Chapter 7 Missing Items and Murder

Sharing time ended. Food was efficiently removed from the fridge and loaded onto the bar, which served as a buffet table: a stack of tuna sandwiches made by Coralee, potato salad from Tiare, grilled German sausage and onions from Francesca, Mae’s edamame, brownies baked by Sylvie, and a lovely orange Bundt cake made by Kaulana. My cut-up fruit was received politely. Pearl’s death hadn’t dampened anyone’s appetite. The ladies dug in with gusto.

I took a bite of the brownie on my plate. It was rich and chewy.

“How’s the brownie, Lillian?” Sylvie asked.

I nodded and swallowed my mouthful before answering. “Really delicious. What’s your secret?”

“They’re baked with my signature butter.”

Giggles broke out around the room.

I sniffed my brownie. “You mean …?”

“Sylvie’s incredible edibles,” Mae said.

After one brownie, I felt no effect. I got up and  took another one.

 Conversation flowed around . A half hour and two brownies later, I was thoroughly sated. My ears began to ring. My eyelids drooped. Time to toddle off for my nap.

Dizziness washed over me as I stood. I grabbed the arm of the sofa for balance. My vision blurred and I closed my eyes.

You feeling okay, Lillian?” Tiare asked.

Before I could answer, two silhouettes—one stout and one thin—darkened the entrance. I let myself sink back onto the cushion as Romy ambled into the clubhouse.

The short, wiry Asian man with Romy was about fifty, dressed in an aloha shirt, black slacks, and thick-soled black shoes that looked like they’d be good for running. The men ducked as the giant moth fluttered over their heads and escaped into the sunlight.

“Whoa, what was that?” the Asian man asked, looking after the moth.

“Looked like a big moth,” Romy said.

Sylvie said, “That was Pearl.”

Romy pulled up a barstool. “Ladies, this gentleman would like to have a word with you.”

“First, come make one plate,” Kaulana said.

Romy said, “Thanks. I already ate.”

“Me too, “ said the Asian man.

“Have a brownie—” Sylvie started.

“No!” several of the women shouted. They all gave Sylvie scathing glares.

Violet jumped up. “The brownies are terrible. Here, I’ll slice you boys each a piece of cake,” she said.

“None for me,” the Asian man said. “Really.”

“Have a seat, Detective,” Romy said.

“That’s okay.” The Asian man settled his hands on his hips, taking in the room’s décor. His gaze stopped on the large, dusty swordfish that had the misfortune of being the focal point of the wall behind the bar.

He turned to us. “Good morning, ladies. My name is Detective Thom Shiraishi. I’m sorry to interrupt you folks’ lunch, but this shouldn’t take long.”

“We’re just finishing up,” said Tiare, setting fork down and pushing her plate aside.

The other women followed suit.

Detective Shiraishi took the time to look at each of us in turn before speaking. “The medical examiner has completed the autopsy on your neighbor, Ms. Corvelli.” He paused.

“That was fast,” Esther said.

“So, how did she die?” Violet asked.

“The ME has determined that she died by drowning,” said the detective.

 “Drowning?” Francesca said softly.

“But how …?” Coralee asked, shaking her head. “She was such a good swimmer.”

Esther said, “The hot tub is so shallow.”

“Maybe she fell and hit her head,” Mae said.

Detective Shiraishi took his time answering. “Ms. Corvelli’s blood alcohol level was one point oh. She was legally drunk when she died. She also had significant levels of benzodiazepine in her body—commonly known as Valium.”

The women all gaped at him wordlessly.

“There’s more,” said Shiraishi. “She had significant bruising on her arms and chest, indicating a struggle.”

“You mean …” Kaulana said.

“It appears someone used a lot of force to hold her under water.”

A shudder went through me. This must explain how one of Pearl’s breasts got deflated.

Violet’s hand went to her throat. “Oh my God.”

Esther whispered, “Lord Jesus have mercy.”

“You’re saying she was … murdered?” Coralee asked.

“Her death has been ruled a homicide,” said Shiraishi. “Murder is for the court to decide.”

Homicide. The word sent a wave of terror through me. I’d come to the islands to live out whatever was left of my life in peace. I didn’t want to spend my remaining years looking over my shoulder every time I step outside, the way everyone instinctively does in New York City.

My mouth went dry—but maybe that was Sylvie’s brownies.

“How da killer wen’ get inside here?” Kaulana asked, her dark eyes huge. “Everyt’ing stay lock up nighttime.”

“We don’t know yet,” said Shiraishi.

Violet hugged herself. “There’ve been so many strange things happening around here lately, and now … this.”

Shiraishi’s head shot up. “What you mean?”

“Little things,” Coralee said. “Things going missing.”

“Such as?”

“The other day, my favorite slippers disappeared from outside my door,” said Violet. “I’d just bought them at Macy’s.”

“I had a beautiful crown flower tree in a ceramic pot by my door,” Tiare said. “Someone took it.”

“Anyone else had stuff stolen?” Shiraishi asked.

Esther spoke. “Like Corelee said, it was just little things. A book, a sweater …”

Sylvie’s hand shot up. “Me! My cat and her four kittens were stolen.”

“They were feral cats,” Tiari said. “They ran away. Cats do that.”

“No way.” Sylvie leaned across me to glare at Francesca. “I think someone killed them.”

Francesca returned her stare with a stony expression.

“Ladies.” Shiraishi patted the air. “Have you reported the thefts?”

“Last month when my hanging fern disappeared,” Esther said. “I told Romy.”

Shiraishi looked to Romy.

Romy said, “Some of the residents have reported things missing. A towel, an umbrella, a pair of sunglasses, gone from the pool area. Potted plants. Shoes left outside the door. Sylvie told me about her cats that had been living in a box under her front shrubs.”

“Anyone’s home been broken into?” Shiraishi asked.

Several women said, “No.”

“When I first moved into this neighborhood it was a safe place,” Tiare said. “We didn’t even lock our doors. Everything’s changed. First it was thefts, but now … it’s gone way beyond that.”

Tiare’s words hung in the air for a moment.

Mae said, “I’m scared.”

“I zink vee are all scared,” said Francesca.