Poe's First Law: A Murder on Maui Mystery

he asked if they could have it at our house.”
“He said it was some kind of surprise party for Hani and he thought I should be there. Do you know what he’s giving her?”
“No idea. I asked a couple of times, but he wouldn’t tell me. Are you going to come to the party?”
“First, I’m mad at you for not saying anything about it,” Foxx said.
“Sorry. I was going to, but Alana was trying to secure you an invitation first.”
Unfortunately, that little fact came out of my mouth. I’d done one of those things where your brain is telling you it’s a bad idea to say it, but your mouth keeps talking anyway.
“Oh, so Hani didn’t want me to come? Is that right?”
“I wouldn’t say that. I think she just hadn’t made up her mind yet.”
“Nice spin job, Poe, but it’s not going to work. Hani says she wants things to be better between us. Then she goes and does something like this.”
“Look at it this way. I’m sure Yuto didn’t invite you without mentioning it to Hani first. Since he called you, that tells me she changed her mind and wants you there,” I said.
“Or she decided it’s another chance for me to see how great her life is without me.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. I get the picture.”
“I’m sorry she’s acting like this.”
“I’m a big boy. I can handle it. The truth is that Hani’s a good mother to Ava and that’s all I really care about. The rest of the stuff is unimportant. Now, let’s get back to this Mele Akamu investigation. Where and when do we start?” Foxx asked.
“As far as the where goes, I have no idea. As for the when, that all depends on how my conversation with Alana goes later. I’m not going to do a job for Mele Akamu without running it by her first. This could have major ramifications for her.”
“Understood, but I have a strange feeling she’s going to tell you to do it. So, call me when you’re ready to go. Hey, you want that drink now?”
“Yeah. Suddenly I feel like having a beer.”
Foxx grabbed two cold bottles from behind the bar. He popped the tops on them, and we tapped our bottles together.
“Here’s to Hani’s upcoming wedding,” he said.
“You really want to toast to that?”
“The way I see it, the more preoccupied she is with what’s-his-face, the more she’s off my back,” Foxx said, and he laughed.

4
The Philanthropist
I left Harry’s after having a second beer and a hamburger. My midsection definitely didn’t need the burger, or the fries, and I knew I should have opted for a salad instead. Sometimes you just feel like eating something greasy, though, don’t you?
I’d planned to spend the rest of the day hanging by the pool and going over the pros and cons of working for Mele Akamu. As I approached the house, any thoughts of a relaxing afternoon vanished when I spotted Hani’s and Ms. Hu’s cars in my driveway. I was tempted to pull a quick U-turn and head to the farthest parts of the island.
Unfortunately, I’d already texted Alana from Harry’s and had told her I was on my way home. She’d failed to mention the presence of her mother and sister. Did I suspect that was intentional? Of course, it was.
I parked my little car on the street so there would be no impediment to Hani and Ms. Hu leaving. Then I walked into the kitchen, only to almost get runover by Ava as she raced past me. Maui was just a few feet in front of her, and judging by his playful demeanor, they hadn’t been at the house very long. The dog was good for about thirty minutes of playing with the little girl. Then he’d grow tired of her and he’d try to find somewhere to hide, usually under the sofa.
The three Hu women were all huddled around the kitchen table. Ms. Hu was the only one to turn to me as I entered. She took a quick and indifferent glance my way and then turned back to Alana and Hani.
Faithful readers are well aware of my strained relationship with my dear mother-in-law. I’ve used this description a handful of times before, but I can’t think of another one that so perfectly captures our co-existence. Ms. Hu is the founding member of the “I Hate Poe Club.”
I walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed another beer. I didn’t usually drink that many beers, especially in the early afternoon, but one must have some level of liquid courage to deal with all three Hu women at once.
“Hello ladies,” I said.
Alana and Hani looked up. Ms. Hu did not.
“Hey, Poe,” Hani said.
“Maybe you can settle a debate for us,” Alana said.
“What debate?” I asked.
“We’re trying to work out the seating chart for the wedding reception,” Alana said.
“I thought you did that weeks ago,” I said.
“We did, but Mom thinks we should make some changes,” Hani said, and she hit the word “Mom” a bit harder than the others.
“It’s your wedding, Hani. If you’re okay with making some fatal mistakes, that’s fine by me,” Ms. Hu said.
Fatal? What in the world did that mean?
“Well that’s a morbid way to put it, Mom,” Alana said, apparently reading my thoughts.
“I just don’t think you want to put those two couples at the same table. You’re asking for trouble,” Ms. Hu said.
“Those were just rumors,” Hani said.
“Sometimes the truth doesn’t matter. If Natasha thinks it happened, then it may as well have happened,” Ms. Hu said.
“What happened?” I asked, even though I knew I should have kept my mouth shut and made up some excuse to go upstairs and lock the bedroom door.
“Natasha’s husband allegedly stepped out on her. Hani wants to put them at the same table with the woman he had the affair with,” Alana said.
“It sounds bad when you put it like that,” Hani said.
“How else am I supposed to put