Keanu glanced at his watch. "Jonathan is usually here around dinnertime. I wonder why we haven't seen him yet."
We were seated inside the charming Starlight by the Lagoon. The view of the ocean was spectacular from our table, strategically placed so that we were also able to see anyone who entered the restaurant. Being a people watcher, I enjoyed the combination. The place was packed as usual, and I'd overheard the hostess tell someone that there was at least a half hour wait for a table. Reservations were highly recommended.
Starlight wasn't a place that I could readily afford on my server salary. The only times I'd been here before was with Keanu. He always insisted on paying, and that sometimes bothered me. Yes, he was rich, and I was his girlfriend, but tonight my mind kept replaying Terry's outburst from yesterday. The words "gold digger" had been branded into my brain.
Keanu looked up from the ahi tuna he was eating and frowned. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
"Nothing, I'm fine."
He pointed at my plate. "You've barely touched your food. Is something wrong with it?"
"No, everything is terrific as usual." I loved the mahi-mahi that was prepared with basmati rice and grilled vegetables. The restaurant was in a class by itself. Sure, the Loco Moco had delicious food, and Poncho was one of the best chefs on the island, but Starlight was your elegant, take a girl here to wine and dine her kind of place, while the Loco Moco was more of the did you want extra barbecue sauce with your pulled pork kind of establishment. The Loco Moco also came with extra perks, such as Poncho hollering from the kitchen or Vivian ogling every guy who walked through the door.
Starlight's motif resembled the ocean in its muted coral and turquoise colors. The elegance of the sophisticated restaurant was in its simplicity, which included the mild-mannered waitstaff and the tinkle of real silver that paired nicely with the soft piano music playing in the background. No matter how many times I'd been here, I'd never ceased to marvel at its chicness. Brad made a good living as a surfing instructor but had never taken me to a place like this while we'd been dating. His preferences ran more to the likes of Pizza Hut and McDonald's.
Keanu was still watching me with those gorgeous eyes that I considered my own personal ocean. "You're so good to me."
His face creased into a broad smile. "Nothing's too good for my lady. I hope you're still not thinking about my father and what he said yesterday."
How did he always know these things? "Well…"
He brought my hand to his mouth and kissed it while my insides quivered. "I love my father, but he doesn't always know best. I'm sorry you had to hear that. If it makes you feel any better, he's never really liked anyone I've dated."
How encouraging. Somehow, I couldn't picture the four of us having an amicable dinner together. It was made even more awkward by the fact that I was their employee. I decided to change the subject—slightly. "How did they come to live in Hawaii?"
Keanu drained his water glass. "I told you my great-grandmother was Hawaiian, right? My mother came here from Nevada to go to college and lived with her while she was in school. She then got a job in Arizona immediately after graduation, and that's where she met my father. Even though they settled there, she always wanted to come back to the islands. When Kara was about ten, my great-grandmother died and left Mom her house. She was pregnant with me at the time, so after I made my grand entrance into the world, they took off for tropical paradise and never looked back."
Before I could reply, I caught sight of Jonathan making his way toward us. He was about five ten, with dark brown hair and gray eyes set in a narrow face. As always, he was impeccably dressed in a lightweight khaki suit. His white teeth gleamed as he smiled at us.
Keanu had once mentioned that Jonathan had a financial share in the restaurant, although I knew the resort and Starlight were both owned by Freemont Hospitality. The Loco Moco was one of the few businesses in the Aloha Lagoon Resort that was owned independently.
"Keanu." Jonathan spoke in a suave voice and extended his hand in greeting. "How good to see you and your lovely girlfriend." He smiled politely. "I heard you were asking about me."
Keanu gestured at the empty chair between us. "Can you join us? I'd like to pick your brain for a minute."
Jonathan looked surprised but immediately sat down. "Of course. Let me guess." He winked at me. "You guys are planning a wedding and want to use Starlight for the reception."
My face must have turned about ten different shades of red.
Keanu, to his credit, only smiled and shook his head. "We're not quite there yet. But you never know." He raised an eyebrow at me, and my heart melted faster than an ice cream cone on the beach. "We wanted to ask you about Randolph Cremshaw."
The smile on Jonathan's face turned upside down. "What about him?"
"You must have heard about the incident in his room yesterday."
Jonathan nodded gravely. "I'm guessing business at the Loco Moco must be almost nonexistent because of…him. But don't worry. Mr. Cremshaw left us a crummy review—twice. After about a week, business started to pick back up again."
I tried to keep my expression neutral but couldn't believe the lack of remorse he showed over Randolph's death. Jeff had mentioned that Jonathan disliked the man. The question was, how much?
Keanu placed his napkin by the side of his plate. "Did you know him personally or just from his reviews?"
Jonathan cocked his head to one side and studied him closer. "Why are you asking me about that joker, Keanu? Are you suggesting I had it in for him?"
"I'm not suggesting anything," Keanu replied. "My parents may be looking at a possible lawsuit."
Jonathan's face was stern. "Oh wow. His wife is behind it, isn't she? Or shall we say his so-called wife? I've seen the tabloids. Would you believe that Miss Davenport had the nerve to come in a few nights ago, right before we were closing? We served her, but it was quite an inconvenience. Then she had a few drinks and refused to leave. Finally, some guy came in, talked to her for a few minutes, and escorted her out."
Keanu frowned. "What night was this?"
Jonathan paused to think. "Either Wednesday or Thursday night. I could check the receipts if necessary. I do happen to remember that her credit card was declined, and the guy she was with ended up paying for her meal."
I leaned forward. "What did he look like? Did you happen to catch his name on the receipt?" I wondered if it had been Richard.
He shook his head. "No, he paid cash. A rarity these days, but it does happen occasionally. The man didn't come in with her—he arrived after she'd finished eating and then sat down at her table. Let's see. He had reddish hair, glasses, and was kind of plain looking. Not the type of guy I'd expect to see her with. Then again, she was married to Cremshaw, so there's no accounting for her taste."
A chill ran down my spine. The description sounded like Howie Livingston, the director. What the heck was going on here?
"So you didn't know Mr. Cremshaw outside of the reviews he gave Starlight?" Keanu asked.
Jonathan shook his head. "In the past five years I've been here, he's reviewed the restaurant twice. Both times he gave us a measly one star. There was no reason for it either. Pure spite, I tell you. Last time he reviewed the place was about a year ago. I was so enraged when I saw the write-up in Dining Is Divine that I went to his room to confront him. He always stayed at Aloha Lagoon when he came to Kauai. The man was the cheapest miser you ever saw. He made Ebenezer Scrooge look generous. He never tipped my servers and was always sniffing around, looking for free food. You'd think he was destitute or something."
He paused in an obvious attempt to get his emotions under control. Jonathan's light-colored complexion had turned a bright shade of crimson. "Do you know what Cremshaw did then? He told me he'd print a retraction if we furnished all his meals for free the entire week of his stay. Can you believe the gall?"
Keanu looked at me. "Gee, that sounds familiar."
"I was so annoyed that I pushed him." Jonathan produced a white silk handkerchief from his lapel pocket and dabbed at his forehead with it. "It's not like I decked the guy, honest. Unfortunately, Randolph lost his balance and hit his head on the coffee table. He threatened to sue me and the entire resort. He ended up getting his food free for the week so that everything would stay on a hush-hush level. What a lowlife."
Keanu's expression was grim. "He sounds like he was a real piece of work."
"No doubt about it. So, who delivered the food to him from the Loco Moco the other day?" Jeff asked. "Was it you or your father?"
I pointed to myself. "That would be me."
Jonathan stared at me, his gray eyes wide with alarm. "You poor thing. So now he's got you involved too."
A muscle ticked in Keanu's jaw. "Not if I can help it. Jonathan, I would appreciate it if you could keep this under wraps. Carrie doesn't need the aggravation of fingers pointed at her wherever she goes."
Jonathan held a hand up. "Keanu, I would never say anything, rest assured. I know how important the Loco Moco is to you."
Keanu leaned across the table. "There are more important things than the Loco Moco." He cut his eyes to me, and the heat rose through my face.
We paused the conversation as the waiter returned with coffee for Keanu and me. "Would either of you care for dessert?" he asked.
Keanu looked at me questioningly, but I shook my head. "No, thank you."
"We'll take the check when you have a moment," Keanu said. The man bowed slightly and then hurried away.
As I added creamer to my cup, a lightbulb clicked on in my head. "Jonathan, what kind of coffee is this?"
Jonathan puffed out his chest. "Kona, of course. The best and most expensive brand in the world. It's grown on the Big Island, you know."
How interesting. What if Starlight had delivered coffee to Randolph the same morning I did? Poncho had mentioned that Randolph might drink up to ten cups a day. Could someone at the restaurant have doctored up a special batch for the much-hated food critic?
Jonathan watched me intently as I sipped at the drink and then made the appropriate noises he expected. "Oh, this is delicious. The entire meal was."
He flushed with pleasure and rose to his feet. "I'm always so happy to hear that. Well, if there's nothing else, I need to have a word with the chef." He spotted our waiter heading toward us with the check and held up a hand. "No need, Nick. This one's on the house."
Nick nodded in acknowledgment and then began to clear away our plates.
Keanu stood as well. "I can't let you do that, Jonathan."
"I insist." Jonathan gave me a slightly forced smile and then shook Keanu's hand again. "You two enjoy the rest of your evening."
I watched him head in the direction of the kitchen while Keanu laid down two twenties for a tip. He then slipped his hand through mine as we left the restaurant.
"That entire conversation left me a bit uncomfortable," I confessed.
"Tell me about it," he muttered. "Jonathan's never comped a meal for me before, and I certainly wouldn't expect him to. It almost felt like a bribe—as if he wanted me to forget all about our conversation."
"That thought crossed my mind too."
He opened the Jeep door for me. "Let's head over to see Coral. This ought to be good for a few laughs."
I was dreading the experience but hoped that I might have a chance to ask her about the Facebook picture with Randolph "Who's working at the restaurant tonight?"
"Vivian and Anna are there, and Poncho will close up. It's his scheduled night anyway." He slipped an arm around my waist. "It's probably more appropriate if you wait in the car while I talk to Coral. I know you wanted to ask her about the picture with Cremshaw but—"
"Don't worry about it," I assured him. "Maybe I can pay her a separate visit." She'd probably slam the door in my face, but hey, I'd give it my best shot. Keanu was right. This was a private matter between an employee and manager, and I didn't need to be privy to it.
"After Coral's out of the way, I want to enjoy the rest of the evening with my lady and forget about this entire mess for a while. Any objections?"
I beamed. "None whatsoever."