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stage. Can’t I have both?”
    Darby was smiling until she managed to read the small newspaper print on the short article.
    â€œ Alexandra Rojas Kealoha died at her home on ‘Iolani Ranch following a long illness. Wife of Jonah Kealoha, mother of Ellen Kealoha, daughter of famed soccer player Roberto ‘Boot’ Rojas and schoolteacher Ikena Kamakau Rojas, she was born on Moku Lio Hihiu….”
    Darby’s gaze raced over the words three times before she realized she was reading her grandmother’s obituary. Her mom’s mother had died while Ellen had been a freshman in high school.
    â€œOne year older than me,” Darby whispered into her bedroom’s stillness. She closed her eyes against the burn of tears. Though she’d never known her grandmother, Darby couldn’t help putting herself in her mom’s place.
    Once the pang of empathy faded, Darby looked at the obituary again. She studied her bloodlines like she would those of a horse. Then she got out her owndiary, copied names, and drew a diagram of her heritage. It didn’t go back far, but it was cool that there were Hawaiian names in every generation. Rojas was Hispanic, but from which country? And Carter, her dad’s family, what kind of name was that? It would be fun to find out.
    All of a sudden Darby sat up straighter. Since her mother had said she had enough money to pay for her own Tahiti-to-Hawaii plane ticket, Darby hadn’t used her reward money. Maybe she could buy her dad a ticket to Hawaii!
    When Jonah knocked on her bedroom door, Darby jumped and looked around quickly. The hatboxes were under her bed. All she had to do was flop her bedspread over five pages that were the size of her hand. So she did.
    â€œCome in,” she called.
    Jonah the horse charmer took one look at her face and said, “What are you up to?”
    Darby shrugged her shoulders so high they almost grazed her earlobes.
    â€œNot schoolwork,” he said, but his eyes fixed on her notebooks.
    â€œI’m writing in my diary,” she admitted.
    Jonah nodded and his face took on such a faraway expression, Darby expected him to say, Your mother had a diary , but he didn’t.
    â€œI’m all ready for tomorrow,” Darby said.
    â€œWhat’s to get ready?” Jonah asked.
    Darby gestured at the wrinkle-free blouse and new jeans hanging on her closet door.
    â€œMy mom always says you can’t go wrong with a white blouse and nice jewelry,” Darby said.
    â€œOh, she does? Which jewelry are you wearing?”
    â€œOkay, so I’ve only got the white blouse,” Darby said, “but I thought she’d be so glad to see me, she’d let that pass.”
    Jonah stared at the window above her bed. When he spoke again, he pretty much confirmed he hadn’t been listening to her. “We’ll drive over, let people see you get a reward for your work tracking down Stormbird—that’s what Babe calls the colt you found, yeah?—and come home.”
    â€œAnd meet my mom there,” Darby said pointedly.
    Ellen’s plane from Tahiti had to stop on Oahu before it hopped over to Moku Lio Hihiu, but she should arrive with plenty of time to drive to Aunt Babe’s resort.
    Jonah knew all that, but he changed the subject, tilting his head in the direction of the living room.
    â€œPretty exciting stuff on the news, yeah?”
    â€œPretty exciting,” she echoed.
    â€œThat Hoku, she stayed right by you.”
    â€œI know!” Darby didn’t mean to wrap her arms around herself in delight. It just happened.
    â€œIt’s that Quarter Horse blood showin’ through,” Jonah teased.
    â€œI’m pretty sure it’s mustang loyalty to her herd.Me,” she told him.
    â€œYou get some sleep. Big day tomorrow,” Jonah said.
    â€œGood night,” Darby called as her grandfather closed the door.
    She jumped up, brushed her teeth, put on her nightgown,