Murder in Maui

by R. Barri Flowers

  “I like the sound of that.” Seymour grinned as he went inside, closing the door behind him.

  Leila dropped her robe to the floor, revealing her nakedness. “Hope you like what you see?”

  He felt aroused. “How could I not?”

  She licked her lips then kissed him, putting her tongue into his mouth.

  That was more than enough to get him going. Seymour lifted her in his arms and headed for the bedroom.

  There would be plenty of time later to talk about her heroics, Akela’s party, and even how Seymour was really starting to feel comfortable with someone who got turned on rather than repelled by him.

  TWENTY-FOUR

  On Monday morning, Detective Tony Fujimoto from the Property Crimes and Robbery Unit sat at his desk analyzing the information they had on a series of home burglaries. The thieves had thus far struck at least five homes, mostly in the Lahaina and Honokowai areas. In at least one instance the homeowner was present and beaten before the unsubs took what they wanted and got away.

  Fujimoto feared it was only a matter of time before these burglaries escalated in violence and someone ended up dead. He couldn’t allow this to happen. Not when it was his investigation and ass on the line.

  “We can assume the thieves live within their target zone,” he told his partner, Detective Ronald Dailey.

  “Yeah, so?”

  “So we need to track down every known thief in that radius till they’re either eliminated as a suspect or apprehended.”

  “That shouldn’t be too hard.”

  Fujimoto bit his lip. Seemed like Dailey was more interested in being lazy than doing his job.

  “Then get on it. I’ll go interview some witnesses, then we can compare notes.”

  He watched Dailey shuffle away before Fujimoto went down to the coffee room. Leila was in there for her usual decaf. He’d heard she was banging Seymour while he was on the outs with his wife. Admittedly Fujimoto would rather it was him in her bed. But obviously she didn’t feel the same way and he had to accept it.

  “Hey,” he said from behind.

  She turned swiftly, obviously startled. “Hey Fujimoto.”

  “You getting any closer to catching this Doc Killer, as the press has dubbed the unsub?”

  Leila frowned. “If you mean is an arrest imminent, the answer is no. But we are working every angle to solve the case.”

  “Yeah, I hear you.” He went to the coffee pot. “I’ve got my own problems.”

  “You mean the home burglaries?”

  He nodded. “Crime never takes a holiday, not even in paradise.”

  She half grinned. “Don’t you know by now it’s because we live in paradise that criminals find it so attractive? Especially the ones you go after. They live for rich tourists who come here with their guard down.”

  “Maybe they’d be better off coming with guards,” Fujimoto said, and thought about her doing the nasty with Seymour.

  Leila rolled her eyes. “Right and scare them into going elsewhere with their money? The best bet would be to keep putting the thieves in jail.”

  “Right alongside the murderers.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Sorry, couldn’t resist.” Maybe if he were on homicide detail she would take him more seriously as a man worthy of sexual attraction.

  “Knock yourself out,” she said stiffly. “I’ll keep doing my job and let the chips fall where they may.”

  “Same here.”

  She smiled. “Enjoy your coffee.”

  Fujimoto watched Leila walk away, before realizing he was spilling coffee. He spat an expletive and wondered if it was her, his present case, or too much coffee that had made him a bit jittery.

  * * *

  Leila walked through security at Maui Community Correctional Center in Wailuku right behind Rachel. They were to interview a man who had threatened to kill members of the Medical Association of Maui nine months ago after a botched extortion attempt. Since Guillermo Garcia had been locked up for the last two months while awaiting trial, he couldn’t have possibly killed Racine, Nagasaka, or Brennan.

  But the insistence by Lt. Ortega that they cover all bases, meant Leila had to either eliminate Garcia as a viable suspect or consider him with a reach long enough to commit three murders.

  They waited in an interrogation room for the prisoner to be brought in.

  Leila thought briefly about the hot sex with Seymour last night. She’d never realized just how bold and demanding she could be. He must have brought out this side of her.

  She glanced at Rachel and felt a little guilty she was not getting any action in the bedroom, apparently disinterested in men since the death of her husband. Leila had gone out with her for drinks every now and then, but they had never gotten too close. Maybe that would change in the future as they got to know each other better.

  “I said we needed to step outside the box,” Rachel said. “Well, this is it. Garcia was certainly into some shady business when out. It’s not too much of a stretch to think he could’ve had someone do his dirty work for him.”

  “You’re right. If that’s the case, can we get him to talk?”

  “Guess we’re about to find out.”

  Guillermo Garcia was brought into the room in handcuffs, waist chain, and leg irons. He was a heavy man and had a gray beard.

  He grinned. “If I’d known some pretty ladies were coming to visit, I’d have dressed up.”

  Leila frowned. “This isn’t a social call.”

  “Too bad, since I don’t know any other reason I’d be talkin’ to you.”

  “Just consider it a break from your normal routine,” Rachel said.

  He scratched his face. “What do you want?”

  Leila looked him in the eye. “Suppose you start by telling us about the threats you made against the Medical Association of Maui.”

  “Oh that,” he said, as though sensing where this was going.

  “Yes, that. We take threats to kill very seriously.”

  “People say a lot of things in the heat of the moment.”

  “Others say exactly what they mean,” countered Rachel. “Three doctors—all members of the Medical Association of Maui—were recently murdered. Maybe you had something to do with it?”

  Garcia grinned.

  Leila’s brows knitted. “You think this is funny?”

  He lost the grin. “Look, I had nothing to do with any murders. If someone decided to waste them, that’s their business.”

  “That’s not what you thought when you tried to extort three hundred thousand dollars from an undercover cop pretending to represent the sales arm of the organization. According to his statement, you said, ‘You’re dead and so is everyone else belonging to this group that I can take out.’ Sounds to me like you were determined to settle a score.”

  Garcia looked uncomfortable. “So maybe I was at the time. But that was before I ended up in here. Unless you think I get passes to go out and do whatever I like?”

  Rachel batted her eyes. “We know there were people you worked with. Could be someone decided to get revenge on your behalf.”

  He shook his head. “There’s no one out there willing to kill someone for me. I wouldn’t ask. Not if it meant ending up in here.”

  “Maybe you should have thought of that before you decided to put the squeeze on the Medical Association of Maui.”

  “Tell me something I don’t already know.”

  Leila took a step closer, thankful he was in no position to attack. “If we find out you had anything to do with these murders, you can kiss goodbye any chance you have of ever getting out of here.”

  Garcia flinched. “If I went after anyone, it would be the asshole cop who set me up. Only I don’t know who he is. Again, these are only words...”

  Leila was relieved the detective had since been reassigned to another unit. She didn’t doubt Garcia’s words might have carried more weight if he weren’t in prison.

  She nodded to the guard to take him
away.

  * * *

  Gabe was glad to get away from the ER for a while and its assortment of injuries sustained by locals and tourists alike. All he wanted now was a hot bath, a drink, and some sleep. He unlocked the door to his condo and went inside.

  Sal greeted him as usual, slobbering all over his face.

  “Nice to see you, too, boy,” he said, “even though it’s only been a few hours.”

  The dog seemed a bit restless for some reason. Gabe imagined he just needed to get out for some fresh air.

  Then Gabe heard a noise upstairs.

  He first thought it might be an intruder. He’d heard there was a problem with break-ins in the area. Well, he’d be damned if someone took his stuff without a fight.

  Never mind that Sal had apparently chosen to stay out of harm’s way.

  Sal followed him to the den where Gabe kept a loaded pistol. After releasing the safety, he crept back into the hall and looked up the stairs, seeing nothing.

  But there was clearly someone up there.

  “We’ll check this out together,” he whispered to the dog.

  The noise seemed to be coming from his bedroom. Gabe sucked in a deep breath and prepared himself for whoever he might confront, before Sal suddenly got courageous and took the lead in leaping into the room.

  Gabe followed, gun out in front of him.

  He looked his ex-girlfriend, Linda, right in the eye. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  She petted Sal, who jumped on her playfully; then favored Gabe, her face flushed. “Why are you pointing a gun at me?”

  He lowered it. “I thought you were a burglar. Or worse. Guess I should’ve figured out why Sal wasn’t in a biting mood.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you.”

  Actually he was glad to see her. “You still haven’t answered my question.”

  Linda ran a hand through dark hair. “I just came to pick up the rest of my things.”

  So much for any hope he’d had that she wanted to get back together.

  “You could have called.” He did not see her car outside.

  “I figured it would be best if I slipped in and out. I didn’t think you would be home.”

  He curled his lip. “Well, you thought wrong.”

  She grabbed some lingerie out of a drawer and tossed it in a bag on the floor.

  “Don’t make a scene, okay?”

  “Maybe you should have thought about that before breaking and entering.”

  Her eyes widened. “I still have my key.”

  “You should leave it on your way out.”

  “Fine.” Linda took a key from her purse and threw it on the dresser.

  The last thing Gabe wanted was to shut her out of his life. But clinging to someone who had obviously turned her attention elsewhere was not a smart thing.

  He was still holding the gun at his side. “It doesn’t have to be this way.”

  “I think it does.” She zipped the bag and met his eyes coldly. “Have a good life.”

  She walked past him and Sal, hurrying down the stairs.

  Gabe followed and thought how easy it would be to shoot her in the back. Maybe too easy.

  The thought was quickly dismissed and he called out her name just before Linda reached the door. She faced him.

  “Same to you,” he told her, and meant it at some level.

  Once she had gone, Gabe put the gun away and decided he needed that drink more than ever now.

  The bell rang.

  He was hopeful that Linda had a change of heart. He opened the door to find Brenda standing there.

  “Thought you might want some company.”

  All things considered, Gabe couldn’t disagree. “Come in.”

  * * *

  Brenda had watched the attractive woman leave the condo just as she was arriving. Must have been the ex. A touch of jealousy sliced through Brenda, though she had no right to feel that way. After all, she was married to a man who no longer loved her. Expecting any more from Gabe than he offered was unrealistic.

  But she was still human and was not big on sharing a man. From the look on his ex-girlfriend’s face, she couldn’t get away from him fast enough. Which was just fine with Brenda.

  She wasn’t sure Gabe agreed.

  He wasn’t complaining either. She took that as an invitation to continue things between them as they were.

  She spread her legs wide and waited till he was deep inside her before Brenda started making love to him. All the while she couldn’t help but wish it was her husband lusting after her.

  With that not being the case, Brenda was content to be in the company of a man who seemed happy enough to be with her.

  TWENTY-FIVE

  Ferguson sat across from Adrianne Pompeo in the interrogation room. He wondered if the physician assistant had it in her to gun down Douglas Brennan, along with Elizabeth Racine and Larry Nagasaka. She had no verifiable alibi for the latter murders. What about the former?

  “Thanks for coming,” he said in a friendly voice.

  She sneered. “No one told me I could say no to this.”

  “I just need to ask you a few questions and someone will drive you home.”

  “When will you people get off my back? No, I didn’t have anything to do with Douglas’s death or Larry’s or Elizabeth’s.”

  Ferguson hadn’t really expected her to cave in, were she guilty.

  “Perhaps you could start by telling me where you were the night Douglas Brennan was shot to death?”

  Adrianne scratched the side of her nose. “Out taking a walk.”

  “By yourself?”

  “That’s usually the case.”

  “Did anyone see you?”

  She shrugged. “Yeah, I passed by some people. But I can’t give you any names, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “Too bad. That would’ve been helpful.” Ferguson gazed at her, thinking briefly about Gina; then Brenda. “What time did you get home?”

  “I don’t know. I wasn’t keeping track of time.”

  “Take a wild guess.”

  “Maybe eleven.”

  “And what time did you begin this walk?”

  “Nine-thirty.”

  Ferguson mused. The timeline was right for her to have had the opportunity to snuff out Brennan, short of anyone who could vouch for Adrianne’s whereabouts. He had a feeling that wouldn’t happen.

  “How would you feel about taking a lie detector test?”

  Her eyes popped wide. “I won’t do it,” she declared.

  “Do you have something to hide like killing Douglas Brennan, who helped get you fired?”

  “I’m not hiding anything. I didn’t shoot anyone. Why should I let you trap me into being made a scapegoat?”

  Ferguson glanced at the mirror with Ortega and Seymour on the other side.

  It was time to let this suspect go. For now.

  * * *

  Seymour and Leila were paying another visit to Connie Nagasaka. Cell phone records indicated Douglas Brennan had called her number around an hour before his death.

  “What do you think those two had to talk about?” Seymour turned away from the road.

  “Good question.” Leila faced him. “Maybe they were lovers?”

  “You think?”

  “Why not? Both were single again.”

  Seymour realized that being single applied to him as well, now that Mele had filed for divorce. Leila had stepped right into her shoes and filled that spot nicely for the moment.

  “Or maybe Brennan knew something Connie didn’t want revealed and she killed him as a result.”

  “You mean like murdering her husband and his lover?”

  “Exactly.”

  Leila made a humming sound. “We shall see.”

  There was a Lexus and Mercedes in the driveway when they arrived.

  “Looks like the lady has company,” Seymour said, wishing that either vehicle was in his price range.

  “Hope they don’t
mind if we crash the party.” Leila unfastened her seatbelt.

  Seymour followed her up the walkway. They rang the bell once and Connie opened the door.

  She flashed a surprised look. “Detectives! I thought I already answered all your questions?”

  “You did,” Leila said. “But I’m afraid we have a few more for you.”

  “Can’t they wait? I’m not really able to talk at the moment.”

  Seymour’s brows touched. “No they can’t wait. You can either talk to us here or we can take you to the station to continue this.”

  Connie cocked a brow, but remained speechless.

  A voice behind her said authoritatively, “Let them in.”

  Seymour recognized the voice before he saw the person. Kenneth Racine.

  What the hell was he doing here? Seymour imagined the same words rang in Leila’s head. Two spouses of dead lovers in cahoots?

  Where did this figure into Brennan calling Connie?

  “Detective Seymour. Detective Kahana.” Kenneth greeted them smoothly.

  “Racine.” Seymour favored him with a straight look. “Didn’t expect to find you of all people visiting Larry Nagasaka’s widow.”

  “To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect to be here. Connie asked me to drop by to go over some issues related to Liz and Larry.”

  “What issues?”

  “Apparently Liz invested in some real estate owned by Larry. We’re putting our heads together to if it’s in our best interests to keep it or sell. I hope there aren’t any laws against that?”

  “None that involve homicide cops,” Seymour said glibly. “Unless, of course, that proves to be the case.”

  “I can assure you it doesn’t.” Kenneth set his jaw. “The fact we know each other shouldn’t come across as a surprise to either of you, all things considered. That hardly means we conspired to kill the people we loved.”

  “No one’s suggesting anything of the sort,” Leila said right on cue. “In fact, we’re not here about your late spouses.”

  Connie wrung her hands. “Then why are you here?”

  “Douglas Brennan called you shortly before his death and we’d like to know why.”

  Connie hesitated, glancing at Kenneth.

  Leila caught this. “If you’d rather talk about it in private—”