Yuletide Stalker Read online

  They wound uphill through ferns and vines that had intertwined with tall, broad-leaved trees. The area reminded Maddie of a film she’d seen of tropical jungles. She gathered that dwellings must be located nearby for numerous cats played in the woods, and she heard roosters crowing.

  Fern Grotto was a large, obscure cave with lush vines hanging over the opening. Maddie wondered if the sun ever shone directly into the deep hollow. Steady streams of water dripped from the ledge that formed a roof over the spot where the wedding party assembled.

  Several rows of bleachers had been cut into a natural stone wall on the ledge below the grotto. Linc and Maddie left the seats for the wedding party. They leaned against a large tree and listened to the prenuptial music presented by the musicians from the boat. They played traditional wedding melodies and sang softly while the minister and the bridal party moved into place on the level above the guests.

  The acoustics were good in the glen, and Maddie easily heard the words of the wedding service. At the close, the musicians sang the Hawaiian Wedding Song, first in Hawaiian and then in English. The music was familiar to Maddie, and she closed her eyes, humming the tune and thinking of the words.

  She opened her eyes and was startled when she saw a brawny, squat Hawaiian standing nearby staring at her. The malevolence in his eyes was frightening. She turned away and moved close to Linc, who apparently saw the fright in her eyes, for he put his arm around her shoulders.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “That man—staring at me,” she said, lifting her head to point to the man, but he was gone. “Oh, he isn’t there now. He looked like the same man who stared at me in the Everyday Luau restaurant. He’s a big man with broad features.”

  Linc didn’t once consider that Maddie was the kind of person to imagine such a thing, and he scanned the group of guests. He couldn’t see anyone matching the description Maddie had given, although he thought he heard someone plunging downward through the heavy vines and trees. Maddie’s blond beauty was bound to attract a lot of attention, and the man probably meant no harm. It was unlikely that this was the same man Maddie had noticed in Honolulu. He’d heard many an outsider say that all Hawaiian men looked the same to them, and that may have contributed to the mistaken identity.

  “Don’t worry about it now,” he said. “Do you want to climb to the grotto and greet the bride and groom? You can get a better sense of the enormity of the grotto when you’re inside it.”

  Eyeing the slick upward path, Maddie said, “I’d like to go, but I’m afraid to try it in these sandals.”

  “I’ll help you,” he said. “I’ll go ahead and you can hold my hand. I won’t let you slip.”

  Her eye contact with the stranger had caused her heart to pound with an accompanying physical weakness, but holding on to Linc’s hand, she made the ascent without a problem.

  Although he kept warning himself to stop considering impossible scenarios, Linc was interested in Maddie’s reaction to the grotto as a site for a wedding. He’d often thought that if he ever married, he would like to have the ceremony in that spot.

  Long vines hung from the top of the cave. Water dripped from the grotto’s overhang, and it seemed to Maddie that she was peering through a bead curtain. Linc still held her hand when they were on level ground for the grotto’s floor was wet.

  “I don’t know how she walked up those steps in that long wedding dress,” she murmured quietly. “If I were planning a wedding here, I’d choose a simple dress with a short skirt.”

  “When you get married, would you want a traditional wedding at home, or a simple ceremony like this?” Linc asked.

  Not daring to look at him, Maddie peered into the rugged gully below them. “I haven’t thought about my wedding a whole lot, but there does seem to be an aura of romance in this place.”

  They chatted with members of the wedding party and learned that the bride and groom were from California. Maddie took a few pictures of the grotto before they went back to the river.

  Maddie was very quiet as they sat on a bench until it was time to board the boat. Linc had noted that she wasn’t a chatterer, but she was usually full of questions when he took her to a new place. Not only was she silent now, but she peered intently at everyone who passed them.

  “Are you still worried about the guy who stared at you?”

  “A little, I guess.”

  Not knowing how much he dared to say, Linc asked in a teasing manner, “Haven’t you looked in the mirror enough to realize why people stare at you?”

  Startled blue eyes met his. She lifted a hand to her face. “What do you mean? What’s wrong with my face?”

  “Nothing. Nothing at all,” he hurriedly reassured. “But don’t you realize that a blond beauty like you is a vivid contrast to what people on the islands are accustomed to seeing? They naturally take a second look.”

  “I’ve seen other blondes here.”

  “That’s true,” he agreed, amazed that Maddie wasn’t aware of the extent of her beauty. “Many blondes live in Hawaii, but you don’t seem to realize that you’re beautiful.”

  Maddie dropped her eyes in confusion. “My friends, Janice and Lucy, often tease me about being Miss Model or Miss Movie Star. But I didn’t take it seriously because, during the two years I spent at VOH, Miss Caroline indoctrinated all of us with the principle that beauty is more than skin deep. She wanted us to develop an inner spiritual beauty, the kind that would last when youthful beauty faded.”

  “I didn’t intend to embarrass you, but I wanted you to realize that the man may have been startled by your beauty. Don’t let your fear spoil our day.”

  Maddie had often thought that her good looks were a curse instead of a blessing, especially after she’d gone to college. She’d attracted the attention of men, whom she wouldn’t date, because she figured they wanted to go out with her for the wrong reasons. Also, she’d been chided by a few people who thought you couldn’t be intelligent and beautiful, too. More than once, she’d been called a “dumb blonde.” After carrying a perfect grade point average the first year at the university, she hadn’t heard that accusation as much.

  When the boat got underway for the return journey, Maddie asked, “Wouldn’t it cost a lot of money to come here from California for a wedding?”

  “I doubt it’s much more than the cost of a formal wedding on the mainland. Many people from the western states honeymoon in Hawaii. And a lot of Asian residents come here for weddings, too. It’s especially popular to be married in the Fern Grotto and on Waikiki beach. Companies have package deals that cater to the wishes of each couple, a traditional wedding in a church or choose a less formal ceremony. Older couples often come here for special anniversaries to renew their vows.”

  “I suppose I shouldn’t ask this, but why haven’t you gotten married?” Maddie asked. She thought, but didn’t say, that she couldn’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t want to marry him. “Living in such a romantic place, I’d have thought, at your age, you would have married.”

  Wincing a little at the words, at your age, without looking at her, Linc answered, “For two reasons, really. I’ve been so busy establishing and expanding my restaurants that I haven’t taken time for romance. Also, I suppose I’m an idealist, but I don’t want to get married until I find that special person I can’t live without.”

  “And you haven’t found her?” she inquired in wide-eyed innocence.

  Fortunately for Linc, the boat’s pilot announced that they would be docking in ten minutes. The best man walked through the barge handing all the passengers bags of birdseed to be thrown at the bride and groom as they left the boat.

  Linc was spared an answer that he didn’t dare to give, and Maddie was left in doubt and confusion. Had he found that special person in Ahonui, and he didn’t want to tell her?

  SIX

  As they returned to the city of Lihue, where Linc had reserved rooms for the night, he asked, “Would you like to go shopping now? We’ll pass a
big store with all kinds of native products.”

  She slanted an amused glance toward him. “Men don’t like to shop, do they?”

  “I’m sure I’ll enjoy watching you shop.” Actually, he wanted to find out what interested Maddie, so he’d know what to buy her for Christmas. If he learned her tastes, he could do his shopping later when she wasn’t along.

  “I do want to buy some Hawaiian clothes,” Maddie said. “But I don’t want to spend much money.”

  “This store features items in a wide range of prices. Let’s stop and you can take a look.” He drove into the parking lot of a vast metal building that looked like a warehouse.

  “I’ll look for a dress and a shirt to wear while I’m here. I intend to buy some souvenirs for my friends before I go home. I can get an idea of what’s available and buy them later.”

  The vast array of merchandise overwhelmed Maddie, and for two hours they wended their way through the store, so crowded with tourists and merchandise that it was impossible to hurry. Maddie chose a sleeveless dress in a blue print that matched her eyes, and a colorful shirt with palm trees on it. Linc bought a shirt to match hers.

  “We can wear these when we go out to dinner,” Linc said, and Maddie wondered if there was anything significant in the fact that he wanted a shirt identical to hers. When Maddie went to try on her dress and shirt, Linc bought a black pearl necklace and matching earrings, thinking how lovely they would look on Maddie’s ivory skin. He took the package to the car before she returned.

  Maddie’s pleasure in the shopping expedition suffered a setback when they left the store. The man who’d watched her at the Fern Grotto was stepping out of a car not ten feet from where she stood. She gasped, but before she could call Linc’s attention to the man, he ducked around the corner.

  Since Linc had treated the previous incident lightly, she didn’t say anything, for she didn’t want him to think she was paranoid. At the hotel, they changed into their matching shirts before they went out. Maddie tried to keep a stiff upper lip during the rest of the evening while they took a walking tour of Lihue and ate dinner at a Chinese restaurant. But she couldn’t forget the man who’d been watching her.

  She slept fitfully, and in her dreams, she kept seeing his face. His black eyes seemed to spell trouble for her. In the dream, everywhere she went, the man followed her, and once he confronted her with an uplifted knife. She woke up, calling for Linc to help her, but of course, he couldn’t hear in his room across the hall.

  They left Kauai early the next morning for the flight to Hilo, the county seat of the big island of Hawaii. Again, Linc rented a car, and they spent most of the day driving around the island. In a guidebook, Maddie had read that agriculture contributed largely to the island’s economy. Linc pointed out large sugar plantations, cattle ranches, vegetable farms, orchid nurseries and orchards that produced coffee plants, macadamia nuts and fruits.

  They spent a few hours in Volcano National Park before returning to spend the night in a deluxe resort hotel.

  “You’ll like what we’re going to see today,” Linc said the next morning as they left the hotel after a buffet breakfast. Maddie was still concerned about the money Linc was spending. The rates posted in her hotel rooms distressed her. She didn’t want him to think she expected so much attention. But since she was convinced he was enjoying their time together as much as she was, she didn’t spoil their companionship by harping on the money he spent.

  “We’re going to a national park that features aspects of traditional Hawaiian life,” Linc explained as they wound through the hilly land in a rented car with the coastline often in sight. “At one time this area was the residence of royal chieftains, and close by is a place of refuge with historical significance. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

  “I’ve enjoyed everything we’ve done over the past week. It doesn’t seem possible that I’ve seen so much in such a few days. I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “You’re thanking me by having a good time. This is the first time I’ve shown anyone around the islands on their first visit. It’s the best vacation I’ve had for years.”

  “Where do you usually go on vacations?”

  “It’s no fun vacationing alone, so I combine my vacations with business trips. I go to California, China and Japan often.”

  Since Maddie had enjoyed Hawaii so much, Linc wished that he could show her the wonders of the Orient.

  Pu’uhonua o Hõnaunau was located in a barren area along the seacoast. The royal grounds were separated from the place of refuge by a massive wall. Linc and Maddie took a self-guided tour of the place of refuge, moving from exhibit to exhibit as Maddie read from the guidebook. She had a gentle voice, soft and clear. Through her eyes, Linc appreciated more than ever the history of his chosen state.

  “The pu’uhonua was a place of refuge for defeated warriors, noncombatants in time of war, or those who violated the sacred laws,” Maddie read. “When a sacred law was broken the penalty was always death. Otherwise the gods might react violently, perhaps with volcanic eruptions, tidal waves, famines or earthquakes. The lawbreaker would be put to death unless he reached the place of refuge.”

  They spent an hour sauntering among the exhibits which illustrated many facets of ancestral Hawaiian culture. Black volcanic rocks were scattered along the beach. Towering palm trees added interest to the site. They paused to observe the numerous turtles crawling in the shallow water.

  As they looked at several tall wooden carvings, Maddie said, “These remind me of the Native American totem poles of our Northwest.” She pointed to a man hollowing out a log to make a boat. “And that’s very similar to the dugout canoes of the Eastern Indians.”

  “I’ve always noticed the similarity between residents of these islands and mainland aborigines,” Linc agreed.

  The coastline was marked by stunted trees. After they inspected the stockade-protected sanctuary for those who needed mercy, Linc stopped beside a bench shaded by a coconut palm. “Let’s sit and rest before we move on. I’ve got sand in my shoes.”

  He took off his tennis shoes and shook out the sand, then leaned against the back of the bench, looking out over the water with contentment mirrored on his face.

  Maddie continued to be amazed that a man, who must have a lot of work to do, seemed in no hurry at all. They sat, shoulders touching, and Maddie gazed at the inlet separating the place of refuge from the rugged hills on the other side of the water. The inlet was shallow now, but at high tide, there would be a large wall of water. If a warrior was wounded or weary from being pursued, how vulnerable, how scared he must have been when he faced the last barrier between death and freedom.

  Linc watched the play of emotions on Maddie’s face as she stared across the cove for at least ten minutes without saying a word. He placed his hand on her shoulder, and she jumped.

  “I didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologized. “Do you want to share your thoughts?”

  “I was thinking about the people who came seeking shelter here. It must have been a frightful experience for them. Imagine how grateful they would have been when their feet touched this side of the coast and they knew that they were safe.”

  “I wouldn’t have wanted to live in ancient times,” Linc said.

  “No,” Maddie agreed. “Especially since the islanders didn’t know about the refuge they could find in Christ Jesus. When did Christianity come to the islands?”

  “In the early nineteenth century. I don’t remember the exact year. The missionaries worked many years before the Christian faith was widespread. As I told you earlier, there are still groups who adhere to the old religions—especially those who worship the volcano gods. They give gifts to the gods to protect them from danger. In earlier times, human sacrifices were made, but thankfully that’s no longer true.”

  Maddie remembered her dreams in the hotel of Kauai, and she shuddered. Still she knew she didn’t have to fear her enemies when God was her refuge.

  For self-ass
urance, she said, “When Jesus died on the cross, He provided a place of refuge for everyone.” She reached in her tote bag and drew out a New Testament. “Do you mind if I look up a Scripture passage that reminds me of this place? I can’t seem to remember it completely.”

  “Not at all,” he said. “Read it aloud.”

  Maddie flipped to the book of Hebrews, scanned the sixth chapter and found the verses. “The writer was encouraging his readers to put their confidence in God’s promises to protect His followers. Oh, here’s the verse I’ve been thinking about. ‘We who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.’”

  Still musing on the past customs of the Hawaiians, her subconscious thoughts surfaced. “I couldn’t have emotionally survived the deaths of my parents if I hadn’t been confident that God had prepared a home for them. They passed safely from this world to the next one because Jesus had already provided a refuge for them.”

  “I’ve often thought about the Scripture the minister read at your father’s funeral,” Linc said. “After I returned to Hawaii, I looked it up in the Bible and committed it to memory.”

  “Would you say it, please? I think of my parents every time I hear those words.”

  “‘Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am there you may be also.’”

  “I asked for the same Scripture to be read at Mother’s funeral,” Maddie said. A tender expression crossed her face as she thought of her parents.

  “Those days must have been difficult for you,” Linc said compassionately. “How old were you when your mother died?”

  “Sixteen. But Mother knew she was dying, and we talked about what I should do. She made arrangements for me to spend the next two years with Miss Caroline at the Valley of Hope. Miss Caroline helped me realize that the hope I had in Christ Jesus would be a firm, steadfast hope throughout my life.”