Don’t believe what you’ve been told about your husband’s death. No accident. He was murdered. Watch your back.

  Katrina dropped the note on the desk as though it were on fire, and put a hand to her mouth in shock. She looked about the office as if expecting to find whoever left the note. But it was empty aside from her. Gazing back at the piece of paper, she felt compelled to read it again, as though her eyes had played a cruel trick on her. Picking it up, she read it again and saw the same disturbing words. Who would play such a cruel joke on her? And why? Was it possible that Joseph’s death was not from the kayaking accident after all, but had only been masked by it? If so, why would anyone wish to harm her husband, much less kill him?

  A hand on her shoulder nearly made Katrina jump out of her skin. She jerked around in a defensive manner, sure that she was about to be attacked, but saw that it was Alyson standing there. “Hey, are you okay?” she asked innocuously enough.

  “Yes. You startled me, that’s all,” Katrina responded honestly.

  “Sorry. I saw you standing there, looking as though you’d been spooked by something.” Alyson twisted her lips regretfully. “Guess I only made things worse.”

  “You didn’t.” Katrina sighed and looked at the paper she was still holding. “But you’re right, I was spooked...by this—” She passed the note to her.

  Alyson stared at it, her face coloring almost instantly. “Where did you get this?”

  “It was on my desk when I came in.” Katrina gazed at her. “Did you see anyone in here?”

  “No. Not when I was last in the office, about fifteen minutes ago.”

  “So someone must have dropped it off between then and now?” Katrina surmised disconcertingly, believing that she would likely have noticed since Alyson had to pass by her desk to get to her own.

  “I’ll ask the staff if anyone saw someone come this way,” she said. “Or leave.”

  Katrina nodded, all types of thoughts running through her head. It was difficult enough just trying to come to terms with Joseph dying in a kayaking accident. Now someone was indicating otherwise. What was she to believe? “What do you make of this?” Katrina asked, valuing her opinion.

  For once, Alyson seemed at a loss for words. “Maybe someone’s idea of a sick joke?” she finally suggested.

  It was Katrina’s first reaction too. But it didn’t make sense. “What would anyone have to gain by joking about my husband’s death?” she questioned. “To watch me become unglued just for the sake of it?”

  “You’re right.” Alyson handed the note back to her. “There’s got to be more to it.” She paused. “Do you think Joseph really could have been murdered...?”

  Katrina considered this for a long beat, trying to picture that horrifying possibility and what implications arose from it, before answering candidly, “I don’t know.” She placed the note inside the pocket of her knit pants and said determinedly, “But I need to find out.”

  * * *

  DEX MADE HIMSELF comfortable at the piano as Barnabas sat beside him, curiously observing those who were present in the Kahiko Lounge drinking, talking or waiting to hear music. I’ve got this, Dex thought, confident in his ability to draw on his musical roots and skills to perform in an undercover role. He noted that Katrina was standing near the entrance, her gaze fixed on him. Was it his imagination or did she seem troubled? Maybe she was suspicious with his hastily arranged reference. Worse, perhaps she was having second thoughts about his ability to hold the attention of his audience as part of their experience at the lodge.

  Guess I’ll find out soon enough, he told himself. He started off with a classic Hawaiian song, “Ke Kali Nei Au.” That was followed by a string of country, soul, easy listening, and more Hawaiian songs he had learned to play. The audience seemed receptive enough. All, that was, but Katrina, who looked as though she would rather be somewhere else. He couldn’t help but wonder if there were other things on her mind. Such as drug trafficking and laundering of money through a legitimate business. Instinctively, Dex pushed back from the latter thoughts, sensing something else was weighing heavily based on her facial expressions.

  During a break, he walked up to the lodge owner, unsure what to expect, and said, “Everything okay?”

  “I’d like to hire you,” Katrina responded straightforwardly.

  Dex cocked a brow. “I thought you already had employed my services?”

  “As a private investigator,” she made clear.

  Admittedly, he hadn’t seen that coming. Dex tried to imagine what she would need investigated. Actually, he could think of a few things. Perhaps she was trying to get ahead of whatever may be coming down with the probe into possible illegal activity at the lodge. Beginning to feel the heat from living a double life and looking for a way out? Or was there more going on with her than met the eye?

  “Why do you want a PI?” he asked, curious while keeping an open mind.

  Katrina looked around nervously and back, before responding ambiguously, “Can we talk in my office?”

  “Sure.” Dex attached Barnabas’s leash to the piano leg wanting him to stay put, then followed her out of the lounge, through the lobby and into the office where he’d been hired. Only this time things seemed much more tense. “What’s going on?” he asked, peering into her lovely but clearly disturbed face.

  Katrina took a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to him. “This was waiting for me on my desk this morning,” she uttered.

  He read it.

  Don’t believe what you’ve been told about your husband’s death. No accident. He was murdered. Watch your back.

  Dex recalled that Rachel Zavatti, the special agent in charge, had noted that Joseph Sizemore was killed when his kayak capsized. It was thought to be an accidental drowning, but remained suspicious, considering that he had been under investigation for using the lodge to traffic illicit drugs. Did someone have solid information to prove foul play was involved? Dex eyed Sizemore’s widow, who seemed genuine in her belief that his death was an accident. “Do you know who left the note?”

  “I have no idea,” Katrina insisted. “Alyson is asking around to see if any of the staff saw someone heading to or away from my office this morning.”

  “What do you know about your husband’s death?” Dex asked, making sure his tone wasn’t accusatory.

  “Only what I was told—that it was an accident.” She sucked in a steadying breath. “Joseph loved to go kayaking. He and a friend went out that day and apparently got caught in a shore break wave before they got very far, causing the kayak to overturn. Joseph went under and didn’t survive. It was investigated and concluded that his death was, in fact, accidental. I accepted that. But now I get this cryptic message signifying otherwise and I’m just not sure what to believe.”

  Dex shared her concern with the note and wanted to dig deeper to see if it was a hoax. Or if someone knew something worth pursuing about the nature of Sizemore’s death. If he was murdered, was it in relation to the Drug Task Force and DEA’s investigation of drug trafficking on the island? And what, if anything, might Katrina know about it? Dex zeroed in on the “Watch your back” part of the message. Was this a veiled threat against her?

  “I’d be happy to look into this,” Dex told Katrina, in keeping with his undercover role as a private investigator. “There may be nothing to it. Or it could be that your husband’s death was no accident, as reported. Did he have any enemies that you know of?”

  She shook her head adamantly. “No. Joseph wasn’t the type to make enemies. Quite the opposite. It’s just that...” Her eyes shifted uncomfortably. “Last month, one of my housekeepers, Roxanne Kitaoka, was killed in a car accident on Kaumualii Highway. The police say she was murdered, but have never explained the circumstances. Now I’m wondering if somehow there could be a link between her death and Joseph’s.”

  Dex had been wondering the same ever since being given the assignment, in spite of the official cause of Sizemore’s death being listed as accidental. Now there was even more reason to be suspicious, especially considering Roxanne’s own undercover investigation at the Maoli Lodge. Dex kept his cool while resisting the desire to come clean with Katrina, who was still technically a suspect in the drug-trafficking probe, even if he was beginning to believe her hands were clean. “That is something worth looking into,” he told her levelly. “You just need to be prepared for whatever I may find...”

  She nodded, ill at ease. “I just need to know, one way or the other.”

  So do I, Dex mused, especially where it concerned her. The last thing he wanted was for the alluring lodge owner to be up to her neck in criminal activities. His gut told him this wasn’t the case and he could usually trust his instincts. But could the same be said for her late husband? Was Joseph Sizemore running a drug-trafficking operation right under his wife’s pretty nose? Either way, Dex intended to use this new opening to further his investigation at the lodge. “Okay, I’ll do some digging, starting with who may have left the note. Mind if I hang on to it?”

  “Please do, if it can help you track down whoever wrote it.”

  Dex deposited it in the pocket of his chino pants. He doubted that whoever had left it would also leave fingerprints or DNA that hadn’t already been corrupted, but it was worth a shot. “What’s the friend’s name who was with your husband on the kayaking trip?”

  “Larry Nakanishi. He runs a water sports and gear shop in Lihue.”

  Dex took out his cell phone and entered the information. “I’ll need to speak with your staff to see if anyone knows anything about the message.” He left off for now any possibility that someone she was employing could be involved in her husband’s death.

  “I understand.” Katrina met his eyes. “Do I need to pay for your services in advance or...?”

  “That won’t be necessary,” he explained. “Just poking around a bit won’t cost you anything. If I learn something useful, we can discuss payment then.” Truthfully, he wasn’t interested in taking her money for something he needed to do for his own investigation. But he wasn’t exactly at liberty to reveal his mission to her just yet.

  “Mahalo.” Somehow, she managed a smile through the worry lines that sat softly on her forehead. “There’s one other thing...” Her voice shook. “Lately, I’ve had a strange feeling that someone has been watching me.”

  “Really?” Dex jutted his chin thoughtfully. “I take it this feeling started before you found the note?”

  “Yes. I’ve wanted to believe it was all in my head,” Katrina confessed. “But now I’m not so sure. Especially after that unsettling message...and the warning to watch my back. I don’t know if I should be scared or not.”

  Dex wanted to say not, but when piecing together what he knew and still needed to uncover, giving her a false sense of security would not be a smart move, all things considered. But having her afraid of her own shadow at this point was not the way to go either. “My advice is for you to not read too much into the feeling of being watched. At least not until you have a bit more to go on in that regard. Could be that between your husband’s death and the housekeeper’s, it’s found a way to play on your psyche.”

  “You’re probably right,” she relented, her voice elevating. “I’ll try not to get spooked by what’s been an invisible presence, more or less.”

  “Good idea.” Dex still didn’t want to leave it at that. “Nevertheless, keep your eyes open,” he warned, “and don’t let your guard down as it relates to being aware of your surroundings, even at the lodge.”

  Katrina smiled. “I’ll try not to.”

  Her smile accentuated her good looks, and he returned it, welcoming seeing her like that. “In the meantime, I’ll try to track down whoever sent the note and go from there. In the meantime, if you receive any more messages, let me know.”

  She nodded. “I will.”

  “Well, I better get back to the lounge,” he said reluctantly. “I have one more set on the piano.”

  “Go,” she told him. “I can see that everyone is enjoying you playing, myself included. I’ll be fine.”

  “Okay.” Dex found himself wanting to spend more time with her outside of an official capacity. But blowing his cover might not be a smart idea. Certainly not if they wanted to continue unimpeded in completing an investigation Roxanne began. He was about to leave when he noticed that a ringlet of hair had managed to escape Katrina’s long ponytail and fall across her brow. Without giving it a thought, Dex raised his hand and touched her soft skin, feeling a jolt in return. Had she felt it, too, as he tucked the errant strand behind her ear? “There, that’s better,” he said equably.

  She blushed. “Thanks for noticing.”

  “My pleasure.” He grinned and their eyes locked for a long moment of a connection, before Dex did the only sensible thing he could at that point. He walked away while he was still able to.

  Chapter Four

  Dex showed Lynda Krause and Sylvester Ishikawa the note someone had left for Katrina, as he huddled with the undercover DEA agents in their room at the lodge that was furnished with two queen beds. Having placed the piece of paper in a plastic bag to try and preserve evidence, should it come to that, Dex said troublingly, “Sizemore’s death may not have been accidental...”

  Lynda studied the note. “Hmm... Could this have come from someone who’s simply venting because he or she doesn’t agree with the medical examiner’s findings?”

  “Maybe,” he had to allow, knowing that the note was hardly proof of a homicide in and of itself. “But were that the case, why not simply tell Katrina face-to-face that you believe someone murdered her late husband? Why the scare tactics and anonymity?”

  “Point taken. It would also tie into the theory that Sizemore may have been involved in drug trafficking and bit off more than he could chew.”

  “Yeah, he could easily have gotten in way over his head,” Ishikawa pitched in, “and was put out to pasture when he wanted out. Or his usefulness to those calling the shots was up.”

  “Both those angles are realistic possibilities.” Dex didn’t discount the ways traffickers could take out someone they wanted dead. “We have to see if this mystery messenger knows what he or she is talking about. I’d like to get the note dusted for any usable prints, analyzed for DNA, etc.”

  “Can’t hurt to try,” Ishikawa contended, grabbing the bag. “Even if it’s probably a long shot.”

  “Yeah,” Dex agreed. “It’s a start anyway. Whoever left the message obviously wanted to get Katrina’s attention. We need to know why and if this is connected to our overall investigation in any way.”

  “It is now,” Lynda declared. “And maybe that was the point, to help her to connect the dots—assuming she wasn’t already in on the blueprint.”

  “Katrina hired me as a private investigator,” Dex informed them.

  “Is that right?” Ishikawa’s eyes widened.

  “That note freaked her out. She wants to know who sent it and if there’s any merit to the claim that her husband was murdered.”

  “Smart move on her part,” Lynda said. “I’d want to know too, considering.”

  “Looks like having that second undercover PI role was the right move,” Ishikawa stated. “It will allow you to operate more in plain view without fear of blowing your other cover.”

  “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.” Dex leaned against the wall. He would still work with Barnabas, too, when he could and it was necessary. As for Katrina, she may or may not have legitimate concerns. She deserved to know the truth about her husband, regardless of whatever he may have been up to. “I’m going to nose around and see what I can find out. If Sizemore was murdered, to go along with Roxanne’s death, that could very well put Katrina in danger too.”

  “I don’t disagree.” Lynda wrinkled her nose. “Everything is still on the table at this point.”

  “We’ll stay on the drug-trafficking angle,” Ishikawa said, “and see if we can come up with whatever Agent Yamamoto had latched on to.”

  “Good.” Dex pushed off the wall and patted him on the back. “I’ll let you two lovebirds get back to having fun in your honeymoon suite,” he teased them.

  “Yeah, right,” Lynda voiced tonelessly. “It’s great being undercover with Ishikawa, but I’m already spoken for, thank you.”

  “Me too,” Ishikawa said, which was news to Dex. Last he knew, the man had sworn off relationships following two failed marriages. Had he been holding out on them? “My horse, Isabella, is the love of my life these days,” he explained. “Between her and this job, there’s not much room for romance outside of pretend.”

  “Got it.” Dex tried to resist grinning, but failed miserably. He turned his thoughts to the mission at hand. “I’ll show myself out.”

  Half an hour later, Dex met up with Katrina’s assistant manager, with whom she shared an office.

  “You’re a man of many talents,” Alyson said from her desk. “Katrina told me she’d asked you to look into the mysterious note.”

  Dex acknowledged this. “I understand that you were out of the office for approximately fifteen minutes when the note was discovered?”

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  “And where were you during that time frame?” he questioned, sitting on a corner of the desk.

  “At the front desk,” she answered surely. “Like Katrina, working at the lodge requires wearing multiple hats at once.”

  He didn’t doubt that, and tried to imagine what it took to run a successful business in a resort setting. Would outside lures tempt one looking for added sources of revenue? “Other than you and Katrina, who else would have valid reasons to go into the office?”