The dancers whirled across the stage in perfect unison, the stomp and slide of bare feet on the stage emphasized by a hypnotic Hawaiian chant and the thump of an ipu gourd. Fern headdresses gave a feeling of royalty, emphasized by swirling capes of long black hair whirling around their hips. Full skirts, covered with an additional layer of ti leaf, both concealed and enhanced every crisp, defined movement as the dancers told a story through their bodies. Even security specialist Sophie Ang, unfamiliar with hula, could feel the mana, Hawaiian spiritual power, vibrating through the performance.

As the action came to a crescendo and ended with the dancers’ arms raised high and heads bowed, Sophie’s eyes prickled at the beauty and pathos. Watching on the small screen of the phone the client held was mesmerizing; Sophie couldn’t imagine how intense it would be to witness such a spectacle up close, in person. “Thank you for showing me that video. It really helps me to understand why the Merrie Monarch Festival is such an important cultural event here in Hilo.”

A mixed Hawaiian Asian female who looked approximately thirty years old, the client wore the kind of fitted floral-print muumuu that indicated a service industry job. A name tag over her left breast spelled out KIM KAUWA. Sophie whisked a price tag off one of a pair of chairs in front of her desk, new since they’d opened the Security Solutions extension office two weeks ago. “Please, come sit down. Can we get you something to drink?”

“No. In fact I can’t stay long.” Kim’s eyes darted nervously to the door, where Sophie’s partner Jake Dunn lounged, arms crossed on his chest.

“Jake, come in and join us. Let’s all get comfortable. Tell us how we can serve you.” Sophie was getting better at the social niceties, though it was still a mental effort to grapple with the mechanics of engaging with others after so many years behind a computer.

Kim took a seat, her purse clutched close. “I looked up your business online. The website said Security Solutions had a brand-new location here on the Big Island, and I just…wondered if you might be able to help me. Us.”

“That’s what we’re here for. Helping people.” Jake extended a hand and Kim shook it briefly. Seated, he was still an intimidating sight, his muscular torso packed into a black polo-style Security Solutions logo shirt that left no doubt that he spent a good deal of his free time at the gym.

Jake made small talk with Kim while Sophie scanned the intake form the woman had filled out in the lobby with their receptionist, Felicia.

Kim was thirty-eight years old, lived in Hilo, and worked for the Hawaii Tourism Authority Board as well as Hawaiian Airlines customer service. She was also a volunteer organizer for the famous annual Merrie Monarch Hula Festival that was taking place soon in Hilo. Under “Needs that bring you to us,” Kim had listed, “confidential concerns regarding the Merrie Monarch Festival.”

Sophie looked up and met the woman’s dark brown eyes squarely. “Before you get into telling us about the situation that brings you here, and I gather it’s sensitive from the way you filled out the form, let me assure you that this initial consultation is completely confidential. We will not disclose anything about your work with our agency to anyone. But perhaps you should know a little bit more about what we do so that you can make an informed decision.”

Sophie described the various programs that Security Solutions offered, from the patented artificial intelligence “nanny cam” software installed at high security locations to regular security and alarm monitoring. Bodyguarding, kidnap rescue, and private investigator services were also available, wherein she, Jake, or both, served as private detectives working on behalf of the client or a lawyer.

“That’s what I need. Private investigation.” Kim knotted her fingers together over her purse. “I’m representing the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s Board in this situation. We give a big grant to the Festival every year. I’m also one of the organizers. Well, it seems some of the Festival’s money is missing.”

Any investigation that could be done online, such as tracking a money trail, was a strength for Sophie, and she exchanged a glance with Jake. “Tell us more.”

“It’s all very sensitive. The event is so culturally important that even asking questions about something like where the money went…well, I could get plenty of pilikia.” Kim slipped into pidgin, the Hawaiian creole dialect Sophie was becoming familiar with.

“Don’t know pilikia, but I get the feeling it’s not good,” Jake said. “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the police with your concern?”

“Oh no. No!” Kim recoiled. “Everybody is related to somebody on this island and has connections—word would get out we’re looking into it for sure if I went to the Hilo PD, and we just aren’t ready with anything concrete.” She took a deep breath, obviously calming herself with an effort. “Let me begin at the beginning. The reason I chose Security Solutions was that you’re new in town, and no offense, but you’re haoles.” She looked Sophie up and down, clearly taking her golden-brown skin into consideration. “Outsiders. That’s what haole means, and that’s what I need. A confidential team, with no local networks, to dig into where the money’s going.”

“How much money are we talking about?” Jake leaned forward, dark brows knit over steely-gray eyes.

“A hundred grand. That’s just the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s money. There might be more that’s missing, I don’t know. The Merrie Monarch competition is supported by a lot of bigger businesses such as Hawaiian Airlines. I work for them too and liaise with their charity office to facilitate support of the Festival.” Kim coughed a little, hiding her mouth with a hand. “Maybe I need something to drink, after all.”

Jake stood up with his usual restless, coiled energy, clearly needing to move. “Let me get you some tea. Sophie, anything?”

“Hot tea would be fine. Thank you.”

Jake disappeared. Through the office door, Sophie heard his bantering tone as he spoke with Felicia at her desk.

She met Kim’s eyes. “I don’t know much about the Merrie Monarch Festival. I will have to research it. As you noticed, it’s only been a couple of weeks since we officially opened our doors. But we have all the resources of our parent company on Oahu behind us. Would you like to know a little more?” Kim nodded, and Sophie went on. “I’m a former tech agent with the FBI. I can find most anything online. I love tracking money trails.” She cracked her knuckles and rippled her fingers as if using an imaginary keyboard.

This seemed to put Kim more at ease, because the woman smiled. “You both seem…impressive.” Her gaze tracked over Sophie, dressed in the black polo shirt and nylon combat pants that she and Jake had decided would be their “uniform” unless they were undercover. “Like you work out a lot.”

“We do. Part of the job. We need to be prepared for any sort of emergency. Jake’s ex-Special Forces with much investigative experience. And you are right in your assessment. We are outsiders here in Hilo. I’m glad that, for once, it’s a strength.” Sophie shrugged. “We enjoy using our skills to help people.”

“You have an accent. Where are you from?” Kim raised her brows curiously.

“I’m American and Thai. I grew up in Thailand and was educated in Europe. I came to live in the US only five years ago.”

Jake returned with Felicia in his wake. The pretty blonde psychology grad student from the University of Hawaii carried a tray with the tea accouterments on it. She had been sent over from a temp agency Security Solutions had contracted with to help get the agency’s satellite office going, and so far, Sophie found her personable and intelligent.

Felicia set the tray, with its mismatched collection of mugs, on the edge of Sophie’s desk. “Anything else I can get you?” Her gaze fixed on Jake in mute adoration.

Sophie felt a twinge of something unpleasant tighten her gut. Felicia must not know she and Jake were involved. “Thanks, Felicia, that will be all.”

The receptionist left, shutting the door behind her, and Jake dealt with the tea until they all had what they wanted. Sophie wrapped her fingers around her hot mug as the beverage steeped, warming her hands. “Kim. Please continue. When and how did you begin to suspect something was wrong with the festival’s funding?”

“I helped facilitate the grant to the Festival. I’m not on the Board of Directors, so I don’t have access to the financial reports. But the same sponsors were being featured, and the budget is available to organizers to view, and it’s the same too. Only this year, PR and advertising aren’t nearly at the same level as in the past. Everywhere I turn at the planning meetings I’m hearing that we don’t have the money, but I knew the overall budget was similar to last year’s.”

Jake frowned. “Hmm. You don’t have anything more tangible than that?”

Kim looked down at her hands in her lap. “That’s why we can’t go to the police yet. And when I say ‘we’ I’m talking about me and my kumu hula, Esther Ka`awai.”

Sophie jerked, feeling as if she’d been zapped with a red-hot wire. Esther, a well-known Hawaiian wise woman, was Alika Wolcott’s grandmother, and Alika was a painful subject to be avoided at all costs. “Isn’t Mrs. Ka`awai on Kaua`i?”

“I am studying under her. Esther provides cultural advisory oversight to the event. She was the one to put the pattern together and really bring it to my attention. She is able to do a lot long distance.” Kim was oblivious to Sophie’s discomfort. “She and I decided to try to get more information without tipping anyone off that we were looking into it.”

Sophie squelched apprehension at the thought of interacting with Esther Ka`awai. “Who, exactly, is the client?” Sophie looked down at the application in front of her. “To put it bluntly—who will be paying the bill?”

“The Tourism Authority will be hiring you. I went to them with our concerns, and they gave us a budget.” Kim named a figure. “Can you work with that?”

“We certainly can,” Jake said. “To start, we will need all the names and contact numbers that you can give us for everyone involved with the Festival.”

“I have that on computer. I’ll email it to you.”

“We should get eyes on the different players and areas involved,” Jake went on. “Do you have a plausible way to introduce us, bring us around to meetings and such?”

“Something closest to the truth is always the best,” Sophie said. “Jake tends to stand out as a cop or investigator no matter what. Bringing him around as a private security expert to help make sure nothing’s stolen or unsafe makes sense. My skills lie behind a computer. I’ll be looking for the money trail from the bank. Let’s come up with a plan and timetable on how to proceed.”

“I’d like us to get started right away,” Kim said. “The Festival is in a month, and the sooner we find out where the money went, the sooner we can get the funds back and put them to work to make this the best event ever.” Her brown eyes shone almost feverishly. “We owe it to everyone who gives so much to make this event the magnificent cultural event it is.”