Free Dangerous Depths by Colleen Coble Page B

one for Nike. Leia had seen it a few times, and Candace had done a good job, but she was no Julia Roberts. And she hadn’t acted in years. Her last job had been as a receptionist for a security company on O’ahu.
    “Having a baby will change everything,” Leia told her. “Tony’s parents won’t want to alienate you or their grandchild.”
    “They’ve taken charge of everything this week. Alfredo pulled strings to get the autopsy completed and Tony’s body released right away. But they haven’t said two words to me.”
    Bane touched her arm. “They’ll come around when they hear the news. A new baby is like witnessing the creation of the world.”
    Hearing the profound thought, Leia glanced up at him. Sometimes his almost poetic way with words surprised her. “When will the results of the autopsy be back?”
    “Another week or so,” Candace said.
    Leia squeezed her hand. “I’d better move along. The line is getting longer.” As she moved away, she caught sight of Aberg Hans. She hadn’t expected him to show his face. He stood off to one side, his eyes wide and uncertain as though he might bolt for his car any minute. Leia moved toward him. He saw her coming and looked away. She stopped in front of him. “I’m a little surprised to see you here, Aberg,” she told him.
    “I’m here to pay my respects just like all of you. Tony and I had our professional differences, but I wouldn’t hurt him,” he said. “I know that’s what people think.”
    “You threatened him just before he died,” she pointed out. “It sounds like you’d sabotaged his air tanks too.”
    His gaze fell. “That’s a lie. I never did anything to his equipment.” His voice wavered.
    From the way he shuffled around and wouldn’t meet her gaze, his guilt was not in question. “Were you diving in the area, Aberg?”
    His head jerked up, and he began to glower. “I don’t have to answer any questions. I’m just here to pay my respects. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get in line.” He stalked off. Instead of getting in line, he vanished through the door to the outside. Leia wondered why he’d even come.

Six
    L ife moved at a sluggish pace in Kaunakakai. On the southern shore of Moloka’i, it was the largest of the tiny burgs that had sprung up around the pineapple and sugarcane trade in the old days. With no buildings over three stories, no traffic—or traffic lights, for that matter—it was Bane’s favorite town in all the Hawaiian islands. No nightclubs or fast food, just a friendly little town full of native Hawaiians. Bane wouldn’t mind living here someday.
    He stopped at the tiny police station and answered the detective’s questions about Tony’s death, though he didn’t feel he had anything helpful to offer. When he was done, he drove through town in his rental car and headed for the wharf. Ajax sat beside him with his head hanging out the window. Bane wasn’t sure where Hans Dive Shop was located, but it had to be here somewhere. Aberg’s appearance at Tony’s funeral yesterday had raised more questions in his mind.
    Bane parked. “Stay here, boy. Keep watch.” Ajax whined but stayed where he was. Bane walked past the few boats bobbing in the harbor waves. The ferry was just offshore, having disgorged its few visitors onto the island, and now chugged its way back across the waves toward Lana’i.
    He saw a boat with the dive shop’s name painted on the side and paused to see if anyone was aboard. He wanted to find Hans himself. The deck looked deserted, and it was after three, so most likely the day’s diving was done. The trade winds blew along Moloka’i with greater ferocity than the other islands, and the unprotected waters took the brunt, churning up large swells outside the reef. Most of the divemasters would be hawking wares in their stores by now.
    He passed Tony’s shop. It had a large Closed sign in the window. Aberg Hans was probably rejoicing today at the prospect of a larger clientele.