Island Brothers

By Daniel Maldonado

After an explosion at the Regal Wisteria Wailea resort on the island of Maui, a local attorney requests assistance from his former college roommate, Daniel Mendoza.

His task is to litigate a civil case related to the tragic event. Several guests have been seriously wounded and the neighboring villa destroyed by the debris. As Daniel and his legal team delve deeper into what caused the explosion, secrets are revealed leading to a host of suspects with possible national and international connections.

Is it a government coverup, a personal vendetta, or something even more sinister? Only the real culprit knows... and Daniel's team is rapidly running out of time to put together the evidence and close the case.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Next Chapter
• Release date: Feb 28, 2024

Book preview

1

KMTV

Maui, Hawaiʻi

Present Day

A loha. Good morning. This is KMTV. The best local news on Maui. I’m Melissa Kamane. My co-host, Charles Anderson, and I have devastating news about a local fire. KMTV 7’s Leilani Morris joins us live at the Regal Wisteria Wailea resort with breaking news.

Dressed in matching blue outfits, which complimented the elaborate set design, both news anchors turned towards the two large full-screen monitors behind them as they eagerly watched their fellow newscaster take the reins.

With a soft, professional voice, Leilani announced, Well, Melissa and Charles, you’re correct. We were the first on-site and arrived here even before the fire trucks and police, who had to drive several miles from Kihei. Fortunately, we were nearby for a local festival when we learned of the fire. The scene here at the Hoʻomaha Villas, modern, luxury townhomes located on the grounds of the resort, is chaotic at best with hordes of resort guests anxious to find out what happened and why.

Leilani stood on the opposite side of the street, the fires raging in the background. The fire-engulfed townhomes of the Hoʻomaha Villas were perched on a secured mountainside with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. The azure ocean filled both monitors. Local Maui residents, however, were familiar with and unfazed by the views and would be more concerned about the pending destruction on their island.

In the distance, a firefighter suddenly exclaimed, Watch out! as debris from the two-story townhome now almost entirely engulfed in flames was projected high into the air towards the opposite side of the street.

The live video shook erratically as quickened footsteps could be heard from the cameraman rushing backward to avoid the approaching debris. His hysterical voice was muffled and indiscernible after the camera was dropped to his side and it continued filming the ground. Only his shadow could be seen on the screen. Leilani hurriedly ran after him, tightly gripping her large, news microphone as she feared for her life. Guests near them also chaotically ran for cover, some screaming out in anguish.

Be careful, Charles interjected as he watched in horror.

His body instinctively flinched as if he was personally in danger. Melissa reacted similarly. Nevertheless, both anchors were transfixed by the pandemonium and confusion and couldn’t keep their eyes off the monitors out of concern for their co-workers’ well-being as well as those around them.

The debris landed only a few feet from where the news crew and onlookers were watching the fire. The spot was thought to be a safe enough distance away. Sounds of the debris crashing on the ground could be heard in the background as the cameraman quickly turned the camera towards the impact location. The video now showed several small plumeria trees lining the grounds of the luxury resort catching on fire from the falling debris. The white and salmon-colored flowers were quickly consumed into ash that was carried away by the gentle coastal winds. Fortunately, the winds were mild and barely stoking the flames. The camera panned back towards the street as a single firefighter dashed across, tasked with putting out the newest fire.

As you can see…, Leilani said as she stood up from her semi-crouched position and straightened her blazer …the firefighters have been valiantly fighting this fire for the past two hours, but the explosions continue, causing subsequent fires. They have also been working on a nearby townhome that caught on fire from debris previously ejected from the first townhome. Several minutes later the second townhome also exploded, causing even more devastation.

The camera panned to the second townhome. Billowing, black plumes of smoke filled the sky while orange flames vigorously destroyed the walls and roof of the once luxurious accommodation. Bright yellow and white fire engines could be seen dowsing both townhomes with strong streams of water. Progress was slow but steady.

Leilani, thank you for that update. It seems like the firefighters are really busy now, but were you able to speak with them about the cause of the fire? Melissa asked her colleague.

"Yes, we briefly spoke with the fire captain before I was rushed away from the scene by local police. He was concerned for our safety. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. However, we were assured the fire will be contained and will not pose a threat to the neighboring resorts. All guests and employees of both Hoʻomaha Villas and the resort were evacuated. As you can see, some guests are not heeding the advice of the Wailea police department and are gathering to watch this gruesome scene.

Guests have told us they heard a loud thud, started feeling intense heat, and got out of the area as quickly as possible before the evacuation notice from the resort was even given. Lots of lives were saved by the quick reaction of many involved. I tried to interview a resort employee but was instructed not to do so by management. Even guests from adjoining resorts heard the explosion and saw what happened. I spoke with a guest earlier about what happened. Take a listen.

She pointed to the camera. Video of Leilani’s previous interview with a female guest played on the full-screen monitors but no sound could be heard.

Apparently, we are having some technical difficulties getting sound, Leilani explained as she eventually reappeared on the screen. But the guest said she and her family were on the beach nearest to the townhome when the explosion occurred. She turned around and saw black smoke after hearing something. She then saw all of the flames consuming the townhome. In fact, she saw a couple of workers who were approaching the villas turning in the opposite direction and running away. A few minutes later, other workers followed and were covered in soot. The guest suspected something was going on and hoped everyone made it out okay.

As the smoke seemed to die down, Leilani walked confidently closer to the first townhome and instructed the cameraman to film the villas, the entire resort, and beach area.

The Regal Wisteria Wailea resort is located on Wailea Alanui Drive near the other luxury resorts on Wailea Beach, she added.

Have there been any fatalities? Charles asked with a concerned expression.

Resort employees have confirmed the first townhome was occupied. The resort, however, did not know if the family of five was present at the time of the explosion or if they were enjoying the resort facilities or sightseeing. So far, the resort will not confirm the names of the family members or how long they’d been staying in the villa. We’ve been asking around if any other guests were familiar with the occupants of the first townhome. No one knows or remembers. The Regal Wisteria Wailea resort is part of an international conglomerate with resorts in Asia, Europe, the U.S., and the Caribbean. It’s headquartered in Tokyo. This particular resort is very popular with Japanese tourists given its proximity to Japan. But it’s unclear whether the occupants of the first townhome were from Japan or were locals or from the mainland.

Thank you, Leilani. Keep us informed if you find out who stayed in the villa and whether they are safe. We want to know and I’m sure our viewers want to know. We can only hope and pray for the family’s safety, Melissa said while pursing her lips in frustration from the resort’s lack of cooperation.

We will, Melissa.

What about the second townhome? Charles inquired, not wanting to downplay its significance. Was it evacuated in time? Any of its occupants injured?

Leilani seemed delighted by the questions and eager to respond.

I am pleased to announce the resort confirmed that the second townhome had not been rented. The resort’s focus for the second townhome is solely on the property damage from the fire which it insists is a secondary concern over any potential loss of life.

That’s good to know, Charles marveled as he turned toward his co-host who had a look of affirmation.

He was about to ask a follow-up question before being interrupted.

Hold on. We are hearing reports of firefighters experiencing smoke inhalation injuries, Leilani revealed as she turned her head towards guests who were gathered in a circle and talking among themselves about the startling news. We’ll look into this.

Please do, Melissa suggested.

As Leilani approached the group, one guest loudly proclaimed, I seen it. I seen it all.

He was apparently being ignored by the other guests, which was only frustrating him and making him more incessant about telling the crowd what he knew.

What did you see? she asked hoping to glean valuable information the audience would appreciate. After all, the firefighters were likely relatives of the show’s viewers.

The guest pointed in the direction of the townhomes and was about to say something when the video footage of the newscast narrowed until a smaller television screen faded entirely to black and then off.

2

ISLAND BROTHERS

Maui, Hawaiʻi

Moments Later

The smaller television screen displayed the resort guest frantically proclaiming, I seen it. I seen it all, as Leilani Morris, a newscaster from KMTV, approached.

At first, Leilani was perplexed by the cacophony of voices excitedly discussing the firefighters injured while attempting to put out the resort fire. She anxiously looked at each guest to glean whether any of them had any relevant information about which firefighters were injured and how. None seemed to know anything in particular. The comments appeared to be based upon pure speculation at best, fueled by fears.

When she heard the guest declare once more he had seen it all, Leilani stepped forward and fervently asked, What did you see?

Just then, Edward Steinmann clicked the pause button on the DVD player’s remote control and turned off the television.

From this point forward, no useful information is shown on the broadcast. You’re welcome to see the rest of it later if you want, but we’ll be able to inspect the scene and freely speak to resort management and employees and get firsthand knowledge of what happened. Something the newscaster wasn’t able to do.

Daniel Mendoza shook his head in astonishment after having watched the video of the explosive fire at the Regal Wisteria Wailea resort.

I don’t know what to say, Ed. I’m shocked, Daniel’s voice unexpectedly cracked as he continued staring at the blank flatscreen in Ed’s living room. He took a deep breath and then sipped a Mai Tai Ed made him when he first arrived. When he finally composed himself, Daniel asked, Have you talked to Gerry? What he’s thinking?

Gerald Ravan, the in-house counsel for the Regal Wisteria Resorts had immediately retained Mr. Steinmann to represent the company in any potential claims by injured guests or employees and the anticipated lawsuit to be filed against the resort. Mr. Ravan asked Ed to hire Daniel Mendoza’s law firm as co-counsel. Because the two had been fraternity brothers in college at UCLA and also roommates, Ed was happy to oblige Mr. Ravan’s request.

Bro, Gerry’s…you know…upset about the situation, but he has it handled. He’s been in touch with the local fire department and police. I’ve been in touch with them too. He’s also flying in a cause-and-origin expert to inspect the scene and…

Ed’s voice faded as he sipped the remaining Mai Tai from his glass while walking to the kitchen to refill it. When he reached the large, granite island in the middle of the kitchen, he asked, You need a refill, bro?

No, I’m good.

Daniel turned his body to face the kitchen so he could better hear what Ed had to say.

I’m stoked, bro. I’m glad we’re working on this case together. It’s been years. Too long since we’ve seen each other. What? Right after Sofia and I divorced? Too long, bro.

Yeah, way too long. I’m glad you moved to Hawaiʻi after the divorce. It totally caught me off guard. But your place is nice. Very nice.

Daniel scanned the luxurious home nestled a few blocks away from the Regal Wisteria Wailea resort near the local mountains. He was impressed his fraternity brother had come a long way since graduating from law school.

Hawaiʻi’s been good to me. Very good. I just took a leap of faith and moved here. You know, every year, Sofia and I would visit a different island as an anniversary trip. We stayed on Lānaʻi for our honeymoon, and I wanted to reproduce that every year. She never really liked being in Hawaiʻi and just indulged me.

Ed stopped himself from saying anything more about his failed marriage at that time. He knew he would have plenty of time to speak with Daniel about it during the course of the case. His fraternity brother would understand. He always did.

"Maui has always been my favorite. It’s where my family grew up. My father’s father lived here. As you know, we have family land not too far from here. As a native Hawaiian, Kānaka Maoli, I’m proud to be back home. The Kānaka Maoli need to come back to the islands. So many of them moved to the mainland for work, but that was a big mistake. A huge mistake. I’m proud to have come back and be with my people again."

Ed’s face gleamed as he spoke, and his chest poked out, giving him a bigger stature than his six-foot-three-inch towering frame gave. Daniel always enjoyed listening to Ed speak about his family and his culture. Rarely would Ed mention his mother was Swedish. He adored her, but it was his Hawaiian culture he admired the most and embraced over the years growing up as a teenager in La Cañada Flintridge, an upscale suburb outside of Los Angeles.

I’m proud of you, bro. You’re following your dreams. It’s about time.

Are you ever going to move back to Puerto Rico where your family is from? Ed inquisitively asked after taking another sip of his Mai Tai.

I’ve thought about it. To be honest, the legal system in Puerto Rico is very different from the mainland. Everything is in Spanish. Somewhat ashamed, Daniel admitted, As you know, I can’t speak a lick of Spanish. I’ve tried over the years but it’s one of those things I lack an aptitude for.

Daniel shrugged his shoulders to avoid expressing his situation any further.

Bro, I know what you mean. The court system in Hawaiʻi is difficult to navigate but at least it’s conducted in English. I’ve been learning Hawaiian online at the local community college. My father always taught me how to speak it growing up. So, that helped. I encourage you to speak your native tongue whether that’s Spanish or the native Taino language from the Caribbean. I’ve been learning a lot of indigenous cultures since I moved back and not just Hawaiian culture. We, island brothers, need to stick together and support each other.

Daniel smiled at the comment.

Yes, we do.

He lifted his glass and gulped the local drink in solidarity. Ed did the same.

A muffled ringing from Daniel’s cell phone could be heard from his shorts pocket. He pulled the cell phone out.

Hey, bro. It’s one of my associates. I’ll put it on speaker, Daniel said after he saw the caller ID indicating Carl Flavors on the screen.

Sure, bro.

Ed walked back into the living room to hear the conversation.

Carl, I have you on speakerphone. Ed’s with me.

Hi, Ed.

Hi, Carl.

I just arrived in Honolulu, and I was calling to let you know. I should be taking the island hopper to Maui shortly. But you want to hear something crazy? Carl excitedly asked.

Daniel and Ed couldn’t see his beaming smile.

Why? What is it? Daniel replied.

Guess who’s sitting next to me on the flight to Maui? You’ll never guess.

Ed wanted to blurt out the name of a famous actor or actress in jest but held back out of respect for the dire situation.

With a perplexed look and a shrug of his shoulders, Daniel answered, We have no idea.

I knew you couldn’t figure it out. It’s Dr. Sandler. Isn’t that a coincidence? Carl exclaimed, excited to have stumped his boss.

Daniel furled his eyebrows and turned towards Ed for an explanation.

You’re lucky, Carl, Ed said. Spend some time getting to know Dr. Sandler. He’s an interesting guy who knows a lot about fire dynamics and fire causes. You can learn a lot from him.

I definitely will. I’m just surprised his flight from New York arrived around the same time as my flight from Phoenix.

Carl, we’ll let you get back to what you’re doing. I’ll see you later tonight at the Regal Wisteria, Daniel added.

After Carl said his farewells, Daniel ended the call.

Carl’s an interesting guy, Ed. He’s a newer addition to my legal team, although he’s been an attorney for some time now. I promised to bring him on this case because he wasn’t able to come with me to London on a huge royalty case I had last year.

Nice. You were in London for work. Now that’s the life, Ed remarked.

It was a nice trip but…I’ll have to tell you sometime once this case is over.

Thoughts of the London trip and the ensuing issues only brought a sense of sadness to Daniel. He wanted to instead focus on enjoying the reunion with Ed.

Sensing his concerns and also knowing briefly what transpired when Daniel was in Puerto Rico for the resort celebration, Ed stood up and urged Daniel to follow him, Let’s talk outside on the lanai. It has a great view of the Molokini crater and the surrounding islands. Kailani will be home soon and I’m sure she will want some privacy after a long day at work.

As Ed opened the glass doors to the lanai so Daniel could exit the home, he added, It’s good to see you, bro and put an arm on Daniel’s shoulder, slightly squeezing it.

3

OFFICE

Wailea, Maui

Early The Next Day

As Ed sat behind his desk at his firm’s office on the second floor of the Wailea Business Center, he was preoccupied with reviewing a police report prepared after the fires at the Regal Wisteria Wailea resort. The report was pages upon pages of witness interviews of individuals who were present when either the first townhome exploded or when the second townhome caught on fire and soon thereafter exploded. After scrutinizing most of the report, Ed realized none of the witnesses saw anything helpful besides the explosions and had no idea why the townhome exploded. All of the interviews were filled with rank speculation of what happened, descriptions of mayhem from people frantically fleeing the area, and fear for the occupants of the luxurious townhomes as well as those putting the fires out. Ed’s computer also had all of the officers’ body cam footage of the scene and of witness interviews. But seeing the emotional outbursts on the videos was the last thing he needed so bright and early in the morning.

Instead, he wanted to be far away from the office and far away from this all-consuming, depressing case. It was a lovely, cool morning. The type of morning Ed would go surfing or bodyboarding when he was in college. Now in his late fifties, Ed no longer had the same physical fitness of his youth, but engaging in the sports on occasion was still enjoyable even if it left his body sore for several days afterward.

I’ll make time this weekend, he assured himself, knowing the chances of following through with it were slim given his commitment to his job.

He tried concentrating on work again, but he heard faint sounds of nēnē, native geese, in the distance. The soft mewing trumpeted into his office from the neighboring area, also calling Ed to the outdoors simply to enjoy nature. Turning his head toward the window nearest his desk, Ed gazed outside to hear the familiar sounds. Several of the gray and brown geese with barred feathers and white rumps waddled in the grasslands surrounding the undeveloped areas near the commercial complex. The larger females were looking for their partners so they could nest for the upcoming breeding season.

Seeing the once-declining numbers of geese, Ed remembered he had a community meeting later that night addressing current management efforts for native species. His busy work schedule meant he would have to miss the meeting. He hadn’t missed any of the group’s quarterly meetings since he moved back to the islands and joined because he needed a way to connect with his roots and his fellow Kānaka Maoli.

Crap!! Ed exclaimed at the realization. I’ll ask Kailani to go in my place. She won’t mind, he reassured himself.

Unsure whether her busy schedule would allow for it, Ed slapped his hand on the wooden desk in frustration. He was upset with himself for needing yet another favor in the past two months. He sent her a text hoping she would understand the last-minute request. When he received Sure as the response, although curt, it reaffirmed what he knew all along: she was the loving and supportive partner he always longed for. He smiled. Knowing the issue was behind him, Ed continued reading the police report and taking notes on his legal pad.

A light rapping at his open door made Ed look up.

I’m sorry, Mr. Steinmann. You have a visitor, his secretary announced as she walked deeper into the office to face her boss.

Is it Daniel?

Anxiously looking at his watch thinking the morning passed very quickly, Ed realized there was still additional time before their pre-arranged appointment and Daniel must have arrived early like he typically does.

No, Mr. Mendoza isn’t here yet. It’s one of his associates.

Somewhat surprised, Ed replied, Oh, Carl. Let him in.

Sure thing.

The secretary exited the office and escorted Carl back in.

Hey, Mr. Steinmann. It’s nice to finally meet you.

Carl extended his hand to greet him.

It’s Ed. No need for formality. Sit.

Ed gestured to the seat in front of his desk as he made the invitation. Carl complied.

Thanks for coming, Carl. We will need all the help we can get on this case. Can you send in Lehua? Ed asked the secretary as she was about to return to her desk.

She nodded in acknowledgment.

Within moments, the young, female attorney entered the room. She wore casual clothes typically worn around the firm. Ed preferred his employees to be comfortable rather than feeling stodgy, especially during the warm days and humid afternoons. Her clothing was bright and colorful but subdued compared to her boss’s black Aloha shirt covered in ivory star orchids. She sat down in the seat adjacent to Carl.

Lehua, this is Carl. He’s one of Mr. Mendoza’s associates and will be working with us on the Regal Wisteria case.

She listened attentively as he spoke and then greeted Carl with an inviting smile. Carl appreciated the warm welcome.

Welcome to the case, she added.

Carl, just so you know, Lehua is… she’s the sister of the reporter who was broadcasting live from the resort fire. I assume Daniel showed you the video when you met last night.

Yes, he did, Carl was surprisingly impressed. Nice. So, you’re related to a local star.

Well, she’s just my younger sister to me. Besides, she’s not that famous. At least not yet. She just recently became a reporter and coincidentally stumbled on the scene.

Carl noticed the underlying sibling rivalry but decided against mentioning it.

Maybe she can give us some inside information about this case? Carl asked.

That’s out of the question, Ed interrupted. "I suspect she’s gonna want a quid pro quo arrangement and we’re not in the position to be sharing confidential information with a reporter who may disclose it to the public. We have to put our client’s interest above… well… above the public’s interest. I know it sounds harsh but that’s what we were hired to do."

As attorneys, Lehua and Carl were aware of their ethical obligations to clients, having represented many of them over the years. But they also suspected the media’s fascination with this situation, given the upscale location and foreign corporation involved, would spur continued public interest and complicate their representation of the resort.

"Ed, we both are residents of Wailea and have friends and relatives who live in the area and who were personally impacted by the fire. I’m not