“Because the Crowes signed it away without reading the fine print. They sued, but the contract they signed was ironclad. When all was said and done, they lost the biggest part of their land to a fancy developer and barely got enough money to keep their own ranch going. The family continued to fall apart until it became divided, everyone choosing a side.”

“So they lost the ranch too?” Quinn asked.

“No, it’s still there. Only about a thousand acres or less now, but the family who remained committed to it and worked their fingers to the bone, growing their herds of cattle as well as opening the ranch experience up to the tourists, who by then were swarming to Maui. It’s been a long, hard experience for them, and one filled with sorrow at the loss of so much of their ancestors’ land, but they’ve survived.”

“And the attorney? He got away with it?”

“Of course he did, but he’s long dead by now. Before he died, he built a place up in Haiku, and as far as I know, his family is still there. His deeds didn’t go unpunished, though. While his family only got richer from his crookedness, they’ve also been cursed with bad luck. He fathered a lot of children, and a couple of them took over his law practice. Others kept cattle. A few of them turned to drugs. I remember a few more rumors of more bad dealings and the lawsuits that followed. Once the Rocha ranch was mysteriously set afire, and they lost all of their livestock. The house was rebuilt, but the family never recovered.”

“That’s tragic,” Quinn said.

“It is, and that’s not even all of what has befallen them. What pains me is the burden for the generations who came after. Most of them have tried to live honestly. It’s not their fault, but the deeds of the grandfather were a blemish on their family name forever, and the latest generation has had its share of bad luck too. A few tragedies, even.”

“But they’re still rich,” Liam said. “I know of that ranch.”

“They’ve accumulated even more riches, yes,” Auntie Wang said. “But what good is money when you are always recovering from tragedy?”

Quinn shook her head. “But the Rochas took everything from the Crowes, so wouldn’t that be justice?”

“It depends on if you believe in vengeance or forgiveness, I suppose,” Auntie Wang said. “From what I’ve heard, most of the Crowes around today have dropped the vendetta against the Rochas. They are a peaceful family, and the old wounds have healed with the new generations. Like most Hawaiians, they’ve learned to be thankful for what they have left.”

Quinn’s face warmed at the silent reprimand. “What a terrible story. And to think, my mother was involved personally. That blows my mind.”