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That made for more than enough mother/daughter bonding for me. I leaped off my towel and hotfooted it down to the water where Stan was cooling his heels.
    Stan glanced at me as I splashed noisily beside him. “Did those big old turtles scare you?”
    Nope, but my mother sure did. Our conversation reminded me of my brother and Regan’s strained relationship. The couple had married after a brief courtship and I felt like I barely knew my sister-in-law. I’d looked forward to getting to know her better on this trip but bonding over a dead body was not what I’d had in mind.
    After a quick dip in the ocean, we decided to head to the volcano. I tried to clean the sand off my calves with a wet wipe. Dark streaks ran up and down my legs leaving me even stickier. As I reached into my straw tote for a clean towel, I noticed a missed call on my cell.
    My brother had phoned but left no message. I tried calling him back, but there was no reception. Maybe I’d have more bars once we climbed higher up. I’d feel more relaxed once we learned more about what happened to Keiki.
    At the visitor’s center inside the Hawaii Volcanoes Park, we wandered around the displays and watched a mesmerizing and scary film. Kilauea is frequently referred to as a drive-in volcano since it’s one of the few spots where tourists can drive past steaming beds of lava. According to Hawaiian folk lore, Pele, the volcano goddess is very unpredictable. The current eruption could go on for another one hundred years or stop tomorrow.
    After pondering my most recent conversation with my mother, I decided that Pele and Mom had a lot in common.
    After our drive around the crater, we tried to check into the Volcano Village. We discovered there was no room at the inn. Who knew the volcano was a hot destination for celebrating Valentine’s Day? None of us wanted to drive the three-plus hours back to our resort in Waikaloa. We piled in the car and headed down to Hilo, a thirty-minute drive.
    Liz Googled a discount travel website on her smart phone and booked two rooms at a decent hotel. The honeymooners snapped up a room with a king-size bed. The three of us decided to save money and take a double-bedded room. My mother and I could share a bed and Stan could have the other.
    Stan had been my confidant for so long, I often thought of him as the sister I’d always wanted.
    My cell rang just as we entered our hotel room. Speaking of siblings…
    “Dave, finally. How did Regan’s meeting with the police go?”
    “She spent almost three hours there, and they took a DNA swab, but she didn’t seem too concerned.” He paused for a few seconds. “Although that’s odd since my wife normally worries about everything. Her staff claims she angsts over every unaccounted for coffee bean.”
    Hmm. I was surprised they’d taken a sample of Regan’s DNA, but maybe the Hawaiian police just believed in being thorough. “Did the police mention when you can re-open the restaurant?”
    “They’re supposed to remove the crime scene tape early tomorrow. Our insurance agent will meet me at the restaurant around noon. I need to know if…” Dave’s voice faltered, “if I was responsible in some way for Keiki’s fall.”
    My heart broke for my brother who had to worry if negligence made him inadvertently responsible for a woman’s death.
    I tried to boost his morale. “C’mon, Dave, think positive. What are you and Regan doing tonight?”
    “She’s packing right now. She stays in one of Koffee Land’s guest cabins when she needs to be in Hilo overnight. For business.” His voice dropped and it almost sounded like he muttered “supposedly.”
    He coughed. “Anyway, Regan said it would be easier to spend the night there to prepare for your tour tomorrow. She’s leaving here in a few minutes.”
    “What about you?”
    “Me? I’m going to grab a six-pack, sit on our lanai and contemplate the meaning of life.”

 
     
     
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
     
     
    Torrents of rain