“If someone is really running a shark dive operation here, this would absolutely draw large sharks to the area and keep them hanging around. This is the break we needed.”
Woody scratched the silver stubble on his chin. “How are they getting customers, though? It’s not like they can advertise.”
“Fakkahs,” Cliff muttered.
“That’s not our problem.”
“We need to catch them in the act,” Cliff said.
“What about the cage? How would no one see it on the boat?” Woody asked, then emphasized, “I’m not doubting someone is doing this, just trying to figure how no one has seen ’um.”
“Maybe they stopped when they realized people were getting bit,” Minnow said.
“You saw chum the other day, though, didn’t you?”
“Yeah.”
Cliff cleared his throat, gazing in at the coastline with a stormy look on his face. “Auwe.They not gonna get away with this. Not in our waters. “
Minnow smiled for the first time today and felt her salt-soaked lips cracking.
Journal Entry
From the journal of Minnow Gray
Hawai‘i, February 27, 1998
Pay attention and notice everything around you, for the universe is always showing you the way. A new word I learned.Ho?ailona.Sign, symbol, omen, portent.
Chapter 26
The Call
Na?auao: learning, knowledge, wisdom, science; literally, “daylight mind”
Minnow waited until they were back at the house to tell them. Brooding skies made it appear to be almost nighttime, when in reality it was only a little before three o’clock. She would pass on all the evidence in her possession to Nalu, who could then share with whoever took over for Joe. Likely one of the scientists who had just returned from the conference in Australia. It was a lonely and sad thought, and she tried to brush it away.
But before she could gather the courage to break the news, the phone rang. “Hello, Kaupikos,” she answered.
Cliff was out front sharpening a machete and Woody was picking up downed coconut fronds.
“Dr. Gray? Minnow?” a woman asked.
She recognized the voice right away. “Angela?”
“Call me Angie, please.”
“I’ve been meaning to come by. How are you doing?” Minnow asked.
“A little better each day, I think. Less pain meds, so the walls have stopped breathing, so that’s good.”
Minnow had to laugh. “A good sign, for sure.”
“Listen, I heard they called on a shark hunt, and I saw you on the news pleading against that. Is there anything I can do to help? Talk to the press, go see Lum, anything?”
“I’m sure the press would be all over that, and the world would love to hear from you and hear that you’re doing well. But to be honest, I don’t know that you’d be able to stop the hunt.”
Angela sighed. “I’m sure that leg doesn’t help.”
