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WE GOT BACK TO MY HOUSE around lunchtime and found Pat sitting at my dining table, working on his computer and drinking coffee. I set out the box of cream puffs and we sat down to catch him up.
“And look at these.” I opened the carton of eggs to show him. “Authentically farm fresh, complete with dirt.”
“So they don’t need to go in the fridge,” Emma said.
“Wait, really?” I said.
“Yeah, really. Don’t look at me like that, Molly.”
“Yeah, according to my mom they never refrigerated their eggs back in the old country,” Pat said.
“Okay. I guess I won’t put them in the fridge then. Pat, anything interesting happen while we were gone?”
“Someone named Kaycee called,” Pat said. “Is she the one who does your yard?”
“There is a Kaycee who does our yard,” I said. “Thanks, I’ll call her back.”
“She said don’t call her. She wants you to call Howdy Howell.”
“Why should we call Howdy?” Emma asked. “Isn’t he your friend, Pat? You call him.”
“No one asked me to call him.” Pat went back to whatever he was doing on his computer.
“That doesn’t sound right,” I said.
“Here’s Howdy’s number if you want to call it.” Pat held out a sticky note.
“Guess we’re calling Howdy.” Emma plucked the paper out of Pat’s hand.
“Ow!” Pat shook his hand. “Paper cut!”
Emma dialed the number on her phone. I was happy to let her deal with it. I tidied up in the kitchen and tried to make as little noise as possible.
“Hey Howdy, it’s Emma Nakamura. Kaycee called. Yeah. Uh huh. Eh, why don’t you just come over here and help us figure out what’s going on.”
“What is going on?” I asked when Emma had disconnected the call.
“He didn’t want to talk about it on the phone. Pat, do you know what’s this about?”
Pat stopped typing and looked up from his computer. “No. I hope he’s okay, though. I don’t think he’s ever done a real crime story before.”
“What, you think it’s gonna mess him up or something?” Emma asked.
Pat shrugged. “It can take a toll on you.”
A few minutes later, Howdy Howell stood on my front porch, looking disoriented.
“I can’t believe it.” He wandered into my living room, looking around as if it were his first time there. “I just can’t believe it.”
“Come in,” I said. “Sit down. We have coffee and cream puffs.”
“Thanks so much, Professor Barda. Professor Nakamura.”
Howdy sat at the dining table. Pat pushed the pink Jack Horner’s pastry box over to him. Howdy flinched.
“Sorry, Mr. Flanagan,” he said. “I can’t think about eating right now.”
“You gonna be okay?” Pat closed his computer and set it under his chair.
Howdy shook his head.
“I’m not worried about myself, Mr. Flanagan.”
I set a fresh cup of coffee down in front of Howdy. He accepted it gratefully.
“What on earth is going on with Kaycee?” I took the last empty seat at the table. “Why did she tell us to call you?”
Howie sipped his coffee and set it down.
“Wow, thanks, Professor Barda. Kaycee’s in jail.”
“Kaycee?” I exclaimed.
“For what?” Emma asked.
“For murder,” Howdy said.
“Nah, nah, nah. I can’t believe Kaycee would murder someone,” Emma said. “It’s not like her at all. And believe me, I don’t say that about all my students. Who did she murder, supposably?”
“Jandie Brand,” Howdy said.
“Kaycee loved Jandie Brand,” I said. “What possible reason would she have to hurt her?”
“Doesn’t necessarily let her off the hook,” Pat said. “Remember ‘fan’ is short for ‘fanatic.’”
“So what’s her bail?” Emma pulled out her phone, presumably to check her bank balance. “I can chip in. I know she won’t skip town.”
“They’re holding her without bail,” Howdy said. “Professor Barda, Kaycee said you could help because she works for you, and she was your student at Mahina State.”
“She was Emma’s student, not mine,” I said. “But she does do yardwork for Donnie and me.”
“She’s hoping you can convince them she’s not a flight risk,” Howdy said.
“I mean I’ll tell them she’s a great landscaper and a reliable worker,” I said. “I can’t say I know her that well.”
“I’ll vouch for her,” Emma said. “What is wrong with people?”
“What about Ladd?” Pat asked. “Is he off the hook?”
Howdy shook his head.
“I think the theory is they planned it together. Kayce Kabua and Edward Ladd. So they could be together, I guess.”
“Wait,” I said. “They think Kaycee was having an affair with Ladd? What on earth is her motivation?”
“Ladd’s rich and famous,” Pat said.
“He’s not that famous,” Emma said. “I mean, no one recognized him at Long’s.”
“And we ran their credit report before they moved in,” I added. “They’re comfortable, but I wouldn’t call them rich. I mean, if they were rich, they’d be staying at one of the resorts, wouldn’t they? Not renting a single-wall plantation house next to a cemetery in Mahina.”
“People can surprise you,” Pat said. “I mean, if I had a nickel for every time I’ve thought, ew, no way are those two having an affair, I’d have a disturbingly large amount of nickels.”
“I really like Kaycee,” Howdy said. “She’s a great girl. And I came here because she asked me to ask you for help, and I said I would. But...I mean, I’m not an expert. Who am I to think I know better than a judge?”
“So you want us to try change the judge’s mind or no?” Emma demanded.
Howdy shook his head. “I don’t know, Professor Nakamura. Poor Kaycee. Maybe she’s safer where she is? It’s all so confusing.”
“What evidence do they have against Kaycee?” I asked Howdy.
“I don’t know, Professor Barda.”
“Does she have a lawyer?” Emma asked. “Honey Akiona’s the best, if you want my advice. Expensive, though.”
“I don’t have a lot of savings,” Howdy said. “But I’ll pitch in what I can.”
“I wanna go talk to her,” Emma said. “Molly, you come with me. Pat and Howdy, you go do your investigative reporting thing.”
“But—” Pat started.
“What, you got something better to do?”
“Yeah, okay. Whadda you say, Howdy,” Pat said. “Should we try to make ourselves useful?”