Chapter 11

11

The sound of Tiki’s food can hit my ears even before I was fully awake the next morning. She had carried it upstairs and was batting it around the floor, making sure I understood it was time for breakfast. Her one good ear twitched in satisfaction at having successfully disturbed my sleep as I pushed hair out of my eyes. “Stop the racket, Tiki!”

Tiki’s mew had all the subtlety of a jackhammer as she complained of my tardiness.

“Five more minutes,” I mumbled, pulling the pillow over my head. The cotton pillowcase smelled faintly of coconut shampoo from my shower after last night’s swim.

My dreams had been a confusing swirl of the Queen’s Ornament, bioluminescent waters, and a dim memory of chasing a mother-of-pearl ornament hanging in the sky. All of that and the late night had left me feeling like I had an emotional hangover.

Tiki escalated her campaign by hopping up on the bed and walking across my chest, each paw precisely placed for maximum discomfort while her rusty purr vibrated through my rib cage. When that didn’t work, she began a methodical morning demolition derby, knocking one item at a time from my nightstand with calculated thuds. My phone, still on its charger, clattered to the floor and immediately started ringing, the vibration making it dance.

I reached down and captured the device. “Hello?”

“Kat, where are you?” Pua’s voice held equal parts concern and annoyance. “The mail truck’s already here, and Mrs. Kekoa is asking about her package from Las Vegas. We have to help Chad unload, stat.”

I bolted upright, sending Tiki leaping off the bed with an indignant yowl. Sunbeams streaming through my windows told me all I needed to know. “What time is it?”

“Nine-thirty. And you know we open at nine, Ms. Postmaster.”

“Drat!” I scrambled out of bed, stubbing my toe on the dresser. The sharp pain brought tears to my eyes but woke me up quick. “Son of a toadstool! I’ll be there in twenty minutes!”

I rushed through my morning routine, the bathroom mirror reflecting my hair’s rebellion against the humidity and going to bed with it still wet. My favorite polo shirt was wrinkled beyond hope, and I could only find one white sock. Tiki followed me from room to room, her complaints getting progressively more dramatic. Her baby, Misty, usually more docile, decided to get involved by darting out to weave between my legs, almost causing me to take a header at the top of the stairs. “Okay, okay. I’m going down to feed you! Where’s Aunt Fae? She usually takes care of you guys when I’m late!”

But Aunt Fae was nowhere to be seen.

I finally had on all my clothes, including my favorite size 11 Nikes. I’d filled the cats’ bowls with food and grabbed my keys and a bottle of water when the front door creaked open.

“Overslept?” Aunt Fae stood in the doorway. The aroma of freshly ground Kona coffee filled the air as she held up a large ceramic travel mug. “You look like you need coffee.”

“Yes! Keone and I were working on the case, and I got in late and forgot to set my alarm.” I tried to edge past her, my stomach growling at a sweet, sugary smell coming from the paper bag in her other hand.

“The missing ornament?” She raised an eyebrow, pressing both the mug and bag into my hands. “I guessed as much. We were out of coffee in the house, so I went and bought you some at Opal and Artie’s.”

“Aunt Fae, you’re the best. Thanks!” The coffee mug was almost too hot to hold, and through the lid, I could smell the dark roast Opal and Artie special-ordered from a friend’s farm on the Big Island. The paper bag crinkled as I peeked inside—three malasadas, dusted with li hing mui sugar. My mouth watered at the sight. “And yeah, we’re still working on the case. We found out a lot about it, but I don’t have time to update you right now.” I juggled my phone, keys, coffee, and bagged breakfast while trying to navigate through the door.

“That’s fine. We’ll catch up later. The event will go on with or without that ornament, though the news that it was donated and then stolen has brought us a lot of attention. We think the auction is going to be well-attended because of it.” Aunt Fae’s slippers scraped softly as she slid her feet out of them at the doorway.

“What are you up to today, Aunty?”

“Still collecting donation items. I’m calling all over the island to get activities and restaurant coupons donated. Things our Hana and Ohia residents don’t get access to but might win at auction for a bargain.”

“Sounds good, I know you and Elle will leave no coconut tree unshaken.”

Aunt Fae laughed. “You got that right. Have a good day at work!”

“I will. Thanks to you, coffee, and malasadas!”

As I hurried down the steps, the paper bag crinkling against my chest, Aunt Fae called out, “Oh, and Kat? Tell Keone his towels were still damp from whatever ‘investigating’ you two did last night . . . without your bathing suits! I put them in the laundry.”

I nearly choked on my coffee, the rich taste mingling with embarrassment. The malasadas bounced in their bag as I half-ran to my car. From the small entrance lanai, Tiki watched my departure with a slightly judgmental stare, while Aunt Fae’s chuckle floated back to me on the breeze.

At least I had coffee and sugar to get me going. And maybe, just maybe, beneath the taste of Kona beans, I could still detect the ghost of last night’s salt-water kisses.