“Yes, you do.” Auntie Wang exchanged a knowing look with him. “Anyway, the offer caused a huge rift. Fathers against sons, mothers against daughters, aunts and uncles waging protests. The elder Crowes wanted to keep the land and continue to farm what they could and keep cattle on the rest. But the younger generation, save for a few dedicated members, wanted the instant riches. The feud had the entire island in an uproar, spreading news of how insensitively the Crowes were treating one another—family turning against family—all over the love of money.”

The story was engrossing, and Quinn soon found herself hanging on every word.

“I heard some stories about this but didn’t know it was that bad,” Liam said.

“That bad and worse,” Auntie Wang said. “When some of the Crowes threatened to set everything on fire if they sold the land, the family finally hired an attorney from Oahu to mediate between them: Charles Rocha.”

“I recognize that name,” Liam said. “Don’t the Rochas own that bed-and-breakfast on the road to Hana? The one that’s still closed for business?”

“Yes, the Hana House. They bought it last year, among a few other businesses here on Maui that were floundering. But back then, they’d never been to Maui. That all changed when the Crowes asked Rocha to help them work through what was best for the family legacy,” Auntie Wang said.

“I can understand hiring someone,” Quinn said. “Sometimes it takes an outsider to mediate and bring everyone together.”

Auntie Wang nodded. “At first, the town settled down, thinking the Crowes were going to behave now. But soon, a deal was made, and a large parcel of the land was sold to the investor, with the bulk of the profits supposed to come back into making the remaining land better. The family decided to stop fighting for water rights to grow crops and instead turn the ranch into a place of peace and beauty that would attract their own piece of the tourist trade. They could continue to raise cattle, and there would be enough money left from the sale of the biggest parcel to go into the pockets of each segment of the family.”

“Then everyone was happy?” Quinn said, confused.

“Sure, if it had happened that way,” Auntie Wang said. “Instead, the attorney they trusted so much to act on their behalf helped work out the deal, and the Crowes signed. The land was sold, and money came through, but it didn’t trickle down to them as they’d thought it would. The attorney found a loophole and was able to pocket the majority of the profits.”

Quinn’s eyes widened. “How could he get away with that?”