Broken Ferns (Lei Crime ) by Toby Neal Page A

was worrying I’d mucked it up—and I’ve already mucked up so much in your life. I pray for you every day, you know.”
    “Thanks, Dad. It’s okay. It wouldn’t have made a difference, and I’m sure some rigid old Japanese man didn’t have anything to do with Kwon’s death. He’d never get his hands dirty like that.”
    “Your grandpa was a Korean War vet—decorated and everything. Maylene liked to talk about how hard he fought in the war, how he never accepted the military’s bias against Nisei, Japanese. He’s got a lot of the samurai in him.” Wayne’s voice was colored with respect. “I’ve always thought Yumi was the one behind them cutting us off. Maylene used to say she never did anything right for her mother and finally gave up trying.”
    “But it’s a long stretch in any case.”
    “I agree. But you live in Honolulu now. He does, too, and he’s a lonely old man. It’s an opportunity; that’s all I’m saying. That’s what the Lord’s put on my heart to tell you, anyway.”
    “You talk about God like he tells you what to do.” Lei was never sure how to take her father’s prison conversion—it seemed sincere because her aunt confirmed Wayne’s involvement with his local church, his prayer habits and clean living.
    “He does. It’s a relationship, not a religion—for me.”
    “I do pray, but God doesn’t answer.” Lei closed her eyes, rubbed the disc.
    “Maybe He answers, but you aren’t listening. Scripture says it’s simple: if you believe in your heart, and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved.”
    “Dad, I don’t need saving.” Lei pushed up off the steering wheel. “If God loves me, why am I so miserable? I gave up everything for this job, and I’m finding—it’s not enough. I’m not even sure I want to stay with the FBI. Stevens got married while I was in the Academy. And he’s got my dog.”
    “Oh, honey.” Her father’s voice sank. “I’m so sorry. I know you loved him. I thought you guys were together even after you left for the Academy.”
    “No. He told me he was tired of waiting because I wouldn’t get married. So he married that Thai girl we rescued, of all people. And I liked her, too!” Lei felt her throat closing on the betrayal and coughed, clenching her fist around the disc until it dug painfully into her fingers. “I know it’s not fair to feel this way—he never lied to me or led me on—but I guess I just didn’t believe he’d find someone else. What we had was—special.” Such an inadequate word to describe the passion, the camaraderie, the thousand shared moments that had healed her—and she’d thrown them away.
    “God must have someone better for you.”
    “Not interested.” She shook her head. “I need another man like a hole in the head. Give me my grandfather’s phone number and address. I’ll think about looking him up.”
    Wayne read it off to her, and she jotted it down in her spiral notebook. “You know, you could ask for Keiki back, Lei.”
    “Not a bad idea. Only, then I’d have to talk to him.”
    “For Keiki, you’d guts up and do it. That dog really is something special.”
    “I know. Thanks, Dad. And thanks for the prayers, too.” She hung up. She’d never shared so much with him, and in spite of sticky moments in the conversation, she felt better.
    Someone loved her. Three someones, if she counted her dad, her aunty, and if her grandfather really had been following her career at a distance, maybe he loved her a little bit. Enough to kill her molester? It was worth checking out, even if it was a long shot.
    She was finally ready to go back to her claustrophobic apartment.

Chapter 10
    “Hello?” Her grandfather’s voice had a dry quality, like rubbing sticks together.
    “Hello. Is this Soga Matsumoto?” Lei put police in her crisp tone as she sat on her couch, the white-gold disc on the coffee table in front of her.
    “It is. What is this about?”
    “This is Lei. Leilani