Yuletide Stalker. Irene Brand

and Maddie sighed. Despite the disturbing news she’d read about the naval officer’s death, she had never felt more content in her life. These few hours with Linc had proven he was the same thoughtful, caring man who’d supported Maddie and her mother through Stanley Horton’s funeral years ago. She went to sleep wondering if Linc was in love with Ahonui.

      Linc unashamedly watched Maddie as she slept. The breeze whiffed the long golden tresses around her face, and occasionally Maddie brushed them aside. Her face was relaxed and she seemed vulnerable, as if she was still the girl he remembered, but she wasn’t a child. Nor did he want her to be, although he didn’t dare hope that she would regard him romantically. Maddie sighed wearily and an agonized expression spread across her face.

      Suddenly Linc felt like a Peeping Tom, and he turned on his side away from Maddie, but not to sleep. The recent news that an investigation was being initiated into Stanley Horton’s death had come as a shock to him. If he’d had any notion of such a development, he wouldn’t have invited Maddie to visit. He didn’t want to ruin her vacation, but she should be made aware of these new developments. What was the best way to tell her? He decided to say nothing until she had rested.

      They ate their evening meal of chicken, potatoes and mixed vegetables in the dining room with a full view of the Pacific.

      “Except for some of the spices, this meal could have been served back home,” Maddie said. “I’m curious about what kind of food you prepare for Christmas. And how do you celebrate here in Hawaii? Are your customs different?”

      Laughing, Linc said, “Different from what I knew as a kid. I grew up in Iowa, and I remember going to Grandma’s house for a traditional Christmas dinner. We didn’t travel in a horse-drawn sleigh, but we had snow most of the time. You obviously won’t see any snow, but people do a lot of decorating. And we serve ham and turkey with all the fixin’s in my restaurants and people like that. I heard a news anchor say last week that you can always tell you’re spending Christmas in Hawaii when ‘Silent Night’ is played on a ukulele and Santa arrives on the beach in a canoe.”

      “That’s funny,” she said with a grin. “I’ve been thinking how strange it will seem to spend Christmas Day at the beach. Do you decorate a tree?”

      As Roselina cleared the table for dessert, she said, “Christmas trees are brought in by ship—sometimes by plane. Mr. Linc usually brings home a fir tree, and I decorate it for him. European seamen brought Christmas to the islands, but I don’t think much attention was paid to the holiday until Hawaii became a U.S. territory.”

      “I read in the newspaper last week that the first Christmas was supposedly celebrated in Hawaii when an English ship captain and his crew observed the holiday in the South Pacific not far from here.” Linc grinned and added, “Their menu consisted of roasted pig and coconut milk. I’ve always served roasted pork at my restaurants, and this year, as a specialty for the Christmas season, we’re serving chilled coconut milk.”

      Mention of the newspaper reminded Maddie of the article. Suddenly the joy of celebrating Christmas in Hawaii took second place to the suspicion that her father could have been murdered.

      Noting her change of expression, as soon as they finished the meal, Linc asked Maddie if she wanted to go to her cottage.

      Stifling a yawn, she said, “But I should help Roselina with the dishes.”

      “No, no,” the housekeeper said. “I have a dishwasher, and it will take no time. You can help next time, but you should rest your first night here.”

      As soon as the sun set, darkness came immediately, and Maddie felt apprehensive. She willingly agreed when Linc said, “I’ll walk with you to the cottage. I don’t have dusk to dawn lights because I like the peace of total darkness, but it might be intimidating if you aren’t used to it.”

      He turned on the light over the garage door, which was near the cottage. “I’ll leave this light on all night.”

      Maddie thanked him, because the darkness did frighten her. And it was deathly quiet except for the continuous slapping of waves on the beach.

      “Sleep as late as you want,” Linc said, “and when you’re ready, come to the house for breakfast. We’ll spend the next two days in Honolulu visiting the World War II sites that you want to see and also laze around on Waikiki Beach for a few hours.”

      He opened the door. Hesitantly, she said, “Do you have time to come in?”

      Wondering, he said, “Yes, of course.”

      “I want to show you something.”

      Maddie went into the bedroom area and returned with the newspaper she’d gotten on the plane. She spread it out before him and pointed to the article that had disturbed her. “Do you know anything about this?”

      Linc threaded his fingers through his thick hair. “I’m sorry you found out before I had a chance to tell you. If you’ve read the paper, you know as much as I do. The prison break was reported on television, but since residents have both English and Hawaiian names, at first I didn’t connect the escapees with your father’s death. Since the military is doing the investigation, they won’t release much information, but I’m sure that it is Commander Horton’s death.”

      “Will you tell me about Daddy’s death? I’m sure I heard details of the accident when I was a child, but Mother didn’t like to talk about it. I don’t remember what really happened.”

      “Yes, I will, but shouldn’t we wait until tomorrow? You must be tired, and if we start talking about this tonight, you probably won’t go to sleep.”

      “You’re right, of course.”

      His eyes were compassionate as he said, “It must have been a jolt for you to learn about this new development when you’re so far from your family and friends.”

      “Actually, I don’t really have a family. I’m an only child, and except for a few cousins I rarely see, there isn’t anyone. My grandmother died soon after my mother did. After that, you know that I spent two years at the Valley of Hope.”

      Linc nodded, and she continued, “And the last two years I’ve lived in a college dorm. I’ve gone to school winter and summer because I didn’t have anything else to do. I have some very special friends, however, and I’m thankful for them.”

      “I guess we have a lot in common. I’m an only child, too, and I joined the navy after my parents died in a car accident. I have several aunts and uncles and lots of cousins, but we don’t keep in touch. My fault, not theirs.”

      Stifling another yawn, Maddie said, “Because I don’t have any home ties, I do appreciate this invitation to visit you. Christmas has always been a sad time for me, so I’m determined to enjoy myself while I’m here despite this disturbing news, which may concern Daddy.”

      Linc squeezed her hand gently.

      “Hey, I’m a loner, too,” he said with a gentle smile. “The pleasure is mine. You’re going to keep me from being lonely this Christmas.” Tugging gently on her hair, he laughed and said, “Once you get used to the angels in the nativity scenes wearing leis instead of halos, you’ll enjoy Christmas in Hawaii.”

      Maddie stood in the door and watched Linc’s long stride as he returned to the house. His last words sounded as if he was speaking to a child. Why did that annoy her?

      THREE

      After the long flight, Maddie had expected to fall asleep quickly. The bed was comfortable, the room was cool, and she was irritated when she flounced until the covers resembled a war zone. She couldn’t stop thinking about Linc. The affection she’d harbored for him since she’d first met him had been like a child’s security blanket. Following the death of her father, she’d needed a physical reminder to keep his memory alive in her heart and mind. Linc had been that reminder.

      During her teen years, after her mother had gotten ill, she’d also needed