He stared at her stone-faced at first, but then his lips gradually shifted to a half grin.
"Uh, yeah," he said. "Is there a restroom somewhere? I think I had too much coffee at work."
Kiyoshi colored, hiding her disappointment that he apparently was not interested in buying anything. "Yes, it's on the second floor near the women's accessories section."
He regarded her once more and said evenly: "Mahalo. Have a good day."
"You too."
Kiyoshi watched him walk away without looking back, and wondered what that was all about, if anything. She could swear that there was more on the man's mind than merely needing assistance to find the bathroom. But maybe it was just her imagination.
And past memories that still spooked her from time to time.
The rest of the day went by uneventfully, which was just fine with Kiyoshi. She wanted to get her feet wet on the job, without having her blood pressure raised by real or imaginary demons.
Just don't try to create more trouble than you need, she warned herself, and resolved to live by those words even as she feared that trouble sometimes had a way of following her.
* * *
Kiyoshi was exhausted when she got home, though her day hadn't been particularly strenuous. She chalked it up to the mental and physical adjustment to a new life and the dark secrets she carried like the plague. Secrets that had taken away her brother's life and, in many ways, her life.
The condo she rented was small by the standards of the spacious home Kiyoshi once shared with Andrew. It was a one bedroom, one bathroom, air conditioned unit with a living room, dining area, and small kitchen.
Stripping off her work clothes, she took a nice, hot shower. Afterwards, she made herself a salad and watched television. Then she watered her plants and did a few more chores before calling it a night. Kiyoshi slipped into bed and read a couple of chapters of a contemporary novel, before giving in to sleep.
That was when the nightmare began. One that had become recurrent ever since Kiyoshi's twin brother died a killer. In the dream, she saw herself being stalked by a faceless, dark figure. There seemed to be no escape for her, no matter where she hid or how far she ran.
Even more disturbing was the fact that Kiyoshi found that waking up from the nightmare proved to be far more difficult than falling asleep to it, forcing her to endure the frightening scenario in all of its stark horror.
* * *
He watched from the shadows as the bedroom light went out. He knew then that she was in bed sleeping—all by herself. She had mistakenly thought she could escape him by leaving Oahu and the life she had known there for Maui.
Escape the memories of brotherly love, rape, and murder.
Escape the press that seemed determined to bring her down with the brother she thought she knew so well.
Escape the husband who had abandoned her when she most needed him.
Well think, and think again, he mused. There was no escaping who you were. He would see to that.
He was about to awaken this island in ways it had never seen before.
And Kiyoshi Yoshida would find that her nightmare had begun again.
And, like before, she would be caught squarely in the middle.
Only this time, he would make sure that she got exactly what she deserved.
* * *
Connor Jansen stood outside the Taguchi and Fleming clothing store, staring at it through molten steel eyes, as though it were the center of the universe. In fact, it was where Kiyoshi Yoshida worked and, right now, she was the most important living person to him.
The most important dead person was her twin brother, Sergio Matsuko.
Connor wiped away a bead of sweat from his brow. The thirty-three-year-old true crime writer contemplated the events that brought him to this moment.
It was more than a year ago that he'd been contacted by his publisher, Stellman & Richwine, to write a true crime book about Honolulu's notorious Aloha Black Scarf Killer. Through his sources, Connor had come to believe that the killer was a convicted felon named Arnold Kravitz. Proceeding on that basis, Connor had already gathered all the information he needed on the serial murderer and his victims for the book. The only thing remaining was for the killer to be caught, tried, and convicted.
Then the system threw Connor a curve when Kravitz was inexplicably dropped as a suspect. Taking his place was the lead investigator on the case, Honolulu Homicide Detective Sergio Matsuko, whom the police now believed was the killer. But before they could nail him, he died in a fire at his own house, apparently set by his hand. Though the body was burned beyond recognition, Matsuko was identified through dental records and DNA. Moreover, evidence found at the scene corroborated circumstantial findings that implicated Matsuko for the rape and murder of seven local women.
This shocking turn of events had forced Connor to toss out everything he thought he had on the crime spree and start over from scratch. But Sergio Matsuko had proven to be an enigma. There was nothing in his past or occupation to plant the seeds for his sexual homicidal rage. And Connor liked to make his bestselling books as complete as possible to give the readers a real three-dimensional feel for the perpetrators he wrote about.
That was where Kiyoshi Yoshida came in.
As Matsuko's only living relative and twin sister, no less, she was the one person who could perhaps best shed some light on any hidden demons he had growing up or in adult life that may have caused him to go from successful cop to psycho serial rapist-killer.
Then Kiyoshi disappeared before Connor could interview her. But she'd already made it clear that she was not interested in selling her story or otherwise contributing to, as she put it, "trashing her brother's good name."
It had taken Connor weeks to track down Matsuko's elusive sister, who had quietly relocated to Maui and taken a job in retail, obviously content to maintain a low profile for the time being. Now he intended to get what he needed from the lady, then she could do whatever the hell she wanted to try to forget what her brother did to seven innocent women and their families.
But Connor had not reached bestseller status from his true crime books by being a fool in business or a jerk on a human level. Each case had to be handled differently. For this one, he would have to take a more delicate approach in getting Matsuko's attractive sibling to open up.
He had it on good authority that since her divorce from attorney-husband Andrew Yoshida, she had remained uninvolved. He intended to change that—at least for the short-term. On the chance that she might have heard of him and what he was up to, Connor had chosen to use a fictitious name, as he did so often in his books to protect the innocent. Only this time it was to try to better understand the guilty.
Craig Garrett sounds like a good name, Connor thought. Craig was his middle name and Garrett was the last name of an old girlfriend from high school. He doubted she would appreciate the usage, since they had departed on less than ideal terms. But what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.
But it could help him a hell of a lot.
Connor took a deep breath before moving his taut, six-foot-three frame towards the door, catching it as another person exited the store. As he glanced around, he was sure he could find a few new things to outfit himself nicely.
But first things first. He made his way through the store until he saw the person he was looking for.
Kiyoshi Yoshida was talking to a male customer. It took her only a moment to look in his direction. He smiled casually while noting that she was even better looking in person than when he'd seen her on television defending her brother until all hell broke loose and his guilt was something even she had no choice but to own up to.
She had a lovely complexion, a dainty little nose, and big brown eyes. Pouty lips with a touch of gloss curved nicely at the corners. He liked her shimmering long brown hair. About five-foot-seven, she was slender with just the right amount of curves. He tried to imagine the feel of those curves beneath the stylish black and white print dres
s she wore. She had long, shapely legs that were accentuated by black high-heeled sandals. He could definitely see the fashion designer beyond the saleswoman.
Connor decided now was as good a time as any to make his move. He approached them and gave the customer a hard get lost look, which the intimidated man did.
Now I have the lady all to myself, Connor thought, and flashed an innocent smile. Now it was time for him to get to work.
"Aloha!" Kiyoshi greeted him warmly.
He flashed his teeth. "Aloha."
"Are you looking for anything in particular?"
"As a matter of fact I am." He weighed his options before continuing. "I just relocated to the island with barely more than what I'm wearing. I guess what I need is a little bit of everything..."
"Oh really." Kiyoshi raised a brow in anticipation of making a big sale. "Well, you've certainly come to the right place for that."
He smiled. "I couldn't agree more. By the way, my name's Craig Garrett."
"Kiyoshi Yoshida," she volunteered.
"Nice to meet you," he said, extending his hand to shake hers.
Kiyoshi shook his hand while noting his stylish clothing. She wondered what line of work he was in. The fact that he was handsome and physically fit was certainly a bonus.
"Are you looking for dressy attire or more casual?" she asked.
Connor grinned. She was a good salesperson, not to mention sexy as hell, even if unintentional. "Let's start with a casual look first."
She smiled. "Great choice. Come with me."
He followed her to an aisle with chinos and shorts. She pulled a few of each from the rack and he liked them all. What's not to like? he thought, including the lady herself.
Connor wondered what had possessed Kiyoshi's ex-husband to let her get away. Moreover, he found it unsettling to know that her twin brother had been a brutal serial killer. He'd read the research on the deviant tendencies genetically linking persons who were twins, but he didn't believe for one moment that Kiyoshi Yoshida was anything like her brother.
"You're pretty good at this," Connor said after she had expertly sold him a new wardrobe that was sure to keep him looking stylish, and then some. It would cost him a pretty penny, but it was worth it to get on her good side.
Kiyoshi smiled modestly. "I'm just doing my job."
"I'll accept that," he said, while thinking: And I'm just doing mine. "Have you been doing this long?"
"Long enough to know what I'm doing," she responded with a smile.
Connor chuckled, while watching her ring up his items. "I suppose so." He paid in cash, since he was using a fictitious name. "Say, do you know any good places where a person can get a bite to eat around here?"
"It depends on what type of food you like."
"Pretty much anything will do," he said.
"Henry's Hawaiian Cuisine is two blocks away," she told him. "Also, not too far from here is the Mainland Café, which serves dishes you can find on the mainland."
Connor smiled. "Henry's Hawaiian Cuisine sounds appetizing." He paused, glancing at his watch. "I don't suppose you're free for lunch, are you?"
Kiyoshi cocked a thin brow. Is he asking me on a date? Did that mean he was single? Or was he simply looking for someone to talk to as a newcomer to Maui while eating?
Lunch hardly constituted romance, she realized. Not that she was necessarily looking for romance, though she had been on her own for months, for all intents and purposes.
And lonely.
Still, she didn't want to appear too anxious or needy. Nor was she all that desperate to go anywhere with a perfect stranger, even though he was very nice on the eyes and apparently had plenty of money to burn.
Connor sensed her hesitation and knew he needed to pour on the charm if he were to achieve his objective. He happened to know for a fact that she had gone to lunch around this time the day before.
"You have to eat some time, right?" he pressed. "Or does your employer not allow you to take a lunch break? I promise I'm harmless—"
Kiyoshi sensed that even if that were true, there was more to this man that he'd let on. She was intrigued, if not unnerved by it. Intrigue seemed to win the battle, along with his undeniable charm.
"What business did you say you were in?" she decided to ask, knowing full well he had not volunteered such information. She didn't imagine he was a drug dealer or, worse, a serial killer. But one never knew these days. Indeed, more than one man in her life had proven to be something less than she'd ever imagined.
"I didn't say," Connor responded tactfully. "But since you ask, I'm a corporate consultant." That wasn't too far from the truth, he thought. After all, it was his former profession before the lure of fortune and freedom from the corporate world bit him in the ass and he began writing true crime books for a living.
Kiyoshi was duly impressed and decided perhaps it was fate that he should come to the store and they should meet as two people who had recently moved to Maui.
"I go on lunch break in ten minutes," she told him.
"Great." His crooked grin nearly made her melt.
Kiyoshi checked her enthusiasm with a dose of reality as she scooped up the bills he had put on the counter. "Right now, I better get back to work before I lose my job."
"No problem." Connor took the change she handed him, put it away, and said thoughtfully: "I'll wait for you outside."
Kiyoshi watched briefly as he walked away, wondering if this could be the start of something special. Or was it just another dead end that seemed to be the story of her life lately.
* * *
Henry's Hawaiian Cuisine was packed with hungry noontime patrons as Connor and Kiyoshi stood in a line that practically went out the door. They had walked the two blocks to the restaurant at Kiyoshi's suggestion. As an extra safety precaution, she'd asked Melissa to come out and get a good look at Craig Garrett, even though she was pretty sure he meant her no harm. But then neither had Sergio; yet her brother had harmed her immeasurably when she discovered his true identity. Then there was Andrew, who had abandoned her in her hour of need, hurting Kiyoshi in ways that not even Sergio had.
During the walk, Kiyoshi got a whiff of Connor's woodsy cologne, which seemed to come to life with the warm summer air, appealing to her senses. She had nearly forgotten how it felt to be with a sexy man.
Now she wondered if maybe they should have gone somewhere else to eat, given the crowd at this place.
"This is definitely going to take a lot longer than my one hour lunch break," she said with frustration.
Connor agreed and endeavored to do something about it, lest he blow his chance to get some information from Sergio Matsuko's sister. He looked at Kiyoshi and said: "Excuse me. I'll be right back..."
Kiyoshi watched as he walked up to the front of the line and said something to the twenty-something hostess. After first seeming put off by his words, the woman suddenly did an about face and looked directly at Kiyoshi, beckoning her to come forward.
They were given the only available table by the window and the promise that a waitress would be with them shortly.
Kiyoshi was speechless through the whole thing. It was only after they were seated and the hostess had sashayed away that she looked at him with wide eyes and said: "What on earth did you say to her?"
He smiled, as if he possessed some magical elixir that could hypnotize anyone into doing what he asked.
"Oh, nothing much," he said, downplaying it. "I just told her that I believe in big tips for friendly hostesses, and proceeded to slip something in her pocket to make her a believer as well."
Kiyoshi narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "A big tipper, huh?"
"When I have to be," Connor said. "And now was one of those times. Besides, I'm starving!"
"I see," she said.
Though trying not to show it, Kiyoshi was taken with the man, even if she hardly knew him. This made her a bit leery. If she hadn't known better, she would believe that he somehow planned this whole thing al
l along—including picking her as his saleswoman. Of course she realized that was crazy, and decided to just enjoy the unexpected company and lunch.
After ordering, Connor lifted his glass of iced tea and gazed at Kiyoshi, perhaps longer than he should have. But he couldn't help it, given her gorgeous features. He still found it hard to believe she was the twin sister of a dead serial killer. He could imagine taking her to bed under different circumstances. But this was all about business and he would do well to remember that when all was said and done.
"So tell me about yourself, Kiyoshi," Connor began deliberately.
Kiyoshi hesitated. "What do you want to know?"
"Well, where are you from, for starters?" When she tensed up, he added: "I'm guessing you were probably born in Hawaii."
She sipped some water. "Yes, Honolulu."
He smiled. "Great city. I've done business there."
"Where are you from?" she asked cautiously.
"Originally, Oklahoma," he told her truthfully. "But my job has had me moving around quite a bit over the years. Hopefully I'll get to stay put for a while."
Kiyoshi considered this. She doubted he would know anything about the ordeal she'd been put through in the last year, but she was still guarded about opening up old wounds.
After a moment or two, she decided there was little harm in revealing bits and pieces about her past life. And she was curious to learn more about him.
"So how do you like it here so far?" she asked.
He grinned. "From where I'm sitting, the island agrees with me. Especially if I can get to know you better."
Kiyoshi blushed and wondered if that was even possible. If his time on the island was cut short, it wouldn't be worth her while to get too close. Or should she simply just enjoy their time together, no matter how long he was a Maui resident, and not expect anything more than he was able to give?
Connor was careful not to arouse undue suspicion with his questions as their food arrived. "Do you have family here? Or are they mostly in Honolulu?"
Kiyoshi was put off somewhat by the twenty questions. It reminded her of the sharks in Honolulu who tried their best to wring a story out of her about Sergio. But she refused, unwilling to exploit her brother's tragedy for money or other gain. Or even to satisfy those who thought they knew Sergio, but didn't. Apparently she hadn't really known him either—at least not as much as she thought she had. But she knew enough to respect his death and dignity. Not to mention save herself from having her life torn apart any further.