Double Cross. Terri Reed

however.”

      “True.” She blew out an agitated breath. “I have to check on Tutu. If something happened to her, I…I don’t know what I’d do.”

      He held open his cell phone. “Call.”

      She reached for the phone, but Ryan returned her attention to the road with a tilt of his head. With another sigh, she rattled off the number and Ryan dialed. She took the phone from him while keeping one hand on the steering wheel.

      After a moment, she handed it back, her eyes bleak. “No answer.”

      “Then let’s go straight to the farm,” Ryan said.

      “I’ll drop you off first.”

      “No.” He wasn’t about to let her walk into some unknown situation by herself. He prayed that his worry was unfounded, but just in case…he was sticking close to Kiki. “I’d like to check on your grandmother, also.”

      She shot him a quick glance. “Why?”

      “Because I like her. And I certainly don’t want anything bad to happen to her. Or you.”

      Her lips pursed together and she didn’t comment again as she sped down the Piilani Highway into the countryside away from town. She turned the car onto the long dirt drive running alongside the fields and leading up to the ramshackle traditional-style Hawaiian house.

      The rows and rows of flowering blossoms stretched toward the sun without any signs of uninvited guests. Nor were there signs of life near the greenhouse, the big huge metal building off to the left or the tiny shed barely visible beyond that.

      All was quiet and still. Almost too still.

      Kiki stopped the car in a spray of gravel and jumped out before the engine had even stopped rotating. Ryan quickly followed her up the porch steps. He slipped his sandals off, leaving them beside Kiki’s flip-flops and entered the house.

      “Tutu?” Kiki called, her voice a little high. She disappeared down the hall, only to reappear a moment later, her eyes wide and panicky. “She’s not here.”

      Kiki looked as if she was about to hyperventilate. Ryan grasped her by the elbow and made her sit on the faded upholstered couch. “Could she be out shopping? Buying groceries?”

      “I suppose.” She rose and headed toward the door.

      Ryan hurried after her, but he at least paused long enough to slip his sandals back on before vaulting down the porch steps to catch up with her. She halted as they rounded the corner of the house. “Her car is gone.”

      Relief eased through Ryan. “There you go. She’s out shopping, doing errands or whatever else, so there’s no reason to worry.” He hoped.

      “But I told her I’d get groceries after I got back from the beach. She’s seventy years old, Ryan. Tutu shouldn’t be out driving around.”

      Ryan’s mouth twitched with a smile. The lady wanted to be in control and sure didn’t like it when she wasn’t. “Your grandmother is a vital, energetic woman who’s more than capable of doing as she pleases. At her age, she’s earned the right to go shopping by herself.”

      Kiki frowned at him. “Of course. I know that. It’s just…”

      “The note.” The threat. The explosion yesterday. Anger burst anew in his gut.

      “Yeah. The note. I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything and I’m being ridiculous. It just unnerved me.”

      “Which I would imagine was the sender’s intent. But the pipe bomb yesterday wasn’t meant only to scare, it destroyed your truck. I’m telling you, call the police.”

      She waved his suggestion away. “Later.”

      “Waiting is not a good idea.”

      That stubborn, you’re-not-going-to-tell-me-what-to-do look came into her eyes. He could argue with her until he was blue in the face and he wouldn’t get anywhere. So he took a different tactic.

      He grabbed her hand. “My father was a cop. One of my brothers is a sheriff. I’ve heard enough stories to know waiting is never a good thing when it comes to threats of any kind. Yeah, it may be nothing but it might be something and wouldn’t you rather be proven right than wrong?”

      Her gaze narrowed but the worry there didn’t lessen. “Fine. I’ll go call Nik.”

      “Good idea. Nik seemed competent.”

      Ryan released her hand and she went inside.

      Taking a seat on the porch steps, Ryan blew out the tension and focused his gaze on the tropical vista spread out before him. No wonder someone had decided this piece of property would be the perfect spot for a resort.

      The rolling landscape, full of colorful foliage extending toward the rugged cliffs, was a glorious contrast above the churning, white-capped waves of the Pacific Ocean. The darker hues of the water blended with the brighter blue sky at the horizon line. A truly captivating scene.

      He shifted his attention to the flower farm’s rows of exotic plants. He had no doubt that even when the beautiful array of red, yellow, white and pink of the cultivated flowers were gone, the view would still be breathtaking.

      He could envision a lush, manicured lawn in place of the crops and a huge white gazebo for weddings. Possibly even a small stage for miniconcerts. The place would be a gold mine in the tropics. A gold mine that would fill his own bank account.

      “Nik’s on his way,” Kiki stated as she joined him on the stairs.

      “Great.” Ryan shifted his gaze to meet hers. “This would be a wonderful place for a high-end resort set up for weddings and events where people want more privacy than can be found at the other resorts right on the beach.”

      She frowned and turned her gaze toward the ocean. “There are other places on the island that would work. Places that aren’t currently occupied and aren’t important to me.”

      A cramp of remorse gripped him but he suppressed it. This was the land his client wanted. He purposefully ignored her last statement. “Really? Hmph. I didn’t find any other suitable properties when I researched the island.”

      A flash of annoyance crossed her face. “That’s because you don’t know where to look.”

      “So where are these other places?”

      “I’ll show you after church tomorrow.”

      Was she suggesting they spend more time together? Unaccountably pleased by the notion, he teased, “Does that mean you’re inviting me to church?”

      She met his gaze dead on and straightened her spine. “Yes. I guess I am.”

      He blinked. Pleasure, followed closely by a twinge of guilt, chased down his spine. He’d just imagined her beloved flower farm being replaced with a mega resort. How would this personal step affect his deal? Hmm. He wasn’t sure he wanted to analyze that. “I would love to join you for church.”

      “Really? So you’re a churchgoer?”

      “Every Sunday, growing up. Faith is very important to my family.” And to him. Though there were times he wished he understood God better.

      “Good.” Her mouth twisted wryly. “It’s not your traditional church.”

      His eyebrows rose. “What does that mean? You don’t offer sacrifices or burned offerings, do you?”

      She laughed, the very appealing sound tingled in his chest.

      “No, of course not,” she said. “It’s a Christian church, but with some Hawaiian traditions incorporated into the service.”

      “That sounds interesting.” He held her gaze, liking how open she was at the moment.

      As if she sensed his appreciation, she looked away, following the same visual