Beside Still Waters Read Free Page B

did.
                  “I think that about does it,” Detective Robinson said at last, snapping shut his notebook.
                  “I’d like to go back to my hotel now,” she said.
                  “Sure, I’ll take you,” he said, moving to stand up. 
                  Standing next to him she was overwhelmed by his height.  He had to be nearly seven feet tall.  She craned her neck to look up at him.  He was deeply tanned and wore his black hair a little longer than she was used to seeing.
                  He led her outside and she got into his car and rested her head against the seat.  A minute later they pulled away from the restaurant and she couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
                  “You haven’t exactly been welcomed with the spirit of aloha,” he said.
                  “Things were going really well,” she said, trying to keep the exhaustion and misery out of her voice.  Why was it that death seemed to follow her everywhere she went?
                  “Well, at least you’ll have an interesting story to tell your grandkids someday.”
                  “I have enough of those to last a lifetime.”
                  “That sounds intriguing.  Care to share?”
                  “No.  All I want is to get back to my hotel, grab my bathing suit and hit the beach.”
                  He grinned.
                  “What?”
                  “Spoken like a tourist.”
                  “What, you can’t tell me locals don’t go to the beach?”
                  He laughed.  “Of course we do, but we’re usually already wearing our swimming suits under our clothes.”
                  “You’re joking.”
                  “No, ma’am.”
                  “I wish I had more time here,” she said.
                  “You need a local to show you around.”
                  “I don’t know.  I think I might have seen enough local color.”
                  “Dumb luck.  But let me make it up to you.  Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?” he asked.
                  “Excuse me?” she asked, sure she had misheard him.
                  “Dinner.  I’m asking you out,” he said with a slow smile it was impossible not to be charmed by.
                  “Oh, well, I don’t think-”
                  “I get it.  You’ve got a guy back home waiting for you, right?”
                  She felt the heat rise to her cheeks.  “Well, no, not exactly.”  She sighed in frustration.  It wasn’t like she and Jeremiah were dating.  They were just friends.  Why then did his face come instantly to mind when the detective asked her out?
                  “So, it’s complicated, but there really isn’t a good reason why you can’t have dinner with me.”
                  “Yes,” she blurted out.  “How did you get that from what I said?”
                  “Detective.  Turns out it’s a skill that helps in all areas of life.  So, if there’s no good reason, then we’ll go out to dinner tomorrow night, talk story, have a good time.”
                  “That doesn’t sound like a question,” she accused.
                  “It’s not.  But here’s one: what time do you eat dinner?”
                  “Six-thirty.”
                  “Good answer.”
                  When he pulled into the parking garage beneath her hotel it was almost too soon.  She opened her door.  “Well, thank you, Detective.”
                  “Please, call me Kapono.”
                  “Alright.  It was a pleasure meeting you,