it wasn’t an accident and it wasn’t Pele, how did your father end up in the steam vent?”
She trains her grey eyes on me. “That’s what I want you to find out.”
I don’t know why I suddenly feel uncomfortable. I grab for any words I can find—and hope they won’t sound flip: “Do you have someone in mind?”
“Maybe Sonny Boy Chang? He assaulted my father two decades ago and has been in and out of prison ever since. He’s out now.”
“I saw Sonny Boy at the funeral.” I recall the bearded, dread-locked man in camouflage. “If we strike out with him, then who?”
“Lots of people on the Big Island fought geothermal development and disliked my dad.” She rattles off a list of essentially the same names that were on my own list. Then she says: “My father sent me a generous check before he died. I’m willing to spend every penny to find out who did this.”
“I’ve got another case going, but I can look into your father’s death around it.” Then I say, “When the deceased is divorced, like your dad was, it’s customary to interview the former spouse. That would be your mother.”
“My mother could have nothing to do with this,” Caitlin insists.
I remember the nasty scar on her father’s right hand, but keep it to myself. “I just want your okay to talk with her.”
“You have it.” Caitlin gives me her mother’s phone number in Kona.
“I should also talk again with your father’s second wife,” I say. “Did you know she was married once before she met him?”
“I heard her first husband died,” Caitlin replies. “Donnie’s not my favorite person, as you can imagine, but she doted on my father.”
“That was my first impression,” I say. Caitlin doesn’t need to know my second.
Caitlin Ransom gives me a retainer before she strides from my office. She’s hardly out the door when I go on line and book a flight to Hilo for the next morning. I get Pualani at the Volcano House on the phone, we talk story, and I explain why I’m returning so soon. Then I phone Caitlin’s mother, Kathryn Ransom, at her Kailua-Kona home and she agrees to see me. Finally I try Ransom’s ex-partner Mick London in Kamuela, with a cell number Caitlin provided. He sounds drunk again—
or still?—
but he too agrees. I’m batting one thousand. Except there’s no phone number for Pele.
Before I leave the office Monday afternoon, I call Denver again. Neither Ashley nor Ethan answers. I leave more messages—against my own better judgment. I can await their return calls just as well on the Big Island.
Then I phone Tommy Woo. He tells me some jokes too salty to repeat. I ask about his contact with the liquor commission and explain that I need a history of over-serving of customers at the Lollipop Lounge. All Tommy can talk about is Zahra and their wedding plans. I try to change the subject. I ask him about a TRO for Blossom’s abusive ex, Junior.
“Worthless,” Tommy says. “A TRO may only piss him off more. A piece of paper won’t stop a desperate man.”
“Mrs. Fujiyama said the same,” I say. “Well, sort of.”
“She’s right.” Tommy says. “Best thing your
lei
girl can do is disappear for a while.”
Before I lock up for the day I make one final call—to Maile. I get her voicemail. “Hi Maile. It’s me. I have to go back to the Big Island for a few days on the Ransom case. When I return I’ll give you a call about dinner.”
I glide down the shag stairs, feeling almost giddy. But the air comes out of my sails as soon as I see Blossom. I don’t have to ask how she’s doing. I can tell by the look in her eyes.
“Junior keeps hanging around my apartment,” she says. “He keeps driving by the
lei
shop. I don’t feel safe anywhere.”
I recall Tommy’s advice. “I’m going off island for a few days,” I say, as the other
lei
girls, Chastity and Joon, look on. “Why don’t you stay at my place while I’m gone?” As soon as I say this I realize it’s a
She trains her grey eyes on me. “That’s what I want you to find out.”
I don’t know why I suddenly feel uncomfortable. I grab for any words I can find—and hope they won’t sound flip: “Do you have someone in mind?”
“Maybe Sonny Boy Chang? He assaulted my father two decades ago and has been in and out of prison ever since. He’s out now.”
“I saw Sonny Boy at the funeral.” I recall the bearded, dread-locked man in camouflage. “If we strike out with him, then who?”
“Lots of people on the Big Island fought geothermal development and disliked my dad.” She rattles off a list of essentially the same names that were on my own list. Then she says: “My father sent me a generous check before he died. I’m willing to spend every penny to find out who did this.”
“I’ve got another case going, but I can look into your father’s death around it.” Then I say, “When the deceased is divorced, like your dad was, it’s customary to interview the former spouse. That would be your mother.”
“My mother could have nothing to do with this,” Caitlin insists.
I remember the nasty scar on her father’s right hand, but keep it to myself. “I just want your okay to talk with her.”
“You have it.” Caitlin gives me her mother’s phone number in Kona.
“I should also talk again with your father’s second wife,” I say. “Did you know she was married once before she met him?”
“I heard her first husband died,” Caitlin replies. “Donnie’s not my favorite person, as you can imagine, but she doted on my father.”
“That was my first impression,” I say. Caitlin doesn’t need to know my second.
Caitlin Ransom gives me a retainer before she strides from my office. She’s hardly out the door when I go on line and book a flight to Hilo for the next morning. I get Pualani at the Volcano House on the phone, we talk story, and I explain why I’m returning so soon. Then I phone Caitlin’s mother, Kathryn Ransom, at her Kailua-Kona home and she agrees to see me. Finally I try Ransom’s ex-partner Mick London in Kamuela, with a cell number Caitlin provided. He sounds drunk again—
or still?—
but he too agrees. I’m batting one thousand. Except there’s no phone number for Pele.
Before I leave the office Monday afternoon, I call Denver again. Neither Ashley nor Ethan answers. I leave more messages—against my own better judgment. I can await their return calls just as well on the Big Island.
Then I phone Tommy Woo. He tells me some jokes too salty to repeat. I ask about his contact with the liquor commission and explain that I need a history of over-serving of customers at the Lollipop Lounge. All Tommy can talk about is Zahra and their wedding plans. I try to change the subject. I ask him about a TRO for Blossom’s abusive ex, Junior.
“Worthless,” Tommy says. “A TRO may only piss him off more. A piece of paper won’t stop a desperate man.”
“Mrs. Fujiyama said the same,” I say. “Well, sort of.”
“She’s right.” Tommy says. “Best thing your
lei
girl can do is disappear for a while.”
Before I lock up for the day I make one final call—to Maile. I get her voicemail. “Hi Maile. It’s me. I have to go back to the Big Island for a few days on the Ransom case. When I return I’ll give you a call about dinner.”
I glide down the shag stairs, feeling almost giddy. But the air comes out of my sails as soon as I see Blossom. I don’t have to ask how she’s doing. I can tell by the look in her eyes.
“Junior keeps hanging around my apartment,” she says. “He keeps driving by the
lei
shop. I don’t feel safe anywhere.”
I recall Tommy’s advice. “I’m going off island for a few days,” I say, as the other
lei
girls, Chastity and Joon, look on. “Why don’t you stay at my place while I’m gone?” As soon as I say this I realize it’s a
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