Unknown Victim by Kay Hadashi (top 10 books of all time txt) 📗

“Okay, as a learning experience, why are we putting on these instead of plywood and shingles?” she asked, arranging more fronds for him to staple.

“No need for something fancy. These blow off, no problem. Just go get more of them.” Stopping with the nailer, he shrugged. “This way look better.”

Once again, it was as if he timed the job to end at noon. Once they were down, tools put away, and they had bottles of water in their hands, he stood back to admire their handiwork.

“Good roof,” he said with a nod.

“Is it done?”

He nodded. “Done.”

“I have a question. There are these little rats, or squirrels, or whatever that I see running around. They’re not shaped like rats and move a lot faster. What are those?”

“Mongoose.”

“I’ve heard of those. They’re okay? Or do I need to get rid of them?”

He gave her a thumbs-up. “They’re okay. Eat the cockroaches and rats.”

“They’re good, then?” she asked.

“Wild animals. Leave them alone.”

“I saw a green lizard in the kitchen this morning. Was it a gecko?”

He nodded. “Good luck to have in the house. Leave it alone.”

“Anything else I should know about the animals around here?” Gina asked.

“Don’t feed them. Big nuisance if you do. If the pigs and goats get into the vegetable patch, they’ll eat everything.”

“I found the fence at the top of the hill the other day. It needs some repairs.”

“Not my problem,” he said.

“I saw fence posts at the hardware store. Felix can help me with that,” she said to herself, as a mental note to add to her list of things to do that week.

He gave her a new look, one of apprizing her. “Good idea to fix that now.”

“On my list, along with about a hundred other things to do. At least I’ll have hot water now.”

Kenzo looked at the blisters on one of Gina’s hands. “Wear gloves.” He looked at her face. “And a hat.”

He left Gina alone to her final afternoon off before starting her real job as estate landscape manager the next morning. She still had no idea of what to expect from one day to the next, and was still in the process of outlining what she thought needed to be done to recreate the old garden areas of the estate. She’d been expecting more oversight from the Tanizawas, but so far all she’d got were a couple of short conversations with the somewhat elusive Millie. But before she could call her, Gina needed to call home.

“Mamma! Guess what I did this morning!”

“Go to the airport?”

“No, not coming home yet. But just as good, I installed a new hot water heater in the house. Okay, I had a lot of help, but I did most of the work.”

“Work on plumbing more important than going to church?”

“I haven’t had a hot shower in a while, Mamma. But I found a church if I go in the future.”

“Which one? They have Catholic churches there?”

“Of course. This one is Blessed Virgin Mary’s. Morning services aren’t in English, though.”

“You go to church by yourself there, but not with your family here at home?”

Gina was disappointed her mother wasn’t happier. “I thought you’d be pleased that I learned a new skill.”

“Plumbing is for boys to do. How’d you find the church? Who took you?”

“It’s across the street from the hardware store. We had to get a new tank to replace the old one.”

“We who?” her mother demanded.

“A man that works on the house.”

“Do I know him?”

“Mamma, do you know anybody in Hawaii besides me?”

“Already met a man? All your life here and you turn up your nose at every man you meet. Two days there and a man is taking you to church already.”

Even more disappointment was descending into the conversation. “Is Ana home?”

“She’s on a date with the Rizzoli boy.”

“He finally asked her out? Good for her. Have her call me when she gets home. What else is new?”

“I signed up for a new class,” her mother said.

“New cooking class? What is it this time? Burmese or Singaporean?”

“A travel class this time.”

“Finally talked Dad into taking you on a trip?”

“I can go on my own. I don’t need him.”

“Love the attitude, Mamma. What’s the class about?” Gina asked.

“Everything someone needs to know about visiting Hawaii. I know someone there now, and I can even get a free room.”

“Here? Wait a minute!”

“Don’t you want me to visit?” her mother asked.

“Of course I do, but maybe in a few months after I’ve settled into a routine. I don’t have an extra bed for you right now, anyway.”

“I thought you were in a house?”

“I am, but the only furniture is in the kitchen and one bedroom. I barely have a roof over my head. Give me a while, okay?”

“You need furniture? I can send you a few things. We have a houseful.”

“Mamma, you can’t send furniture this far. It’s not my job to furnish the place, just manage the gardens. Which reminds me I still have a few things to do this evening. Call me next Sunday?”

“Only one day a week to call my daughter?” her mother insisted.

“Call me Wednesday after your class. And whatever you do, don’t make any airline reservations!”

Taking her yellow pad and a flashlight, Gina took one last afternoon tour of the estate grounds before giving up for the day. Most of her inspection was in the area of the forgotten Japanese garden and the old koi pond next to it. Pushing through grass and weeds, she found a few more overgrown shrubs that looked as though they’d been pruned and shaped in the distant past. Now knowing what to look for, she found a few more ornamentals mixed in with the weeds and out of control Morning Glory vines. With each new find, she’d mark the position on her map along with the name of it.

When it got too dark to do any more drawing on her yellow pad, she went to the stream to splash cool water on her face. Rather than walking beneath