Killer Connection (A Hawaii Mystery Novelette)

  Connor handed Kiyoshi her wine. Their fingers touched in the process, causing a spark to ignite within him. He had to use every ounce of willpower he had to resist the urge to run his hands all over her body in that moment. He knew had to respect her and his purpose for befriending her, and keep his libido in check—at least for now.

  He tasted his wine and asked curiously: "So tell me, Kiyoshi, aside from being gorgeous and a great saleswoman who can appreciate jazz and good food, what else do you do with your time?"

  Kiyoshi stared at the question while finding it hard to think about anything other than his powerful manly presence at the moment. Over the rim of her glass, she said: "Well, I run on the beach three times a week."

  Connor grinned. "No wonder you're in such good shape. I do a little running myself when I can find the time."

  Kiyoshi flashed him a challenging smile. "Maybe we could run together sometime," she said, picturing his long, muscled legs in shorts. "I mean, if you want to..."

  He knew she was just trying to protect herself from getting hurt again. Though his travel plans were pretty much open after he completed his mission, she was making it hard as hell to want to leave. He stepped a little closer. "I'd love to hit the beach with you for a good run whenever you like."

  She beamed. "Great. I'll keep that in mind."

  "What other things do you like to do?" he asked, wanting to keep the dialogue going.

  "Read good fiction," she told him. "I'm a big fan of cozies and women's fiction."

  I wonder if she's ever read any true crime books by Connor Jansen, Connor mused, allowing himself to take a little ego trip for a moment or two. He quickly got over it, realizing that it was probably better if she hadn't read any of his books, considering the circumstances. He doubted she would want to read his next work, featuring her brother as the protagonist, and maybe her as a supporting character.

  "That's cool," he told her sincerely.

  "What are your interests?" Kiyoshi asked. She was very aware how close their bodies were, and had no desire to back away.

  He studied her for a moment before responding. "I enjoy reading, too. Mainly nonfiction books about history, investing, and psychology."

  "Those are good subjects," she told him.

  Connor sipped his drink, and then sat on a stool at the kitchen counter. "As you might imagine, I love to travel—especially to Australia and Europe."

  "I've been to London and Paris," Kiyoshi said, sitting beside him, "but I've never been Down Under." She was envious that he had gone to places she had only dreamed of.

  "I'm sure you would like it there," he said. "The Aussies are very welcoming."

  "I don't doubt that," she said. In fact, one of her best friends in Honolulu was Australian. She had continued to support Kiyoshi even after the news broke about Sergio being a serial killer.

  Lowering his gaze to meet hers, Connor let his libido speak for him. "You smell good enough to kiss."

  Kiyoshi wasn't sure if it was the wine talking, unbridled longing, or both. She felt a bit tipsy and maybe a little crazy, so she said daringly: "Then why don't you?"

  That was all Connor needed to hear. He put his hand under her chin, raised it, and lightly pressed his mouth to hers. The sweetness of her juicy lips made him sway and want more.

  He pulled back with reluctance and met her eyes. Kiyoshi stared back desirously.

  "That was nice," she said, knowing it was much more than that. It was fantastic.

  Connor read between the lines and was sure they were both on the same page: they wanted each other badly. Even if he knew this was stepping over the line, he couldn't pretend Kiyoshi Yoshida wasn't having this effect on him.

  And, dammit, he wouldn't pretend.

  He took her glass and set it down, then gently held her cheeks, waiting to see if there was any sign of resistance. Seeing none, he kissed her again, this time more passionately.

  Kiyoshi felt as light as a feather. She wrapped her arms around Craig's sturdy neck, so she wouldn't lose the power of his mouth assaulting hers. It gave her the courage to put everything she had into the kiss, making her head spin with delight and her toes tingle.

  They found themselves swirling and dancing, their lips never parting, as they made their way into the bedroom.

  Managing to break free from the kiss, Connor threw caution to the wind, giving way to his overpowering attraction to her. He would deal with the ramifications later.

  He started to remove her clothing and she followed suit in removing his before they sank down onto the bed for a night of passion.

  * * *

  He had followed Kiyoshi and the true crime writer to the condo complex and watched as they entered the elevator. After more than an hour of waiting, he decided that they were planning to spend the night together. And it irritated the hell out of him. Connor Jansen had overstepped his bounds in deciding to bed Kiyoshi in the course of using her to get information for his damn book. And vulnerable as she was, she had succumbed to his charms and her needs.

  Damn them both, he thought angrily.

  As much as he wanted to put a stop to this and regain control of the situation, he bit his lip instead and practiced the type of patience he had perfected over the years in carrying out his plan.

  Let them have their fun, he mused. Enjoy it while you can—it won't last long.

  He stared up at the building from the street for a while longer, as though in a trance, before walking away.

  In his car a block away, he took a drink from the bottle of vodka before starting the ignition and driving off. His thoughts turned to his first victims in Honolulu. The thought of the women squirming beneath him as he had his way with them before strangling them with a scarf turned him on. They deserved no less.

  As did Kiyoshi Yoshida, who had defended her brother admirably before getting out of the city, indeed off the entire island. It hadn't been difficult to track her down. Especially when the true crime writer was just as determined to locate her, leading him right to Sergio Matsuko's pretty sister.

  Very soon it would be time to add her to his list of victims and there was nothing she or Jansen could do about it.

  * * *

  Kiyoshi's eyes adjusted to the darkness as Connor lay beside her on the king-sized bed. The blinds on the windows were open just a crack to allow in a hint of summer moonlight.

  "You were terrific," Connor whispered in her ear.

  "So were you," Kiyoshi said, as she kissed him lightly on the cheek. They seemed like a perfect fit in bed. Maybe too perfect, she thought uncomfortably. The more she knew about Craig Garrett, the more she felt she didn't know. But now was not the time for regrets.

  Was it?

  She sat up, noting the time, while clumsily covering herself with the sheet.

  "It's late," she muttered. "I think I should go."

  Connor raised a brow in surprise. "Please, stay the night," he said. He wanted to be able to touch her, hold her, and be with her again this night.

  Kiyoshi thought about it only briefly. She would love to spend the night with this handsome man and excellent lover, but she was afraid she would have one of her nightmares. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was crazy or something. Then there was the fear that she might somehow reveal to him that her twin brother, once a well-regarded cop, had died a cold-blooded rapist and serial killer. This was information she preferred not to share right now, if ever.

  She caught Connor's pleading gaze. "I can't," she said solemnly. "It has nothing to do with you. I just like sleeping in my own bed."

  Maybe it is for the best, he told himself. This way he would be free from the type of intimate entanglement he had hoped to avoid, while continuing to pursue whatever Kiyoshi could tell him about Sergio Matsuko.

  As if they could ever go back to the way things were before.

  "I understand," he told her, and tried to put on a good face.

  Kiyoshi almost wished she could stay covered like that forever. Or at
least for as long as her body was an open invitation for his eyes. Then she thought: I'm being silly. He's already seen all there is to see, and then some.

  She slid across the bed and stood up, awkwardly saying: "I'll just get my clothes." She proceeded to do just that, picking up pieces of clothing that were scattered across the floor.

  Connor got up as well and went for his clothes, hating himself for not being straight with her from the beginning in relation to what had just happened between them. He wondered if it was even worth it to keep up the charade, especially when he desired other things much more now from the lady.

  * * *

  The following day, Kiyoshi was back at work. Though she tried to keep her mind on the job at hand, her thoughts were very much on last night's surprising events.

  She was exhausted when she got home from Craig's place, and had fallen asleep almost the moment she hit the bed. Maybe that's the secret to escaping my nightmares, she pondered. Be very tired and relaxed at the same time. Oh, and it probably doesn't hurt to have passionate sex beforehand.

  Kiyoshi smiled at the thought, realizing her body had involuntarily reacted in response.

  "I never knew stocking shelves with shirts could be such fun," Melissa teased her.

  Kiyoshi rolled her eyes. "You're a barrel of laughs by the minute, girl."

  Melissa studied her. "So did anything happen between you and Mr. Big Spender from the other day that I should know about?"

  Kiyoshi hedged, but then thought: Why not tell her? She had already confided in her that they'd had lunch and exchanged some stolen glances.

  "We went to a jazz club last night."

  "Oh really," Melissa hummed. "It sounds like things are starting to get interesting."

  You don't know the half of it, Kiyoshi thought gleefully. And you won't. Some things should remain private between a man and a woman, unless, of course, you're really close to your girlfriend. They weren't there yet.

  "Don't make more out of it than it is," Kiyoshi said lightheartedly, though truthfully she was not quite sure what it was she and Craig had.

  Melissa put something resembling a frown on her face. "Just be careful. You're entitled to have your fun—heaven knows I could use some myself. But there are sharks in Wailea just like Honolulu."

  "I'll try to remember that." Kiyoshi smiled uneasily, wondering if Melissa had some insight regarding the sharks she'd had to deal with in Honolulu. Was Craig Garrett not to be trusted when all was said and done? Or could he turn out to be everything that Andrew wasn't?

  Kiyoshi had put the last shirt on the shelf and was about to go on break when she spotted Fujio Taguchi standing near the hats. He was talking to a man who looked familiar. Then it hit her. It was the man who had seemed transfixed on her the other day, though he tried not to show it. To add insult to injury, he never even bought anything as far as she knew.

  Who was he? Kiyoshi was a little more than curious. Did he work at the store?

  Then the man in question saw Kiyoshi. Once again, he pretended he hadn't seen her. He said a few more words to Fujio, and then made a hasty retreat in the opposite direction from where Kiyoshi stood, as she tried her best not to gawk at him.

  It was only after Fujio made his way toward her that she decided to satisfy her curiosity.

  Fujio smiled at her. "How's your day going so far, Kiyoshi?" he asked casually.

  "So far, so good," she told him, and noted over his shoulder that the man had gone out the front door. Kiyoshi regarded her boss and asked nonchalantly: "That man you were just talking to...he looks familiar. Who is he?"

  Fujio shrugged. "I didn't catch his name, but he was looking for directions to a place. I'm afraid I wasn't much help." He paused. "Who does he look like to you?"

  "No one I know," she replied maybe a little too forcefully. "I think I've seen him around the store."

  "Oh," Fujio said, scratching his nose. "Well, that's a good thing. We always like repeat business."

  Kiyoshi forced a smile, while thinking: But he didn't buy anything the first time, and apparently not this time either. Strange, but hardly a criminal act, she realized.

  She went on break and turned her thoughts to more pleasant things like Craig Garrett, and if and when they would get together again.

  * * *

  That evening, Connor got a call from private investigator Tony Nakamura.

  "Hey, I've got something you'll want to hear," he said cryptically.

  "Yeah, I'm all ears..."

  "When asking around about Kiyoshi Yoshida, I found out that someone else has been asking about her," Nakamura said.

  "Who?" Conner asked.

  "Well, he didn't give his name, but based on the description, I'd say it was Arnold Kravitz doing some snooping on Sergio Matsuko's sister."

  Connor stiffened. Kravitz, once the chief suspect as the Aloha Black Scarf Killer, had been cleared when Matsuko was fingered as the serial killer. Kravitz had been quick to talk to the press, claiming a rush to judgment had all but ruined his life. As if he hadn't done that all by himself since he had a rap sheet a mile long.

  So why the hell was he inquiring about Kiyoshi?

  "I did some checking," Nakamura said, "and it looks like Kravitz left Oahu about the same time you did—with a one way ticket to Maui."

  Connor tensed. "You think he's after Kiyoshi?"

  "You tell me," Nakamura grumbled. "The man's definitely not on vacation, though apparently he was fired from his current job before he became fixated on her."

  "I certainly don't like the sound of that," Connor said. "Anything else?"

  "Not yet. I'll get back to you if I come up with something else."

  Connor heard him disconnect. He stood up. Could he have been right all along about Arnold Kravitz being the Aloha Black Scarf Killer? Had he actually set up Matsuko to take the rap and then killed him to seal the deal?

  Or was Kravitz just a sexual stalker who somehow got his kicks out of terrorizing Kiyoshi, or worse, doing her bodily harm?

  Whatever his reasoning, Connor was more than a little concerned that he was on Maui and had likely targeted Kiyoshi.

  Connor called her number, hoping she would pick up. She did not.

  He left her a voicemail to warn her about Kravitz as a potential danger to her. Connor did not mention how he knew this or that he had been operating under a fictitious name to get information about her brother.

  That was something he wanted to tell her in person. Now was as good a time as any, assuming she was home. He'd also feel better if he were able to watch out for her until he could see what Arnold Kravitz was up to.

  Grabbing his keys, Connor left the condo, hoping that Kravitz hadn't already gotten to her.

  * * *

  Kiyoshi had just finished an evening run and gotten back to her place. She had thought about inviting Craig to jog with her, but didn't want to seem too needy, too soon.

  Or maybe he needed her even more?

  The notion was pleasing to her as she went to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water. While drinking, she noted that her cell phone, which she had left on the kitchen counter, was buzzing. She was just about to pick it up when she heard a sound. It seemed to be coming from her bedroom.

  Or was it just a noise outside that carried right into her condo?

  She left the water and phone on the counter and went to check.

  After cutting on the bedroom light, she glanced around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. She breathed a sigh of relief.

  There I go again, jumping at every little sound, she scolded herself.

  Just as Kiyoshi was about to go back into the kitchen, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Suddenly, out of nowhere, standing before her was a man. She recognized him as the man she had seen twice in the store.

  "Don't scream, Kiyoshi," he warned. "Or I'll have to hurt you."

  She steeled her nerves, even though her heart was pounding. "Who are you?"

  He grinned. "My name's Arnold Kravitz.
Perhaps you've heard of me..."

  Kiyoshi tried to cut through her fear to recollect the name, which did sound familiar. Then she remembered. Arnold Kravitz was initially suspected to be the Aloha Black Scarf Killer until the investigation shifted to Sergio.

  "I'll take that as a yes," he said with a crooked smile.

  "I know you were cleared of any wrongdoing in the serial killer case in Honolulu," she told him.

  "Yeah, I was."

  "How did you get inside my condo?"

  He dangled a key in front of her. "I had one made from yours when I broke in a few days ago."

  It pained Kiyoshi to know that she hadn't been imagining it when she had sensed a presence in the condo. The thought that he could have been watching her taking a shower or in bed made her sick.

  "What do you want?" She wondered if she should try to make a run for it.

  "The same thing that true crime writer wanted and got from you," he said coldly. "And so much more..."

  Casting aside the ominous nature of his words for a moment, she lifted a brow, perplexed. "True crime writer?"

  He nodded. "Connor Jansen—the man you've been hanging out with."

  "No, you're mistaken," she told him. "His name is Craig Garrett and he's a corporate consultant."

  Arnold laughed derisively. "Is that what he told you?" He laughed again. "Jansen is a big time true crime writer. He's writing a book about your brother and only cozied up to you to see what juicy tidbits he could get out of you."

  Kiyoshi found that hard to fathom. Why should she believe a word out of the mouth of some creep who broke into her condo and probably planned to rape her, or worse?

  On the other hand, she always felt there was something off about Craig, in spite of his charms to the contrary, that made her not totally trust him. Had he really just been using her to get information about Sergio? Was his romantic interest in her all a façade?

  The idea that she had started to feel something for someone, only to have been played for a fool bothered Kiyoshi to no end. But at the moment, she had a far more unsettling situation to deal with.

  On impulse, she tried to get past her intruder, but he grabbed her.

  "Not so fast," he said sharply. "We have some unfinished business here—which I'm really going to enjoy."

  Looking into his eyes, Kiyoshi could see pure evil in them. This told her all she needed to know about her predicament.