Kathy Reichs - Spider Bones

Cumbo thrust his head forward so his nose was inches from mine. I smelled his sweat, felt his rancid breath on my face.

Locking his eyes on mine, Cumbo curled, then exploded his fingers.

“Poof!”

Droplets of saliva sprayed my face.

Revolted, I drew back and reached for my purse. I was searching for a tissue when the door opened.

I swiveled.

Lô’s face told me something was very wrong.

“May I help you?” Schoon asked.

Lô pointed at me, then hooked a thumb over his shoulder.

I rose and hurried into the hall.

Ryan was standing outside the conference room from which we’d observed the interview. His body looked tense. The ADA wasn’t with him.

“Where’s Cotton?” I asked.

“Gone.”

Lô said nothing further until we joined Ryan. Then, “Pinky Atoa is dead.”

“Dear God.” I was stunned.

Ryan’s expression told me he already knew.

“A bum found him ninety minutes ago behind a 7-Eleven on Nuuanu. He’d taken one slug to the head, three to the chest.”

I felt sick. Atoa was sixteen years old. Yesterday he’d been worried about his dog.

“His body was lying beside a Dumpster.” Lô swallowed. “His tongue was cut out and nailed to one side.”

Sweet Jesus.

“When was he killed?”

“Perry’s putting time of death at somewhere between nine and eleven this morning.”

“The kid had hardly hit the street.” I wasn’t believing this.

“Yeah. Someone was waiting for him.”

Lô’s eyes showed both pain and resolve. He knew what had happened, what lay ahead.

Ryan and I had lived through a gang war. Seen the bloodshed, the senseless death. We knew too.

“I don’t know if this prick Cumbo is involved, but deal or no deal, his ass stays put until I find out.”

“He acted genuinely surprised when I said Kealoha and Faalogo are dead.”

“Yeah, he’s innocent as Bambi.”

Lô glanced at his watch.

“Hung’s on her way here. She’ll deal with Cumbo. I’ve asked Fitch to see what he can scratch up on the Atoa hit. In the meantime, I’m heading to the scene.”

Lô’s heels squeaked softly as he strode across the marble.

Ryan and I rode the elevator and left the building in silence.

Walking toward his car we shared the sidewalk with tourists checking maps, mothers pushing strollers, shoppers carrying brightly colored bags.

Early-evening sun bathed the city in warm saffron tones. The air smelled of sea and warm stone, with hints of hibiscus and grilling meat.

The day is too beautiful for death, I thought. Death at sixteen.

Ryan was unlocking the car when tires squealed behind us.

We both whipped around.

Blue lights flashed from the front grille and back window of Lô’s Crown Vic.

I looked at Ryan. His face told me he shared my apprehension.

We hurried toward Lô.

“I’m glad I caught you.” He spoke through his open window. “Fitch called. Word is Atoa was T’eo’s hit.”

“He ordered one of his own killed?” I was shocked and appalled.

“Someone must have seen Atoa entering or leaving the station, dimed T’eo. T’eo decided to make an example.”

“Christ,” Ryan said.

“Word is Ted Pukui got twenty thousand to take the kid out.”

We waited.

“Fitch heard Atoa’s only the warm-up. T’eo plans to send a message, not just here but to all the cuz on the mainland.” Lô snorted his disgust. “Grow his legend.”

Lô’s eyes shifted from Ryan to me and back.

“Where are your daughters?”

“At home.” A cold fist grabbed my heart. “Why?”

“Call them.”

Ryan dialed the house. Got no answer. Lily’s mobile. Voice mail. He handed me the phone. I dialed Katy. Voice mail.

“Why are you asking about Katy and Lily?” I demanded.

“Word is T’eo’s offered another twenty thousand for you or one of your kids.”

The cold fist expanded to fill my chest.

“He was behind the incident at Waimanalo Bay. Cost him a case of rum to have those punks force you off the road.”

“Why?”

“To discourage you from helping Perry. Didn’t work, and now you’re causing serious inconvenience. This time he’s offering big money.”

I saw fury enter Ryan’s eyes. Felt it in mine.

“But his intel’s off on your kids. According to Fitch, T’eo’s order was to take out either white or brown sugar.”

WHEN OVERWHELMED BY EMOTION, MY MOTHER CLOSED THE door. I do the same.

Though rage and fear battled inside me, outwardly I remained icy calm.

“Follow me.” Lô flicked a button. A pulsing wail split the afternoon calm.

Pedestrians craned their heads. Or froze. Or continued with their day. Cars nosed toward the curbs.

Ryan sprinted, yanked his door open, threw himself behind the wheel. I was right with him.

Palm-smacking the gearshift, he slammed his foot on the gas. The car jerked forward.

“Try again.” Ryan tossed me his cell as we zigzagged through the wormhole created by Lô’s siren.

I braced on the dash and punched digits one-handed.

Still no one picked up.

“They were told to stay at the house.” Ryan kept two hands on the wheel, two eyes on the road.

“Maybe they’re at the pool,” I said.

It was lame. We both knew they’d have taken their phones with them.

Traffic was heavy, but thanks to the lights and siren we made it to Kailua in twenty-three minutes.

Over the bridge, a wend through Lanikai, then a fishtail turn up the drive.

Ryan and I flew from the car and raced into the house.

“Katy?”

“Lily?”

Our calls were answered by silence.

I pumped up the stairs. Ryan rushed outside. Seconds later we met in the kitchen. Lô was already there. Our faces told the story.

“Where the hell are they?” Fear added a tremor to my voice.

Ryan laid a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sure they’re fine.”

Lô was punching buttons on his cell when a sliding door whurped across its track.

Six eyes flew toward the dining room.

“Finally.” Katy managed to sound both petulant and anxious at the same time.

“Where’s Lily?” I barked.

“That’s what I’d like to know. She went off with some skanky-looking loser. I got worried, went out looking for her. First the mall, now tonight. One more and technically she’s on a spree.”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

“I have been calling you. Over and over.” Sudden realization. “Oh, crap. I’m an idiot. Your BlackBerry’s in the ocean.”

“How long since they left?” Lô asked.

“Maybe thirty minutes.”

“What did the guy look like?”

“Who are you?”

“He’s a detective,” I snapped. “Answer his questions.”

“Is Lily in danger?” Panic filled Katy’s eyes. “I told her not to go.”

“What did he look like?” Lô repeated.

“Dreads, chains, the whole banger thing.”

Lô slanted a look at Ryan.

“Do you know where they went?” I worked to hide the dread building inside me.

“Up some trail. Skank-boy told her the view was primo.”

“Kaiwa Ridge.” Lô was already moving.

“You two stay here.” Ryan bolted after Lô.

I spun to face Katy. “Give me your sneakers.”

“What?”

“Just do it.”

She unlaced and handed them to me. I kicked off my sandals and yanked them on.

“Jacket.”

She tossed it.

“Lock every door, arm the security system, then go to your room and stay there. If an alarm sounds, don’t wait. Call nine-one-one.”