fun. Nani would probably thrive on the challenge, and Kaia would still have plenty of opportunity to test the communication skills between her and the dolphin. Plus, if Nani successfully foiled an intruder, Kaia could use her success to help convince Curtis to keep the research going. And she’d be on hand to see if the navy was trying to cover up anything about her cousin’s death. Kaia’s thoughts drifted to the catamaran tragedy and the missile testing. Could this intruder problem be related?
“I’d want to be there anyway to make sure Nani isn’t hurt. What exactly are we looking for?”
“In the past two weeks, we’ve had several intrusions that came from the sea. Probably a diver, maybe more than one. If we could apprehend whoever is doing this, we might be able to get him to tell us what he’s after and why.”
“Information about the missile defense system you just tested?” she suggested.
Jesse nodded. “Maybe. That’s what we need to find out.”
“Give me an hour. I’ll meet you back here.” She wanted to talk to her brother first.
He nodded then added
his cell phone number to the scrap of paper Jillian’s was written on before turning to talk to his sister and niece.
Kaia jogged to her truck and drove out to the lagoon to her grandfather’s cottage. Bane had told her this morning he was going to help their grandfather in the garden today.
Mynas called from the trees as she got out in front of the cottage. She found Bane pulling weeds beside their grandfather. Tutu kane ’s dark eyes brightened when he saw her. “Ah, lei aloha, you look as bright as the mynas.” He held up a dirt-covered taro root. “Hungry?”
She smiled. “Um, no.”
She glanced at her brother. He raised his eyebrows. “What’s up, sis? You look frazzled.”
“What a day I’ve had,” she said, bending down to pull a handful of black wattle. “First I found the lab has been sold to a man who wants to enclose the lagoon and put Nani and the others in captivity for a sea park . Then he tells me he’s giving me to the navy to help patrol the waters offshore with Nani. I’m about ready to give up the whole thing. I’ll never break that communication barrier.”
Her grandfather smiled. “I’ve got a hammer you can use.”
She laughed. Her grandfather’s wit always cheered her up, but she needed some advice. She glanced at Bane. He straightened up and brushed the dirt from his hands. “Need to talk?” He nodded toward a white iron garden bench surrounded by hibiscus to his left. Kaia nodded, and he headed for it. She followed and sat beside him.
Bane stretched his legs out in front of him. “Give me the scoop.”
She shrugged. “I just did.”
“There’s more to it than you said. You hate change—admit it.”
She held up her hand. “Okay, guilty as charged.”
“I’ve always believed things happen for a reason, Kaia. God might be shutting this door and opening another opportunity for you to reach Nani. One that will work.”
“I don’t see how,” she said. “I’ll have very little time to work with my equipment. This could set me back, maybe for good.”
“Give God time to work, and look for the opportunities He sends. There is a reason this has happened. Don’t shortchange Him.”
Kaia hadn’t thought of that. “Maybe you’re right. But I sure don’t see how this is a good thing.” She knew things didn’t always work out. Even when her life went well, she waited for the other shoe to drop. And it always did. She wished she could be more like her brother. But his faith was way beyond hers. While she was a Christian too, her own faith was as weak as a newly hatched chick—her own fault, she knew. It had been weeks since she’d even been in services. Her research had consumed her attention lately.
Bane grinned. “I see the resistance in your eyes, Kaia. I have a feeling you’re in for a major lesson of some kind this summer. Relax and enjoy the ride.”
Easy for him to
“I’d want to be there anyway to make sure Nani isn’t hurt. What exactly are we looking for?”
“In the past two weeks, we’ve had several intrusions that came from the sea. Probably a diver, maybe more than one. If we could apprehend whoever is doing this, we might be able to get him to tell us what he’s after and why.”
“Information about the missile defense system you just tested?” she suggested.
Jesse nodded. “Maybe. That’s what we need to find out.”
“Give me an hour. I’ll meet you back here.” She wanted to talk to her brother first.
He nodded then added
his cell phone number to the scrap of paper Jillian’s was written on before turning to talk to his sister and niece.
Kaia jogged to her truck and drove out to the lagoon to her grandfather’s cottage. Bane had told her this morning he was going to help their grandfather in the garden today.
Mynas called from the trees as she got out in front of the cottage. She found Bane pulling weeds beside their grandfather. Tutu kane ’s dark eyes brightened when he saw her. “Ah, lei aloha, you look as bright as the mynas.” He held up a dirt-covered taro root. “Hungry?”
She smiled. “Um, no.”
She glanced at her brother. He raised his eyebrows. “What’s up, sis? You look frazzled.”
“What a day I’ve had,” she said, bending down to pull a handful of black wattle. “First I found the lab has been sold to a man who wants to enclose the lagoon and put Nani and the others in captivity for a sea park . Then he tells me he’s giving me to the navy to help patrol the waters offshore with Nani. I’m about ready to give up the whole thing. I’ll never break that communication barrier.”
Her grandfather smiled. “I’ve got a hammer you can use.”
She laughed. Her grandfather’s wit always cheered her up, but she needed some advice. She glanced at Bane. He straightened up and brushed the dirt from his hands. “Need to talk?” He nodded toward a white iron garden bench surrounded by hibiscus to his left. Kaia nodded, and he headed for it. She followed and sat beside him.
Bane stretched his legs out in front of him. “Give me the scoop.”
She shrugged. “I just did.”
“There’s more to it than you said. You hate change—admit it.”
She held up her hand. “Okay, guilty as charged.”
“I’ve always believed things happen for a reason, Kaia. God might be shutting this door and opening another opportunity for you to reach Nani. One that will work.”
“I don’t see how,” she said. “I’ll have very little time to work with my equipment. This could set me back, maybe for good.”
“Give God time to work, and look for the opportunities He sends. There is a reason this has happened. Don’t shortchange Him.”
Kaia hadn’t thought of that. “Maybe you’re right. But I sure don’t see how this is a good thing.” She knew things didn’t always work out. Even when her life went well, she waited for the other shoe to drop. And it always did. She wished she could be more like her brother. But his faith was way beyond hers. While she was a Christian too, her own faith was as weak as a newly hatched chick—her own fault, she knew. It had been weeks since she’d even been in services. Her research had consumed her attention lately.
Bane grinned. “I see the resistance in your eyes, Kaia. I have a feeling you’re in for a major lesson of some kind this summer. Relax and enjoy the ride.”
Easy for him to
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