4 Maui Macadamia Madness by Cynthia Hickey

keep my girl safe.” He
pulled me to my feet and into his arms. “Let’s get some sleep. We can try the
maid in the morning.”

 
    ###
    I rolled over and pounded my pillow for the umpteenth time. The thought
that the attempts on me weren’t because of Jamison’s murder, or even Mrs.
Aldrich’s, wouldn’t leave me.
    My first attempt at
crime solving had been an accident. Diamonds buried under my prize rosebush. The second, a family affair because of the first. The third
mystery turned out to be a love triangle slash computer scam and had nothing to
do with the previous two. How did the two current deaths relate to me? Did
they? Were they tied in to my prior crime solving, or complete coincidence?
    I stopped tossing
and stared at Ethan. I lightly traced his lips with my finger and then ran my
hand over the stubble on his cheek. Although having him along while I tried
solving a mystery and keeping myself alive, I worried. What if I caused him to
be hurt? Or worse? I would jump off the volcano if
that happened. A fiery lava death would be too easy for me.
    “That tickles.”
Ethan smiled and opened his eyes. “Can’t sleep?”
    I shook my head.
    “ Wanna talk about it?” He leaned on his elbow, his dark gaze searching my face.
    “Our honeymoon’s
been ruined!” A sob threatened to choke off my words. “That’s a selfish
thought, isn’t it?” I wiped my eyes on the sheet, leaving a trace of mascara
behind. “But I can’t help it. Every time we leave this room, someone tries to
kill me. What if they hurt you in the process?”
    “We could just stay
in the cottage.” He winked. “We’re safe here.”
    “I’m being serious.”
    “I’m sorry.” He
pulled me close for a kiss. “The honeymoon isn’t ruined, just more exciting.
We’ll still see the sights we wanted, but in a group. And, we’ll solve this
thing before we go home.”
    “How can you be so
certain?” I sniffed.
    “I just am.” He
pulled me close. “I’ve got something that will help you sleep.”
    Yes, I knew he did.
I closed my eyes and pressed closer.

 
    ###
    Someone pounded on the door.
    I jerked to a
sitting position and squinted against the sun squeezing through the slats in
the blinds. One glance at the clock told me I’d slept in, as had Ethan.
Something I rarely did. I stretched, remembering our time of lovemaking, then
shook Ethan awake. “Someone’s at the door.”
    He groaned. “If
that’s your family, call the police, because I’m going to kill them.” In one
fluid motion, he wrapped the sheet around him and climbed from bed. “I ought to
go out there stark naked and show them what they interrupt when they knock on
the door of honeymooners.”
    My face flamed. “We
were sleeping.”
    “We could have been
doing something else.”
    I burrowed deeper in
the pillows. I did love my grouchy morning bear, and agreed with him that if it
was my family pounding on the door, they needed to learn boundaries. Wait. What
if it wasn’t them?
    “Ethan? What if it
isn’t Aunt Eunice or Uncle Roy? What if it’s the killer?”
    He glanced over his
shoulder at me. “Hide in the bathroom.” He wrapped his fist around the lamp and
yanked it from the wall. “If you hear a ruckus, call the police.”
    Taking the blankets
with me, I scuttled to the bathroom and slammed the door. I hated hiding like a
frightened child. The tiny room had nothing I could use as a weapon. Mine or
Ethan’s razor would be of little help. I supposed I could brandish the toilet
brush and throw an attacker off guard.
    “Summer, it’s your
family.” Ethan’s disgruntled voice came through the door. “Get dressed.”
    Heavens! Their
timing wasn’t the best, but still wonderful considering. Although, I suppose
most killers wouldn’t bother to knock.
    When I walked into
the small living room, all heads turned in my direction. Ethan raised his
eyebrows and shrugged as if to tell me there wasn’t much he could do to keep
everyone out. Joe’s face