The four of them drove down the road to the center of Haleiwa and pulled into the parking lot of the police station fifteen minutes later. All three men jumped out, and Daniel swung Michelle’s door open for her. He held out his hand to help her out of the truck and couldn’t help but notice how soft and tender her hands were and how they fit perfectly into his.
Michelle hopped to the ground and then made her way up the steps of the police station with the men. The glass doors opened for them as they approached and an officer greeted them by the metal detectors. The four made their way into the police department and up to the information desk.
“I’m looking for Sheriff Lualani,” said George. The young man behind the desk asked for ID and the nature of the visit.
“I’m a friend. And, we had an incident out at Trinity Ranch and I have more details.” This got the attention of the young officer. The north side of the island was relatively quiet and the commotion out at the ranch had been big news.
The officer punched a number on the phone and spoke a few short words before hanging up. He looked up at George and motioned him to the door to the right as he pressed a button on the desk unlocking the door. Ano, Daniel and Michelle followed behind George and into the corridor of the police station. They were ushered to a room in the back and were greeted by Sheriff Lualani.
“George, good to see you! Sorry about the ranch. How’s Larry?” Sheriff Lualani grabbed George’s hand and motioned for everyone to have a seat. They were in a large conference room with papers spread all over the table.
“Mali,” George said as he greeted his old friend. “Good to see you too. We’re all fine, we’re good.” George updated the sheriff on Larry’s condition from the information Michelle had provided on the ride. Then he got down to business. “We’re here because we think we know who’s behind all of this.”
Mali sat up and took his glasses off. He leaned back in the chair and waited. “Go ahead, I’d like any help I can get. So far, all I’ve got is these two idiots,” Mali jerked his thumb toward the other end of the building where Josh and Roy were being held. “I know they’re from California and just flew in yesterday. I got a witness from the bus and another from the rental car agency. They said they were friends of Larry’s. But other than that, I don’t have much else. They are both self-employed as contractors, whatever that means. Other than that, I just see that they have some ranching experience and nothing else.”
“Ranching experience? What ranch?” George asked.
Mali shuffled the papers until he found the one he was looking for. “Well, it looks like the Josh guy worked for Harper Farms for a while, then for Ryland. And then he met up with this Roy guy at Murphy Ranch. You ever hear of any of them?”
George and Ano exchanged glances. “Yep,” they both said. George continued, “Murphy is our finisher. We ship all our cattle out there to be finished on account of we can’t do it here because of the draught. But we’ve been able to change that a little with the experimental irrigation project. We’ve had some success. And if we continue ...”
The light went on in all their eyes at the same time. “Roger Murphy is behind this,” said Ano, shocked to think that someone they had been in business with for so long would sabotage them. “But how did ...”
That’s when George, Daniel and Michelle looked at him. Ano knew in that instant what had happened. “How could he? How could he betray us, betray the family like that?” Ano was unable to believe that Kana, the little boy he had watched grow up, the young man who had practically been a part of the Clemens family, the same Kana who had been mentored by George and Larry, could betray them all so viciously.
“Here’s what we believe happened.” George laid out the details for Mali as they all listened. “Kana knew that his family’s business was in trouble. He probably planned on taking over Trinity Ranch in place of any of the Clemens kids once Michelle left.” George looked over to Michelle, “Sorry Michelle.”
She nodded that it was okay and for him to continue. “So,” George went on. “Initially, he probably had some good intentions. Even if he couldn’t become part of the Clemens legacy and run Trinity Ranch, he could learn enough to apply some of the practices to his own family farm and get it up and running better again.”
“But something happened along that way,” George said, scratching his head. “I don’t know if it was greed, jealousy, fear—or all three. But with his father going to prison and the farm being repossessed, Kana probably thought the only way to survive was to go work for another farm by providing insider information to George Murphy. I don’t have evidence of this. But I’m pretty sure that Kana was involved. We just don’t have any proof.”
Mali stood up after listening to George and the others talk. “Well, thank you all for a job well done. Now, it’s time for me to do mine. The information you’ve provided should be enough for me to get these two weasels to talk.” He grabbed the paperwork and walked toward the door. “Thank you all for bringing this information to me. I’ll keep you posted. Cheryl will see you out.” Mali disappeared down the hall and another officer appeared at the door to escort them out.
They arrived home, filling Mave and Kahili in on the news. The women were shocked to think that Kana, someone they had known their whole lives, would be involved in something so horrible. George and Ano went out to survey the damage at the pump while Kahili and Mave busied themselves in the kitchen. Michelle and Daniel walked out on the porch after George, and Ano and Daniel began to follow them when Michelle stopped him.
She touched his hand gently. “Daniel,” she said as he turned around. “Can we talk for a moment?”
He walked back toward her and followed her over to the porch swing. He sat down next to her as he held her hand in his. Michelle began playing with his fingers, looking down as she spoke. “I know what you said last night. And I know that I want to believe it’s true, that you came back for me because ... well, I’m having a hard time accepting it.”
Michelle took a deep breath and then let it out slowly as she turned her face up to Daniel’s. “It’s just that, well, I’ve heard that before from other guys, you know, the whole love thing. But then they always leave and never come back.” She gazed longingly into his eyes. “But you came back.”
Daniel could see the fear and hesitation in Michelle’s eyes. His heart overflowed with compassion and love for this woman. He wanted to reach inside her, grab her heart and hold it secure so no one, even him, could ever hurt it again. He wanted to tell her with words and actions that he would lay down his life before ever hurting her. He wanted her to know that from this point forward, he was unconditionally committed to her and her unborn child. He wanted her to know all of these things.
Then he spoke the words, “I love you and I will never leave you, ever ...”
Michelle caught her breath. His words warmed her heart like a blanket on a cold winter day.
Daniel lowered his lips to meet hers and the two kissed. Their lips pressed perfectly together as if they were made for each other.
Michelle fell into Daniel’s chest with tears running down her cheek. “I love you too,” she said. And although she had said that before, to Luke, to Justin—she had never felt the way she felt now. This was different. For the first time, she felt like she was in exactly the right place, with exactly the right person. It was is if Michelle had found the other half of herself, the missing piece that made her feel whole and right.
“But what about your fiancée?” Michelle asked, pulling away from Daniel suddenly.
He tightened his embrace on her as if to tell her not to worry. “I don’t have one right now.” Daniel smiled a mischievous smile. “Why are you asking? Are you available?”
Michelle laughed and patted him lightly on the chest. “Yeah, right. Really though. What happened?”
Daniel explained the events of the past few weeks and how he had broken up with Kimberly. “You see, she kept asking what had happened, what had changed with me since I had been here. And the truth was,” Daniel looked deep into Michelle’s eyes. “You happened.”
She melted against him again, unable to believe that this man, this stranger, this incredibly good looking, strong, honorable, Christian man had found her in a sea of hundreds, probably thousands of people at the airport. And then she realized that he hadn’t. God had found her for him and him for her.
“Daniel,” Michelle asked, stroking his hand gently. “I don’t know why or how this all happened. I just know that we didn’t do it. And I’d like to thank God for everything. Will you pray with me?”
He tightened his grip on her hand and then wrapped his other hand around her free one. Daniel closed his eyes, pressing his forehead against Michelle’s as she spoke.
“Dear heavenly Father. I don’t know where to begin to thank you for the wonders of your works. Thank you God for placing this man in my life and for allowing me to freely give myself to him. Thank you for the circumstances you divinely orchestrated that brought our hearts and lives together. God, I know I have turned from you in the past and have abandoned you. But you have never, ever abandoned me. You have been there all the time, helping Lilo hang on, helping Father survive this terrible attack, ensuring the safety of me and my child during that tragic fall. And I know that you will continue to help us and provide for us. I ask you Father to please continue to work your healing miracles in our lives and to bless the love Daniel and I share. Amen.”
Daniel kissed Michelle on the head and then got up. “I should go see if there’s anything I can do,” he said, pointing in the direction of the smoldering pump.
“Yeah, that would be great.” She let him go. “I love you Daniel Louis,” she said, smiling like a schoolgirl.
“I love you, Michelle Clemens,” Daniel said walking away with a wave.