Page 30 of Wrong Turn
“Would have been better to have my weapon,” Lei grumbled, shaking out the paper and scanning the article. “But the stupid thing was locked in your car.”
“You did fine without that gun. I’m starting a scrapbook of all of your cases. This one will go right at the beginning.” Aunty opened a second copy of the paper and retrieved a pair of scissors from the kitchen drawer. “I even have a new scrapbook to get started.”
“Not all of my cases,” Lei said absently, still reading.
“What do you mean?” Aunty sat back down with the newspaper and scissors.
Lei bit her tongue, remembering that the events in Mexico must never be disclosed. “Never mind. I’m just sorry I couldn’t make it back to the party, and you had to find out about everything when it was all over, thinking I had bailed on everyone.”
“I was just worried about you. I knew it had to have been something important to keep you from our‘ohana,” Aunty said, reaching down to pat Keiki’s head. “Now, you’d better hurry up so we can get you to the airport on time.”
* * *
Lei pressedher forehead against the cool plexiglass of the airplane window. Just one of her many leis from the night before, a tuberose one, released its sweet, tropical scent as her shoulder crushed it against her neck.
Lei peered down as the jet circled, lining up with the Hilo, Hawaii runway. She took in the horseshoe shape of Hilo Bay, lined with hotels, banyan trees, and the quaint old town area. Palm trees grew larger and larger as the plane descended.
Lei’s heart sped up with excitement: this was the beginning of a whole new chapter of her life, and she wanted to see everything.
The airplane touched down, bouncing lightly in a breeze off the bay, and taxiing to a stop near the small terminal. Soon Lei was making her way down the aisle, the backpack she carried instead of a purse on her back as she towed a small carry-on bag. Everything she had packed to begin her new life was in one additional suitcase she would pick up at baggage claim—she had always been a minimalist.
The plane had parked away from the terminal building, and a set of wheeled stairs was rolled up against the side of the jet.
Lei took a deep breath of the air of her birthplace as she exited, enjoying the soft, humid touch of the tropical breeze on her cheeks, even if it smelled a bit of hot asphalt and fuel. She descended the stairs, walking briskly across the tarmac to the building, then heading to baggage claim to pick up her bag. A short time later, towing her suitcase and carry-on, Lei headed for the exit—but was surprised to see an older local woman in a flowered muumuu, holding a hand-lettered cardboard sign that read ‘Texeira.’
Lei approached the woman. “Are you looking for me? I’m Lei Texeira.”
The woman’s square tan face, framed by curly black hair scraped into a bun, broke into a smile. Lei felt a sense of familiarity.
“Lei!” The woman reached up to where a fresh plumeria garland encircled her neck. She lifted the lei off her head to drop it over Lei’s curly hair. “Your aunty let me know you were arriving today, and I wanted to greet you properly. I’m your cousin Karen Texeira.” She enfolded Lei in a hug that crushed both sets of flowers around Lei’s neck, surrounding them in tropical fragrance. “Rosario thought it would be fun to surprise you.”
“I’m so glad!” Lei smiled as she stepped back. “Great to meet you, Cuz! You must be related to Aunty Rosario and my dad.”
“Yes. Your grandma was my aunty. I’m a bit older than you, but your cousin nonetheless.” Karen gestured, and led Lei towards a battered green Ford truck parked at the curb. “The family’d be honored if you’d come and have dinner with us, spend the night if you like. You’ll get to meet some of your relatives.”
“I’m happy to. I was going to have to take a taxi to a hotel for the night. This is so much better!” Lei got into the vehicle’s cab after loading her bags into the truck’s bed. “Maybe you can help me find a place to rent for me and my dog. Keiki’s coming over in a few months, but I’m starting my police officer training on Monday, and I need to get a place ASAP.”
“Not a problem,” Karen said, as she started up the truck. “Your aunty told me your situation. The family knows plenty of people in Hilo and we’ve got some leads already. Consider this your hometown.”
Lei smiled at her newfound cousin gratefully. “I already do.”
* * *