Pau Hana: Cat cozy Humor Mystery (Paradise Crime Cozy Mystery Book 5) by Toby Neal & JoAnn Bassett

Author:Toby Neal & JoAnn Bassett [Neal, Toby & Bassett, JoAnn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798989243938
Publisher: Neal Enterprises, INC
Published: 2024-05-26T18:30:00+00:00

Forty-five minutes later, we pulled up outside the plantation cottage that Rita and I had visited yesterday. We went up the cement walkway to the front door in single file: first Lei, then Candace, and finally me, bringing up the rear. The two women who had the authority to get through that screen door were poised to do so.

Up on the porch, Lei rapped briskly on the doorframe. When Barbara Long appeared, a silhouette behind the screen, she flashed her detective ID and Candace followed with her CWS ID.

“I know who you are,” Ms. Long said. “What can I do for you today?” My, how the foster mom’s attitude had changed as soon as she glimpsed the gleam of the ornate badge on Lei’s belt.

“We’re here to do a check on one of your temporary foster kids,” Candace said. “May we come in?”

“Of course,” she said, stepping back and holding the door open. “Don’t mind the mess. With these darn kids coming and going, it’s hard for me to keep up.”

The inside of the house was shabby and cluttered, but not especially dirty. Once again, the TV was blaring in a corner of the room.

“Please turn off the television,” said Candace. “We need to talk.”

The woman hesitated, then went over and flipped off the TV.

“I’ll get right to the point,” said Lei. “Is Maile Ortiz currently at this residence?”

The woman’s eyes darted to the door. I half expected her to make a dash for it, her long braid flying out behind her, so I stepped in front of the screen to block it.

“Yes or no, ma’am, it’s a simple question,” Lei rapped out.

I’d never heard Lei call an older woman “ma’am;” she usually used “auntie.” She clearly wasn’t in the mood to be messed with.

“Maile’s not here right now. Why should she be? It’s a school day.” Barbara Long fiddled with her long braid.

“But she’s not at school, either,” Candace said. “We’re here about her lack of attendance. We are here to physically see her. NOW.”

The foster mom gripped her hands into clawlike fists. She stared down at the threadbare rug on the floor.

“I’m going to check the house for her,” Lei said. No one spoke as Lei moved out of the room. We heard her in the hall opening and closing doors.

Lei returned. “No one else is on the premises. Where is Maile Ortiz?”

We waited for Ms. Long’s response, but she stayed silent. My chest squeezed; it must’ve been so frightening for Maile to have been left here with someone so unfriendly.

Candace broke the silence. “Was Maile still in your custody when I came out here almost two weeks ago? At that time, you told me she wasn’t on the premises because she was attending an after-school activity.”

“No. She ran away.” Ms. Long said in a low voice.

“What do you mean, ‘ran away’?” said Candace. “She’s ten years old. Where would she go? And—why didn’t you report that to me? CWS is responsible for her.”

“Well, I thought she’d come back.

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