Booktree.ng_Forgotten-Witness

shall want the rights to that museum. I’ll make a bloody
fortune.”
Josie crumpled a piece of paper and threw it at him.
“Worse things could happen to a bloke,” Stephen insisted.
“Ha Kuna House is a kind of a proper place, don’t you think?
No one is in any pain. They are happily unaware that they are
unaware. If I lived there I’d make me a fantasy that I was an
Arab prince with a harem.”
“That is your real world. And don’t forget, Ian is dead and
Amelia has inherited his obsession. Not a happy ending.” Josie
pointed out just as his phone rang. He was on and off in less
than a minute.
“This is an interesting turn. Robert Cote is the name on the
deed of Ha Kuna House. Land records, Josie. The land upon
which the place is built is the stone no one would think of
turning over. Copies of the records will be sent along. It was
purchased for cash in 1986. It was a private transaction.”
“That makes no sense.” Josie swiveled back to her desk and
found the copies of the original commitment papers Amelia
had provided.
“Ben Farrah, 1964. Amy Sloan, 1972. Marcel Washington,
1966. Ha Kuna House was already established as far back as
sixty-four. Why would someone buy it in eighty-six?”
“In Hawaii we buy the building, not the land. That building
has been around since the late eighteen hundreds wouldn’t you
say? By nineteen eighty-six the lease would have come up.
This man simply bought the house in eighty-six and owns the
structure and the right to keep the damn place running.”
“How much did he pay?” Josie asked.
“Fifty thousand to MPS Corporation,” Stephen answered.
“Then why is Amelia still getting her paychecks from
MPS?”
“Perhaps they needed to get it off their books. The plan
would be to divest the smaller properties to individuals