Free Murder at Dolphin Bay (Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery Book 1) by Kathi Daley Page A

told me to call in before heading in to work in the morning if the storm hadn’t passed. It sounded like we were in for a big one. While it was raining hard the wind wasn’t really all that bad but, according to Mitch, that was supposed to change over the next few hours.
    When I got home Cam and Kekoa were sitting at the dining table playing a card game. The rain was coming down in sheets and, as predicted, the wind had started to pick up and was hitting the side of the condo with enough velocity to cause the building to shake.
    “I’m surprised to find you both home. I sort of figured you’d be out because you’re both off tomorrow.”
    “Cam is sulking because Makena has a date with the new surfing instructor and I decided my brief relationship with Don had come to its natural conclusion.”
    “I’m not sulking,” Cam defended himself.
    “He’s sulking.”
    “Makena and I aren’t exclusive. She can date whatever moron she chooses.”
    Kekoa discarded a two of spades which made Cam curse. Yup, there was no doubt about it; Cam was sulking.
    I bent down to greet Sandy, then looked out the open window at the pouring rain. “I’m going to check on Elva before I get settled in.”
    “Actually, Sean was by earlier and invited everyone down to their place for dinner,” Kekoa informed me. “The guys just got back from Mexico, so we’re doing Mexican food. Kevin is making a huge pot of his homemade chili verde, Carina is bringing tamales, and Elva is bringing dessert.”
    “So what are we bringing?”
    Cam held up a bag of tortilla chips and a carton of salsa.
    “I made guacamole as well,” Kekoa added.
    With the exception of Mr. B in unit 6, the tenants of the Shell Beach Condominiums are like a big family. Kevin Green and Sean Trainor lived in unit 5, which has the largest living area of all the condos. Sean and Kevin were flight attendants who were rarely home, but when they were on the island, they were always the first to organize a party. The fact that we were experiencing a near hurricane and they chose to serve the rum-and-fruit-based drink by the same name was typical of the fun the couple often initiated.
    Carina West lived in unit 4 and was a dancer at a local luau. She’s a year younger than I am but has a heart the size of someone who has experienced a lot in life. So far I haven’t been able to crack the façade she presents to the world to find the tragedy I’m certain serves as the foundation for her approach to life. Carina worked nights and wasn’t around a lot in the evenings, but when she was, she could usually be found watching old movies with Elva in unit 2.
    Unit 3 was open but if Elva was correct would soon be occupied by a young mother and her adopted daughter. It remained to be seen how they’d fit into our little family, but Elva had said she’d picked up a good vibe from them, and she was rarely wrong.
    I changed and we grabbed the chips, salsa, and guacamole and headed down the sidewalk to unit 5. Sean and Kevin had done a lot better job making their space into a home than Cam, Kekoa, and me. Our condo is decorated in a theme I think of as yard sale hodgepodge, whereas Sean and Kevin have brought the sand and sea into their space by decorating in varying shades of blue, gray, and white. Our furniture is secondhand, while the guys in unit 5 have purchased the finest furniture and electronics money can buy.
    “To rainy nights and good friends to help pass the time.” Kevin held up his glass in a toast.
    “Hear, hear,” everyone responded.
    Carina sat on the floor petting Sandy while Kekoa chatted with Elva and Cam helped Kevin in the kitchen. The music had been turned up in order to be heard over the sound of the waves crashing onto the beach, making carrying on a conversation difficult at best. I love it when everyone comes together for a spontaneous meal at the end of the day. Sean and Kevin are the most likely to host such an event, but there are times when Carina and I