Hindsight

Chapter 1

Everybody else was huddled in the less-glass-populated areas of the resort. Dad had the boys segregated from everyone else in a very large bathroom where they had room to spread out with their toys and play. He had this way about him, my father, that could convince people who were standing at the brink of Armageddon, that everything was fine, no need to worry at all.

Of course, I was at the largest window I could find, watching waves batter the coast just a few hundred yards away. Water had washed up to the road and licked several chunks out of the asphalt in its destructive hunger.

Trees bent to nearly forty-five degrees. Only the young and supple resisted snapping off to fly away.

And the rain. I'd never seen such a sight in my life. It seemed to be falling horizontally rather than the vertical rain I'd grown so accustomed to over the years in Darkwater Bay.

Kai, one of the resorts' Jack-of-all-Trades came flying up behind me.

Dr. Eriksson, you really shouldn't be in here, he was out of breath and sopping wet.

I lifted an eyebrow. "You were out in the storm, Kai. Don't scold me for being at a window. Besides, when will I ever have the opportunity to see such a spectacular occurrence again?"

For days, we'd been placated by island natives that storms of this strength and caliber never hit land, that Hawaii was in some weird pocket of the Pacific that insulated it from the ravages of powerful oceanic storms. While over the water and believed to be headed past Hawaii, this tropical cyclone wasn't given much thought. We were told that we might experience some rain.

How fast is the wind now, Kai? I asked over whatever cautionary nonsense he was spewing at me while I considered that even with the best equipment available to mankind, we still haven't figured out how to achieve 100 percent accuracy in predicting storm directions. Harnessing them to prevent hitting land? I laughed at our hubris, to always presume that a thing would always be the way it usually was. In the case of Hawaii, it was the belief that the storm would achieve missed me by a mile status every time. Apparently, nobody bothered to explain any of this to el Niño.

This isn't funny, doctor, Kai scolded again.

Yes, I know. Akela warned you that her grandfather or whoever, predicted this storm would do what it's doing, I said. God, watching the rain being driven sideways by the wind was awesome—and hypnotic.

At least it was until it picked up one of the enormous flower pots on the courtyard and threw it straight at the window where we stood.

Kai grabbed my arm and yanked me away from the window as glass flew everywhere. Eighty miles per hour, doctor, he yelled into my ear over the sound of howling wind and symphony of angry water sheets now flooding the room. You've got to come to a safe area of the resort!

Reluctantly, I agreed. Maybe I should've left the FBI and disappeared into the middle of America. Become one of those adrenalin-addicted storm chasers. I could certainly see the allure of planting oneself in the middle of such chaos.

The lights around us, few as remained lighted, flickered.

Shit, Kai shouted over the din and grabbed my hand. Come on, doctor! We're about to lose power, and there are limited areas of the resort that rely on our emergency generator.

I yelled, You told me these storms never happen here. Why would you even have generators if that were true?

He shot a look at me, some strange hybrid of irritation, frustration and amusement. "Because I don't think I said never, he shouted back. I believe I used rarely. And if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to the others before we find out the hard way if the generators will actually function in this mess. And I need to finish counting heads, so please. Do follow me."

Johnny manacled my upper arm thirty seconds later as we neared the center of the resort's interior, to a boring yet deemed-safer interior room without windows.

Kai, we could help make sure that everyone who hasn't come in here yet gets here safely, I said. Give me a flashlight and a list of people who haven't been moved to safe areas yet and I'll—

Helen, Johnny warned with a harsh utterance.

We're fine, doctor, Kai grinned at me. I've only got one more person to check on. That troublemaker you and your husband had to subdue in the beach bar the other day.

The jerk who'd rather pound the crap out of his wife's boyfriends than divorce her? I asked.

Kai laughed.

Brian, the bartender who'd borne witness to the drama the other day came up behind us with bottled water. Ah, yes, Perry Christmas, he said.

Excuse me? Johnny turned sharply.

That's the guy's name. Perry Christmas.

My eyes widened. As in the Christmas Foundation's Christmases?

He made a point of telling all in earshot that he didn't give a…well, didn't care who you were, or how good you were at martial arts, he'd sue you for every dime you had for assaulting him. The cops weren't impressed.

Jesus, Johnny muttered.

Of course, the cops have been out here so many times because of his nonsense over the past three weeks that they weren't inclined to believe his side of the story, Brian said. His grin shifted to me alone. Besides, they did ask you to teach them to do that ear twist thing you did to him, Helen.

Kai, get me another flashlight, Johnny said. The lights were more flicker than continuous now. Considering who you're checking on, I think it would be wise for you to have some muscle along. My husband actually flushed a bit. No offense intended.

Kai laughed. None taken, Commander Orion. I've still got some growing to do.

He did, I supposed, since most boys hadn't completely filled out at the age of nineteen years. That's hardly fair, Johnny. I offered first, I argued. And we already know that I have no difficulty at all making this jackass see the light.

The point isn't to make him angry, Helen, Johnny replied. And sorry, sweetheart, but the sight of you will have that effect on the man. I'm going to make sure he doesn't get combative with Kai.

He looked at the young man. Ready?

I'm going with you, I said with an authoritative tone that brooked no argument.

Kai laughed, but Brian was much, much bolder.

Is she always so…determined, Johnny?

You have no idea, he shook his head. All right. If we're going, we should go now before the wind tears the roof off the place.

Where's his room, Kai? Are we sure that's where we'll find him?

He nodded. We were back out in the glassed-in corridors where various assaults from flying debris had done damage to the integrity of the building. Rain pelted us, wind carried our voices away with it, making communication difficult.

His wife said he passed out drunk about two o'clock this morning, usually sleeps it off for a good twelve hours. Follow me.

Johnny grabbed both my hands. Grip my belt, he shouted. This wind will send you airborne if you're not hanging on.

We have to go through a courtyard area to get to Mr. Christmas’ villa, Kai pointed at the far end of the corridor. Puddles, dirt, broken palm fronds, even a coconut or two littered the path we needed to take.

For half a second, I felt a pang of uncertainty. Kai might've outweighed me by a little bit, but he wasn't nearly as big or muscular as Johnny—not that my husband was literally strong enough to resist such a force.

By the time we got down to the exit at the far end, Kai had stopped long enough to retrieve something from his hip.

We need to tie this to us, he said. And then secure it to something not likely to be blown away in the wind.

Johnny already had one end of the nylon rope knotted around my waist, leaving only about three inches between the one he looped around himself before positioning Kai in front of him very closely and doing the same to him. A moment later, he had the other end of the rope knotted around a marble pillar.

We should move quickly, he shouted. Or at least as quickly as possible. Forsythe said we haven't even seen the worst of this storm yet.

Moving quickly during 80 mile per hour wind was one of the silliest notions I'd ever heard, but only in retrospect. People have no idea how strong that kind of wind really is, or how it drives something as benign as raindrops into skin like a million frozen needles. Or watery bullets.

Kai ducked under the lanai when we reached the nearby villa, where we at least found some shelter from the elements, and fumbled for the master keycard in his pocket. He slipped it into the slot.

How does the lock still work when there's no electricity? I yelled over the howling wind.

Batteries, Kai grinned. But in case of battery failure or a deadbolt situation, we've got a master key we can use as well.

Johnny had the three of us untethered from the rope and tied it off on the lanai. We stepped into the villa. He shut the door behind me while Kai ventured into the large space.

Mr. Christmas, it's Kai from the resort. We're asking everyone to take shelter through this storm there. I need you to come with… I heard his gasp. Oh my God!

I flew to his side and saw what Kai had when he'd walked into the living room and the kitchen area had come into view.

Christmas was draped over the gas grill inset in the kitchen's granite countertop. He was bent over at the waist, the hair on half of his head burned completely away. His face was blackened. One eye was opened and had that fixed, glassy stare of death.

Dear God, he got drunk and fell onto the stove! Kai exclaimed. He'd gone two steps toward the body before I grabbed him.

Kai, don't touch anything.

But he's—

Dead, Johnny said from behind me. Kai, I want you to go back to the others. I'm going to need some help over here with this.

We should call the police.

I watched Kai wilt with realization.

They won't be able to make it in this storm, Johnny said evenly. It's just lucky for you that you have a whole lot of people staying in your resort right now who also happen to be cops.

But he was drunk and probably just—

I'd stepped around the men and walked carefully to the galley of the kitchen. Probably cuffed his own hands behind his back and laid on the grill? I don't think so, Kai. Johnny, I beckoned with a jerk of my head.

He looked where I pointed. "You've got to be kidding me."

Not exactly police issue, I said as he took in the pink tufts of faux fur that padded the handcuffs. I wonder if Mrs. Christmas got tired of being married to a drunk she didn't love and wouldn't be faithful to.

Or wouldn't divorce because of a probably pretty unfavorable prenup, Johnny muttered.

You should go back with Kai, I said. Get Maya, Forsythe and Steve Smith and his camera. Have Kai see if they've got any gloves, and perhaps anything we can use for foot protection in here. The three of us have already contaminated the crime scene with water and mud, I said. See if Tony can track down Mrs. Christmas. I want her alibi for the last twelve hours. Didn't Brian say she claimed he stumbled in around two this morning?

Helen, the best we can do is preserve the evidence until the storm is over, Johnny said.

"And that's exactly what I plan to do, but I'd like to preserve as much of it as possible. The last bus of passengers out of this resort was at six last night, Johnny. The wind wasn't as bad then as it is now, but after nine, nobody was going to safely get out of here. Our killer is still here somewhere. I know it.

Oh, I need my makeup kit, I added.

Johnny squinted at me. Because you have to look pristine to work a crime scene?

I laughed. No, but I can use the eye shadow or loose powder to dust for prints. I'd bet money that Forsythe's phone can take pictures of them that would be of great use in a database of prints somewhere. If not, we'll have them all documented for the locals when they take over the investigation, and we won't have to worry about losing them because of whatever may befall this villa before the storm blows through. Hurry back, I added.

What about everybody else? Johnny asked.

I think they need to make sure nobody tries to slip away to hide during our investigation, I said. Kai did say this was the only patron unaccounted for. Right Kai?

Huh? he peered at me with pale skin compared to his usually glowing gold and wide, frightened eyes.

You're sure Mr. Christmas was the only person unaccounted for? I asked.

He nodded dumbly. Of my group, that is. We've got four other places where guests are being housed during the storm.

Johnny, get Kai with Hal Vickers. They need to go to the other four storm-safe locations and do another head count. And get volunteers from the guys who didn't leave last night to go guard each of those areas and make sure no one tries to leave. We've got a lot of work ahead of us.

Helen, I'm not sure about this, Johnny's voice dipped low. I'm sure they've got security personnel who could deal with all of this. We don't exactly have any authority out here. We're a few thousand miles outside our jurisdiction.

I looked up at him, surprised really. Our sons are at this resort, Johnny. I'm not comfortable with some homicidal person at large when my babies are in residence.

There was a triple shot of Conall and Eriksson type of irony in that statement. Fortunately for all of us, he let it slide.

Have Daddy give the boys to Mom, I said. I'd like his help looking over what we can find out about Mrs. Christmas and her lovers.

Because…?

He's a natural profiler, Johnny. Obviously, we don't need to worry about all the patrons of this resort being suspects, just the ones involved with Mrs. Christmas. I peered at Kai. What's his wife's name?