Jake concealed a burst of relief that felt too much like joy as he took in the scene at a glance: Sophie, bloodstained but basically intact, struggling to get out from under her dog. Chang, moaning, rolling away from Sophie to curl up like a shrimp, his hands over his crotch.

“I might have known you would have things well in hand.”

Sophie pushed Ginger away enough to grin up at Jake. “Took you long enough to get here.”

“You didn’t need me, after all.” Jake observed the small wounds decorating Chang. “Too bad we need this guy to tell us where the rest of the bodies are, and give us the dirt on the Chang operation.”

“You’ve spoiled my fun.” Sophie stood up. On closer inspection, he could see swelling on the side of her face and that her wrists were lacerated. Blood stained her dark blue tank top from some wound on her back, making dark splotches. A scratch on her arm seeped. “I interviewed Chang on behalf of the police department and got a couple more body dump locations out of him.” Sophie’s ferocious smile reminded Jake that it hadn’t been long since she slashed her ex’s throat to the bone. He never wanted to get on Sophie’s bad side.

Jake rifled in Chang’s pocket and pulled out a zip tie. “Rumor has it this guy had a gun, too. Not that it did him any good dealing with you.”

Memory clouded Sophie’s eyes and she looked away. “He killed Tank, and threatened to kill Ginger, too. That’s how he got me into the van, and that’s why I promised to kill him.”

“Well, double good that I got here in time to tell you that Tank has a chance of survival. I saw our boy into the capable hands of an emergency vet. Now let’s get this piece of trash turned over to the cops so we can go see how Tank’s doing.”

Sophie rubbed her wrists absently as Jake zip tied Chang and hauled him onto his feet. Ginger, nosing in the grass, gave a woof as she located the pistol. Sophie picked it up and pointed it at Chang. “Sure you won’t let me get rid of him? He told me what he did with the bodies already. We could drop him in the lava vent and no one would know.”

Jake decided to pretend she was joking. “Nope. Not only would we know, but we need him to sing for the cops and clear up the mystery of this island’s Bermuda Triangle.” Jake held out his hand. “I’ll carry that for you so you can deal with your dog.”

Sophie stared at Chang, clearly considering whether or not to comply. She finally gave a reluctant nod, handing Jake the weapon.

Jake jabbed Chang in the back with it. “Get moving, asshole.”

Freitan and Wong, along with a police cruiser with backup and an ambulance, met them at the van’s parking area. “I thought you needed help,” Freitan told Jake. “Looks like you had things under control.”

“That’s what I told Sophie when I found her. She’d turned the tables on Chang,” Jake said. “And she got some information out of him for you.”

“Excellent.” Freitan gestured to the back of the detectives’ SUV. “We brought Terence along since we’d grabbed him and didn’t have time to interview him.”

Jake glanced into the back of the SUV. Terence Chang stared straight ahead, his expression stony. He had mixed Hawaiian Chinese features similar to his cousin’s; the family resemblance was remarkable.

Akane Chang stiffened under Jake’s hand at the sight of Terence, and Wong took charge of him, steering the man to the back of the nearby police cruiser. Freitan grinned. “Divide and conquer two Changs. I’m going to enjoy playing these cousins against each other.” She gestured for the EMTs. “Can you patch this woman up while I get her statement?”

“You’re always so efficient, Detective Freitan.” Sophie sat down suddenly on the bumper of the ambulance. “I think I’ll rest a minute.”

“You can call me Kamani,” Freitan said. “Glad you’re okay. I need your statement for the record while they’re patching you up.”

Jake left Sophie dealing with Freitan while getting first aid for her injuries. He led Ginger over to the Jeep and opened the door for her. She hopped into the back, and Jake patted her head. “You’re the real heroine, Ginger. Good nose, girl.”

He sat in the driver’s seat with the door open and called Bix, thankful to get a signal to update their boss. “Everything seems to be wrapping up here, thank God.”

“Yeah, the Weathersby contract’s up as of this evening, so do what you can with the police and take Sophie out for a steak dinner,” Bix directed. “On our expense account. Well done,”

“Thanks, Boss. Sophie’s the one who deserves a medal for this one. Thankfully, she’s going to be okay, and has her own therapist here, Dr. Wilson, to do a trauma debrief tomorrow.” Security Solutions was meticulous about best practice mental health for its agents. “I don’t know if Sophie’s going to stay on the Big Island longer, or return to Oahu.” Jake’s phone beeped with an incoming message. He glanced at it, eyes widening—it was Unidentified Number again. “Boss, I have to take this call.”

Jake clicked over. “Jake Dunn.”

“Jake? This is Sophie’s friend.” The smooth masculine voice was tense. “I see a number of vehicles in the area near the van, including an ambulance. Were you able to intervene?”

Jake kept his voice hard and businesslike. “What’s your game, man? How are you watching us via satellite?”

“Just tell me you got Sophie out.” The man’s urgency and tension broke through Jake’s resentment.

“Yeah. Thanks to you and Ginger I got to her before she carved the perp into little chunks and threw him in a volcano vent.”

Satellite Stalker laughed, and Jake heard relief in his tone. “She is full of surprises, our Sophie. I might have known she’d turn the tables.”

“What’s your interest in Sophie, besides spying on her?” Jake tried for a joking tone.

“None of your business. Above your pay grade.” Satellite Stalker’s tone was coolly dismissive. Jake’s hackles rose and his grip tightened on the phone as the man went on, “Tell Sophie she has a friend looking out for her. She knows who I am.”

“A friend who tracks her phone and uses satellites to keep an eye on her. With friends like you, who needs enemies?” Jake’s neck was hot. “She doesn’t need either of us, it turns out.”

A short, charged pause.

“Don’t get any ideas, Jake. She’s spoken for.” The line went dead.

“Fuck you!” Jake snarled. Satellite Stalker could burn in hell.

Bix had come back on the line. “I beg your pardon?”

“Oh, sorry. Was talking to my other caller.” Jake looked up to see Sophie approaching. She walked slowly, wrapped in a silver emergency blanket. Her shoulders were slumped, her head hanging, and she stumbled in the crushed grass. “I gotta go. Our best operative needs some TLC.”

He hung up on Bix and stowed his phone in his pocket. Sophie looked in need of a hug. Jake opened his arms. She walked into them, and rested her head on his shoulder.