Burned

“No.” He pulled Regan close to him and his fiancée. The three of them huddled together for several moments as Carla struggled to stop crying.

61

W ill’s parents arrived shortly after Regan and Mike left for the airport. He escorted his parents to their room and told them to come down to his office after they’d freshened up. He didn’t say a word about what was going on with Regan Reilly.

The minute Ned laid eyes on Will’s parents, he knew that they were the ones. How thirty years can just melt away, he thought wryly. They were seated in Will’s office when he walked in.

Ned looked from Bingsley and Almetta to Will, and a thought that had never occurred to him, because he’d been so worried about himself, surfaced in his brain. If Will’s parents bought the lei thirty years ago and it ended up in Hawaii around Dorinda Dawes’s neck, could Will be the middle man? He certainly hasn’t made it public knowledge that his parents once owned the royal lei that Dorinda was wearing when she died. Do they know? Did they sell the lei without realizing what they had?

Ned’s head was spi

“It’s so lovely that you’ll be our tour guide this afternoon, Ned,” Almetta said, batting her eyes. She had on a floral top with matching shorts and a pair of little white sneakers. Bingsley had on khaki shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. Ned was relieved that no bathing suits were in sight.

“It’s my pleasure,” Ned replied. “How about going out in one of the sailboats we have out there? There’s a beautiful breeze. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

“I’d be enchanted,” Almetta chirped. “We both would. Right, dear?” she asked, turning to Bingsley, whose face was impassive to say the least.

“It sounds all right,” he answered. “But I want to get in a nap before tonight. I’m beat.”

“Dad, you’ll have time for that later,” Will said. “I just wanted you to get some fresh air. And if you take a swim, you’ll perk up.”

Ned led them down to the water, and they boarded a small sailboat. The Browns sat and enjoyed the fresh ocean air and sunshine while Ned did the busy work of a sailor. There was a steady breeze that helped propel the boat past the surfers and swimmers and out into the aqua waters. Almetta peppered Ned with nonstop questions.

“Where are you from, Ned?” she asked, leaning forward with a big smile on her face.

“All over,” he answered. “I’m an army brat.”

“How marvelous. You must have lived in very interesting places. Did you ever live in Hawaii when you were a child?”

She’s playing with my head, Ned thought. “No,” he lied. Time to change the subject. “Are you excited about the ball tonight?”

“I can’t wait,” Almetta enthused.

“Those leis-that’s some story, huh? They were made for two members of the Hawaiian royal family. One gets stolen. They keep appearing and disappearing and reappearing again.”

Almetta coughed slightly. “It certainly is something.” She looked out at the water and went silent, which made Ned nervous.

“I have to use the head,” Bingsley declared quickly. He got up and stumbled slightly, stepping on Ned’s bad foot.

Ned winced. The nerves in his sore toe were screaming. Bingsley wasn’t a small guy.

“I’m so sorry,” Bingsley apologized as he kept walking toward the loo.

“Are you all right?” Almetta inquired with great concern, staring down at Ned’s foot, just as she had thirty years before. “That must hurt. Oh, look! Do I see a little bit of blood staining the top of your shoe? Why don’t you take it off and dip your feet in the salt water?”

“It’s nothing. I’m fine,” Ned insisted.

Almetta looked up at him and didn’t say a word.

But she had a fu

62

I n the festively decorated ballroom, reporters were swarming all over Regan. Reports of the kidnapping and attempted murder of the lovely, young, recently engaged couple had headlined all the evening newscasts.

“The twins haven’t confessed to killing Dorinda Dawes, have they, Regan?” asked a reporter from a local TV station.

“No. But that’s not surprising. They’re waiting for their lawyer from Hudville to arrive. We know that they are capable of murder, so why wouldn’t they lie?”

The five remaining members of the Lucky Seven were in shock and had spent the afternoon on and off the phone with the folks back home.

“Can you believe it?”

“I knew they were being cheap, but this is beyond belief.”

“Sal Hawkins must be rolling in his grave.”

Betsy and Bob had abandoned their exciting relationship chapter and had started to write a book about their travels with the evil twins.

Francie, Artie, and Joy were determined to live it up and spend money for the remainder of their trip. Joy had decided to come to the ball and leave Zeke and his wanderlust in the dust. In the last several hours the Hudville group had turned into a bunch of mini celebrities. It was suddenly more fun to hang around with them. “And I’m the one,” Joy kept repeating, “who knew that Gert and Ev were cheating us!”

Carla and Jason were up in their room recovering, their arms wrapped around each other as they lay on the bed. Carla had already talked to her mother about six times and all of her bridesmaids at least once.

“Regan Reilly said she’d be a bridesmaid,” she told them joyfully.

If Carla and Jason felt up to it, they said they’d come down and make an appearance later on. But they had barely touched the food and drinks Will had sent to their room.

Jimmy was in attendance, wearing both leis around his neck. “Jimmy is going to donate both leis for the auction,” he a

Jazzy was modeling Claude’s sexy muumuu and clearly enjoying the attention. She and Claude hosted two tables filled with socialites. Regan was seated with Kit, Steve, Will, Kim, Will’s parents, and Dorinda’s cousin Gus. He was quite the social butterfly, getting up and down every two minutes to do interviews and take pictures for the article Will promised to publish in the next newsletter. “We mustn’t forget Dorinda,” he said. “But most of all, justice must be served.”

An air of conviviality prevailed. Everyone was relieved that the twins were behind bars.

“You’re some investigator,” Steve said to Regan. “Kit is so proud of you.”

Regan shrugged and smiled at both of them. “Thanks. Sometimes you just get a gut instinct that you have to follow.”

Someone tapped her on the shoulder. As she turned away, Steve remarked to Kit, “She’s something, isn’t she?”

Kit giggled. She’d had a few glasses of wine and was feeling light-headed. She put her arm around his back. “Knowing her, she’s probably having you checked out.”

He looked at her and laughed. “Little old me?”

“She’s very protective. And I’m her best friend.”

The band started to play “The Way You Look Tonight.” Steve extended his hand. “Shall we dance?”

Kit floated out of her chair, and they were off.

Regan couldn’t wait to get back home. She missed Jack more than ever as she watched all the couples on the dance floor. She had to admit that Kit and Steve did look great together. She also felt that she had done enough for the Waikiki Waters Resort. With the twins in captivity, the place was certainly safer.