House of the Hanging Jade (25 page)

Liko looked at me, nodding. “That sounds good. What do you think, K?”

“I'm relieved to hear it.”

“So tell us more about the place where you were kept,” one of the officers said.

I told them everything I could remember about the place, but I still remembered little of the ride to the secluded spot, since I had banged my head so hard.

Just then Lars walked out. He needed no introduction. The officers were well aware of his legal circumstances. He offered to provide a statement and they promised to talk to him after they took Liko's statement. They turned back to me and Lars left with a reassuring smile in my direction. I smiled weakly at him.

The officers then asked me to go over the history of my relationship with Geoffrey from the time I met him in Washington. Finally, after I had given them all the information I could remember, it was time for the part of the interview I had been dreading. The younger officer needed to document my injuries by photographing them. I was self-conscious and nervous, but they let Liko stay with me. We walked over to the side of the lanai where the light was best and the officer took what seemed like a thousand photos of my face, neck, head, arms, and legs.

When the ordeal was over I heaved a long sigh of relief. We returned to the dining table and the officers asked Liko about his role in the previous day's events. They asked him what he knew about Geoffrey and about any instances during which he and Geoffrey had interacted. There had been none.

The officers then asked that Lars be called out to the lanai. Liko went to get him from his office. When Lars came out, he looked different. His forehead was creased, the corners of his mouth drawn. I looked at him inquisitively, seeking a reason for the change. He gave me a wan smile as he walked past me and sat down at the long table.

Liko and I left quietly. We returned to the kitchen, and Liko only agreed to go back to the guesthouse on the condition that I would rest before lunch and let him make sandwiches for us all. I agreed, finally feeling the exhaustive effects of the time spent with the officers. I was worried about Lars too. I hoped to have time alone to talk to him during the afternoon and find out what was bothering him.

I was able to sleep for just a little while before lunch. I went out into the kitchen to find Liko making a mess with sandwich fixings and leftover soup. I laughed. “It looks like you're planning to feed an army!”

He turned to face me, grinning. “I like this cooking thing. I think I may give it a try!”

“Well, don't do
too
good a job or I'll be out of work,” I answered, smirking. “How did the interview go with Lars?”

He shrugged. “Fine, I guess. They're out there talking to Barbie right now. Probably asking about what she had to do to get you cleaned up and bandaged.”

I nodded absentmindedly. I was considering whether I should go see Lars in his office while Barbie was talking to the police, but I decided against it. I didn't want Liko to wonder why I had to talk to Lars privately.

I was helping Liko arrange the sandwiches on a tray when I heard Barbie leading the officers to the front door.

“Good,” said Liko, rubbing his hands together. “I'm starving.”

We heard the door close and moments later Barbie came into the kitchen. Letting out a long breath, she asked, “Liko, did you make lunch?”

He held up the tray and followed her to the lanai. I rapped quietly on Lars's office door.

“Come in.”

I opened the door just a bit and poked my head around it. “Do you want some lunch?”

“Is it on the lanai?”

“Yes.”

“Is Barbie out there?”

“Yes.”

“Then no. I'll wait until she goes back upstairs.”

I was surprised. Despite having announced their divorce, Lars and Barbie had continued to eat meals together for the sake of the kids. This was the first time Lars had openly refused to eat on the lanai because Barbie was out there.

“Would you like to eat in here?”

He thought for a moment. “No, I'm not going to be a prisoner in my office because I'm mad at Barbie. I'll eat on the lanai when she's gone. You'd better not wait for me.”

I wanted to reach out to him, to be the same reassuring presence for him that he had been for me. “You okay?” I asked tentatively.

He shook his head ruefully. “I'll fill you in later.”

I smiled at him and finally he smiled back. “You and the kids are the sunshine in this house,” he said.

I shut the door quietly behind me and joined Liko and Barbie. They were talking quietly until I came up to the table, then stopped. Barbie wiped her lips daintily with her napkin and asked, “How are you feeling today, Kailani? Better, I hope.”

I pulled out a chair and sat down. “Physically, I think I'll feel much better by tomorrow. Mentally, I'm much better.”

She nodded as if to prove that she was listening, but I knew her mind was elsewhere.
What was going on?

The three of us ate lunch in relative silence. The only sounds came from the birds that sang vociferously in the nearby trees. I watched the ocean waves mindlessly, grateful for the beauty of the place and content not to contribute to any conversation. Barbie didn't eat much. She sat, looking far away, while Liko and I ate. When he was finished, the two of them got up and started to walk away. Liko turned to me. “K, do you need help?”

“No,” I assured him. “I'm happy to get back to work. You go.”

He nodded and caught up with Barbie, who was heading down toward the pool.
Aren't they even trying to hide their relationship anymore?
I was amazed. I knew Lars still didn't know Barbie was having an affair with Liko—otherwise Liko would have been fired and told to leave the house immediately. Liko had to be more careful if he was going to keep his job much longer.

I slowly piled the lunch dishes on the tray and carried it back to the kitchen. Lars came in a few minutes later, holding a newspaper. “I thought I heard noise in here, so I figured lunch was over. I'll grab a sandwich and eat now.” He helped himself to a sandwich from the counter and poured a glass of iced tea. “We'll find a time to talk later, I promise,” he said with a weak smile. I wished I could join him, but it wasn't the time. Not with Barbie and Liko nearby.

I finished cleaning up from lunch—Liko had made quite a mess—and began getting things ready to prepare dinner. I wanted to have everything close at hand so when I started dinner I wouldn't have to be running back and forth looking for ingredients. Then I went to my room to rest again.

I didn't realize how tired I was. I slept heavily for a few hours and awoke to the sounds of the kids in the kitchen, rummaging for snacks. I went to the door to help them. They seemed surprised to see me.

“Kailani! How are you feeling?” Justine asked, looking concerned. She was clearly shocked by my appearance, but was doing a good job trying to hide it.

I smiled at her. “Much better, thanks. Can I get something for you guys?”

“No, I think you should rest,” she answered, sounding like a little nurse. “We can get our own snacks.”

“Who picked you up today at the bus stop?”

“Dad,” Marcus said. “Do you know what's up with him?” I shook my head and he changed the subject. “Want me to make dinner?” he asked eagerly.

“Sure.”

“What are we having?”

“Salmon with a ginger glaze, sticky mango rice, and braised baby bok choy with mac nuts.”

“Cool. What do I do first?”

“Your homework, for starters. Then when Liko says it's okay, come to the kitchen and I'll get you all set up.”

He grinned. “Sounds good.” Grabbing a handful of almonds and a container of yogurt, he left the room. I watched him go, smiling and shaking my head. He was definitely not the same boy who had demanded soda and cookies when I had first started at the Jorgensens' house.

“Can I help?” Justine asked.

“Of course! But you have to do your homework first. Come and find me when you're ready to help. I'll be in my room.”

“Okay. Get some rest,” she advised.

I eased myself into the armchair in my den, hoping to rest my eyes until the kids came to find me before dinner, but I must have fallen asleep. I woke up just a short time later to the sound of shouting coming from the lanai. Hurrying to see what the commotion was all about, I met Lars coming from his office, his eyes hard and his mouth set in a grim line.

“What's up?” I asked him.

“I can only guess,” he answered.

I didn't have any idea what he was talking about, but I was soon to learn the reason he had been out of sorts all day.

Marcus was standing at the table, his homework fluttering in the soft breeze, shouting at Barbie, who was sitting across from him. Justine sat looking from her mother to her brother, eyes wide with . . . fear? Incomprehension? I looked around for Liko, but he wasn't there.

Barbie looked up at Lars, but looked away again quickly.

“How can you do this to us?” shouted Marcus.

“Marcus, darling, you simply have to calm down before we can talk about this,” Barbie answered smoothly.

Marcus turned to his father. “Did you know she's pregnant? And she won't tell us who the father is!”

That's when I knew why Lars had been angry at Barbie. He knew she was planning to tell the kids about her pregnancy.

He walked over to the table and put his hand on Marcus's arm. Marcus shook it off as Lars spoke to him and Justine. “I know it's hard for you and your sister. It's hard for everyone. But we're getting a divorce and this is just what happens sometimes when marriages break up.”

“But how can you stand it knowing it's some other dude's kid?”

“That's between your mother and me.”

“Do you know who the father is?” Marcus demanded.

“That's also between your mother and me.” Lars obviously didn't want to appear as clueless as the children were, and he was also trying to protect Barbie from having to discuss the issue in front of everyone.

Barbie nodded in agreement. “Yes, that's true. I needed to tell you two because it won't be long before I start to show and I wanted you to know before then.”

“Thanks,” Marcus sneered.

“When will the baby be born?” Justine wanted to know.

“In about six and a half months,” her mother answered.

“That's gross,” Marcus said sullenly. “And now our family is ruined. Thanks, Mom.”

Barbie looked taken aback. I was even surprised to hear Marcus's reaction to her pregnancy. “Marcus, you'll see. You'll love the baby when it comes,” she said, apparently trying to soothe him.

“No I won't.”

“You'll see. You will, I promise.”

“Just like you promised to be faithful when you married Dad?”

“Marcus, that's not fair. A lot has happened in the years since Dad and I got married.”

“I don't want to talk about it,” he said suddenly. He gathered up his books and stalked off, calling over his shoulder as he went, “Kailani, make dinner without me. I'm not helping. And I'm not hungry.”

Justine pushed back her chair and hurried after him. Barbie remained at the table with her head in her hands. Lars looked at her with disdain. “You brought this on yourself, you know.”

“I know that,” she answered, looking up at him and scowling. “They had to know, though.”

Lars sighed. “I guess. Too bad they have to grow up so fast.” He turned and walked slowly back to his office. I expected him to go talk to Marcus, but he must have decided that Marcus needed some time alone.

I had been rooted to the spot while the angry discussion had taken place, but I was suddenly embarrassed to have witnessed it. I felt sorry for all of them—even Barbie, whose carelessness had caused all the pain.

I returned to the kitchen quietly. Barbie sat alone at the table for a while longer, then I heard her head slowly upstairs.

I didn't know whether anyone would feel like eating, but I made dinner as usual. I kept the salmon warm while I waited, sipping water with lemon on the lanai. Eventually, Liko walked up to me from the direction of the guesthouse.

“I heard all the commotion earlier and didn't want to interrupt,” he said.

“That was smart.”

“What happened?”

“Barbie told the kids she's pregnant.”

“Didn't go over too well, then?”

I shook my head. “Want something to eat?”

“Nah. I'm not really hungry.”

The question I had been dying to ask Liko—the question that hung unspoken in the air between us—remained unasked. I suppose Liko didn't know who the father was, either. It was possible that even Barbie didn't know. But I couldn't help wondering if the baby would be born with the brown skin and black hair of a native Hawaiian. Like Liko.

I knew he was thinking about it too. Somehow it seemed safer, as if we could postpone the inevitable, if we didn't talk about it. But sooner or later we would all know the answer. I didn't know what to hope for; if the baby wasn't Liko's, then Liko would know Barbie was sleeping with yet another man during their affair. But if it
was
Liko's, then the upheaval in the family could be devastating. It would be best for everyone in the long run, I supposed, if the baby were the child of some other man. Liko stood at the railing and watched the sun as it slowly descended to the west, then said “see you later” and left.

I went back into the kitchen and started putting dinner in the refrigerator. I would have to throw the salmon away because it would taste awful reheated, but Lars walked in before I got to the trash.