Distant Echoes by Colleen Coble Page A

it is.”
    “Mano says you keep the old traditions with the hula and our language. Why would you not want to bring back the old Hawai’i—the way we were before the United States stole our land and our wealth from us?”
    She sighed. “There were many reasons why we lost our sovereignty. By the time we were annexed, the damage had been done to our culture anyway. I’m an American now as well as a Hawaiian. Both are my heritage. I wouldn’t mind seeing us awarded nation-within- a-nation status, like the Sioux or other Native American nations. But I don’t plan to vote to pull away from the United States. My father died defending his country in Vietnam. I couldn’t spit on the memory of his sacrifice like that.”
    The amusement in Nahele’s eyes faded. Kaia shivered at the bleak depths in them.
    “I’m going to pay America back for all they’ve taken from us. Most Hawaiians are content to sit back and wait for the government’s goodwill. I’m not that stupid.”
    She wet her lips. “It’s a lost cause.”
    The man’s fingers curled into the palms of his hands. “Mano believes in our cause. You would do well to follow your brother’s example.”
    “He is hot-blooded.” She decided to turn Nahele’s attention away from her family. “I heard you lost a member recently. Jonah Kapolei.”
    He raised his eyebrows. “Did you know Jonah?”
    Bingo. The dead man was Jonah. “No, but Mano did. I suppose Jonah wanted to see the naval base leave Kaua’i. Did you send him to sabotage something?”
    Amusement touched Nahele’s face. “Why do I feel you’re fishing, Miss Oana? I’m not hungry for the tasty worm you’re dangling. I have no idea what Jonah was doing on a dive alone. He knew better.”
    “Maybe he wasn’t alone. He was shot with a poisoned dart.”
    “I wouldn’t know anything about that. I hope you’ll attend again with your brother and give us a chance to change your mind.” He nodded and walked away without waiting for an answer.
    Kaia watched him go. If Jonah’s death had nothing to do with the murders and break-ins at the base, why was Nahele so defensive? She needed to tell Jesse about this conversation, but what if it got Mano in trouble? She chewed on her lip and wished she knew what to do.

Seven
    F aye walked along the beach with Heidi running ahead of her. The little girl stopped and tossed lava rock into the turquoise waves before skipping ahead again. Faye didn’t know where the child got so much energy. In the three days she’d been watching her, they’d gone horseback riding, been to Fern Grotto, and gone on a picnic to Waimea Canyon.
    She was already exhausted. How she would keep this up for another month, she had no idea. Faye found herself remembering how it was when her own children were young. She hadn’t enjoyed this age then, but maybe she’d been too much of a kid herself. Once Heidi got used to her, maybe things would be less tiring.
    She caught up with Heidi only after the girl plopped down to the sand and began heaping it into a pail. “Want some help?” Faye asked her. The little girl shook her head and didn’t look at her. She’d been sullen and uncooperative all day, and Faye was fed up with it. She was only doing this because Curtis thought it was a good idea, and at least the kid could cooperate.
    “I’m going to swim, Auntie Faye.” Heidi got up and went to the edge of the water.
    Faye watched the little girl’s pink bathing suit blur into the brilliant blue of the ocean. In a few minutes Heidi rode a rolling wave onto the beach. Faye looked down at her own modest black suit. She could join the child in the water, but it would mess up her hair,
and she and Curtis had an engagement with business associates later. She didn’t want to have to wash it again.
    She pulled a beach towel out of her bag and spread it on the pale golden sand. She’d just lie in the sun and watch Heidi play. A few other women and children were playing along this section