An Ocean Full of Secrets by Sophia Metcalf

Author:Sophia Metcalf [Metcalf, Sophia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Published: 2023-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Ophelia

Easton’s words play over as we back out of the driveway. They remind me of the bruises on his chest, the bitterness always there in his eyes. My mouth twists with frustration. I can’t afford to get distracted, not with Ricky’s life on the line. But it doesn’t stop me from wishing there was a way to help him, to ease the pain I see.

“Where next?” Kalani’s mouth is a straight line.

“The boathouse,” I say. “I want to talk to Aunty Lehua, and she’s teaching a keiki class today. She’ll be pau by the time we get there.”

“Hey, Fee, yesterday at Jonah’s…why’d you ask him about Beth’s shoes?” Kalani glances at me. “Was it in the police report?”

I put my feet on the dash, the heels tough and calloused. “We grew up going barefoot. But most mainland people don’t because their feet aren’t used to it, yeah? I remember Beth.” I swallow against the sudden rush of tears. The day haunts me, but I force myself to think about how Beth looked. “She was dressed carefully, with matching clothes and jewelry, but her feet were bare. It didn’t match with the rest of her, yeah? So, I started thinking…what if it means something? Like a clue about the killer.”

“You think the killer took her shoes?”

“Maybe? Especially, since Jonah said Beth loved shoes. It must mean something, right?”

Kalani is quiet, thinking about what I’ve said. He taps the steering wheel and looks over at me. “There was no forensic evidence. That would point to someone who’s probably done it before and is akamai about that kine’ stuff, yeah?”

“Exactly!” I turn in my seat until I’m facing him. “And if he’s done this before, then the shoes could be his…” I search for the word.

“Trophy,” Kalani says. “Didn’t that one killer keep jewelry?”

“Yeah, they keep all sorts of weird things. Why not shoes?” I roll down the window and stick my hand out to test the heat. Warm but not too hot. Perfect weather to paddle. “I was thinking of taking the small canoe upriver to the cove and check it out.”

Kalani parks close to the boathouse. We walk past a row of cars, and Kalani reflexively checks the surf. He nods to the river. “Tide stay out. When it’s this low you almost don’t need one canoe fo’ get to the cove.”

“I wonder if the tide was low when the killer dumped the body?”

“Is it in the report?”

“I bet Aunty Lehua remembers what the tide was like the day I found Beth.” I stumble over one of the bigger rocks lined up along the parking lot. Kalani puts a hand up to steady me, and I tumble against him. His arms encircle me in a tight hug to keep me from falling. For a second all other thoughts leave my head. I look up and find him staring at me with an intensity I usually only see when he studies the waves.

“What do I know?” Aunty says, peeking her head out of her office door.

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