The Flaming Luau of Death (21 page)

That’s when I heard the woman cry out from up above. That’s when I heard the loudish thumps and then the silence.

Without thinking, I bounded up the staircase again. I turned at the half-flight and raced to the top landing. I had expected two more stories to go, four more halfflights until the penthouse, but of course, the building must have employed the art of faux-floor numbering. There was no official “thirteenth” floor in these old
buildings. Therefore, the penthouse was not on the fourteenth floor at all. It was on thirteen.

I stopped on the final landing. The stairwell door was closed, but the floor number was displayed. Fourteen. Yeah. Right.

I raised my heavy flashlight, more out of some primitive need for a weapon than for light, and opened the door.

It led to a little entry hall outside of the penthouse. Across the entry were the doors to the two service elevators. They stood open, both still stuck on this top floor. Inside the larger one, I could see Edith’s pristine Rolls Royce. Gleaming white and silver. In the smaller one was something else entirely.

The crumpled bodies of two men. Dead. As soon as I saw them I knew it.

And what made the surreal scene even worse: I recognized them both immediately.

I owe a debt of gratitude to all my hale aik
ne who contributed so much to this book. Special mahalos go to Mei (May) Chen, the bravest and sharpest of young editors, and my longtime champion, senior editor Lika (Lyssa) Keusch, with a happy word of welcome on the arrival of Kanekelo (Xander) Lee. Thanks also to my wonderful literary agent, Ewana (Evan) Marshall, and the insanely gifted Pamila (Pamela) Spengler-Jaffee.

More mahalos go to Palapala (Barbara) Voron and Hekele (Heather) Haldeman, Luka (Ruth) Glass and the Wekeli (Wesley) School community, and from all across the country, the fabulous K
Makamaka (TeaBuds).

Most inspiring of all was the time I spent on the Big Island with my beloved team of heroes: Kama, Niko, and Kilika (Sam, Nick, and Chris) Farmer. Their good humor, bravery, and support added so much to the making of this book. I could never do it without them.

JERRILYN FARMER, the
L.A.
Times bestselling author of seven acclaimed, award-winning Madeline Bean novels, and the upcoming
Desperately Seeking Sushi
, is a TV writer who has written game shows such as “Jeopardy!” and “Supermarket Sweep,” and sketch comedy specials for Dana Carvey, Jon Lovitz, Timothy Stack, and others. Farmer also teaches mystery writing at the U.C.L.A. Extension’s Writers Program. She lives in Southern California. Visit her website at
www.jerrilynfarmer.com.

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T
HE
F
LAMING
L
UAU OF
D
EATH

P
ERFECT
S
AX

M
UMBO
G
UMBO

D
IM
S
UM
D
EAD

K
ILLER
W
EDDING

I
MMACULATE
R
ECEPTION

S
YMPATHY FOR THE
D
EVIL

Forthcoming in hardcover

D
ESPERATELY
S
EEKING
S
USHI