Free Maui Widow Waltz (Islands of Aloha Mystery Series) by JoAnn Bassett Page B

convinced he’s still alive and he’ll return in time for the
wedding so we’re going forward with it. She said it’s extremely important to
Brad that they stick with their Valentine’s Day wedding date.”
    He laughed—a loud, guttural laugh.
I pulled the receiver away from my ear to avoid a temporary hearing loss.
    When he settled down I continued.
“I’m afraid I don’t find this as amusing as you apparently do, Mr. Barker.
After all, this self-delusion is probably all that’s keeping her from going
into full-blown shock. She’s losing weight, she’s not sleeping, and she’s—”
    “Ms. Moon, let me enlighten you as
to what she is. She’s a royal pain in the ass. We all advised Brad against
doing this, but for whatever reason, he seems determined to allow her to lead
him around by the nose. But isn’t this rather moot? I mean, he’s been missing
for almost two weeks. Regardless of her fantasies, you can’t have a wedding
without a groom.”
    “Kevin McGillvary’s offered to
stand in as proxy,” I said. “Under the General Power of Attorney he and Brad
have for each other.”
    “That moron. What’s he…oh, forget
it. Let’s get back to why you called. You said she’s run up some bills?”
    “Yeah, I’m afraid I’m looking at
some pretty hefty invoices. Lisa Marie assured me you’d pay them. But perhaps
that isn’t the case?”
     “How much are we talking
about?”
    I did some quick arithmetic in my
head.
    “She gave me a thousand dollar
deposit, but there’s still over three thousand currently owing and more bills
coming in every day. I know that might sound excessive, but—”
    “That’s nothing. I’ve seen the way
that girl blows through cash. Send me the current bills and DigiSystems will
pay. But no more. With Brad gone, I figure she’s no longer our problem.”
    I started to gush my thanks, but he
talked over me. “You want some advice, Ms. Moon?”
    I hesitated and he went on. “Cancel
the wedding—today. Unplug yourself from this girl and her scary family at the
first possible opportunity. I tried to warn Brad and now look what’s happened.”
    “What—”
    But the hum on the line told me
he’d already hung up.
     
     

 
     
     
    CHAPTER 7
     
    A fter
dinner Saturday night Steve went out clubbing, leaving me to entertain Hatch on
my own. I wondered how smitten Steve actually was with Hatch if he’d rather go
out partying than stick around to pour on the charm. But as I always reminded
myself, it was none of my business.
     “You want to play cards or
just watch TV?” I asked, hoping he’d opt for television, but feeling the need
to act like a good hostess.
    “Oh, I’m fine here with my book.”
He held up the new Lee Child thriller.
    “Hey, I’m a big Jack Reacher fan
myself. I mean, the guy’s the ultimate alpha dude. I love those scenes where
he’s crushing the air out of the bad guy with one hand while dragging the perky
blond to bed with the other.”
    “That’s your ideal man?”
    “No, that’s my ideal book.”
    “That surprises me, you being a
wedding planner and all. I’d have thought you’d go for the girly-girl stuff.”
    “Oh no, trust me. In the scheme of things,
a wedding planner is just one tea rose away from a drill sergeant. The job’s
mostly kicking butt and taking names.”
    “Huh. I wouldn’t know. Never got
married. How about you?”
    “Not even close.”
    We both nodded, as if silently
agreeing not delve into that subject any further.
     “So,” I asked, eager to
change the subject, “how long have you been with Maui Fire?”
    “Only a few months. I transferred
here from Honolulu. I had to get out of there. They didn’t take kindly to me
playing for the other team.”
    “Oh.” I tried to look
understanding, but didn’t offer any comment. I’d heard Steve lament about
prejudice and discrimination even though he worked in a creative field where a
gay lifestyle was often the norm. I couldn’t imagine how brutal the