AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The plane,” Captain Marilee gasps from the table. “He shot me… Now… he’s… only pilot.”
“He can fly himself, Keahi, and whomever”—again I stare at Leilani—“back to Oahu when this is over. What is Brent’s connection to Keahi?” I zero in on Leilani.
“How would I know? I’ve never spoken to my sister.”
“But she is your sister. And Brent is your pilot. Maybe your favorite pilot?” This is an interesting thought. I glance at Marilee to see if it jogs anything for her, but her eyes have drifted shut. I go with: “One way or another, you’re the crux of this.”
Leilani raises her chin stubbornly. “I don’t know anything!”
“Bullshit!”
MacManus practically growls at me, while the rest of the room shifts in growing unease. No one knows what to believe, but everyone has plenty to fear. Not a great combo.
My attention returns to grumbling MacManus. Could it be as simple as turning him over to Keahi and letting her have her revenge? I don’t like the guy, but I’m not sure I can get behind callously sending him to his death. I also doubt that would be the end of things. I’m guessing that, having escaped from prison once, Keahi has no intention of going back. Meaning she and Brent would have little interest in leaving behind more than a dozen witnesses.
When they’re done, they’re going to fly the plane off into the sunset. Brent could pilot, Leilani by his side, Keahi hidden somewhere in the cargo hold. Upon landing, easy enough to deliver some tale of woe: the island was beset by pirates, or one of us went all The Shining on the others. Hell, we were attacked by rabid coconut crabs. If there are only two survivors, they can get away with what they want to get away with, including helping Keahi along her merry way.
It all works as long as none of us is alive to say differently.
We are so fucked.
The smell of simmering tomato sauce and baking garlic bread wafts into the room. It’s enough to make stomachs rumble and faces relax. Briefly, the tension lifts. We still don’t have a plan, but at least we have dinner. Ann was right on that subject.
Which gives me my next not so great but hopefully good enough idea.
Maybe food can be helpful after all.
I WAIT TILL I’m in the rear of the kitchen, as I don’t want Leilani to overhear. Vaughn’s not around, which will get me in trouble later, but he’s not the relevant expert. Instead, I commandeer Trudy and Ann, within earshot of Charlie.
“How easy would it be to sabotage the food? Slip something in the spaghetti sauce that would at least incapacitate our intruders? Say some kind of poison?”
From his vantage point next to the rear screen doors, Charlie drifts closer, actively listening.
“What do you have in mind?” he asks.
“We can’t just stay here and wait for Brent and Keahi to do whatever they’re going to do. We’re literally sitting ducks.”
Holding a shotgun, Charlie doesn’t dispute my point.
“Our advantage—we hold the kitchen. They can raid supplies from the outside fridge and freezer, but that gives them ingredients, not an actual meal.”
Trudy and Ann nod in agreement.
I eye the two of them. “Since I’ve been here, you’ve made a big deal over the fact you’re the most important members of this team. Good food equals happy crew. Even tonight, you’re preparing a full pasta dinner… Honestly, it’s one of the only things holding everyone together right now.”
More sage nods. These two know their superpower.
“Keahi just escaped death row. What’s the one thing she hasn’t had in over seven years?”
Ann gets it immediately. “A home-cooked meal.”
“Exactly. I want to offer up dinner. Like a peace offering.”
“Or tribute to an angry God,” Trudy adds.
“Yes. But I’m also an angry God, so I’d like to make them fucking pay.”
Trudy and Ann brighten immediately.
