Lainie said nothing as Stan and her father talked about the kids.She got up and paced. Why hadn’t she called Evie back immediately? What had her sister wanted and why hadn’t she left a message?
Lainie’s thoughts wandered back to the last time she’d seen her sister. Christmas, about five months ago. Christmas was Evie’s favorite time of year, and she had hosted the whole family at her home. Archie had a girlfriend, but Lainie came alone. She didn’t like to think about how long it had been since she’d had a steady guy—a steady guy she could introduce to her family. Glen was never that sort of guy.
Being single at any kind of gathering often made Lainie feel uncomfortable and just plain odd. Likea third wheelkind of described the feeling, but it wasn’t nearly strong enough. The unspoken questions peppered her:What’s wrong with you?Why can’t you find somebody?They always echoed even if no one asked them.
She never felt like that with Evie. Her sister had welcomed her with a tight hug. “So good to see you. Why do I have to wait so long between your visits?”
Lainie relished the hug and took a minute to answer. “Ah, you know, work is crazy.”
Evie pushed back and held Lainie’s gaze. “We need to do a weekend or something, get back in touch.”
“Good idea,” Lainie had said, not really meaning it. She loved her sister, but Evie would frown on some of Lainie’s recent life choices. She had just started flirting with Glen, a married colleague. She winced as she recalled the last conversation she’d had with the guy. Glen was a notorious philanderer, and she’d openly encouraged him.
That Christmas Day, Stan had been Stan. Lainie never knew what Evie saw in the man. He was boastful, opinionated, and a lot of the time offensive. The only positive thing she could see was that he was a good father. And she could grudgingly admit that he did try to be a good provider. The boys adored him. Still, Lainie prayed that they didn’t grow up like him.
As usual, that day Evie did all the work while Stan sat in front of the TV watching football. Evie even set him up with a TV tray so he could eat while he watched. Everyone else sat at the table.
Evie was a saint. Why on earth was she gone and Stan still here?
Dad finished the phone call. His voice was thick with emotion when he faced Lainie. “It’s not good.”
“We need to book a flight.”
Her father nodded, then reached out to wrap Lainie in a hug. “We need to pray.”
Lainie said nothing, struggling inside. She’d prayed on the way over, but did it really do any good?
The look on her father’s face pierced her. “Dad, I, ah, I just don’t know if I believe in that anymore. It’s...” She couldn’t finish as emptiness was ready to swallow her.
“I do believe in it so I’m praying.” He bowed his head and prayed that Evie would be found safe and sound. After he said amen, he pulled Lainie close. “No matter what, I love you, baby,” her father whispered.
Lainie’s voice thickened. “I love you too, Dad.”
CHAPTER 7
With Archie on his way back from Texas to be with Mom and the boys, Lainie and her father caught a midnight flight to Hawaii to arrive early Sunday morning.
Saying goodbye to the boys was like taking twelve-gauge beanbag rounds at close range to the gut. When Owen gave her a hug, he said, “Aunt Lainie, remind Mom that she has to bring us back one of those tiny guitars they have in Hawaii.”
“Tiny guitar?”
“He means ukelele,” Dad said. “He and Evan want to learn how to play them.”
Lainie gave him a tight hug. “I’ll remind her.”
Stan and Evie were vacationing on the Big Island of Hawaii, in a resort area called Waikoloa Beach. Lainie had been there before; the family made several trips to Hawaii over the years. The last time they went, they’d stayed in Kona, which was about an hour from Waikoloa. Lainie had good memories of the family times. They’d snorkeled in a place called Two Step. While Lainie had fun, Evie was a fish. She would have stayed in the water all day if their parents had allowed it.
At least she died doing what she loved.
Lainie squeezed her eyes shut as tears threatened. She leaned her head against the window.
I don’t want it to be true.
After a while, the monotonous hum of the plane’s engines played into her fatigue and Lainie fell into a fitful sleep. When she woke, they were making their approach to Kona Airport.
Her father patted her hand. “You ready for this?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
