Murder at the Luau Read online

  “Well, hello.” Norman was already out on his balcony.

  “Hey Norm,” Georgie said. “Wow, what a view.” She looked over the railing to see the gigantic swimming pool that had the image of an orchid painted on the bottom. It was quiet and only a few of the guests were poolside, talking quietly as they sipped their cocktails and listened to the soft, twangy Hawaiian music being piped through hidden speakers.

  “Will your sister be joining you?”

  “Not right away. She went exploring. I would have gone with her, but I’m beat.”

  “You and me both. The Bickerson’s kind of sucked the life out of me. What a dynamic duo those two make,” Norman said, as he rolled his eyes.

  Georgie pulled one of the metal chairs on the balcony closer to Norman’s side and took a seat.

  “Well, it takes all kinds of couples to make a marriage. Who knows? Maybe that’s how they show affection to one another.” Georgie thought of her ex-husband. Many people thought she and Detective Stan Toon were the perfect couple when they were out together. She knew they looked like it. He was forever making her laugh and, to be honest, she couldn’t say he was unattractive. Even after all the years they’d known each other, he continued to get better and better looking, keeping in shape and growing out his naturally wavy salt and pepper hair.

  The thought distracted her for a moment and she hated Stan for that. Shaking her head she changed the subject.

  “So, retired FBI. I have to ask, how much fun did you have on your job?”

  “I had a lot of fun,” Norman laughed. “But, there were quite a few times things got intense.”

  “Care to share?”

  “I’d love to. My wife and son have heard all these stories before. It’s nice to have a new audience.”

  Time flew by. When Aleta got back to the room she assumed Georgie would be asleep. Instead, she found all of the lights were still on and the patio door was wide open.

  “I didn’t know a human head held that much blood,” Aleta heard Norman say.

  “But what happened to the feet? Why were the feet on all the victims missing?”

  “What in the world are you two talking about?” Aleta asked, her eyes wide as she stepped onto the balcony.

  “Oh gosh,” Georgie jumped. “Norm was telling me some of the cases he worked on during his time in the FBI. He dealt with drug cartels.”

  “Yikes,” Aleta replied.

  “His stories woke me right up!” Georgie admitted. “Did you have a good time downstairs?”

  “I did. I ran into some of the others from our group. Hector and Pam along with June and Forrester were in the bar,” Aleta said, cocking her head to one side and raising her eyebrows. Georgie could tell that Aleta had collected some kind of intelligence on something, so she decided to wrap it up with Norman and see what her sister had to say.

  “Norm, you’ll have to finish your story later. I’ve got to get some rest or I won’t be worth anything tomorrow.”

  “I’ll meet you back here tomorrow,” he smiled cheerfully.

  “Sounds good.”

  They all said good night and as Georgie closed and locked the sliding balcony door, she shifted her gaze to Aleta.

  “What is it?” she demanded.

  “You’re not going to believe what I learned from June and Pam.” Aleta set the scene, saying she had been strolling through the hotel and around the beautiful grounds when she came to the gate that led to the pool. After letting herself in, she crossed the huge patio and made her way into the open-air bar. The two couples were sitting there just relaxing, and chatting a mile a minute.

  “They asked me to join them. So, I took a seat, got myself a pineapple juice and told them a little bit about us and what brought us to Midhostel and Hawaii.

  “They said they’d been on several trips together and normally have a really good time. This Midhostel travel group is pretty popular in Chicago and has lots of good reviews. So it isn’t uncommon for them to see some of the same people on the trips.”

  “Wow. What do they do for a living that they can travel so much?” Georgie asked, taking off her robe to reveal a gaudy flower patterned silk nightgown, then climbed into bed.

  “Forrester is some kind of legal consultant. He and June have been married for eight years. Hector is in construction and according to Pam, his girlfriend, has his toe in the water of a few land investments. But none of them have any kids.”

  “Oh, that explains why they have money to burn,” Georgie replied, while adjusting her blankets and settling in.

  “Exactly. As it turns out they not only travel often but since they usually go through Midhostel because of the deals, they often run into each other on trips. They also run into Herb and Dottie at times.”

  “Sorry. But that would be enough for me to pay the extra fees to use another travelling group.” Georgie cleared her throat.

  “According to June, Dottie and Herb are always bickering. But they said that they’ve gotten used to it. It’s just the way they talk to one another.” Aleta shrugged as she pulled out her cell phone.

  “Who are you calling? Emily?” Georgie asked. Aleta nodded her head. Emily was her one and only child who also lived in Chicago. She was taking care of both Aleta and Georgie’s houses as well as Georgie’s pug, Bodhi and Aleta’s cat, Freckles.

  “I just want to check in with her so she knows we’re here and already having a good time.” Aleta stood up and went to the bathroom to talk. Georgie started to doze.

  When Aleta returned, Georgie woke up with a startled snort.

  “Everything is fine on the home front,” Aleta said. “And I guess Uncle Stan was checking up on her and the house, too. He wanted Emily to be sure to tell you he’d be waiting to see you in a coconut bra and grass skirt.”

  “That man is crazy,” Georgie grumbled.

  “As far as ex-husbands go, he’s not all bad though.”

  “No. He’s not.” Georgie rolled on her side facing Aleta who sat down on the edge of the other bed. “He was never the kind of guy to fight with me over a stick of gum, that’s for sure.”

  “No. You fought over him leaving you with the kids to go off in search of gold. You had every right to fight with him then.” Aleta pulled her pajamas out of the nightstand. Flannel pants and a matching t-shirt.

  “We’d have turned into Herb and Dottie soon enough if we had stayed together,” Georgie mused as she started to close her eyes.

  “I’m ready to go to sleep, too. We’ve got a big day at the beach tomorrow.” Aleta said.

  “That’s right. I can show off my new bathing suit.” Georgie smiled with her eyes closed.

  “You bought a new bathing suit?”

  “Didn’t you?”

  “No, Georgie. No one in Hawaii ever saw me in my old one so it’s like new.”

  “That’s crazy. You’ll look like a tourist. Don’t worry, I’ll help you blend in.” Georgie reached out and patted her sister’s hand.

  Once the lights in their hotel room were out, the Kaye sisters were asleep in no time. When they woke up it was raining.

  “Oh, no. We we’re supposed to go to the beach today,” Georgie grumbled as she scratched her head. Opening the sliding balcony door, she stepped outside.

  She smelled strong coffee and found Luke and Norman already up and enjoying the flowery fresh air.

  “No beach today, I guess,” Georgie said.

  “I just talked to Daniel and he said for everyone to have their suits on in an hour.”

  “Is he crazy?” Aleta peeked her head outside. “Who knows how long this will last.”

  Just then, a bright and almost glowing rainbow appeared in the sky as the sun punched through the rain clouds. Within five minutes the rain stopped and the blue sky started to spread. A magnificent rainbow formed almost directly in front of them.

  “I said the same thing.” Norman replied. “But Daniel said spontaneous showers happen all the time and never last very long. It seems like he was rig
ht.”

  “Must be why they call it the rainbow state.” Georgie replied.

  Chapter 3

  As instructed, within the hour everyone was in the lobby ready to head out to the beach.

  “We’ll be going by shuttle to Punalu’u Beach,” Daniel said to the group. Has everyone got their sunscreen and thermos of rum?”

  The group laughed except for Herb who was anxiously looking around for his wife. Finally, she appeared from the gift shop with a small bag.

  “What took you so long?” Herb started in on Dottie right away.

  “There was a line of people,” she replied.

  “I don’t know why you needed to buy Chapstick,” Herb was practically gritting his teeth.

  “Because my lips are chapped,” Dottie huffed.

  They continued their arguing as they boarded the shuttle. Again, they tried to take the seat at the front but it looked like Daniel had anticipated the move and stacked his own beach bag, clipboard, beach towel and cooler of bottled water there.

  A very unhappy Herb took the second seat and pouted.

  “I can’t believe you are actually going to wear that bathing suit in public.” Aleta whispered to Georgie as they took their seat behind Herb and Dottie.

  “There isn’t a thing wrong with it.” Georgie lifted her chin as she spoke.

  “You’ll be a moving violation if you even try to walk anywhere on the beach.”

  “Listen, baby sister. I looked high and low to find the perfect bathing suit for this trip. Not only is it modest, but it’s got a vintage flare to it. You’re lucky I’m not wearing a bikini.”

  “Baby sister?” Norman said, as he slid into the seat behind the sisters. “I thought you guys were twins?”

  “Georgie loves to remind me every chance she gets that she was born two minutes ahead of me. It’s only because she was just as bossy in the birth canal as she is now. I’m lucky I got out at all.”

  Norman and Luke laughed.

  The ride to Punalu’u Beach was a pleasant drive up the coast. Blue sky and water stretched out as far as the eye could see. The sky seemed to smile back at itself in the reflection of the calm sea.

  “Could you imagine being on a boat out there?” Georgie asked Aleta. “It’s almost too overwhelming to contemplate.”

  “So beautiful,” Aleta replied.

  Once they were at the beach everyone gasped as Daniel smiled proudly.

  “Not only can you sometimes catch a glimpse of the big seat turtles off this beach, but it is also one of the few beaches with black sand.” He gave the group a history lesson about the volcanoes, the centuries of evolution, the natural habitat and local critters.

  “Not to worry. It feels no different from regular sand and will find its way everywhere, just like regular sand.” He laughed at his own joke before stepping aside to let everyone off the shuttle.

  Before long, everyone had staked out their own plots of real estate along the shore, after Daniel reminded them to meet back at the drop off point in three hours.

  “Listen to that,” Georgie said, as she slipped her arm through Aleta’s. “Just the waves and the birds. No traffic. No jets from Midway Airport.”

  “No EL trains,” Aleta added.

  “I say we plant ourselves right here and don’t move until we are as dark as the natives,” Georgie said.

  Norman and Luke dropped their gear and dashed off into the water. Hector and Pam were with Forrester and June, settling not far from Dottie and Herb, who finally decided on a spot after putting down and picking up their beach towels and bags in two apparently unsatisfactory places.

  “What a pair,” Aleta chuckled, as the sisters spread out on a smooth spot of sand. “You couldn’t create characters like them if you tried.” She looked at Georgie who was pulling off her mu-mu. “Speaking of characters.”

  Georgie’s one-piece bathing suit was a bright red and white polka-dotted halter-top that blended to a dark blue bottom. Three white buttons were placed at each pelvic bone like sailor uniforms had.

  “Come on, sis. Let’s go test the water,” Georgie said, while pulling out a red bathing cap with blue and white flowers on it.

  “You look like Miss Firecracker.” Aleta shook her head as she pulled off her shorts and t-shirt revealing her modest navy blue swimsuit.

  They walked together to the water, daintily dipping a toe into the gently rolling surf. The water was warm and the air was thick with moisture, smelling of salt. The sun blazed brightly.

  “Are you going to swim?” Aleta asked, as she inched out further.

  “You know me. As soon as I can’t feel the bottom I’ll be running on top of the waves to get back on land,” Georgie laughed.

  “You can touch the bottom for several yards out,” Daniel said, as he waded up to the pair. “I’m not the best swimmer, but I checked it out myself. You can cool off with complete confidence that you won’t drown. I don’t think we could have ordered up a more beautiful day. Am I right?”

  Georgie, Aleta and Daniel bobbed up and down in water that was no higher than their elbows. They chatted with Daniel about his home life. Aleta explained how the trip was a gift from their kids.

  Just as Georgie was about to point to some surfers in the distance, she saw the flailing arms of a man. Squinting to see better she gasped and pointed to a man struggling and flailing in the water. “Oh no! That looks like Herb out there! He’s in trouble!”

  Daniel started yelling for help as Aleta started to swim out the distant figure. But it was Luke who managed to get to Herb first. Herb struggled even with Luke’s strong arm securely around him, keeping his head above water as Luke swam back to shore.

  “He’s going to drown my boy,” Norman cursed, and swam out to help.

  Finally, the two burly Heidenkamp’s got their feet under them and dragged an exhausted Herb back safely to the shore.

  Dottie ran up to her husband. She was near in hysterics as she demanded that Norman and Luke drop him on the beach towel she’d dragged over.

  Herb fell down on his hands and knees, coughing and shaking.

  “You almost drowned me out there!” He gurgled accusingly at Luke.

  “Did I hear that right?” Norman growled, clenching his meaty fists.

  “It’s okay, Dad,” Luke said, taking his father by the hand like he was still a little boy. “We did the right thing.”

  Georgie and Aleta could see Norman using every bit of his restraint to not drag Herb back to the water and push his head under the waves.

  “I can’t believe this.” Herb continued to choke out his words, coughing and gasping. “I’ve never been on a vacation where the sights are so dangerous.”

  “Herb, do you want me to call you an ambulance?” Daniel asked, his eyes wide with concern.

  “How about you call my lawyer. This isn’t what I paid three-thousand dollars per person for.”

  “Herb. Calm down.” Dottie tried to sooth her sputtering husband.

  “You shut up! This was your idea. I can’t believe I listened to you.”

  “Well, you didn’t have to come. And I’m not the one who went out too far and had a panic attack.”

  “Panic attack?” Daniel looked at Herb suspiciously.

  “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer when we get back to the mainland,” Herb said, as he leaned back on his heels, still coughing and shaking the water out of his ears. Dottie stayed faithfully by his side like a dog hoping its master might give it one stroke of affection.

  “Are you all right?” Georgie asked Luke as he and his father approached the Kaye sisters where they were standing off to one side.

  “Yeah. I’ve been a lifeguard at Oak Street Beach for the past three summers. I’ve dealt with tougher guys than him.” The young man smiled. He and his father were almost identical with the exception of Norman’s gray hair and wrinkles.

  “I’ve never seen anyone more ungrateful,” Norman said with disgust.

  “It’s okay, Dad. We didn’t go ou
t there to get an ‘atta-boy’ anyway,” Luke said, as he clapped his dad on the shoulder.

  “You sound like your mother. Although, if she were here she’d probably drag Herb back out in the water and leave him there,” Norman said with a chuckle as he squinted in Herb’s direction.

  Georgie and Aleta laughed. They grabbed their towels and stretched out on the sand together with Luke and Norman, talking and enjoying the beach.

  Pam and June had been sitting not far from Herb and Dottie’s spot. Finally tired of the continual arguing, June got up and went to join her husband in the water, wading waist deep but no further.

  Before the twins were ready, it was time to leave Punalu’u Beach. The itinerary gave the travelers several hours to explore on their own, to swim at the hotel pool, enjoy the spa, or even take a long nap.

  Georgie and Aleta rode quietly in the shuttle, feeling relaxed and lazy.

  “What should we do with our free time?” Aleta asked her twin.

  “How about we wash up and go get some dessert.”

  “That sounds like a splendid idea.”

  “I’m going to sue. I don’t care,” Herb whispered to Pam who had sat with him because Dottie was looking for a lost earring between the seats ahead. “I could have died out there.”

  “But Herb, do you think you’ve got a case? I mean, you swam all the way out there,” Pam whispered back.

  “There were no markers, no buoys, nothing. Hell yes I have a case. Plus, they won’t want the publicity. They’ll settle long before anything goes to trial.”

  “I guess you don’t have anything to lose,” Pam said, without much emotion in her voice. “Might as well go after the guys who pulled you out, too. They might have hurt your back.” She chuckled nervously at her own sarcasm, but it was lost on Herb, who was now seriously considering an angle he hadn’t thought of.