“I sure do,” Regan said. And my instant reaction to you was hardly positive. What kind of person puts glass marbles in their medicine cabinet that might potentially mortify one of their guests? The same kind of person who will write lousy things about people.

“I mean, she had a stolen lei around her neck. What does that tell you?” Jazzy asked.

“There could be a lot of explanations for that,” Regan answered quietly.

“Which we probably will never hear. She took that secret to her grave.” Jazzy looked down at her paperwork for a moment, then looked back up at Regan. “You and Kit will be at the ball, right?”

“Yes.”

“I told Steve he should bid on the princess’s lei for Kit. Wouldn’t that be romantic?”

“I guess it would.”

“He really seems to like her.” Jazzy leaned in toward Regan as though she were about to divulge a big secret. “Let me tell you something: A lot of the ladies on this island are circling around him,” she whispered. “He is a catch with a capital C. I’m surprised some girl hasn’t nabbed him already. It makes me wonder what he’s waiting for. Whoever lands that big fish is going to be one lucky girl.”

Regan smiled. “And if he lands Kit, he’ll be one lucky guy.”

Jazzy threw back her head, laughed, and waved her hand. “Of course he will. In any case, we’ll all have fun tomorrow night. I can’t wait to see how much money that shell lei brings in at the auction. And if they auction off both-wow! This place will be in a frenzy!”

“I’m sure it’ll be interesting,” Regan agreed, wondering if there would be a moment of silence for Dorinda Dawes. Somehow she doubted it.

N ed stuffed the leis in his yellow nylon knapsack and ran as fast as he could from the grounds of the Seashell Museum. Everything happened in a blur. He never expected to see the leis sitting right there on the picnic table, and the second he spotted them, Ned knew there was no time to hesitate. He waved down a taxi and asked to be taken into the heart of Waikiki’s shopping district. He didn’t want anyone to trace him back to the Waikiki Waters, just as on the way out.

Luckily the cabdriver seemed oblivious. He was playing loud music and grunted when Ned gave him his destination. In the back of the car Ned’s pulse was racing. He’d given that guy a shove when he started to turn around. Boy, could he scream. You’d think after meditating it would have taken him a minute or two to get so worked up.

Ned got out of the cab on Kalakaua Avenue at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center in Waikiki and started to walk. He blended in easily with the Japanese and American tourists who were wandering in and out of the stylish shops. It was now four o’clock, and Ned’s mind was racing. What am I going to do with these leis? he wondered. How can I bring them back to the hotel room? What if Artie sees them? I have to hide them somewhere until Artie and the tour group leave. Then I’ll figure out a permanent spot for them.

Ned ducked into a stationery store and bought a box, sexy gift wrap depicting hula girls in action, adhesive tape, and a small pair of scissors. He went out and walked until he found an alley on a side street, which he ducked into and began to wrap his gift.

“How sweet,” mumbled an old guy who walked by.

“You have no idea,” Ned muttered as he secured the final pieces of tape. He put the box in a shopping bag and picked up his knapsack. He had inadvertently placed it in a damp patch of oil on the ground. The side of it was sticky and black. Ned threw it back on the ground, stood, and headed back to the Waikiki Waters.

As he walked down the crowded street, he regretted that he wouldn’t have a chance to really look at the leis until Artie left. He didn’t dare take them out in the room. He couldn’t wait to examine the delicate shells. I’m sure I can find a buyer who will spend a lot on them, he thought.

The reception area of the Waikiki Waters was abuzz: Guests and hotel personnel were discussing the latest Waikiki news bulletin.

“Ned, did you hear what happened?” one of the bellmen asked him. Glenn was a young guy who had been on the job for a couple of years. He had a slightly Stepfordish look. Behind his back employees called him the “Will wannabe.” He was a favorite of Will’s and was clearly being groomed to move up the hotel ladder.

“No,” Ned answered, holding tightly to his shopping bag.

“The royal leis for the Princess ball were stolen from the Seashell Museum. It’s all over the news. Now there’s nothing to auction off at the ball.”

“You’re kidding!” Ned exclaimed. “Poor Will. I know he’s counting on the ball’s being a big success.”

“He’s not a happy camper,” Glenn admitted and shrugged as he glanced down at Ned’s bag. “Wild wrapping paper.”

“Huh?” Ned looked down. “Oh, yes.”

“What have you got in there?” Glenn asked, still smiling.

“A friend of mine asked me to pick up a gag gift for her for a party she’s going to. I told her I’d leave it at the bell desk. She should be by later today to pick it up. Can you take it for me?”

Glenn stared at Ned with his affable, yet slightly vacant look. “Sure. What’s her name?”

“Donna Legatte.”

“I just love gag gifts. What did you get for her?”

This guy is always so nosy and in the middle of everything, Ned thought with irritation. “Just some crazy toys,” he answered offhandedly. “You know, juvenile stuff. It’s her friend’s bachelorette party, and she didn’t have time to shop.” Ned felt as if he was beginning to babble.

Glenn slapped him on the shoulder and grinned knowingly. “I’ll be sure to take good care of your precious package. It sounds like something you don’t want to lose! Oh, here’s a customer.” He took the bag out of Ned’s hands, hurried over to a taxi that had just pulled in, and opened its back door to usher out two arriving guests who were wearing big floral leis.

“Welcome to the Waikiki Waters!” Glenn said cheerily. “We’re so glad to have you stay with us!”

Ned turned on his heel and started to walk past the reception desk. Did I do the right thing? he wondered. Maybe I should have risked bringing the leis to the room. One of the girls at the desk called out to him. “Ned! Will wants to talk to you.”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” He went behind the desk and through the door to Will’s office.

Janet was at her post. She looked up and pointed with her thumb. “He’s back there.”

Ned walked through Will’s door. Will waved to Ned to sit down, gestured to a chair, and hung up the phone.

“Ned, we’ve got trouble.”

“I heard the leis were stolen.”

“Even worse. My parents will be here tomorrow.”

Ned laughed, relieved that they weren’t going to be discussing the goodies in the bag that was now mixed in with all the suitcases going in and out of the Waikiki Waters hotel.

Will laughed, too. “I can’t believe I’m even making a joke right now.” It felt good for him to let go of at least some of the tension. All hell was breaking loose now that the leis were missing. But Will liked Ned. He seemed like a guy’s guy. “My parents are arriving tomorrow morning. I know they’ll be tired, but I know they won’t stay in their room and rest. I need to keep them busy, or my mother will drive everyone crazy while we’re trying to set up for the ball. Could you take them out on the beach for a couple of hours? Maybe take them for a sail tomorrow afternoon?”

“Sure, Will. No problem.”

“How’s everything with the Mixed Bag Tour group?”

“Okay. I took a couple of them surfing today. You probably want to know that Gert and Ev said they were going hotel shopping to see if they could find better deals.”

Will waved both his hands in disgust. “Those two have been harping at me for the last year for bigger discounts. I’ve had it with them. I even have you sharing a room so they save money.”