Read Rip Tides for Free Online Page B

least in part because in Hawaii culture, family came first. No one would put a relative out on the street who needed shelter. “Is she staying in the tent?”
    “Yeah. I’m not sure Jared’s coming to dinner, so it would be great if you could make it home for that, even just an hour or two.”
    “I’ll try. May have to bring Pono, though. We’re moving on in this, so we’ll need to keep it short.”
    “That’s fine. Whatever works. She’s really taken to Kiet.” He turned to look back at the porch. Kiet had rested his head on his mother’s thin chest, and they both appeared to have fallen asleep in the rocking chair. The sight moved him. “She was surprised to find she was a grandma, but I can tell she’s happy about it.”
    “That’s good. So…Makoa Simmons.” Lei was obviously still thinking about her case. “We’re just sorting through the possible motives, but it seems like there was a lot of professional competition out there with the other pro surfers along with some sour grapes. Discord in the home, too. I may have to follow the case to Oahu, where he lived.”
    “Well, it’s a high-profile homicide, so do what you gotta do.” Stevens heard frustration about his reassignment come out in his voice as he said, “We’re almost out of the old station. Captain put us back into the main station house like I told you was happening, and I’m now the new detective trainer for Maui.”
    “You’re going to be great at that!” He hadn’t expected Lei to sound so enthusiastic. “You are so good at teaching and getting the men to dig deeper, make their best effort. Captain’s smart to put you on that.”
    “I suspected she was going to give me some other duties. I’m just not sure how I feel about not having active cases anymore.” He hauled the heavy tent bag to the open area where they liked to set up for dinners outside. With his mother here for a while, he planned to leave the tent up so they’d have room to sit down at meals. The roof would keep the rain off, and the screen was absolutely necessary to keep mosquitoes out. With the two tents in the yard, they’d effectively increased their living space.
    “Well, you know Maui. I bet you just get started and develop the program they want and then, at the same time, we’ll get a bunch of nasty cases and you’ll have to work those, too.”
    Stevens smiled. “Might happen like that.”
    Talking to Lei had lightened his mood. He pulled the tent out of the bag one-handed, and the metal poles clanked onto the grass.
    “Times like this I just…” He dropped the bag. “I miss you being here.”
    “Yeah. I’d rather be there than here.” He heard by her breathing that she was on the move. “What time are you eating so I can try to swing by then?”
    “Probably around six-thirty, when, hopefully, Jared gets here.”
    “Okay. Save some for us.”
    “It’s laulau your dad’s been stashing for a special occasion.”
    “Laulau!” He knew Lei loved the steamed Hawaiian meat dish, slow-cooked in kalo leaves. “We’ll be there for sure. I gotta go.”
    “I love you. There. Pau for today.” He’d said he’d tell her that every day after they were married. Though they joked about it, he still felt good about trying to stay faithful to his promise.
    “I love you more.” He heard a vibration of conviction in Lei’s voice as she hung up.

 
    Chapter 4
    L ei and Pono tracked down Shayla Cummings’s home address. As they got ready to go out with the station’s on-call sketch artist, Lei’s phone lit up.
    She saw it was her friend Special Agent Marcella Scott, on Oahu. “I need a couple minutes,” she told Pono. Her partner nodded and headed out to claim a cruiser with the sketch artist. “Marcella! How are the wedding plans coming along?”
    “Okay, but that’s not why I called you.” There was a serious note in her friend’s voice. “I wanted to let you know Ray Solomon is out on bail.”
    “What?” Lei felt her stomach