Second Honeymoon

Chapter 83

COME OUT, COME OUT, wherever you are…

Faruth Passan had all the information he needed about young Charlie and Melissa Cosmer, including a photograph of them. It came straight from the wedding section of the New York Times, a candid shot of the smiling couple on the dance floor during their reception at the St. Regis hotel.

VOWS, said the headline above them.

I know you’re out there, Charlie and Melissa. Where are you hiding?

Faruth kept to the trail previously used by the tour group that the happy honeymooners had ditched. With each step his eyes moved like the second hand of a watch, scanning in a circle, covering every inch of the terrain around him.

They called it Haleakalā National Park, but it was really more like a jungle in most places. The trees, the arching branches, the incredibly lush and green leaves—it was so dense it was almost dizzying.

It was loud, too.

The chirps, squawks, and calls from the more than forty species of birds in the park were relentless, but they were nothing compared to the wall of sound created by the various waterfalls along the route.

As Faruth approached one of the largest, Makahiku, he was already well aware that there was no offshoot from the trail that led to the very top of it.

Of course, that didn’t mean an adventurous young couple wouldn’t give it a shot.

Pushing his way through the banyan trees, Faruth almost gave up and turned around. He was so close to the falls, but that was all he could see.

Wait just a second. Hold on.

Amid the tall grass near the very edge there was something moving. With a few more steps forward he saw what it was. Make that who it was.

Talk about an element of surprise.

Faruth smiled. How could he not? These two don’t have the slightest clue that someone wants to kill them.

Oh, well…

The smile left Faruth’s face as he took a deep breath, his hands hanging at his waist. His fingertips were mere inches from the knife strapped to his belt.

It was time to break the news to Charlie and Melissa.

Their honeymoon was over.