*The Mellow Years

*The Mellow Years

*The Mellow Years

*The Mellow Years

*The Mellow Years

*The Mellow Years

“I’d hoped it wouldn’t become widespread knowledge that you were visiting the islands,” Linc said, handing her the newspaper.

Maddie read the article, choking back a frightened cry.

“Maybe that’s the man who’s been s-stalking me,” she stammered. “I thought he was watching me at the national park, too, but I didn’t tell you because that person turned out to be a woman. I suppose I just imagined that she looked like the man.”

Linc turned the page and pointed to the picture of the escaped criminal. “Does this look like the man you’ve seen?”

“Maybe, but I don’t know. I’ve just had a few fleeting looks at him. Do you think I’m in danger?”

“I hope not, but perhaps you’d better go home. I want you to be safe.”

IRENE BRAND

Writing has been a lifelong interest of this author, who says that she started her first novel when she was eleven years old and hasn’t finished it yet. However, since 1984 she’s published thirty-two contemporary and historical novels and three nonfiction titles. She started writing professionally in 1977 after she completed her master’s degree in history at Marshall University. Irene taught in secondary public schools for twenty-three years, but retired in 1989 to devote herself to writing.

Consistent involvement in the activities of her local church has been a source of inspiration for Irene’s work. Traveling with her husband, Rod, to all fifty states and to thirty-two foreign countries has also inspired her writing. Irene is grateful to the many readers who have written to say that her inspiring stories and compelling portrayals of characters with strong faith have made a positive impression on their lives. You can write to her at P.O. Box 2770, Southside, WV 25187 or visit her Web site at www.irenebrand.com.

Irene Brand
Yuletide Stalker

“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

—Luke 2:7

Thanks to our friend, Heryl Turner, for providing basic research for this book by taking me for a ride in his Cessna 172 Skyhawk.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

INTERLUDE

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

ONE

The first twenty years of Maddie Horton’s life seemed of little importance as she anticipated the next few weeks. This upcoming Christmas vacation promised to be a time of pleasure and adventure. Her first airplane ride. Her first trip outside the continental United States. And when she landed in Honolulu in a few hours, she would see Lincoln Carey for the first time in over ten years.

Recalling that momentous occasion when Lincoln, who preferred to be called Linc, came into her life, brought fleeting sadness to Maddie. Her father, Commander Stanley Horton of the U. S. Navy, had been on a six-month assignment to Hawaii when he was killed in an airplane crash. Maddie was only ten years old. Linc, a junior officer under her father’s command, had accompanied his body home to West Virginia for burial.

Unaware, the handsome sailor had stolen Maddie’s impressionable heart at their first meeting. The years hadn’t changed her affection for him. After her mother died, Maddie kept in touch with Linc with an occasional note. She had also sent him her high school graduation announcement, which he hadn’t acknowledged.

But when she’d written to ask him to provide some information about Hawaii’s role in World War II for a History project, he invited her to spend the Christmas holidays with him in Hawaii and do onsite research. Maddie had jumped at the chance to find out if the man she’d enshrined in her heart for ten years was as wonderful as she imagined.

Anticipating the trip, Maddie had become as flighty and excited as a kitten chasing sunbeams. She lived in a state of euphoria for weeks. But she’d come down to earth with a thud when she visited Caroline Renault, director of the Valley of Hope facility, where Maddie had lived for two years. VOH was a residence school for at-risk teenagers. Maddie didn’t qualify for admission to the school for the usual reasons. But knowing that she was dying, Maddie’s mother, who had been Miss Caroline’s friend for years, had arranged for Maddie to live at VOH until she was eighteen.

“Did you seek God’s guidance before you planned this trip?” Miss Caroline asked.

Embarrassed, Maddie admitted that she hadn’t.

“I haven’t received any positive reassurance when I’ve prayed about your trip,” Miss Caroline continued. “Since you’ve already accepted the invitation, there isn’t anything I can do except warn you to be careful. But I sense that danger waits for you in Hawaii.”

Because she respected Miss Caroline and her opinions, her concern caused Maddie several anxious days. But in the excitement of the final preparations, Maddie often pushed her friend’s cautionary words into the background. During today’s ten-hour flight, though, she wondered if she would encounter some kind of trouble in Hawaii.

When she’d discussed her concerns with her roommate, Lucy Harrison, Lucy scoffed at the idea.

“What could happen, unless Lincoln Carey turns out to be a jerk?” Lucy said in her matter-of-fact way. “And you’ve got a return ticket. If he makes a pass at you, you can always go to a hotel for a few days. In the meantime, you’ll have a lot of new experiences.”

Her eyes sweeping Maddie from head to toe, Lucy asked, “Does Linc Carey know what you look like?”

“I’ve never sent him a picture. He probably remembers the way I looked when I was ten.”

“And how old is he?”

“Eleven years older than I am. He’s thirty-one now.”

With twinkling eyes, Lucy said, “Chances are he still thinks of you as a child. Your appearance may be quite a shock to the man.”

Remembering Lucy’s lighthearted assessment of the situation eased Maddie’s apprehension. She settled back in her seat and looked out the small window. When the plane took off from the Houston airport, she had been on pins and needles watching the rapidly receding ground. Below her now was a white layer of clouds. She took her Bible from her tote bag and searched for some Scriptures that dealt with clouds. One from the book of Isaiah resonated with her.

See, the Lord rides on a swift cloud.

Momentarily, she wondered if her feeling of being suspended in space was a foretaste of what Heaven would be like.

But another passage in Isaiah had always been special to Maddie since the day she’d accepted Jesus as her Savior and God as the Guide of her life.

I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.

The clouds blocked her view of Earth, yet they also served as a reminder of God’s forgiving spirit.

Maddie put the Bible away and peered out the window again. Through occasional breaks in the clouds, she saw the wide sweep of the Pacific. She had chatted with the passenger seated to her left, a Hawaiian businessman, until he went to sleep during the movie. He was still sleeping. Fidgeting, eager to reach her destination, Maddie noticed a headline in the Honolulu newspaper on her companion’s lap. Her eyes widened. She straightened in the seat while a flicker of apprehension tingled her spine. Leaning closer she read the headline.

Deathbed Confession Leads U.S. Navy to Investigate Ten-Year-Old Accident.

Her heartbeat accelerated. Maddie tapped the man gently on the shoulder. When he opened his eyes, she said, “May I look at your newspaper?”

Smiling, he handed it to her. “I’ve finished with it. Keep the paper, if you like.”

Maddie gripped the newspaper in trembling fingers. Her hands moistened, and her rapid heartbeat threatened to choke her as she read.

Two inmates escaped from the federal prison yesterday. One of the inmates, Demitirio Sanale, was shot during the escape attempt. His brother, Kamu, is still at large. Demitirio died from his injuries, but on his deathbed, he confessed that he had been part of a plot that caused the death of a naval officer ten years ago. The airplane crash that took the officer’s life had been considered an accident, but a new investigation into the crash has been launched. The public is warned that Kamu Sanale is armed and dangerous.

Maddie felt as if a hand was closing around her throat. Fearful images flashed in her mind. A dreadful flicker of uneasiness touched her heart. Could this incident be related to her father’s death ten years ago? Maddie had accepted her father’s death when she thought it was an accident in the line of duty as he served his country. But if he had been murdered, the old wounds would bleed again. Was this the reason Miss Caroline sensed she shouldn’t go to Hawaii? Suddenly, Maddie wished she had never left home. But her troubled thoughts were interrupted when the pilot asked the attendants to prepare the cabin for landing.

As she always did when anxious, Maddie twisted the opal ring on her forefinger. Her father had given it to her mother as an engagement ring, and Maddie had worn it every day since her mother died. Once again, grief over her parents’ untimely deaths engulfed her. She’d never felt so alone. Of course, Linc waited for her, but he was a stranger to her. Why had she been so foolish as to accept this invitation?

The attendants walked through the cabin collecting earphones, taking cups and other trash, while Maddie’s heart pounded in anticipation coupled with fear. Following directions, she fastened her belt and restored her seat to an upright position. When she next glanced out the window, a sight of unbelievable beauty greeted her eyes.

The string of islands looked small in the vivid blue water. White waves pirouetted like mermaids in the surf. Volcanic peaks soared majestically toward the sky. There wasn’t as much green as she’d expected, but she knew she couldn’t compare this island paradise with the verdant forests of her native West Virginia.

As the giant plane dropped quietly toward the distant islands, Maddie tensed for the landing with a sense of unease. Would her vacation in Hawaii be as enjoyable as she’d imagined? She’d tried to put Miss Caroline’s words out of her mind, but it was impossible to discredit what her mentor and friend had said.

Maddie had concluded that Miss Caroline thought it inappropriate for her to accept the invitation from a man she barely knew. Linc had assured her that he had a resident housekeeper as a chaperone, but she had only his word for it. After reading the newspaper article, Maddie feared that Miss Caroline’s concerns heralded a more dangerous situation.

Wondering what he’d gotten himself into, Linc Carey nervously waited for Maddie’s plane to land. He carried an orchid lei and the sweet scent of the blossoms stung his nostrils. When he starting pacing for the fifth time his companion, Ahonui Kingsbury, said, “Can’t you sit still? The plane isn’t due to land for fifteen minutes. I knew this would happen when you insisted on coming two hours early.”

Linc sat down, but Ahonui’s words annoyed him. In fact, her presence annoyed him. She had been his secretary since he’d organized his restaurant chain eight years ago. She didn’t normally interfere in his private life, and he couldn’t understand why she was so intent on coming to the airport with him. He was uncertain of how this visit with Maddie would turn out, and he didn’t want anyone watching when he met the girl he hadn’t seen for ten years.

“I don’t know why you asked this child to visit you for a whole month anyway,” Ahonui said. “This is our busiest time of the year.”

“She isn’t a child. She’s in college. And I invited Maddie for a visit because I promised her father I’d keep in contact with his family. I kept my commitment fairly well for a while, but I’ve been so busy the past few years that time got away from me.”

Ahonui’s perfectly curved eyebrow lifted as she asked, “Why haven’t you mentioned her before this?”

Although he was tempted to say that he didn’t see why it concerned her, he ignored the question.

“Maddie is researching Hawaii’s involvement in World War II for one of her courses,” he continued as he paced the short aisle where they sat, “and she asked me to send her some material on the subject. I realized that I hadn’t kept in touch with Maddie and her mother as I should have, so I tried to make it up to her by inviting her to Hawaii during the semester break. While she’s here, I’ll take her to World War II sites.”

“Well, I know she’s going to be a nuisance to us,” Ahonui countered.

Linc looked at her sharply. “Us! Maddie isn’t your responsibility. I expect you to handle the office while I entertain her. I don’t even know why you insisted on coming today.”

“I’d think you would want me to help, especially now that you’ve finally realized she isn’t a child.”

He sat down again, but didn’t bother to answer this comment. Roselina, his housekeeper, was all the help he needed in seeing that Maddie enjoyed herself.

When the arrival of the plane sounded over the loudspeaker, Linc jumped to his feet and walked briskly to the door where passengers would deplane from the security section. When he had talked to Maddie by phone two days ago, he’d asked, “How will I recognize you? I’m sure you’ve changed a lot in ten years.”

“I’ll wear my blue suit and a white shirt,” Maddie had answered in a soft voice. “I have shoulder-length blond hair.”

“Good. Then I’ll have on a blue shirt with the Hawaiian flag on the pocket to help you find me,” Linc had said.

His memory was hazy about Maddie’s appearance. When he’d met her, he was burdened with the responsibility and grief of accompanying the body of his commanding officer. He remembered Maddie as a gangly child with vivid blue eyes and braces on her teeth. He knew very little about her teenage years because her letters to him, usually thank-you notes for gifts he’d sent, had been brief.

As Linc eagerly scanned the deplaning passengers, he sensed that Ahonui stood beside him. To add to his discomfort, many of the women unloading wore blue outfits, and he looked them over with increasing frustration. His surprise couldn’t have been greater when a young woman paused before him, a half smile on her face.

“Are you Linc?”

Linc stared speechlessly at the vision of blond loveliness looking up at him with the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen. He’d grown accustomed to the dark features of native Hawaiians. Even people with light complexions spent so much time in the sun that it was unusual to see anyone with such fair skin.

His appreciative eyes swept over her facial features. Her dark blue eyes were framed by thick, curling lashes, a shade darker than the blond wavy hair tumbling over her shoulders. Her lips were full and rounded over even white teeth. A dainty nose was the focal point of a delicate face with a complexion blend of gold and ivory. Maddie had a petite, slender body. Linc had been expecting a girl, but Maddie Horton was a woman. He forgot about Ahonui standing beside him.

“Welcome to Hawaii, Maddie,” he said huskily, and with hands that trembled he draped the lei over her head. As his hands rested momentarily on her shoulders, she stole a glance at his face.

Thick dark hair framed his classically handsome features. Clear gray eyes brimming with awe shone from a face bronzed by the sun. His mouth might have appeared stern if not tempered by the humorous quirking of his full lips. He towered almost a foot over her five feet three inches. Unnerved by her spinning pulses, Maddie looked away.

His mind reeling with confusion, Linc dropped his hands from her shoulders.

Ahonui’s sarcastic voice sounded in his ear. “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

Suddenly, he was happy for her presence.

Shaking his head to clear it, Linc reached for the piece of luggage Maddie carried.

“Maddie Horton, this is my secretary and friend, Ahonui Kingsbury.”

Maddie took Ahonui’s hand, wondering at the speculative glint in the woman’s eyes.

“Patience is my English name if you’d prefer to use that. You’ll be seeing a lot of me.”

“But I like Ahonui,” Maddie said. “It’s a pretty name.”

“How was your flight?” Linc asked as he steered Maddie toward the luggage area. Ahonui took a place at Linc’s other side.

“Since it was my first flight, I don’t know whether it was typical or not,” she said, and her eyes met his briefly. “But I enjoyed it very much. Thanks for making it possible for me to have this new experience.”

“You’ll be a flying pro before you go home. We do a lot of interisland flying here.”

A piece of Maddie’s luggage didn’t arrive, and she assured Linc that she could manage without it.

“We’ll report it to the claims department, and we can probably pick it up when we come into town tomorrow. I’ve set aside the day to take you on a tour of Honolulu.”

When they reached the parking garage, Ahonui claimed the front seat of Linc’s two-door car, leaving Maddie to climb into the back. Linc didn’t like it, but he knew he couldn’t do anything about Ahonui’s behavior without making a scene that would embarrass Maddie.

As he left the airport, Linc spoke over his shoulder to Maddie, “We’ll take Ahonui into town, then we’ll head toward my home, which is ten miles from the city in the opposite direction. You’ve had a long trip, and you’ll probably want to rest before we start sightseeing.”

Linc soon pulled into the parking garage of a multistoried building and stopped near the elevator.

“My offices are on the tenth floor,” he said to Maddie, “and I’ll take you on a tour of them later.” He left the car and opened the door for Ahonui.

“I probably won’t be back to work for a week,” he said to her, “but I’ll check in by phone at least once a day.”

Ahonui stepped out of the car, saying, “I hope you’ll enjoy your visit in Hawaii, Maddie.” Turning to Linc, she said quietly, “I just thought of something we need to discuss. Could I speak with you privately?”

Frowning, he said to Maddie, “I’ll only be a few minutes.” Linc followed Ahonui out of hearing.

“What’s so important that it can’t wait until tomorrow?” he asked impatiently.

“Do you think it’s wise for you to be escorting that woman around these islands alone? I can easily go with you. The other secretaries can handle things until we’re back.”

Irritated more than he should have been, Linc said, “I need a secretary this month more than I need a chaperone.”

“How old is she anyway?”

“I don’t remember her exact age, but I think she’s twenty.”

Laughing ironically, Ahonui stated, “She’s the most mature twenty-year-old I’ve ever seen, and you’re a bachelor. She might have designs on you. I’m just trying to protect her reputation…and yours,” she added significantly.

He lifted his brows. “Surely I’m not such a rough character that my companionship would ruin anyone’s reputation.”

“That isn’t what I mean and you know it.”

Ahonui knew very well that he didn’t date anyone steady, and she hadn’t shown any interest in him, other than as her employer. He knew very little about her private life, so why was she so eager to follow him and Maddie around the islands?

“Let me worry about Maddie’s reputation. You take care of the office.”

Returning to the car, Linc opened the door and invited Maddie to sit in the front seat.

“I don’t want to look like your chauffeur,” he said with a grin. “Besides you can see better from up here.”

Ahonui watched them leave, and Maddie wondered at the expression on her face. Was it fear that shone from her dark eyes? Or was she romantically interested in Linc? Since Linc had been her knight in shining armor for years, Maddie had hoped that her memory had remained in his heart, too. She supposed that Linc would always think of her as a child, and she knew she couldn’t compete with Ahonui if Linc was dating her.

Ahonui was a tall, slender, almost excessively thin woman, but she walked gracefully, her well-shaped shoulders erect. She had heavy dark hair, olive skin and ebony eyes. Only a slight droop to her shapely mouth marred the beauty of her face. Her air of self-determination gnawed at Maddie’s self-confidence. She had a feeling that Ahonui would stop at nothing to gain what she wanted.

Maddie’s daydreams about the time she would spend with Linc had suffered a setback. Comparing herself to Ahonui, Maddie sensed that she came off second best. How close was the relationship between Ahonui and Linc?

TWO

Having noticed that many of the houses along the highway were small, unpretentious dwellings, the magnificence of Linc’s home came as a big surprise to Maddie. After they left the main highway, for about a mile he guided his small red sports car along a private road lined with eucalyptus trees. They entered a sizable cleared area dominated by a two-story frame house with a steeply pitched roof. One striking feature of his home was a long, low veranda with sheltering eaves. A covered walkway connected the house to a nearby cottage.

Linc opened the car door for Maddie, and as she stepped out, she exclaimed, “Oh, it’s beautiful. Is it a new house?”

Pleased at her response to his home, Linc shook his head. “It’s a lot older than we are. This house was built in the thirties by the owner of a sugar plantation. After he died most of the land was snapped up by contractors who built resort hotels along the beach. But the woman who inherited the property didn’t want her grandfather’s home razed. I bought the house and four acres of land at a reasonable price. It was in bad condition, and it has cost a lot of money and hard work to renovate, but it was worth it.”

“Oh, yes, I think so. And just feel that lovely breeze,” Maddie said as the wind stirred tendrils of soft hair across her face.

“We’re close to the ocean. Let me show you my favorite view.”

He directed Maddie into a large living room furnished with overstuffed sofas and chairs. At the end facing the ocean, the wall consisted almost entirely of windows. Linc opened a sliding door onto a trellised porch that led to the ocean at the property’s edge.

“My own private beach,” he said.

Finding it hard to realize she was vacationing in such a wonderful spot, Maddie cried out, “I’ve come to paradise! What a fabulous place to live. No wonder you stayed here after you left the navy.”

“Many people who move to Hawaii from the original forty-eight think it’s too confining and soon return home. It’s true that we’re pretty much marooned from the rest of the states, but I’ve found everything I want here.” Scanning Maddie’s delicate, ethereal profile, he amended in his mind, “Or almost everything I’ve wanted.”

“So there you are,” a cheerful voice sounded behind them. “Mr. Linc, why didn’t you bring the young lady to meet me?”

Maddie turned to see a short, chubby woman standing on the veranda, hands on her hips. Linc motioned the woman toward them.

“Because I couldn’t wait to show our guest the view. Maddie, this is Roselina Pukui—my housekeeper, friend and parole officer. If it wasn’t for her, I’d get in all kinds of trouble.”

Laughing at Linc’s remarks, Roselina waddled toward them, her gentle black button eyes smiling.

“Don’t pay no heed to him, honey.” She wrapped her arms around Maddie, crushing the floral lei. The sweet scent of the orchids surrounded them. “Welcome to our home.”

Even from her short stature, Maddie could look over the housekeeper’s squat figure. Forming an immediate fondness for Roselina, Maddie returned Linc’s affectionate smile.

Releasing Maddie and patting her long, golden hair, Roselina said, “And I was expecting a little girl, not a grown-up woman. Why’d you fib to me, Mr. Linc?”

“I was surprised, too, Roselina. I was expecting the little girl I’d remembered.”

“Well, you’re pretty as a picture, Miss Maddie. Let me show you to your room, and then we’ll have a little snack before you take a rest. I know what a tiresome trip it is from the mainland. My two kids live in California, and I go to see them once a year. It takes a day or two to rest from the long flight.”

Recalling Ahonui’s comment about Maddie’s reputation, Linc cleared his throat. “I’ve been thinking, Roselina, that Maddie might be more comfortable in the guesthouse. It’s ready for company, isn’t it?”

Roselina’s startled eyes met her employer’s, then she took another, appraising look at Maddie. “Of course, Mr. Linc,” Roselina said quickly. “She will have more privacy. Come this way, Miss Maddie.”

As Maddie followed Roselina to the small cottage, she wondered at this sudden change in where she was staying. Maybe she hadn’t lived up to Linc’s expectations, and he didn’t want her around all the time. Maddie knew she should curb her sensitive nature, but it was hard to break a lifelong habit. She’d always found it difficult to believe that people really wanted her for a friend.

“You’ll like the cottage better than the bedroom in the house,” Roselina said as she walked next to Maddie. When the housekeeper opened the door to the one-room cottage, Maddie agreed with her.

“Oh, this is wonderful,” she said. The bedroom and bathroom area were separated from the combination kitchen and living room by a wooden screen. “Listen to the ocean waves. What a peaceful place to sleep. But why do you need a cottage when the house is so large?”

“Long ago, this was the office of the plantation owner, and Mr. Linc thought it would make a good guesthouse. He entertains business friends here sometimes, so I keep it ready for use.” She opened the small refrigerator. “Soft drinks and ice are in here.” Pointing to a box on the wall, she said. “Intercom to the house. Also a private phone if you want to call home. Nice, huh?”

“Very nice.” The room was warm so Maddie laid her jacket and purse on the small couch. By the time Roselina had shown her where the extra towels and blankets were kept, Linc arrived with her luggage.

“Do I have time to take a shower and change before lunch?”

“Yes, take your time. I’ve prepared cold snacks for lunch, and I can serve them when you’re ready,” Roselina assured her.

Trotting beside Linc as they returned to the main house, Roselina demanded, “Why isolate the little thing when there’s a nice room all ready in the house?”

Flushing slightly, Linc said, “Yes, a nice room directly across the hall from mine. I really didn’t expect Maddie to be so…” He hesitated. “So mature. She’ll prefer the privacy of the guesthouse.”

Ahonui’s remarks had made Linc more conscious of his responsibility while Maddie visited him. And he hadn’t been prepared for the emotional jolt Maddie’s appearance had caused. Since Stanley Horton had been his friend, Maddie probably thought of him as a father figure, and he’d have to be sure that he kept it that way. Trouble was, he didn’t know how a father should act, either. But he knew that he would be more comfortable if Maddie didn’t occupy the bedroom across the hall from his own.

When Maddie showed up for lunch wearing white capris, a coral tunic and a pair of white canvas sandals, Linc groaned inwardly. The casual garments she’d exchanged for the light blue tailored suit she’d worn made her even more attractive. How could he spend a month treating Maddie as the daughter of his friend when he suspected that she embodied the traits he’d looked for in a woman most of his adult life? Since he didn’t date much, his friends often accused him of being too picky. And maybe he was, because he hadn’t found anyone before whose presence affected him as Maddie’s did.

After lunch, Maddie said, “I’m very tired, but I’d like to take a walk down to the beach before I go to bed. I’m too keyed up to sleep yet.”

“Just take a little nap,” Roselina advised, “and tonight you can get adjusted to the local sleeping schedule.”

“I’ll show you around,” Linc said.

Narrow stepping stones marked the path to the beach, and they walked single file. Following Maddie, Linc carried two lounge chairs.

“It’s a small beach but fairly private except for pleasure boats traveling by.” Gesturing in a wide arc toward the palatial hotels dominating the coastline in both directions, he said, “You can see we’re situated in a cove between several large resort hotels.”

Maddie kicked off her sandals, walked across the sandy beach and waded into the gentle surf. “I can’t believe it,” she said, jumping up and down, splashing water in her excitement. “Maddie Horton walking in the Pacific Ocean. I must be dreaming. Is it safe to swim here?”

“Perfectly safe,” Linc assured her. “I usually take a swim when I come home from work.”

“My swimsuit is in the piece of luggage we’ll pick up tomorrow, so I can’t swim today.”

Linc unfolded the lounge chairs. “We can sit and enjoy the view until you get sleepy.”

Maddie stretched out on the chair, leaned her head back and listened to the regular rhythm of the incoming whitecaps. A large white bird with red feet landed on the beach and strutted serenely through the water, turning its head toward Linc and Maddie as if expecting a handout.

“Is that a seagull?”

“We don’t have seagulls in Hawaii. That’s a Red-footed Booby.”

Maddie frowned. “What an ugly name for such a pretty bird.”

“You’ll notice many birds that are strange to you. There’s a bird book in your cottage for guests—you can use that to identify them.”

The long plane trip had been exhausting and Maddie sighed. Despite the disturbing news she’d read about the naval officer’s death, she had never felt more content in her life. These few hours with Linc had proven he was the same thoughtful, caring man who’d supported Maddie and her mother through Stanley Horton’s funeral years ago. She went to sleep wondering if Linc was in love with Ahonui.

Linc unashamedly watched Maddie as she slept. The breeze whiffed the long golden tresses around her face, and occasionally Maddie brushed them aside. Her face was relaxed and she seemed vulnerable, as if she was still the girl he remembered, but she wasn’t a child. Nor did he want her to be, although he didn’t dare hope that she would regard him romantically. Maddie sighed wearily and an agonized expression spread across her face.

Suddenly Linc felt like a Peeping Tom, and he turned on his side away from Maddie, but not to sleep. The recent news that an investigation was being initiated into Stanley Horton’s death had come as a shock to him. If he’d had any notion of such a development, he wouldn’t have invited Maddie to visit. He didn’t want to ruin her vacation, but she should be made aware of these new developments. What was the best way to tell her? He decided to say nothing until she had rested.

They ate their evening meal of chicken, potatoes and mixed vegetables in the dining room with a full view of the Pacific.

“Except for some of the spices, this meal could have been served back home,” Maddie said. “I’m curious about what kind of food you prepare for Christmas. And how do you celebrate here in Hawaii? Are your customs different?”

Laughing, Linc said, “Different from what I knew as a kid. I grew up in Iowa, and I remember going to Grandma’s house for a traditional Christmas dinner. We didn’t travel in a horse-drawn sleigh, but we had snow most of the time. You obviously won’t see any snow, but people do a lot of decorating. And we serve ham and turkey with all the fixin’s in my restaurants and people like that. I heard a news anchor say last week that you can always tell you’re spending Christmas in Hawaii when ‘Silent Night’ is played on a ukulele and Santa arrives on the beach in a canoe.”

“That’s funny,” she said with a grin. “I’ve been thinking how strange it will seem to spend Christmas Day at the beach. Do you decorate a tree?”

As Roselina cleared the table for dessert, she said, “Christmas trees are brought in by ship—sometimes by plane. Mr. Linc usually brings home a fir tree, and I decorate it for him. European seamen brought Christmas to the islands, but I don’t think much attention was paid to the holiday until Hawaii became a U.S. territory.”

“I read in the newspaper last week that the first Christmas was supposedly celebrated in Hawaii when an English ship captain and his crew observed the holiday in the South Pacific not far from here.” Linc grinned and added, “Their menu consisted of roasted pig and coconut milk. I’ve always served roasted pork at my restaurants, and this year, as a specialty for the Christmas season, we’re serving chilled coconut milk.”

Mention of the newspaper reminded Maddie of the article. Suddenly the joy of celebrating Christmas in Hawaii took second place to the suspicion that her father could have been murdered.

Noting her change of expression, as soon as they finished the meal, Linc asked Maddie if she wanted to go to her cottage.

Stifling a yawn, she said, “But I should help Roselina with the dishes.”

“No, no,” the housekeeper said. “I have a dishwasher, and it will take no time. You can help next time, but you should rest your first night here.”

As soon as the sun set, darkness came immediately, and Maddie felt apprehensive. She willingly agreed when Linc said, “I’ll walk with you to the cottage. I don’t have dusk to dawn lights because I like the peace of total darkness, but it might be intimidating if you aren’t used to it.”

He turned on the light over the garage door, which was near the cottage. “I’ll leave this light on all night.”

Maddie thanked him, because the darkness did frighten her. And it was deathly quiet except for the continuous slapping of waves on the beach.

“Sleep as late as you want,” Linc said, “and when you’re ready, come to the house for breakfast. We’ll spend the next two days in Honolulu visiting the World War II sites that you want to see and also laze around on Waikiki Beach for a few hours.”

He opened the door. Hesitantly, she said, “Do you have time to come in?”

Wondering, he said, “Yes, of course.”

“I want to show you something.”

Maddie went into the bedroom area and returned with the newspaper she’d gotten on the plane. She spread it out before him and pointed to the article that had disturbed her. “Do you know anything about this?”

Linc threaded his fingers through his thick hair. “I’m sorry you found out before I had a chance to tell you. If you’ve read the paper, you know as much as I do. The prison break was reported on television, but since residents have both English and Hawaiian names, at first I didn’t connect the escapees with your father’s death. Since the military is doing the investigation, they won’t release much information, but I’m sure that it is Commander Horton’s death.”

“Will you tell me about Daddy’s death? I’m sure I heard details of the accident when I was a child, but Mother didn’t like to talk about it. I don’t remember what really happened.”

“Yes, I will, but shouldn’t we wait until tomorrow? You must be tired, and if we start talking about this tonight, you probably won’t go to sleep.”

“You’re right, of course.”

His eyes were compassionate as he said, “It must have been a jolt for you to learn about this new development when you’re so far from your family and friends.”

“Actually, I don’t really have a family. I’m an only child, and except for a few cousins I rarely see, there isn’t anyone. My grandmother died soon after my mother did. After that, you know that I spent two years at the Valley of Hope.”

Linc nodded, and she continued, “And the last two years I’ve lived in a college dorm. I’ve gone to school winter and summer because I didn’t have anything else to do. I have some very special friends, however, and I’m thankful for them.”

“I guess we have a lot in common. I’m an only child, too, and I joined the navy after my parents died in a car accident. I have several aunts and uncles and lots of cousins, but we don’t keep in touch. My fault, not theirs.”

Stifling another yawn, Maddie said, “Because I don’t have any home ties, I do appreciate this invitation to visit you. Christmas has always been a sad time for me, so I’m determined to enjoy myself while I’m here despite this disturbing news, which may concern Daddy.”

Linc squeezed her hand gently.

“Hey, I’m a loner, too,” he said with a gentle smile. “The pleasure is mine. You’re going to keep me from being lonely this Christmas.” Tugging gently on her hair, he laughed and said, “Once you get used to the angels in the nativity scenes wearing leis instead of halos, you’ll enjoy Christmas in Hawaii.”

Maddie stood in the door and watched Linc’s long stride as he returned to the house. His last words sounded as if he was speaking to a child. Why did that annoy her?

THREE

After the long flight, Maddie had expected to fall asleep quickly. The bed was comfortable, the room was cool, and she was irritated when she flounced until the covers resembled a war zone. She couldn’t stop thinking about Linc. The affection she’d harbored for him since she’d first met him had been like a child’s security blanket. Following the death of her father, she’d needed a physical reminder to keep his memory alive in her heart and mind. Linc had been that reminder.

During her teen years, after her mother had gotten ill, she’d also needed an anchor, and Linc’s memory had provided that. Thinking of Linc as her special friend had helped her bear the loss of both parents. Although their contact had been infrequent, she’d remembered him in her heart as a sort of knight in shining armor. She had imagined him to be all that was good, noble and caring. How did the Linc she’d met today measure up to her dream man?

Maddie groaned, turned on her stomach and buried her head in the pillow. Linc was even more charming than she had ever imagined. Would spending a month with him bring her a lot of grief? He obviously thought of her as a child. And what about his relationship with Ahonui? If she allowed herself to fall in love with Linc, would she go home with a broken heart?

Tears stained the pillow before Maddie finally fell sleep, but she awakened at daylight. She showered and dressed for the day in jeans and a blue-and-white stripped tunic-length cotton shirt. Since her fair skin burned easily, she thought the cuffed three-quarter-length sleeves would be helpful. The shirttail hem allowed the blouse to hang loosely about her hips. She put on the sandals she’d worn yesterday. She hadn’t brought many clothes, because she hoped to buy a few locally made garments.

Linc hadn’t said what time Roselina served breakfast, but since it wasn’t yet seven o’clock, she walked to the beach. The tide was out, and she picked up several small shells to take to her friend Lucy. She stepped out of her shoes to test the temperature of the water. It was cool, but not too cold, and she thought she could easily swim each morning.

Hearing a sound behind her, Maddie turned and waved to Linc, who walked toward her. He wore white walking shorts and a red knit shirt. Her heart fluttered like a leaf caught in a strong wind, and this reaction to Linc’s appearance irritated her. What had happened to her common sense?

“You’re up early,” he said.

“I couldn’t sleep. My mind and body are still operating on Eastern Standard Time.”

“That happens sometimes,” he said. “It will take a day or two for you to get over jet lag.”

Laughing up at him, Maddie said, “I didn’t realize what jet lag was until I woke up before dawn this morning.”

“Ready for breakfast?” Linc said. “Roselina has everything prepared. I have a full day planned for you.”

“Such as?”

“Since you want to research World War II in Hawaii, I’ll take you to the Punch Bowl Cemetery to see the memorial to the men who died in that war. We’ll also go to Pearl Harbor and visit the USS Arizona memorial. After you get a general view of these historic places, you can do more detailed research if you like.”

“I’m planning to collect books and pamphlets, as well as take pictures. I brought some disposable cameras with me.”

Roselina served breakfast on the patio. In the distance, large ships plied the open waters of the Pacific. Palm trees along the coast swayed like ballerinas in the mild breeze. Sun had warmed the air, but the breeze had a cooling effect.

Sipping on a glass of pineapple juice, Maddie said, “This can’t be me—Maddie Horton—in paradise. We’d already had snow and some zero temperatures before I left home. Pinch me so I can tell if I’m dreaming.”

Playfully, Linc reached across the table and pinched her arm lightly. It was a simple gesture, but an electrifying one. Blue eyes looked into gray ones, and for a moment the universe seemed to stand still, as if they were seeing each other for the first time.

Coming out on the patio with a tray, Roselina said, “Here’s a—” She stopped abruptly. But her words had broken the spell. Linc shook his head and felt his face reddening as he expelled the breath he’d been holding. Maddie clutched a napkin in her hands and looked away.

Groaning inwardly, Linc wondered how to deal with the unbidden emotion that had suddenly filled his heart. If he thought the attraction was one-sided, it would be easier, but he was convinced that Maddie had experienced a similar reaction. He would have to keep reminding her and himself of the eleven years difference in their ages.

He turned to Roselina who stared at him—speechless for a change. Clearing his throat, he said, “Are you going to keep us in suspense? Have you made one of your special omelets?”

“Of course, Mr. Linc! Special food for a special guest.”

She took the lid off the serving dish and swept the tempting omelet onto the table between them. “You like omelets, Miss Maddie?”

“I’ve bought them in restaurants lots of times. I’ve never eaten a homemade one.”

“Then you’re in for a treat,” Linc said. The difficult moment passed, but it wasn’t forgotten by any of them.

After they finished the meal, Linc pushed back from the table and propped his right ankle on the opposite knee. Roselina poured another cup of coffee for him and brought hot tea for Maddie. Preparing a cup of tea for herself, she joined them at the table.

“This is as good a time as any to tell you what I know about your father’s death,” Linc said. “He was sent to Hawaii on a short-term assignment to test a new plane the navy wanted to purchase. While he was here, he investigated and brought about the arrest of some Hawaiian employees who were stealing military supplies and technology and selling them to foreign governments.”

Shocked at this disclosure, Maddie gasped, “I’ve never heard that. I’m sure Mother didn’t tell me.”

“She probably didn’t want to worry you,” Roselina said. “Mothers are like that.”

With a somber face, Linc continued, “A father and two sons were involved in the theft. The father was killed resisting arrest at the time. The sons were imprisoned, but they escaped from prison a few days ago. The oldest son was recaptured and died from wounds he’d received while trying to escape. Before he died he confessed that he’d been involved in the death of Commander Horton. He’s a member of an ancient Polynesian cult that practice ‘a life for a life’ religion. To his way of thinking, Stanley Horton had caused his father’s death, so he sabotaged the plane Stanley was flying.”

“That’s sounds medieval,” Maddie said, shocked. “I didn’t know anything like that went on anymore.”

“Not many people in the islands hold to the old ways, but there are a few. The police think the other escapee was injured, but he hasn’t been captured yet.” Getting up from the table, he reached his right hand to Maddie. “Don’t think about it. Let’s get started so you can see Honolulu.”

But he wasn’t sure he wanted Honolulu to see her. Well rested, she was even lovelier than she’d been when she’d arrived yesterday.

Since they had two hours before they could enter the Pearl Harbor memorial, he drove to the Punch Bowl Cemetery. Maddie took several photos of the whole area and close-up shots of the towering memorial to World War II veterans.

A motor launch quickly took them from the mainland to the site of the USS Arizona. Maddie’s lips trembled and tears misted her eyes as she looked at the pieces of the ship still visible through the waters after more than fifty years. She scanned the long list of those entombed in the wreckage during the air raid that had plunged the United States into World War II. The deaths of these servicemen made more vivid poignant memories of her own father’s death.

Linc had been aware of the sadness Maddie was experiencing. When they returned to the launch to take them back to the main island, tears slowly slid down her cheeks. He wiped them away with his handkerchief, and throwing caution to the wind, he put his arm around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder. When they reached the dock, she looked up at him with grateful eyes. “Thanks,” she said, and he squeezed her hand as he helped her out of the boat.

“I’m not sure I can write a paper on this subject,” she said. “It’s such a sad chapter in the history of our country, I don’t know if I can deal with it.”

“Don’t make up your mind now. Every war has had its tragedies. Too bad nations can’t learn to live in peace.”

He left the parking lot and turned toward the city of Honolulu, thinking it was time for Maddie’s mind to be diverted from the horrors of war. She’d had enough tragedy in her young life. Had he made a mistake to take her to the war memorials before she saw the lighter side of Hawaii?

Maddie had heard of Waikiki Beach all of her life, and when she knew she’d be coming to visit Linc, she’d rented a travel video about the beaches of Hawaii. But the film hadn’t prepared her for the beauty of this area—the tall, swaying palm trees, the wide sandy beach, the sun shimmering on the tranquil water.

They accessed the beach on the western end, and the first thing to catch her eye was Diamond Head a few miles down the coast. Then she looked seaward at the blue, placid Pacific where people were swimming, surfboarding or riding in outrigger canoes. Others lay on the beach under tents, and numerous visitors sunbathed in lounge chairs.

“Oh, I love it! I love it!” Maddie said. “Makes me wish I lived near an ocean. I can see I’ve missed a lot of fun things.”

It seemed natural for them to hold hands as they strolled along the walkway.

“I’ll see that you experience Hawaii to the fullest before you go home.”

So intent was Maddie on looking at everything, she didn’t notice the frequent stares of the men along the walkway. But Linc noticed, and he didn’t appreciate their attention.

When they approached a man holding two gaily plumaged birds, Linc asked, “Do you want to have your picture taken with one of the birds?”

Maddie nodded and her eyes gleamed with excitement when the man placed one of the birds on her shoulder.

“How about you, sir?” he said. “Get in the picture.” Linc held out his arm and the other bird perched on it. “Stand close to the young lady.”

The man snapped two pictures on his instant camera, and when they developed he handed them to Maddie for viewing.

“Do you like them?” Linc asked.

Maddie didn’t like the tense expression in her eyes—just as the man had snapped the picture, the bird had squeezed her ear with his beak. Surprise shone from her eyes, and her body was tense—as if she was ready to jump out of her skin. But Linc’s picture was perfect. “Yes,” she said. “They will make good souvenirs.” She would have that picture to add to the other one she’d had for years.

Linc handed the man a ten-dollar bill, and Maddie held the still-moist pictures carefully as they went on their way.

They bought colas and hot dogs and ate in a picnic shelter that faced the water. Maddie purchased postcards to send to Miss Caroline and her friends, Lucy Harrison and Janice Reid. Linc rented two beach chairs under an umbrella made of dried palm leaves, and while she wrote to her friends, he dozed in the shade. She’d never felt more at peace with the world.

“Tell me about your restaurants,” Maddie said when she finished her cards and put them in her tote bag.

“I have one on each of the four major islands,” he said. “Eight years ago, I started with a small restaurant here in Honolulu and expanded it over the next two years. When that business was paid for, I started a restaurant on Maui, which also became successful. Over the next two years I opened restaurants on Hawaii and Kauai. It’s been a slow process, but I didn’t have much money to start with.”

“Are you through expanding?”

“I’m in the process of opening another restaurant here in Honolulu.”

“What kind of restaurants?”

“They’re called Everyday Luau. Luaus are big tourist attractions in Hawaii, but expensive. My restaurants have all of the qualities of a luau, but on a smaller scale, and at much less cost.”

“I don’t understand.”

“We serve the same foods available at a luau. There’s a nightly entertainment of traditional Hawaiian music. Each restaurant has a gift shop stocking Hawaiian gift items usually found at luaus. You’ll see what I mean tonight. We’re eating dinner at the Everyday Luau a few blocks from here.”

Maddie looked down at her casual clothes. “Dressed like this?”

“Sure. We’ve created an outdoor atmosphere inside the restaurants. There will be more guests in shorts and jeans than dresses and sport coats.”

“It sounds like fun.”

“I think so,” Linc said.

But Linc’s explanation hadn’t prepared Maddie for the romantic atmosphere of Everyday Luau. The exterior of the metal building located several blocks from downtown Honolulu wasn’t impressive. As she stepped inside, however, Maddie felt as if she’d entered a beach resort. She stopped, awestruck, inside the front door and looked with wondering eyes.

Wall hangings of the ocean and beach, as well as several live palm trees, presented an outdoor atmosphere. The sound of a teeming ocean filtered through the speaker system. Chinese lanterns hung from the ceiling giving out a dim light. The waitresses were dressed in identical gaily flowered muumuus. The waiters’ shirts matched the dresses.

When she commented on the garments, Linc said, “They have different costumes for each night of the week.”

Linc always enjoyed bringing guests to experience the uniqueness of his restaurants, but he’d never been more interested in anyone’s reaction than he was in Maddie’s.

“We’ll have to take our seats,” he said, and she followed the waitress to a table for two beneath a palm tree on a raised platform. Their chairs faced the stage and commanded a sweeping view of the restaurant.

Buffet centers were located throughout the room.

The waitress brought water and took their orders for other beverages. Traditional music filtered quietly around them. The lights faded into semidarkness, and a hush fell over the restaurant. Suddenly two torchbearers ran through the room lighting the tall piers that blazed brightly, illuminating the interior.

“Actually, this is a symbolic ritual,” Linc whispered. “We can’t have open flames inside the building. The torches themselves are electric.”

“But it’s so beautiful. And you have four of these restaurants!”

“Yes, but this one is the largest.”

Kalua pork, the featured meat of early luaus, graced the buffet tables, along with chicken and long rice, salmon, all kinds of vegetables, salads and desserts. Several of the items Maddie took on her plate were unusual. She didn’t always know what she was eating, but the food was delicious. She especially liked coconut bread. She sipped slowly a glass of chilled coconut milk that Linc had added for the Christmas season as a special tribute to the Europeans who had first observed Christmas in the islands.

“I could soon get used to this kind of living,” she said to Linc when she took the last bite of rhubarb angel food cake. “Thanks again for inviting me to visit you. I’m learning a whole new way of life. We lived on the naval base in San Diego when I was a child. That’s the farthest I’ve been away from my birthplace.”

“Your father was stationed at San Diego when I enlisted, and I was really pleased when he was transferred to Hawaii. If he had stayed here, he intended to bring you and your mother.”

“Unfortunately, Mother wasn’t a good serviceman’s wife. She didn’t like the restrictions of a naval base, and I doubt if she would have left her parents to move to Hawaii.”

Suddenly, Maddie felt uneasy. She looked around and saw a husky Hawaiian staring at her with bold, malicious eyes. He dodged behind a palm tree and chills chased up Maddie’s spine. She wanted to think he’d been staring at someone else, but she knew there wasn’t another table behind them.

Linc noted Maddie’s change of expression, and he figured she was saddened by thoughts of her father’s death. He welcomed the flickering lights indicating the start of the evening’s entertainment.

The current program illustrated the crafts and culture of several islands making up the Polynesian group. Interspersed with the music was a demonstration of the making of tapa cloth from mulberry bark. Tonga Fire came alive as a Samoan rubbed sticks together. Natives from New Zealand acted out one of their ancestral legends. Hawaiian girls demonstrated the hula dance.

The hour-long show closed when one man and two women accompanied themselves on a guitar and two ukuleles to sing a medley of hymns. Their closing number, “God Be With You Till We Meet Again” brought tears to Maddie’s eyes.

The restaurant presented a different entertainment each night of the week, but Linc was familiar with them, and he watched Maddie rather than the show. He didn’t have to ask if she liked the program. Her expression changed from interest, to delight, to awe, to pleasure. She had seen so little of the world. What would it be like to guide her as she visited other cultures?

Clutching a cloth to his bleeding side, Kamu struggled up the steep incline and fell face forward on the stone step of the secluded cabin that had been his refuge for the past two weeks. His race was run, and his heart was heavy because he had failed to avenge the deaths of the other male members of his family. He faced eternity without hope because he hadn’t kept faith with his ancestors.

An hour later, Edena stumbled over the body of her twin brother as she started into the cabin. As hefty as her brother, Edena had no trouble lifting him. She carried the last remaining male member of her family carefully into the cabin and laid him on the narrow cot. When she peeled back Kamu’s shirt, blood spurted from the wound he’d received when he escaped from prison. She heated some water and although her hands probed gently when she removed the blood-soaked bandage, Kamu groaned and his eyes opened.

“Sister,” he whispered, and his eyes brightened. “I will not have to die alone.”

“You shall not die,” she said. “Aumakua will not permit it.”

Kamu shook his head wearily. “Our god, Aumakua, does not listen to me now. I’m the only one left, and I have failed to honor my forebears. Give me a knife. If I die by my own hand, it will suffice.”

Edena stretched herself to her full five-feet-five-inches height, pounded herself on the chest and said haughtily, “You forget me. I am willing to carry on the family honor.”

“But you’re a woman. That will shame me.”

“Then I will become a man—at least part of the time. Rest in peace, Kamu.”

Throughout the remainder of the night, Edena sat beside her brother, holding his hand as he slowly and painfully died. Her thoughts were not so much on her brother as on Stanley Horton, who had brought tragedy to her family. It had started when Horton had discovered their crime. One by one, she’d seen her family taken from her. Someone must pay.

When her brother died at last, Edena wept and mourned audibly for hours. As the day dawned, she stood before a small cracked mirror and with a small hammer, knocked out one of her front teeth—a custom of bereavement in her family.

With blood spilling from her mouth, she shouldered her brother’s body and walked up a rugged mountain to the secret family burial cave. She attached a rope to the joints of his legs, put the rope behind his neck and tightened the rope until his knees touched his chest. She wrapped the flexed body in a coarse cloth and placed the rounded package on a shelf in the cave. She laid her hand on the body of her twin and muttered, alternating from her native language to English, “He ola na he ola—a life for a life.”

She passed by the interment alcoves of the other members of the family. When she touched each bundle, she muttered, “A life for a life—I will avenge.”

Edena carefully parted the brushy covering before she stepped out of the cave. A bitter smile twisted her lips as she plodded down the mountain, never doubting that she would be victorious in her vengeance.

FOUR

Whether it was the strenuous, fun-filled day she’d enjoyed on Saturday, or whether her body was adjusting to the time change, Maddie woke on Sunday morning feeling rested and at peace with the world. Roselina had said that she always slept in on Sunday morning, so Maddie checked the clock and knew that she had time for a dip in the Pacific.

She put on the white, skirted tank suit she’d bought on sale in September, never realizing then that she’d be in Hawaii when she wore it. She wrapped herself in a terry robe and slipped her feet into a pair of leather scuffs. She put her Bible in her tote bag, intending to have her morning devotions on the beach. Taking a large towel from the bathroom, she walked toward the water.

The sun filtered through the slight haze hovering over the water. A gray bird with white feathers below its wings flew along the shoreline. Linc had identified several of the native birds when they walked along Waikiki yesterday. Maddie recognized this one as a sooty tern.

The ocean breeze was cool, but invigorating. She spread the towel beside the water, took off her shoes and sat on the towel close enough to the ocean to invite an occasional wave to splash over her feet. She opened her Bible to the book of Psalms. When Maddie worshipped outdoors, her thoughts always turned to the writings of David. It seemed strange to her that although he’d lived in an arid environment, the psalmist had an acute comprehension of the ocean.

Reading aloud, she used the words of David from Psalm 104 for her morning prayer.

“‘O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships; there is that leviathan, whom Thou hast made to play therein. These wait upon Thee.’”

When Linc had taken her on the submarine tour off Waikiki Beach yesterday, she’d marveled at the vast number of fish populating the ocean. How had the psalmist known that?

Taking off her robe, Maddie walked carefully into the waves, but the water was cooler than she’d thought, and she didn’t tarry long. She’d been too sleepy last night when they’d gotten home to ask Linc about a church, but she was eager to attend worship services. She returned to the cottage, showered and dressed for the day in a pastel blue skirt set. The calf-length print skirt had dark blue and white flowers, and the short-sleeved cotton sweater hung below her waist. The outfit appeared to add height to her body. She had been extremely conscious of her petite figure when she’d walked beside Linc and Ahonui.

Linc had been sitting on the glass-enclosed balcony on the second floor when Maddie walked to the beach. For a moment he was tempted to join her, but considering the emotions she’d stirred in his heart, he knew it was wise for them to do their swimming separately. He got up from his chair immediately, because he didn’t want Maddie to see him and think he was spying on her. However, if she should encounter any danger, he needed to know, so he walked to the shadow of the hallway to stand guard. When she returned to her cottage, he got ready for the day.

After they finished breakfast, Linc said, “Tomorrow, we’ll start island hopping, but today is a good time to take a driving tour of Oahu. You’ll want to see more of our country than the tourist things we’ll be visiting the next three days.”

“I thought we’d go to church this morning,” she said, looking down at her garments.

“Oh, I hadn’t thought about that,” Linc said. “I haven’t gone to church in years.”

“More shame to you,” Roselina said as she took away the breakfast dishes.

Maddie turned startled blue eyes on Linc. Her heart plummeted. She’d finally found a chink in Linc’s armor. Her faith in God was an integral part of her life. It saddened her to find out that Linc didn’t share her Christian beliefs.

“You can go to church with me, Miss Maddie,” Roselina said. “I leave at half-past nine.”

“Oh, I’ll take you, Maddie,” Linc said quickly. “I’m a member of the church Roselina goes to. I support the work financially, but I seldom attend the services.”

Roselina’s appraising eyes swept his face, and Linc wouldn’t meet her eyes. No matter what his housekeeper thought, it was his responsibility to look after Maddie.

Although she wanted Linc to go with her, Maddie said, “I’d like to have you go to church with me, but not if you don’t want to. I’ll go with Roselina.”

Standing to pull back her chair, Linc said, “I want to take you. I’ll go change. Roselina, you might as well ride with us.”

“No, thank you. I’m visiting my sister this afternoon. I’ll go to her home from the church.”

The church, located in a small seaside village, was a frame building with a white steeple. Linc pointed out some damage to the structure from the previous year’s hurricane. The sign over the door indicated that the congregation had been organized in the late nineteenth century.

The sanctuary wouldn’t have seated more than seventy-five people, and it was barely half-full. The pastor was a native of Tennessee who’d come to Hawaii for his health. The service he conducted was similar to the kind that Maddie had known all of her life.

The people were friendly, and she felt right at home, but Linc fidgeted, as if he were uncomfortable. Was his conscience hurting him because he hadn’t been coming to church? Or was he sorry he’d volunteered to come with her?

Linc had been impressed with the pastor when he’d met him previously, and he thought his sermon on the parable of the prodigal son was well planned. He presented it effectively. But the text cut straight to Linc’s heart. Had God planned this message especially for him? To close his message, the minister emphasized his text once again:

Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son…So he got up and went to his father.

Linc took stock of his spiritual self, realizing how far he’d strayed from his Father’s house. He slanted a sideways glance at Maddie, whose face mirrored contentment and peace as she focused her attention on the message. Had it taken Maddie’s example of innocent faith to call attention to his lack of devotion to God?

Maddie was more talkative than usual as they drove home. Linc concluded that her strength of character and her deep faith had developed through a consistent fellowship with other Christians. This gave him much to think about when considering his relationship with Maddie. In addition to the age difference between them, Linc knew he lacked the faith Maddie would expect in any man she dated.

Linc unlocked the door of the house, saying, “Roselina has Sunday afternoon and evenings off. I usually just snack during that time—I’m not a cook. We can go out for lunch, or we can have a sandwich and eat our evening meal before we come back from our drive. What would you rather do?”

“Let’s eat here. I’ll help you, although I haven’t done much cooking since I went to VOH four years ago. Except for breakfast, I eat most of my meals in the university cafeteria. Lucy and I have a refrigerator and microwave in our room, and we heat rolls, bagels and stuff like that for breakfast.”

Heading toward the kitchen, Linc said, “Roselina wanted to fix our lunch, but I put my foot down. She needs time to herself. I told her we could manage.”

“You’re fortunate to have her.”

“I’ll say,” he agreed as he rummaged in the fridge. He set out cold cuts, condiments and a variety of bread.

“How about some melon, too?” he said. “Roselina has a bowl prepared. She doesn’t pay much attention to my orders,” he admitted with a slight laugh. “Sometimes, I wonder who the boss is around here.”

Maddie smiled with him. She’d already decided that Roselina had a mind of her own.

“I like melon. We can eat that for dessert.”

He shook his head. “She’s made a coconut cream pie, but I’ll leave it in the refrigerator until we’re ready for dessert. We’ll eat the melon with our sandwiches. If you make them, I’ll take plates and cups to the patio. What do you want to drink?”

“Just water with lemon.”

“All right. Two glasses of iced water coming up.” He filled the glasses with ice, dropped in a chunk of lemon that Roselina had also provided and turned to the sink. Maddie spread four slices of brown bread with mayonnaise and added cheese and ham. She heard the front door open, and her hands stilled when Ahonui Kingsbury walked into the kitchen.

“Good, we’re just in time for lunch,” she said, and her eyes seemed to challenge Linc. A man entered the kitchen behind Ahonui, and thinking that it might be Ahonui’s husband or boyfriend, Maddie was pleased. Her pleasure ended when Ahonui said, “I wanted my brother, Steve, to meet you, Maddie.”

Linc filled the two glasses before he turned to greet the Kingsburys. Why was Ahonui taking such an interest in Maddie? He and Roselina entertained the Kingsburys occasionally, but Ahonui had never just dropped in like this before. Today’s visit irritated him, and since he wasn’t always able to keep his emotions from showing on his face, there was a tense moment in the kitchen.

Linc resented the appraising way Steve looked at Maddie, but he forced himself to say amiably, “Hello, Steve.”

Ahonui put her purse on one of the kitchen chairs. “I’ll make our sandwiches,” she said. She took the bread and lunch meat from Maddie’s hands and started fashioning more sandwiches.

Controlling his temper, Linc said, “You’re welcome to have lunch with us, but Maddie and I are leaving in an hour.”

“Any place we can tag along?” Ahonui asked.

“No,” Linc answered and reached into the cabinet for two more place settings. “Steve, we’re eating on the patio. Why don’t you carry these out?”

Maddie could sense tension during the meal. She tried to determine the relationship between Linc and Ahonui. She had thought Linc was irritated when the Kingsburys showed up, but he was civil to them, so perhaps she had imagined that. Once again she wondered if he was romantically involved with her.

Much of the conversation around the table was between Linc and Ahonui concerning business matters that had come up during the two days he’d been away from the office. But after they’d finished their sandwiches, Steve turned to Maddie.

“Are you enjoying your visit?” he asked.

“Very much. It seems like a wonderful place to live.”

“It has its drawbacks,” he said. “Most people who come here from mainland U.S.A. like it at first, but they soon get tired of it. It’s very confining, you know. People who are used to driving hundreds of miles in any direction don’t stay here very long. I’m thinking about moving—perhaps to Japan.”

Steve was a chunky, swarthy man. His face was darker than Ahonui’s, and he didn’t have his sister’s handsome features. He had a habit of looking over Maddie’s left shoulder as he talked to her, a mannerism she found disconcerting. She kept wanting to look behind her. She noticed that although Linc seemed intent on what Ahonui was saying, he often glanced toward her and Steve, as if he was monitoring their conversation.

“Do you work in Honolulu, Mr. Kingsbury?”

“Yes, and please, call me Steve. I have a boat rental on Waikiki.”

“Linc and I were there yesterday. Did you see us?”

“No. I played golf yesterday.”

They tarried over their luncheon until Linc looked at his watch. “Maddie, we should get started. If you want to go to the cottage and change, I’ll clear away the dishes. We’ll leave in thirty minutes.”

“It won’t take that long for me to get out of this dress and into something more casual,” she said. “I’ll help put the things in the dishwasher. You and Roselina are spoiling me.”

Picking up her own plate and silverware, Ahonui cast a speculative glance at Maddie. “So you’re staying in the guesthouse.”

“Yes, and it’s a perfect place. I love hearing the ocean waves when I wake up in the morning.”

“When are you coming back to work, Linc?” Ahonui asked.

“I have appointments on Friday, so I’ll be back by then. Maybe Thursday. We’re going to Kauai tomorrow and on to Hawaii before we come home. I don’t have a set itinerary.”

“You mean to skip Maui?” Steve said.

“We’ll go there after Christmas,” Linc said.

“Well, I can contact you on your cell phone if I need you,” Ahonui said.

“If you do, leave a message. I’ll keep it turned off and check mail once a day. Too many people have my phone number, and I don’t want to be bothered all the time we’re traveling.”

Maddie hurried to the guesthouse and changed into a pair of shorts and a knit shirt, unable to comprehend that it could be snowing at home. She picked up her camera and locked the door behind her. Linc waited for her by the garage. The Kingsburys were already in their car.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said.

“You didn’t—we just came from the house.”

Ahonui and Steve followed them out of the driveway, and Linc said, “I’ll be surprised if they don’t follow us.”

“I don’t want to cause any trouble. If there’s work you need to do, don’t bother with me. I can entertain myself.”

Turning left on the highway, Linc looked in the rearview to see which way Steve headed. To his surprise, and relief, the Kingsburys turned to the right.

“Ahonui knew I planned to take at least a week to show you around the islands. Sometimes she takes her work position too seriously. I do appreciate her loyalty, but I am the boss and I don’t let her dictate my personal life. Relax and enjoy yourself.”

Linc drove across the mountains to the northern side of Oahu. He was amused and pleased at Maddie’s childlike enjoyment of the scenery. She exclaimed over the spectacular rugged views on their left, as well as the broad, flat areas that led down to the Pacific.

“We’re going to the Polynesian Cultural Center,” Linc explained. “The center is probably the favorite tourist attraction in the islands. I’ll explain a bit about it as we drive. I see you brought your camera, so let me know if you want to stop and take pictures. You’ll see some pretty sights.”

“I did a little research before I left home, so I know that Hawaii is part of a large group of islands collectively known as the Polynesian Islands.”

He glanced at her approvingly. “That’s true. The center is a nonprofit organization to preserve Polynesian cultural heritage. Most of the people you’ll see today are students at a nearby university. Fees at the center provide scholarships for many of the students.”

They were greeted at the gateway to the center by two women, who put shell leis around their necks. Judging by their clothing, Linc told Maddie that they were from Tahiti. Although there were many exhibits to view, Linc chose only three, the ones he thought would most interest Maddie.

“We’ll go to the exhibits of Fiji, Samoa and New Zealand,” he said. “We’ll come here again before you go home, and you can see what we miss today.”

They watched the students demonstrate the culture respective to their native islands through song, dance, display of musical instruments and samples of their craft and food. After walking from one site to another, Maddie was ready for the restful canoe ride around the whole area. Although the center was crowded with hundreds of tourists, she and Linc didn’t know any of them. She felt as if they were in a world of their own.

For dinner, Linc bought tickets to attend Ali’i Luau.

“You won’t think much of Everyday Luau after you attend this,” he joked. “This is reportedly Hawaii’s largest and most authentic luau. I don’t want you to miss it.”

And Maddie was glad she hadn’t. When they walked through the gates, she felt as if she’d been plunged into the past. The attendant gave her an orchid lei, which Linc placed over the shell lei she’d received at the gate. People representing King Kamehameha, the king who unified Hawaii in the late eighteenth century, and his court entertained the guests with ceremonial songs and dances.

Flickering tiki lamps and waterfalls contributed to Maddie’s sensation that she had boarded a time-travel rocket that had catapulted Linc and her back two hundred years. The food didn’t differ much from the food served in Linc’s restaurants, but the ancient atmosphere appealed to Maddie. But she told Linc loyally that his reproduction of the luau was as good as the real thing.

After Maddie remained silent for half the return drive, Linc said, “Are you sleepy?”

“No, not much. I’ve enjoyed today very much, but I thought some of the rituals were very frightening. They brought to mind some unpleasant things I read about the early history of the islands. As we watched the ancient rites, I could almost believe that some of the traditions have carried over to the present.”

“There is a lot of superstition among the people,” Linc agreed, “but being an outsider, I’ve never paid any attention to it. What did you read?”

“About the custom of sacrificing prisoners taken in battle. The priest slaughtered them outside the temple walls, and the bodies were left to decay on the altars. The left eye of a victim was often given to the king.”

“But those things happened hundreds of years ago.”

His words did little to reassure her. “Sometimes to celebrate a victory in battle, or even the construction of an altar or temple, the altars were heaped with human bodies. One account indicated that a few tribes carry on these traditions.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Linc said soothingly. “Such customs might still be practiced among some of the people in the isolated mountains, but I doubt it happens in the more populous areas.”

It was past midnight when they arrived home, and Linc walked Maddie to the cottage.

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