Free Broken Ferns (Lei Crime ) by Toby Neal Page B

to be careful not to get into those high kicks. Your partner can take you down. Sophie is really good. You can learn a lot watching her.”
    They rejoined the group surrounding Marcella and Ang, who were back at it. Sure enough, Marcella tried another kick, and once again Ang caught her foot and upended her, following up with a grappling hold. Marcella yowled with frustration and took to whacking Ang about the head and shoulders, then burst out laughing.
    “No.” Alika looked down at them, hands on his hips. “Just no. No laughing in the gym.”
    This time Ang laughed, too. Lei withdrew to one of the stationary bikes against the wall, watching as the two women hopped up and began another round. This time Alika followed them, circling around, calling advice to Marcella, and finally she was able to win a round with formidable Sophie Ang.
    A few minutes later, Ang trotted over to Lei. “Ready to go?”
    “You know what? I don’t think so.” Lei wasn’t in the habit of backing down from a challenge—but she didn’t have the wherewithal to get smacked down in front of Alika, who was still looking on, now coaching another pair of women. “Think I’ll just do some cardio and call it good. This isn’t my thing.”
    “Oh, c’mon. Lei.” Marcella approached, mopping her flushed face with one of the thin gym towels. “Get out there with me. Or better yet, let Alika show you a few moves.” She winked. “He might still be into you.” Marcella had had front-row seats to their dating debacle on Kaua`i, something Lei still felt bad about. She wasn’t ready to joke about any of it.
    “Seriously?” Lei felt a flush of embarrassed anger burn her face. “Not funny.” She got off the bike. “Thanks for the invite, Sophie.”
    “Lei—I’m sorry. I was just teasing.” Marcella followed her as Lei strode toward the door.
    “See you at work,” Lei tossed over her shoulder. She beeped the truck open and hopped in, slamming the door.
    The truck revved satisfyingly as she pulled out, but it wasn’t until she was back on the highway that she felt the prickle of tears behind her eyes. She liked to think she wasn’t usually so touchy, but the combination of Alika, their history, and the sheer physical beauty of Ang and Marcella had her on the proverbial ropes. She felt like a pale shadow of herself.
    Lei missed Stevens and Keiki with a sudden stabbing pain, so acute she grasped the steering wheel, swallowing back a sob. Maybe it was just a stomachache and what she needed was food.
    She pulled into the same Burger King drive-through and ordered a Whopper meal. What the hell—fat and carbs might settle her churning stomach. She chomped down the burger in a few bites, and it rested, an uneasy brick, in her belly.
    Lei drove back toward her neighborhood, but the thought of the empty, depressing apartment was too much to bear. Passing her building, she kept driving, this time heading down into Waikiki. Her route took her past Kwon’s apartment.
    That crime could be her undoing—somehow she had to find out who’d shot him. Getting Kwon’s shooter behind bars was the only way she’d be totally safe. But how could she investigate without stirring up Kamuela’s interest? She rolled her windows down to take in the sight of tourists clogging Kalakaua Avenue as she munched the comforting greasy saltiness of fries.
    Her cell rang and she checked it—Marcella. She let it go to voice mail. She wasn’t ready to talk about anything yet, and she knew her friend would want to. One more person she’d failed—she wasn’t much of a friend to Marcella, either.
    She spotted a young man in a hoodie, attitude palpable as he shouldered his way purposefully through the wandering crowds. Something about him reminded her of the Smiley Bandit—youth, angst, and attitude now airborne. What was this unsub up to? Was he really some kind of modern-day flying Robin Hood? If so, she couldn’t help liking him even more.
    Her cell rang again—this