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Thankfully, the waiter was there to take their drink orders, giving him a moment to gather his scattered thoughts. By the time the waiter left, Angel had a tentative grip on his wits.
“I informed the guys they would be on duty tonight.”
Leilani nodded. “I spoke with my boat captains. They’d like Reid and Dev to arrive at the Maalaea Harbor at ten o'clock. They’ll meet them there and show them what needs to be done. Mainly, they need to be there to make sure no one else comes aboard. The crew will arrive at six in the morning to get the boat ready for the day’s tours.”
“I saw that your bus made it back from the shop,” Angel said. He’d noticed it parked in front of the resort entrance with brand-new tires.
She smiled. “Thankfully, the shop delivered it, saving me a trip.”
“What time will the waterfall tour leave tomorrow?” he asked.
“Ten,” she said. “My guide, Olina, will be out front around nine-thirty with a roster of guests who’ve registered.”
Angel pulled his cell phone from his pocket and held it up. “Do you mind?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. Please.”
He quickly texted Reid and Dev, letting them know the plan for the night shift. Then he texted Teller with the time he’d need to be out front for the ground tour. Once he sent the message, he placed his phone on vibrate and tucked it into his jacket for the remainder of the evening. He wanted to focus on the woman seated across from him.
“That leaves you,” Angel said. “When will you head for the marina?”
“My captain will be by to pick me up around seven in the morning so that I can leave my car for Olina to take the children to school. Once the crew is on board, we don’t actually need your team to hang around. You can let them get some rest.”
“We’re here to provide protection for you and your company. I’ll send Reid back for rest and take over on the boat he’s assigned. Dev expressed a desire to go out with the boat he’ll be guarding. And I’d like to go with you to understand your business and responsibilities better. Someone from the outside looking in might see more than those closest to the problem.”
Leilani cocked a dark eyebrow. “That’s your pitch?”
He grinned. “Sounded good in my head.” He dropped the smile and leaned closer. “You and your crew will be busy taking care of your guests. If someone is out to hurt your business, and maybe you, wouldn’t it be better to have too many people looking out for you than not enough?”
“We’ve been operating short-staffed; thus, the need for me to fill in as a deckhand tomorrow.” She sighed. “You’re right. Having you and Dev on board tomorrow will help. I’ll introduce you as deckhands. I don’t want to scare the paying customers by telling them you’re there to provide security.”
“Good. Then I can drive you to the harbor tomorrow. Your captain won’t have to swing by to pick you up.”
“Are you sure? It would save him from backtracking to pick me up.”
“Positive.” He handed her his cell phone. “Let him know now so he can sleep in a little.”
She called her boat captain and told him she had a ride to the harbor and that she’d meet him there in the morning. When she finished, she handed the cell phone to Angel. “Thank you.”
The waiter arrived with their drinks and took their orders.
Leilani chose the grilled Mahi Mahi. Angel asked for the Mahi Mahi and the filet mignon.
The wine helped to ease Angel’s nerves, making it easier to talk with Leilani about her life growing up on the island.
She seemed more comfortable talking about her family and the life she’d had before the fire.
“You said you owned an art gallery. Was art your major in college?” he asked.
“Yes,” she answered.
“Were you more interested in representing other artists, or are you an artist yourself?”
She glanced out the window at the ocean as if the water held her memories. “Both.” The word came out softly.
Angel sensed a deep sadness. “What mediums do you work in?”
She gazed away from the ocean and looked down at her hands. “Oil, watercolors, pen and ink, photography. Whatever captured the essence of the subject best. But mostly painting.” She grimaced and looked across the table at him. “Enough about me. Tell me what it’s like to be a Navy SEAL. That has to be much more exciting than life on an island.”
