4 Kaua'i Me a River Read Free

I’m good. Kama’aina fares to the neighbor islands aren’t that bad.”
    Kama’aina is what we call
people who make their home in the islands. Malihini is what we call
visitors. The distinction is carefully drawn, especially when it comes to what
we’re charged for everyday goods and services.
    “But can you at least give me a
rough idea of what this meeting is about?” I said.
    “According to the wishes of my
client, I really can’t.” She sounded downright sorry.
    “Well, if I’m going to go to all
the trouble of taking time off work and flying over there, don’t you think I
have a right to know what we’re talking about here? I mean, if I’m being sued
or something, I’d rather not come.”
    “I’m not at liberty to tell you
the details of what will be discussed, but I give you my word you are not being
sued. It will definitely be in your best interest to be here.”
    “O-kay.” I dragged the word out,
giving Valentine a few more seconds to reconsider and give me just a tiny hint
of what this was all about.
    “Excellent,” she said. “Then
I’ll look forward to seeing you on the twenty-seventh.” She didn’t wait for me
to say good-bye before she hung up.
    I called the airline to reserve
a seat on a flight to Lihue, Kaua’i. To get there in time for the meeting it
was best for me to fly from Maui to Honolulu and then go on from there to Lihue.
 The overall distance wasn’t far, but it would take me a couple of hours to get
there. The reservations agent told me I’d have to go to the Kahului airport and
buy the ticket in person if I wanted the kama’aina rate. I figured they
wanted to eyeball my Hawaii ID before handing over an inter-island ticket
priced at about half the tourist fare.
    ***
    My boyfriend of one-and-a-half
years, Honolulu-cop turned Maui-firefighter Hatch Decker, called me soon after
I’d hung up from the airlines. I hesitated before answering because it was already
ten o’clock and I was seriously late for work.
    “Hey, I hope you had a good
birthday,” he said. “I’m real sorry I couldn’t get anyone to cover my shift yesterday.
We’re still on for tonight, though, right?”
    “Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.
Are you sure your wallet can handle Mama’s Fish House? It’s about as spendy as it
gets.”
    “No prob. We’ve got reservations
at eight. But how about later today? Have you got a full schedule or can you
pop down here this afternoon for a little ‘party before the party’?”
    “I’d love to but I’ve got a wedding
couple coming in at eleven. Judging from my phone conversation with the bride,
it’s either a renewal ceremony or a late-in-life marriage. Either way, this
lady seems bound and determined to get her money’s worth. I’m praying I’ll be able
to be done with her by six.”
    “That’s what I like about my job,”
Hatch said. “We get in and get out. Nobody jaws with us while their house is
burning down or when we’re cutting them out of a wreck. So, how about it? Should
I pick you up at say, six-thirty?”
    “Maybe I’ll come down to your
place. You’re right on the way to Mama’s. And besides, I’ll already be down in
Kahului. I’ve got to make a run out to the airport and pick up a ticket.”
    “Where’re you going?”
    “I’ve got to go to Kaua’i later
this month.”
    “Why?”
    “I got a letter from a lawyer
over there. I’ve been invited to a meeting on the twenty-seventh. The lawyer
said it’s regarding an ‘urgent family matter’.”
    “But I thought your only family was
Jeff.”
    “It is,” I said. “And I talked
to Jeff and he doesn’t know anything about it.”
    “Weird.”
    “Yeah, really weird. But I
called the lawyer and she convinced me I’m definitely the one she wants to
see.”
    “When’s the meeting?”
    “On Wednesday, the twenty-seventh.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to fly in and fly out the same day. Not much reason to
stay over.”
    His end of the call went silent.
    “Hatch? You