Kaimi and three bodyguards entered. Dante heard their footsteps as they walked from the kitchen to the living room.

Dante saw the four men stop in the center of the room and look around. The bodyguards dwarfed Kaimi, but he had a more commanding, self-assured presence. His salt and pepper hair was disheveled, and his moustache was pure silver. It gave Dante a moment’s pleasure that he looked more haggard than his last photograph. He wore a sleek, grey suit with pinstripes and an ivory handkerchief tucked in the pocket, but the suit was baggy, bunching around the waist in unflattering pleats.

Kaimi’s bodyguards were massive men. The one on Dante’s left was bald, with a baby face, and a large gut. His nose wrinkled, as he surveyed the damage to the room from the firefight months ago. The bodyguard beside Kaimi was an islander, beefy but fit. He had long black hair down to his shoulders, which were hunched over the rest of his body. The third bodyguard was shorter than the other two. He had a buzz cut, with dark hair. He looked ex-military to Dante, perhaps a former Marine for hire. He was fit, trim, and suspicious of the circumstances. His hand rested on his gun, as he surveyed the room.

“Mr. Apao?” Kaimi inquired. “I don’t have all day to wait.”

“Maybe he’s taking a leak,” the bald bodyguard suggested. The other two chuckled in response, but Kaimi glowered at him.

Now, Dante thought as the third bodyguard spotted the camera he and his father had mounted.

“Federal agents,” Dante shouted as he burst from the closet.

The third bodyguard was fast to fire, but he failed to take aim first. He grazed Dante’s leg.

Dante cried out as he returned fire. He hit the bodyguard dead center in the forehead. The rest of the men all scattered. Above Dante’s head, Bob fired down on the bodyguards, hitting one in the arm as he dived behind the couch.

Albert traded bullets with Kaimi’s second bodyguard from the cover of the fireplace wall. Kaimi succeeded in yanking open the patio door, dodging Bob’s gunfire as he ran into the night. A taste for blood surged through Dante as he watched Kaimi leave. He bore down on his pain and lunged out the door after him.

Dante felt the cool Hawaiian breeze hit his sweat-dampened skin. Dante heard Kaimi running to his right, and he ran after him. Kaimi heard Dante behind him. He fired off two quick rounds. They went wide, hitting nothing but grass. Kaimi made it to the tree line, barreling into the forest. Dante dived in after him.

They tumbled over roots and stones, as they began to climb. Dante could hear animals thrashing around in the underbrush trying to get away from them. He became lightheaded as the pain in his leg escalated with every step. Then Kaimi tripped over a log, falling to the ground.

“Put your hands in the air, Kaimi!”

Kaimi fired two more rounds in Dante’s direction. Dante rolled to the left behind a thick tree to dodge them. Dante returned fire, but Kaimi had moved to a nearby outcropping of rocks. Dante counted his rounds in his head, between the gun he held and his side arm.

Then he ran to the tree next to him. Kaimi fired three bullets. The next tree cost Kaimi two. Praying he didn’t have many rounds, Dante dodged from tree to tree, running Kaimi out of time and ammunition. After sixteen bullets, Kaimi stopped firing on Dante. Dante charged the outcropping.

“It’s time to go. Put your hands in the air.” Dante stood on one of the rocks.

Kaimi stood below him, sweating. His suit was torn at the sleeves and the legs. His undershirt had come un-tucked. The shirt billowed with each of Kaimi’s labored breaths. Kaimi smiled, turning toward Dante. Then his smile turned into a sneer.

“Last one.” Kaimi raised his gun, and pointed it right at Dante’s head.

Dante’s finger was ready to pull the trigger. Before he could fire, a voice spoke.

“I think you’ll need two, Kaimi.” Albert stepped out from the forest behind Kaimi. “Because killing a Federal agent won’t do you much good when there’s another one that’s going to arrest you. Or shoot you.”

Dante let out the breath he held, as he watched Kaimi’s smile fade.

“Drop your weapon on the ground, and put your hands in the air, or you’re going to the morgue instead of jail.” Albert pressed the barrel of his gun to Kaimi’s head. Kaimi slowly, silently complied.

“Kaimi Quamboa, you are under arrest for the kidnapping and murder of Katherine and Easton James,” Dante told him, as he approached. Dante took out his handcuffs, twisting Kaimi’s arms behind him. Then he turned to his father. He held out the cuffs to him.

“Would you like the honor?”

Albert smiled, taking the cuffs from his son. He wrapped them around Kaimi’s wrists. Albert’s expression was satisfaction at its purest. Then he looked up into Dante’s eyes. Dante saw a glimmer of pride there. And tears. His father had tears in his eyes.

Dante was astounded.

His father clapped him on the shoulder, squeezing it.

“Glad you showed up when you did.” Dante smiled.

“Glad you ran him out of bullets.” Albert patted him on the back.

For the first time in months, Dante’s shoulders relaxed. They had Kaimi. He was going to jail. Laurie was going to be safe. God, he couldn’t wait to get back home to her.

“Would you like to lead our guest back to the house in cuffs as well?” Dante gestured to Kaimi.

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

With Albert holding Kaimi by the shoulder, pushing him forward, they began to re-trace the path of destruction they had made through the forest. When they reached the house, Bob stood by the patio door. He was armed, but he dropped his weapon and opened the door when he saw Dante and Albert pushing their prisoner forward.

“Took you both long enough,” Bob said with a smile. “I could have left and made it back home by now.”

“I didn’t see you running up into the jungle.” Albert pushed Kaimi inside.

He forced Kaimi down into a nearby chair, and Dante began tying him down.

“You must be the Marshal I’ve been looking for.” Kaimi stared at Dante’s face.

“Yes.” Dante finished tying him and got up.

As Dante glanced around the room, he saw that only one other bodyguard survived. Though he bled from a gunshot to the abdomen, Bob had bound him to a chair as well.

“You must be the father.” Kaimi nodded at Albert.

Albert stared back. His expression was carefully blank. His brown eyes were guarded, emotionless.

“Hmmm.You look familiar to me. Do we know each other?” Kaimi tilted his head to the side.

“No.” Albert turned away.

“No? You look very familiar. Have you been hunting for me for a long time? I always memorize an agent’s face.” Kaimi wore the slightest hint of a knowing smile.

Dante’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t know what game Kaimi was playing, but he knew they didn’t want to play anything at all with this man. He wanted to pack up their things and get out. Whatever Kaimi hinted at, wherever it led, it wasn’t going to be good for them. His father dismissed Kaimi’s words, turning away to head up the stairs.

“Ah, yes. You were one of the first. Well, you finally have your man.” Kaimi’s voice stopped Albert mid-step.

“Not until I see you behind bars.” Albert looked over his shoulder. “But that shouldn’t be too long from now.”

“Well, I hope that doesn’t keep you from returning home. I’m sure Emma must be very worried about all of you.” He lingered on Emma’s name, caressing it with his tongue.

Albert stood in front of the stairs, stony and still, his hand resting on the banister.

Dante sensed rather than saw his father tense. Then his father turned toward Kaimi with aching slowness. Dante fought the urge to respond to Kaimi himself, as his adrenaline surged. Dante looked over to Bob, who still held the gun to Kaimi’s head. There was a flash of fear in Bob’s eye, before it vanished. Dante’s father appeared unperturbed, his face as impassive as it ever was.