Page 28 of Maliea's Hero
A backpack leaned against a bookshelf near one of the boxes on the floor. Maliea didn’t recognize it as one of Taylor’s. She could hear the sound of voices murmuring down the hallway from Andrea’s office. With guilt gnawing in her belly, she tipped the backpack over and unzipped the top. Inside were spiral notebooks and a leather-bound journal.
Could it be Taylor’s journal? Perhaps it contained notes about the treasure. Maliea paused, her hand resting on the leather.
If it was Taylor’s journal, why would Heather take it? Had she hoped to continue his research?
Before the TA returned, Leah quickly slid the journal from the backpack and flipped it open. Inside, the handwriting was feminine. Not Taylor’s. Some of the words captured Maliea’s attention. Words like shipwreck, local legend and treasure jumped out of the page. Apparently, Heather had been working with Taylor on his research, searching for the lost treasure of Red Beard.
The voices grew louder in the hallway. She could make out Andrea and Heather’s higher-pitched tones. The deep richness of Reid’s voice was unmistakable, sending a bolt of awareness across her senses.
Footsteps sounded on the wooden floors, moving in her direction.
As Maliea closed the journal, she spied a word where an “i” had been dotted with a heart.
Maliea shoved the journal into the backpack and quickly zipped it, leaning it back against the bookshelf just as she’d found it. She lifted the lid off the box beside it and sifted through knickknacks and the fancy bookends she’d given Taylor last Christmas.
“Maliea?” Heather’s voice sounded from the doorway.
Maliea popped her head up over the top of the desk. “I’m here. Just going through the last box.”
She replaced the lid on the box and stood, bringing the box with her. She placed it on top of the desk and gave the younger woman a tight smile. “This must be hard on the whole department, including you.”
Heather stared around the office, her brow puckered. “They will be missed. It all happened so quickly. Your father was such a cornerstone of the department, and Taylor… So young.” She met Maliea’s gaze. “But you…” She shook her head. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
Maliea acknowledged her condolences with a brief nod before asking, “How long have you worked with my husband?”
“Almost a year,” Heather said. “I helped him with his classes and making notes with his research.” She gave a crooked smile. “He was obsessed with the legend of the attack on Oahu.”
“As was my father,” Maliea said. “Did you work with him as well?”
“Only when they asked me to take notes,” the pretty TA said. “And only after Taylor surfaced a possible clue to the whereabouts of the shipwreck. Your father did years of research on the topic.” Heather’s lips press together. “He didn’t share the information he had. I was surprised when he invited Taylor along on the trip to the island.”
“That might’ve been my fault,” Maliea said. “I asked my father to make more of an effort to be a part of his son-in-law’s life besides just being the department head.” It was a lie. But Heather didn’t know that. Maybe her father had taken Taylor with him to counsel him on fraternizing with students. “You were pretty close to my husband,” Maliea said as a statement, not a question.
The woman glanced away. “Only as close as a student can get working with a professor for almost a year.”
Heather wasn’t going to admit to her affair.
“Yeah.” Maliea lifted the box. “I’m done here.” It did no good to get angry now. Taylor was dead. He was gone. She didn’t need to waste energy and emotions being angry that he’d had an affair with this TA.
Maliea had more important problems to solve. Number one, feeding and keeping a roof over her daughter’s head. She prayed the insurance company would come through soon with what little money they had on the policy. It might help in the short term. Surely, there were scholarships for single mothers that would help them go back to school and get a degree. She needed something that paid more than her dancing gigs. She’d quit college when she’d gotten pregnant with Nani. Taylor had wanted her to stay home and raise their daughter.
While he’d had an affair with his teacher’s assistant.
As she passed Heather, the woman turned with her. “Seems such a shame that your father didn’t share information about the shipwreck so that others could continue the research. I don’t suppose you know where he kept a journal…?”
A dozen retorts came to mind. Maliea bit down hard on her tongue before replying, “No idea.” And she grabbed the photos of Nani from the table beside the door and laid them across the top of the box. She crossed the threshold, leaving her husband’s lover standing in the middle of the office they’d shared.
Maliea marched down to Andrea’s office, where Reid stood in the doorframe, his gaze going from the people in the office to Maliea as she approached. He stepped aside, allowing her to enter. “Find anything interesting?” he asked.
Maliea snorted. “Sure did.” She laid the box on the floor beside Andrea’s desk and took the photo frames off the top. “I left all the books in Taylor’s office. I’d appreciate it if you could dispose of this box of his personal belongings. I don’t need any of it.”
Andrea stood, came around to the box and lifted the lid. “What do you want me to do with it?”
“Sell it, give it away,” Maliea waved a hand, “burn it for all I care.”
Andrea’s gaze rose to meet and hold Maliea’s.
Maliea’s eyes narrowed. “Just don’t give it to?—”