Rip Tides by Toby Neal Read Free Book Online Page A

girl who’d been comforting Shayla at the beach opened the door. “She took a sleeping pill and she’s in bed,” the friend said. Her eyes were red-rimmed. She wasn’t as pretty a crier as Shayla was.
    “I never got your name,” Lei said, taking out her trusty spiral pad.
    “Pippa Thomas,” the woman replied, pushing long blonde hair back behind her ears. “I’m Shayla’s best friend, and I loved Makoa, too.”
    “Well, I know this is a hard time, but we need Shayla to work with our sketch artist here on a likeness of the young man she saw drop in on Makoa,” Lei said, indicating the artist, who’d followed them into the small, tidy space.
    “I’ll see if I can get her up. Have a seat.” Pippa indicated the faded, tropical-print couch and went into the back.
    “Pono, why don’t you have a look around? I’ll talk to her friend.”
    “Sounds like a plan.” Pono was already browsing the pictures in the hall, looking for any with Makoa in them, when Pippa and Shayla returned. The surf star’s girlfriend had hastily donned a too-short embroidered satin robe. Her long, tanned legs, loose breasts, and tumble of waist-length brunette hair caused the sketch artist’s jaw to drop.
    “Are you feeling up to working with us on a sketch of the guy you spotted coming in from the water?” Lei asked.
    “Okay.” Shayla sat in a flounce of satin on the couch. Her eyes were half-closed, her voice hoarse. Lei wished she’d had the sketch done at the beach, when Shayla was more alert.
    “Hi. I’m Kevin. I’m going to ask you some questions and keep showing you what I’m working on so you can help me stay on track,” the artist said. He sat gingerly on the couch beside Shayla with his pad and pencil.
    Lei pulled Pippa aside. “Can I speak with you privately?”
    “Okay.” The girl’s eyebrows rose in surprise, but she followed Lei back outside under the plumeria tree.
    “We’re not ready to tell Shayla yet, but Makoa’s death is looking suspicious,” Lei said.
    Pippa’s big blue eyes instantly filled, and she covered her mouth with her hands, hunching as if from a blow. “Oh no,” she whispered. “No.”
    “I’m sorry.” Lei let a moment go by as the girl rubbed the heels of her hands into her eyes. “I need to know of anyone close to you and Shayla who might have a grudge against Makoa.”
    “Eli Tadeo. He’s Shayla’s ex. He hates Makoa. He’s threatened him plenty of times. Shayla’s been really stressed about it.”
    Lei noted the name. “Anything else you can tell me about Tadeo?”
    “Shayla’s been on the verge of taking out a restraining order on him. Tadeo’s never gotten over her. Leaves stuff in her mailbox, keeps calling. Trash-talks Makoa around town every chance he gets.”
    “Hmmm,” Lei said. “But that guy you saw drop in on Makoa wasn’t Tadeo?”
    “I don’t know. I was in the bathroom that whole time, so I missed it. I got back just when Shayla was realizing it looked like Makoa drowned.”
    “Well, let us break the news to her, okay?” Lei asked.
    “God, I can’t believe this. Give me a minute alone.” Pippa turned away, and when Lei glanced back, the girl had put her arms around the plumeria tree and was sobbing, her face pressed against the rough bark.
    Lei returned to the house. Shayla looked up from the face forming on the sketchpad. “Why does the other detective want to look around my house? Did this guy do something to Makoa other than drop in on him?”
    “Was this man Eli Tadeo, your ex?” Lei asked, tapping the emerging sketch.
    “No.” Shayla’s delicate, well-marked brows drew together in a frown. “This wasn’t an accident, was it?”
    Lei sighed. “No. It’s looking like he was drowned on purpose.”
    “Oh my God!” the girl wailed. “No!” She jumped up off the couch, her breasts threatening to escape the robe. Pippa ran back into the house just then and embraced her friend. They sobbed together. Finally, the blonde lifted her