Love or Justice Read online

  Dante’s heart beat in rapid-fire succession, adrenaline rushing through his veins. For the hundredth time, he checked his gun. He ran through his mental checklist of everything that was ready. Then he thought about the plan of attack. He checked his earpiece, making sure Bob and Albert could still hear him clearly. Dante went back to waiting again. He braced himself for what he had to do. It was almost 8:00 p.m. and Rick hadn’t shown himself for the 9:00 p.m. meeting yet.

  “Car,” Bob said in his ear.

  Dante sucked in a breath as he saw the faint flash of light dance across the living room wall. He steadied himself in the silent darkness of the closet. A few minutes ticked by before he heard the front door open. The kitchen lights flicked on. He heard footsteps, as the informant entered the living room. He flicked on the lights. The Marshal walked into the center of the room, taking a quick look around. As he sank onto the couch, half-facing Dante’s hiding spot, Dante blinked. His eyes went wide in surprise, and then narrow in anger. Small tremors of shock raced from his head to his feet. Ice water swam through his veins.

  Cheyn sat on the couch.

  Dante’s hand tightened on his gun, his jaw clenching. He watched his prey pull out his cell phone, scrolling through it idly. Attack plan be damned—Dante was furious. He burst out from behind the door, gun drawn, so angry he almost snarled.

  “Federal agent! Put your hands in the air!”

  Cheyn started and almost fell off the couch before he launched into a standing position. He stared at Dante in disbelief, then shook his head.

  “I said put your hands in the air!” Dante took another step closer.

  “Dante? How did you? I mean…uh…where have you—” Cheyn’s eyes darted to the exits.

  “Save it. I know it was you.”

  “Man, I don’t know—” Cheyn said.

  “I know you’re here to meet Kaimi. I know you’ve been feeding him information from the start. Don’t deny it.”

  Cheyn filled his lungs with air, and just stared back at Dante. His eyes hardened, his face became stony. His arms were still at his sides, with his hands clenched into fists.

  “Why? Why did you do this to me?” Dante gritted his teeth.

  “I don’t know what you mean, man. You did it, not me.”

  “Don’t you dare, you son of a bitch. How can you live with yourself knowing you let me take the blame for what you did?”

  Cheyn shook his head.

  “That was your fault, not mine. You didn’t have to leave with the girl.”

  “What was I supposed to do? Just let Kaimi keep hunting her from house to house? She was under my protection—our protection!”

  Cheyn cocked his head to the side.

  Dante fought the urge to fire his gun.

  “I told you not to get too close to her. I warned you. I tried.” He shrugged.

  “You’re a disgrace. You betrayed me. You betrayed the department, and your country! Why? I want to know why!” Dante shook his gun at him.

  “You’re not the judge of me, haole.”

  Dante bared his teeth at the insult.

  “We were friends. For years, you and I worked this job, in this house. You BETRAYED me!”

  Cheyn raised his hands and arms in a helpless gesture.

  “What was I supposed to do, Dante? Do you know how powerful that man is? Kaimi feeds my family. Kaimi feeds my whole family. My brother works at the docks for him. He owns my whole town, man! What was I supposed to do? Give up my entire family for some woman I don’t even know?”

  “You got to know her. What about David and Max? Were they expendable too?”

  Cheyn’s hands dropped like stone. He spread his legs wider. Every muscle in Cheyn’s body began to pulse with tension. Dante steadied himself. His anger waned, allowing him to focus on the task at hand, as he readjusted his aim toward Cheyn’s chest.

  “It wasn’t supposed to go down like that! I let them in, to sneak upstairs to Laurie. Max came back from the gear check too fast. It all just exploded. It wasn’t supposed to go down like that!”

  “It wouldn’t have gone down like that if you had just come to me in the first place! You didn’t need to be on this assignment. You could have just stayed the hell out of it.”

  “That would kill my family. If she goes into that courtroom, and Kaimi goes to jail, my family starves. I can’t let that happen.” Cheyn tapped his chest.

  “They can find other jobs, for God’s sake Cheyn!”

  “That’s enough, son,” Albert said gently in Dante’s ear. “Bring him in.”

  Dante took a deep breath. He took a step toward Cheyn.

  Cheyn stared back at him, but he didn’t move a muscle.

  “It’s over Cheyn. I’m taking you in.”

  “They’ll just arrest you, man.” Cheyn gave him a sly smile. “They think you’re the mole. You’re the killer. You did that to yourself, bossman.”

  “This is all being recorded.” Dante shook his head.

  Cheyn’s smile disappeared, as his eyes floated up to the camera above Dante’s head, mounted to the wall. Cheyn’s hand dangled above his gun, his fingers twitching.

  “I can’t let you do that, Dante. You’re not bringing me in.”

  “Don’t do this, Cheyn. It’s over. It’s time to turn yourself in.”

  “No, sir. I’m not going to jail with all of the criminals I’ve helped put away. Either you bring in my body or you don’t bring in anything at all.”

  “Cheyn—don’t!” Dante screamed.

  Cheyn reached for his gun. He gave Dante no choice. Dante fired before Cheyn even had his gun out of his holster. His shot hit Cheyn square in the chest. A second shot from Bob’s perch above, pierced Cheyn from the back and he lurched forward, falling onto the floor on his knees. Dante rushed forward. He wrestled away Cheyn’s gun—flinging it to the side.

  Dante grabbed Cheyn’s shoulders. Cheyn looked up at him, confusion and terror flashed across his face.

  “My family,” he choked out.

  Dante helped Cheyn lay down on the floor. He applied pressure to the wound, which poured out blood. Cheyn coughed, and blood drained out the side of his mouth, painting his lips in burgundy. Cheyn clutched at Dante’s forearm, and Dante looked down into his dark eyes.

  “I’ll take care of them. I’ll call them when we get you to a hospital. Bob, Dad? Call 911!”

  Cheyn shook his head and gripped Dante’s arm tighter. He tried to speak, but then his eyes rolled. He gasped in pain. Dante fought the panic rising in his chest. He took his best friends hand, pressing it to his heart. Dante felt the tears burning at the back of his eyes. It took a few minutes for Cheyn’s vision to refocus on Dante.

  “He knows. He knows.” Cheyn gripped his shoulder.

  “Just hang in there, okay? Don’t talk. We’ll get you to a hospital. You’ll be fine.”

  “Listen! He knows you…went to your dad.” Cheyn gasped for air.

  “What? No, no, no,” moaned Dante. “Don’t do this. Christ!”

  Cheyn looked up into his eyes, and Dante saw the sheer terror there. Cheyn gasped for air. His eyes wandered up and down Dante’s face. Then his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Cheyn’s body gave a shudder. Dante clung to his hand.

  “Cheyn! Cheyn! Don’t.”

  The light behind Cheyn’s eyes flickered and died. His body went slack, and he sank into the blood soaked carpet beneath him.

  Dante knelt, just breathing for a while. He hardly noticed his father and uncle standing over him. He stared at Cheyn’s lifeless expression. He felt sick to his stomach. Then anger welled up in him, bubbling over. He slammed his fist into the carpet several times.

  “Damn it, damn it, damn it!” he screamed. “God damn it!”

  He pushed himself off the carpet to walk to the windows. He pressed his forehead to the cool glass, but it didn’t quench his anger.

  “You had to shoot, Dante. He went for his gun.” Bob spoke softly.

  “Well, why the hell did he h
ave to do that?” Dante turned on his uncle. “I mean why?”

  “We don’t have time for this now, son. Kaimi will be here any minute. We have to move the body and get back into our places.” Albert gestured to Cheyn’s body.

  Dante turned his heated gaze on his father.

  His father looked back at him with sternness, but there was a hint of sympathy there. His father reached out, gripping Dante’s shoulder.

  There was no time. Dante knew it, and he hated it.

  “I’m sorry. But you have to grieve for your friend later.” Albert gave him a little shake.

  Dante turned away. He hit the wall with his open palm. Kaimi was the true target. He beat back his anger, promising himself to take it out on Kaimi. Dante walked over to the safe room door, unlatched it, and shoved it to the side. When he turned, his father and uncle lifted Cheyn’s body, carrying it over into the safe room. Dante locked the door again. Then he picked up a blanket from the couch and dropped it on the floor to cover the fresh bloodstain.

  “Remember the plan.” Albert gave a pointed look to Dante. “Wait until they’re all in the living room. Take out the guards first, but spare Kaimi.”

  Dante nodded, just as the flash of lights from outside alerted them to Kaimi’s arrival. They dashed to their hiding places as the front door opened.

  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.

  “How do you know Emma?” He appeared relaxed, even confident, as he looked Kaimi over.

  “Ah, your good friend Hilton has been looking for you. He’s been calling the Honolulu office almost every day since your son left the islands with the girl. Of course, there isn’t a phone there that I can’t listen in on. Your friend knew your son would be with you, and he proved to be very helpful in finding your home. But, of course, you all left for Hawaii by then.” A predatory smile played at the corners of his lips.

  There was a long pause as Albert weighed his options. Albert’s hand twitched. Dante wondered if his father would reach out and strangle Kaimi in one swift movement.