Chapter Seven

The next morning, Chris went alone to town to pick up a present that Rita had ordered for Harry and Fran the day before. Returning to the rental car, he was surprised when the car phone rang. Who could be calling him? He wondered. The only people that would have the number were the rental car company, Rita, and perhaps the Black Beach. Chris had called the hotel for directions when they'd gotten lost trying to find it. He picked up the phone. It was Nancy Martin.

"Chris, I know who killed Linda and Pat! It was an ex-girlfriend of Pat's who was jealous of him and Linda," she explained.

"So they were lovers? Did your brother know about that?" Chris asked.

"Yes, I think so. Look it's complicated. Can I meet you? I can't talk on the phone. Please, will you meet me?" Nancy pleaded.

Chris hesitated slightly, "Okay sure. I'll call Sgt. Yokahana so he can be there also. Where?" She gave directions to a park by Diamond Head. Nancy thanked Chris, and then he called Rita telling her what Nancy suggested. Rita wanted Chris to wait until Mariko got in touch with Yoshi, but Chris wasn't sure how long Nancy would wait. She'd seemed scared, he told her.

"Sam, I don't see any sign of her, so I'm going to take a look around. Tell Yoshi to get here as quick as he can," Chris said.

"We haven't gotten in touch with Yoshi yet. Mariko and I are on our way, and we'll keep trying. We'll be there in twenty minutes." Rita answered.

"Okay, I'll see ya in twenty," Chris hung up the phone and got out of the car and began to walk around. There was no sign of Nancy, and Chris wondered if she had second thoughts. He waited five minutes and was just about to return to the car, when he sensed somebody behind him. It was Nancy.

Mariko drove as fast as she dared. She was spurred on by Rita's increasing feelings of dread. After a number of attempts, they managed to get in touch with Yoshi. "I have some information," he said.

Chris turned to face Nancy. She was shaking and seemed to have been crying. He began, "Okay, Nancy, I'm here; you said you have some information. Why don't you let me know what it is?" Chris pointed to a bench, but Nancy remained standing. She fumbled to light a cigarette. She was acting extremely nervous. Too late Chris remembered what he'd forgotten: Nancy smoked Virginia Slims filtered cigarettes just like O'Day's murderer had.

Nancy noticed Chris staring at her. "What's wrong, Chris?" Her eyes narrowed. They both knew. Nancy's hand moved to her purse, and Chris' hand moved instinctively to his hip, but even as he did so, he knew he'd not find his gun there. Nancy retrieved a 9 mm S&W and pointed it at Chris.

Nancy yelled in an increasingly maniacal voice, "You think you're so smart don't you? Well, you're not smarter then me. My brother thinks he's smarter then me, but he's not! I thought you'd be different. I thought you'd care about me! I trusted you!"

Chris tried to stay calm, but in his mind it wasn't Nancy Martin standing before him, it was Debra Bouchard, and her disturbed voice echoed in his head: I need you to love me. I need you to love me. I need you to love me.

Yoshi explained what he'd learned, "We got the ID back on the partial print. The print belongs to Nancy Martin. She was picked up for a DWI a few years ago. I think she's the killer!"

"Oh God, no! Chris is with her! Chris went to see her," Rita explained frantically to Yoshi.

"I'm almost to the park. I'll get to Chris!" Yoshi said hanging up.

Chris knew he was alone, and would have to save himself. He wasn't going to die, not like this and not now. Rita and the baby needed him. He spoke softly, "Nancy, listen to me. Let me help you, okay? Just give me the gun, and I'll make sure you get help. Just trust me. It's me. It's Chris, remember. You can't kill me. C'mon just give me the gun." Nancy blinked and lowered the gun slightly, but she suddenly raised the gun toward Chris again.

"Hold it! Drop the gun, Nancy!" Yoshi appeared in the clearing his own gun trained on Nancy. Her eyes darted between Yoshi and Chris, and then she slowly raised the gun to her temple.

"NO! Don't do it, Nancy! If you kill yourself then John will win. Don't let John win, Nancy. Don't let him!" Chris pleaded with her as he and Yoshi inched closer. She didn't fight as Chris took the gun from her and Yoshi placed her under arrest.

"Chris! Chris!" he turned and saw Rita and Mariko. He ran to Rita and took her in his arms. At the sight of him, she broke down. Chris held her tightly, thankful he was alive to do so.

Later, Chris, Rita, Mariko, and Yoshi's Captain listened as Yoshi interrogated Nancy Martin. The reason for her actions slowly became apparent. Her brother's partner, who was murdered, was Nancy's boyfriend. She was convinced that John was behind the murder and was eager for revenge. Martin had always been cruel to Nancy, and his cruelty was increased by her being a half-sister. She could never understand why he hated her so, but the death of her boyfriend was the final straw. She and Pat O'Day became lovers, and they plotted to kill Linda Jensen. O'Day's motivation was also revenge. O'Day learned that Martin had planned to lay the blame on him if the IRS/SEC investigation had gone bad. As it turned out, the charges were dropped, but O'Day never forgot the incident. The pair knew that Linda's death would not upset Martin, but they hoped it would upset his business partners-the Chinese Triads who were afraid that police involvement in Martin's affairs would lead back to them, or worse, allow the DEA to get leverage over Martin. However, Nancy Martin wasn't satisfied with the results of killing Linda Jensen, so she killed O'Day to increase the pressure on her brother.

Chris glanced at Rita sadly as they listened to Nancy's story, and it was an all too familiar one to them. As a result of the information Nancy gave about her brother's activities with the Triads, the narcotics division went to question Martin. When they arrived at the Black Beach, he had vanished, and none of his employees knew where he could be found.

"Where the hell could he be? How could John have known that Nancy would tell us about what he was doing?" Chris asked as they sat around Yoshi's desk.

"I don't know," Yoshi said, "but I'm sure we'll find him sooner or later." Chris nodded but wasn't so sure; something told him his former friend's fate was sealed.

"What I don't understand is why Nancy contacted me. What was she trying to do?" Chris asked.

Rita shrugged, "Only she knows, maybe she was trying to protect herself. I'm really not sure."

The next day, Chris and Rita walked slowly down the quiet beach which fronted the Yokahana's property. They'd already said good-bye to Yoshi and Mariko after being treated to a family luau in their honor. The next morning they'd be leaving for home and wanted to witness one last Hawaiian sunset before they left to face an uncertain future. Rita walked alone toward the water's edge, her arms folded across her chest as she stared at the forming sunset. Chris looked after her and sunk to the soft sand. After a time, Rita turned, walked back to her husband, and made herself comfortable in his arms.

Rita brushed a strand of wind-swept hair out of her face and murmured, "It's really beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." Chris paused and added, "So much has happened. I wonder if our whole marriage will be like this: one adventure after another."

Rita turned to face him. "Why stop now? Since we meet, our lives have been like a run-away roller coaster. Good times and bad, but I wouldn't change a thing, Chris, not one thing! We both know what going home means, and we can't avoid it." She glanced back at the sky, burning a bright red, and shaded with purple and violet.

Chris nodded, "We'll take one day at a time, Sam, one day at a time." Chris rose taking Rita with him. "I love you, partner."

"I love you too partner. Forever" Rita reached up to kiss him.

The next morning, Rita and Chris stood with Yoshi and Mariko at the gate which lead to their plane. Nobody knew where to begin or what to say.

Rita spoke first, "You saved our honeymoon, and you opened your home to us. I don't know how."

Mariko nodded, "Why say anything at all? Someday you can repay us."

"Deal!" Chris began as he shook Yoshi's hand, "We want you to come and visit us."

"We will, but you might regret it, our kids don't travel well!" Yoshi said, earning a stern look from his wife.

"Don't listen to him! As soon as you get settled with the baby and your new positions, we'll come and visit. You take care of each other and good luck with the birth!" Mariko stated, hugging Rita and then Chris.

Flight 571 for Los Angles, with connections to Florida, is now boarding at gate 12.

Chris and Rita picked up their bags, and with a final wave, vanished into the gate. The return trip was an easy one, and they arrived at their apartment late that same day. As Rita began the unpacking, Chris called Harry and Fran to inform them that they'd arrived home safely. Harry was pleased, and looking forward to hearing about the honeymoon, invited the couple over for dinner, but Chris declined saying they were too tired. Harry said nothing about their impending separation as partners, but tomorrow they would find out.