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We all shake our heads.
“You’re taking medical instructions from a cook,” Charlie moans from the bed. “Whatever you do, keep her away from me.”
“I am many things, not just a chef. And today, you should thank your fortunate stars for that.”
“I don’t have any needles, aspiration or other,” I confess.
“Drinking straw?”
I shake my head.
“Ballpoint pen? Hollow tube of any kind?”
I bow my head in shame. All these lessons later, how can I still be caught short?
She huffs out a breath. “We must get one. I cannot help her otherwise.”
“First aid kit, bathhouse,” Ronin states again, looking at Vaughn. “It’s significantly bigger than the one in the kitchen and better stocked. I’ll go. I can make it.”
“No—” Vaughn begins. Because I know why, I raise my own hand.
“I’ll go. I know where it is. In charge of laundry, remember?”
Vaughn and Ronin frown at me. They don’t need to say it out loud for me to know they doubt my odds of success. Or survival.
“I can do this. I’m well versed in creeping around places I’m not supposed to be. Plus… I think I have the best shot if I encounter Keahi. One, I’m not male. Two, I met her before. I wouldn’t say she likes me, but she has an interest in me. Might be enough to keep me off her hit list while she stalks bigger game.”
“Go.” The chef is already waving her hand. No time to argue. Since I agree, I pivot on my heel and head out the door.
I CAN HEAR the birds again, squawking about the dark smoke, stupid humans, all of the above. I try to find comfort in the familiar noise while I snap on my pen flashlight to work my way to the central path.
The fire might be dying down, but the smoke remains heavy. Rather than walk through the ember-ridden cloud, I cut across the trail and weave my way through the wall of bushes and palm trees on the other side. I hold my flashlight down low, enough light to guide my steps, while hopefully remaining hidden by the thick undergrowth.
It’s slower going this way. I stumble upon two coconut crabs, one that clicks angrily at me and waves a meaty claw. I detour even more, then begin to panic that I’m taking too much time. All the risk, only to return with the prize too late.
I hasten along, finally coming to the edge of the clearing around the bathhouse. Jason’s head is still sitting on the back railing. Looping around to the front entrance will bring me into the open longer, but in the end, I don’t have a choice. I can’t bring myself to take one step closer to that terrible trophy.
I just step out of the brush into the clearing when a figure appears on the main crushed-coral thoroughfare.
Brent, coming straight at me, gun at his side.
I freeze. Suck in my gut. Will myself to disappear into the night.
But I forgot about my pen flashlight, glowing next to my leg.
Three strides and he’s on me, gun barrel pressed straight into my forehead. “Give me one good reason not to shoot you.”
I can’t think of a single response.
CHAPTER 36
WHERE DID THEY GO? MAC and Lea? Where are they?” Brent brandishes his firearm at me for added emphasis. I step away slightly, enough to put a solid three inches between myself and the wrong end of a gun barrel. It’s not enough, but it’s something.
“You and Leilani are lovers. How long?”
“Doesn’t matter. Now tell me.”
I peer at him in the dark. A waft of smoke drifts across us. We both cough.
