They both blushed and nearly ran over Emma as they backed up toward the stove, still looking at Laurie.
“Sorry, Aunt Emma!” James exclaimed.
“That’s all right boys. Why don’t you chop the herbs?” Emma pushed a bundle of greens toward him.
Laurie looked at Dante.
He smiled back at her. They sat down at the kitchen table with Albert and Bob.
Bob caught up with the news on the farm, and the success Laurie and Dante had with the orchard.
After a few minutes, Gabriella came down the stairs. Dante always thought she was a beautiful woman. Gabriella had jet-black hair and eyes so dark they almost looked black. Her skin was the same olive tone as the boys. She was petite, slight, and much younger than Bob. Dante thought she seemed an odd match for an Air Force general, but the way they beamed at each other when she entered the room told him everything he needed to know.
“Feeling better?” Bob arched an eyebrow as Gabriella came up behind him, dropping her hands on his shoulders.
“Yes, a lot better.” She squeezed his shoulders as Bob kissed her hand. She greeted Dante next, then introduced herself to Laurie.
Dante thought she had a serene quality, a calming peacefulness in her voice. She had the kind of voice that evoked zen gardens in spring or trickling streams.
“Emma, can I help you with anything?” Gabriella gestured to the dinner.
“No, not at all. I think the boys and I have it all well in hand, don’t we boys?” The boys nodded their agreement. “The lasagna should be done in half an hour or so, so you just relax.” Emma waved Gabriella into a seat at the table.
She smiled, sitting down beside Laurie.
Albert looked thoughtfully at the table.
“You know, Bob, I don’t think you’ve seen the barn yet, have you?” He traced a knot in the wood with his forefinger.
“No, I don’t think so. But it’s a barn, not that much to see.” Bob shrugged.
“Well, Dante and I have been working on a few projects out there you might be able to help us with.” Albert gave Bob a bland expression.
Dante’s brows knit. Then he schooled his features into mild interest in the conversation. Why was his father bringing Bob into tracking Kaimi?
“Sure.” Bob raised an eyebrow.
“Why don’t we go out there now and we can show you.” Albert nodded his head in the direction of the door.
Dante nodded, and the three men excused themselves from the kitchen.
They walked in silence across the lawn. When they reached the barn, Bob turned to his brother as he stood just inside the door, arms crossed.
“All right, what are you up to?” Bob gave Albert a pointed expression.
“How do you know we’re up to anything?” Dante put his hand on his hip.
“I’ve known my brother a lot longer than you. The last time he asked for my help with a project, I ended up out in Hawaii bringing you home. What are you up to now?” Bob turned from Dante to Albert.
Albert didn’t answer. He went to the fake wall panel, unlatched it, and unlocked the safe. Bob stared at his brother, curious about the papers Albert brought back to the table.
“Dante and I have been trying to track the man who attacked him and Laurie. We also need to figure out who the mole is in the Marshals Service. Dante can’t return to Hawaii with Laurie until both men are found.” Albert rolled out the map of Hawaii.
“Who is this man you’re after, again?” Bob looked to Dante.
“Kaimi.” Albert flipped through the other papers in his hand.
“Cleaning up loose ends, Albert?” Bob leaned against the table.
“It would be a service to the nation to have him put away.” Albert glanced up at Bob. “The FBI has had no luck locating him.”
“Did they call today? Did the house in Molokai turn up anything?” Dante grimaced as he leaned against the worktable.
Albert shook his head.
“But they did find something in a reservoir on Kauai, where they first thought Kaimi was staying.” Albert’s expression turned stony.
“What’d they find?” Dante held his breath.
“Two bodies.” Albert’s lips became a thin line. “Dental records just confirmed a match to Katherine and Easton James.”
Anger swelled in Dante’s stomach, gnawing at his insides. He ran his hands into his hair. He held his head in his hands as he began to pace.
“They were killed not long before they were found. They were emaciated. Both were abused.” Albert looked to Bob.
Dante stopped pacing and stood with his hands on his hips. His jaw clenched, as he looked down to the floor of the barn. He felt nauseous with anger. Katherine and Easton didn’t deserve to die. Not like that.
“He’s a disgusting son of a bitch,” Dante spat out.
“What about the mole? Do they have any leads on who it is?” Bob tugged the map of Hawaii closer.
“They’re not looking for one. Since Dante left with their only witness, they think it’s him.” Albert gave a nod in Dante’s direction.
Bob’s eyes widened for a moment. Then he shook his head. He leaned against the worktable, studying the maps that Albert carefully laid out.
“Even though I know it’s one of my own men.” Dante massaged the base of his neck where a headache was forming.
“Suspect.” Albert flicked his eyes up at Dante. “We haven’t found corroborating evidence yet.”
Dante glared at his father for a minute before turning to his uncle.
“So now we have two bodies, a suspect so deep in hiding we can’t get a lead on him, and no one even suspecting the real mole is right under their noses.” Dante began to pace again. “This is a nightmare.”
“It’s only a matter of time before Kaimi can find a way to get off the islands undetected and make his way to friends in China.” Albert leaned over the work table, watching Dante.
“Then we’ll lose him for good. He will never stop searching for Laurie. No matter where he is, he’ll be looking for her. I need him behind bars.” Dante threw his hands up in the air.
“There is one way to handle this investigation now. We need to go there.” Albert leveled a look at Bob.
“We can’t. Every law enforcement official on the islands is looking for me.” Dante gestured to himself.
“They’re on the lookout for Kaimi, but he’s avoiding them just fine. It will make us think like he does.” Albert raised his eyebrows.
“No, no, no,” Dante shook his head. “I can’t leave Laurie without protection. They will do anything to kill her.”
“Your mother can take care of Laurie.” Albert pinned him with a look. “She was one of my best agents, after all.”
“No.” Dante walked away from his father. “That was years ago. There is no way we can find Kaimi, and leave Laurie and Mom here. Mom would kill both of us!”
“It’s the only way, son.” Albert came around the table towards him. “It’s the only way he’ll ever leave her alone. You’ll never get a good night’s sleep if we don’t do this.”
Dante grimaced. He turned back to his father and uncle.
“We can’t.” Dante held up a hand. “It’s too dangerous for Laurie and Mom. If we’re caught before we catch him, then all of us will end up in jail. Both of you aided and abetted the kidnapping of a federal witness. They won’t care that she went willingly; they’ll find some way to make it stick. It won’t matter to them.”
“Then we’ll have to find Kaimi and the mole before anyone finds us.” Albert put his hands on his hips.
Dante laughed.
“It will never work. There’s no way it can work.” Dante turned away.
His father took a couple of steps to close the gap between them.
“Why wouldn’t it?” Albert asked. “You are the best Marshal in the federal service. You know that. So do I. Hilton’s been feeding me your evaluations for years.”
Albert’s eyes held a mixture of confidence and admiration. His father had never said one word to him, not one, of praise. Then his father put his strong, work-worn hands on Dante’s shoulders.