room.

  Eleanor missed her flight to San Diego to support Erika then stormed off angrily when the interrogation didn’t go as planned. For all intents and purposes, Erika was her granddaughter, and she would protect the girl with her life. Eleanor had a crafty mind, and Terence was a little worried about what the older woman might be plotting.

  If Larry hadn’t died, he could imagine Marissa’s husband, David, swooping in to save the day. He was an excellent private detective and Terence selfishly wanted to procure his services, but for now, his place was in San Diego beside his wife.

  Kap saw Terence watching and trotted over. The old man’s gait made Terence do a double take. His long agile body didn’t mesh with his gray hair and wrinkled skin. Lena was right, Kap, Mr. Kaplinger, or as Brittany was fond of calling him, Mr. Caprice, appeared much younger than his driver’s license indicated.

  “Mind if I join you?” he inquired.

  Terence moved over and made room for him on the swing. “How’s it going over there?”

  “Hard to tell,” Kap sighed as he eased his body onto the cushion. “One moment you get the feeling Agent Tam is on your side, then she says something which puts you back on alert. The kid is holding his own pretty well.” Kap peeked inside the window. “How are Erika and Brittany?”

  Terence stretched out his long legs. “If all the tears are any indication, I’d say they are expecting to be placed in handcuffs any second.”

  “I won’t let that happen,” Kap assured him.

  Terence wanted to lash out at the old guy. If he hadn’t insisted Grady put Erika on that blasted list, his daughter would not be a suspect. She would be busy getting glue all over their kitchen table while making her ornaments instead of being on the verge of a panic attack. Brittany wasn’t in much better shape. His sister-in-law wanted to do the right thing, but now it looked like she could wind up in jail.

  None of it made sense to Terence. A few days ago, Larry was alive and they were arguing like normal. Erika wa
s as happy as any teenager could be. Brittany was finding her way in a strange new environment. Annie and Grady were planning on expanding Jamoka Jack and taking it to new heights. In a blink of an eye, everything changed. Larry was gone. Erika and Brittany were hanging by a thread, and Annie and Grady’s business venture was put on hold.

  “No offense, but I’m beginning to think Lena’s lucky dolphin theory is for the birds, and that you are nothing more than a nice old guy.”

  Mr. Kaplinger laughed out loud. “Those little spinners put on a good show at Mr. Wright’s service. Are you sure you want to dismiss the idea so easily?”

  Terence shook with amusement. “You’re a mystery. I can’t argue that. That little bird was lucky you came his way. I’m eternally grateful for everything you’ve done for us today. I’m just not sure you are our savior.”

  “The Lord helps those who help themselves,” Kap retorted, with a twinkle in his eye. “I’m not much of a believer, but I live by that saying.”

  That clinched it. Kap didn’t know the difference between scripture and history. “If you believe in Ben Franklin, you’re safe. That’s a quote out of Poor Richard’s Almanac.”

  Kap glanced up at the heavens and tapped his cheek thoughtfully. “God helps the helpless. Isaiah 25:4. I think I like Franklin’s version better. Ben put the outcome back in the believers’ hands. Being helpless is useless.”

  “I think that’s a message we all need to hear right about now.” Terence looked back across the street in time to see Grady heave a heavy sigh. “You better get back over there. I think the kid could use some moral support. I’d go, but I have a houseful of women in the same condition.”

  He stood to go back inside, but was stopped by Mr. Kaplinger’s extended hand. “You’re a good man, Terence Javier. I’m proud to call you my friend.”

  Terence shook the elder’s hand and clapped him affectionately on the back. The moment he closed the door behind him, his fingers tingled with warmth, and a strange calmness flowed throughout his body. Terence closed his eyes. His hands came together, and for the first time in a long time, he said a silent prayer.