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over his head lifted enough to allow a few rays of sun to brighten his expression.
    Stunned, Keahilani darted over to a plant, ripped free a star-shaped frond, and brought it to her nose. “Okay, so maybe the butterfly was her.” She laughed. It would be just like Mahina to come back as an insect ghost and share her coveted stash with her grown-up kids.
    And what a stash it was. There had to be twenty or more full-grown plants here. Enough to keep a family high for a couple years. She scanned the environs. About an acre of flat space surrounded the weed. The overgrowth could be cleared without much effort. With the right planning, research, and proper cultivation, the crop could eventually be expanded into a sea of green big enough to keep an entire community stocked.
    Her thoughts shifted tracks from worry, regret, and frustration to hope, possibilities, and a glimmer of relief. If they could keep outsiders at bay, they could farm the weed and sell it. The property didn’t technically belong to Mahina, so the cops couldn’t pin any illegal activity on them. As far as Keahilani knew, it was just government land that had been deemed unfit for commercial use.
    “Kai, do you have any idea what this place could mean for us?”
    Eyes wide, he surveyed the tract of land from the west corner to the east. His cheeks bunched under the weight of his oversized grin. “I absolutely do.” Kai loved his pot. Perhaps a little too much. If they were seriously considering dealing illegal marijuana, Keahilani would make sure he understood they were in it for business, not pleasure.
    More disbelief atomized across Keahilani’s skin, but this time, it infused her with excitement rather than dread. Long before they lost Mahina, the family had struggled to make ends meet. Her mother must’ve had a damn good reason for keeping this place quiet.
    Mahina had always been paranoid. Maybe she planned to keep it and sell off some of the marijuana to pay for college or weddings or a house one day. Whatever the motivation, it no longer mattered. Mahina had always said ‘ohana was everything, and Keahilani vowed to ensure every member of the family would be taken care of. Mahina’s gift was the solution to all their problems. Now it was just a question of how to manage it.
    Medical marijuana had been legal in Hawaii since 2000, but you could only keep small amounts, and it was a pain in the ass to get a permit. Devising a “retail” operation for cultivating, packaging, marketing, and selling illegal pot in a state where it was legal would be tricky, but like her mother, Keahilani had never backed down from a challenge. It was risky, but doable.
    Kai headed over, grinning ear to ear. Keahilani snagged a fistful of leaves and held them out to her brother. He accepted and inhaled the rich scent. Keahilani lifted a hand to his. Together they created a knot of curled, intertwined fingers.
    “What do you say, little brother? Should we do this?”
    He squeezed her hand. “Hell, yes. We’re gonna be rich.”
    She nodded slowly and offered a silent “thank you” and “I love you” to Mahina for guiding them to her treasure. She might not be with them in the physical realm anymore, but their mother was definitely with them in spirit.
    “The House of the Moon has risen,” Keahilani said.
    Though nothing on the surface moved, she could have sworn something shifted deep under the ground beneath her feet.

Chapter Three

    Oahu
    Wednesday, September 17, 2014

    Blake Murphy closed the door and scanned Scott’s office out of habit. As usual, every inch of wood was polished to a shine. Each sheaf of paper staring up from the open folder on the desk aligned perfectly with its mates. Not a speck of dust dared to show its fuzzy little face anywhere. The only thing out of place was the priest getting verbally grilled, drilled, and not-so-thrilled by the well-dressed man seated in the oversized leather chair. Blake eased behind the guy and yawned.
    “So,