Operation: Beach Angel

by Margaret Kay

  “Breakfast sounds nice. Then I want to spend the day at the beach. I’ll try to sleep there.”

  Lambchop nodded. “Sounds good. The group doesn’t have plans for a group dinner tonight. Would you like to join me at one of the other nice restaurants at the resort, just the two of us?”

  Michaela smiled. “I would. I know this is going to sound terrible, but we only have a few days left here and I hope her death doesn’t interrupt our vacation too much. I know that sounds selfish.”

  Lambchop wrapped his arms around her. “Not at all.”

  “I feel selfish saying it. My God, she’s dead, and you knew her.”

  “I know,” Lambchop agreed. “But what we do or don’t do isn’t going to change that. I do want to take a little time to help look into it, though.”

  “I understand and would expect nothing less of you.”

  Michaela pulled her bathing suit on and dropped a flowing cover up over it. Then they ordered breakfast and sat out on the balcony enjoying the view and the warm breeze. They decided they would dine at the Japanese Restaurant for dinner that night. Lambchop called to make reservations.

  Shortly afterwards there was a knock on the door, which they thought meant that their breakfast had arrived. Lambchop rose to answer it. Swinging the room door open, he found the two Lahaina homicide detectives stood in the hallway. They were surprised to see him.

  “Agent Johnson, we thought this was Miss Karras’ room.”

  “It is. We thought you were room service with breakfast.” He turned his head back to the balcony where she sat. “Michaela, it’s the detectives for you.” He introduced her to the two detectives after she reentered the room.

  “Landon told me about finding that poor woman. And that you’d want to talk with me.”

  “Thank you, Miss Karras. Just to complete our report, I need a little information. Do you also work for the NSA?” Detective Hamana asked. He had a little notebook open.

  Michaela exchanged glances with Lambchop. “No, I work for a private security firm by the name of Shepherd Security.”

  “And your position there?”

  “I’m in research and development.”

  “There was something else I forgot to mention to you this morning,” Lambchop said. “It may or may not be related. Last night Michaela and I took a walk on the beach and five men confronted us and tried to rob us. I reported it to two uniformed police officers when we got back to the hotel. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. From inside, he pulled out his copy of the police report. He handed it to the detectives.

  Hamana glanced over the report. He chuckled. “It says here you disarmed them and collected two of their wallets which you turned in to the police.”

  “Yeah. I don’t know if your robbery unit apprehended them yet or not.”

  “When Landon told me that her body was found near his room, I had to wonder if they somehow found out who he was and went to his room. Maybe they thought Nevaeh was me, or that she was with him,” Michaela added.

  “Nevaeh let herself into my room twice,” Lambchop said. “What if they found out the room number and saw her entering or leaving my room? That could have been the motive.”

  “I’ll follow up on this report with our robbery unit. Thank you for the additional info,” Hamana said. He took a picture of the report number with the camera on his phone.

  Lambchop’s phone rang. Checking the display, he saw it was Shepherd. “I have to take this,” he said. “I’ll step out in the hallway so you can talk with Michaela privately.” He tapped accept on his phone as he left the room. “Hi Shep,” he greeted. Then closed the room door behind himself.

  “You’re keeping my Ops staff busy and you’re on vacation.”

  Lambchop chuckled. “Sorry about that.”

  “An attempted robbery last night and a body this morning. Are they related?” Shepherd asked.

  “I don’t know. I did tell the homicide detectives about the attempted robbery. They’re going to reach out to whoever is handling the attempted robbery to see if the suspects were scooped up.”

  “You didn’t put them all in the hospital? Do I need to worry about your skills going soft?”

  Lambchop chuckled again. “If Michaela hadn’t had been with me, I wouldn’t have let them go.”

  “How is she doing?” Shepherd asked, his voice taking a more serious tone.

  “She’s worried about this murder and it somehow sticking to me,” he answered honestly.

  “I understand why she’d worry about that,” Shepherd said.

  “I’ll make sure she’s okay. Don’t worry,” Lambchop promised.

  “Bring Joe in, if you need to for her,” Shepherd ordered.

  “I will.”

  There was a pause. “So, you and Michaela expanded your relationship beyond friends?”

  A feeling like a brick settling in his stomach, hit Lambchop. “Yes,” he confirmed. He would never lie to Shepherd.

  “You know her past. Tread lightly,” Shepherd warned.

  Lambchop wasn’t quite sure what all he was referring to. Michaela had opened up slowly to him as they had gotten close over the years. He was sure there was more that he wasn’t aware of, but what he did know warranted care. “I’d never go there if I wasn’t serious about her and I’d never hurt her.” He felt like he was talking to his prom date’s father.

  “I know that. Your character isn’t in question,” Shepherd said. “Okay, keep me apprised of what’s going on there.”

  “Shepherd, I’d like to use our resources to look into it, if I can. She was a nice woman and if her murder had anything to do with her proximity to me, I feel obligated.”

  “I’ll let Ops know. Contact them with any requests and our digital team will run whatever you need.”

  “Thanks, Shep.”

  A hotel employee with a tray approached. Finally, their breakfast had arrived. Lambchop knocked on the door.

  Inside her room, Michaela answered all the detective’s questions. Yes, Landon had remained with her all night. Yes, she was sure as she hadn’t slept all night. No, she didn’t know of anyone else who would have wanted to hurt Nevaeh Mahoa. No, she had no ill will towards the woman for spending time with Landon. Their relationship just went further than friends the night before.

  “Detectives, you don’t know Landon, but let me tell you about him. He is one of the kindest, gentlest men I’ve ever met. He does the right thing, always. He is an ordained pastor in addition to being a former Navy SEAL and currently an NSA Agent. Rule him out for this murder as quickly as you can and start looking for who really did it.”

  “He is not a suspect, Miss Karras,” Hamana insisted. “But he did find the body, so we just have to dot all our I’s and cross all our T’s.”

  “And he did have a relationship of sorts with her,” Michaela added. Just then a knock at the door brought her attention away from the detectives. “Is it okay if I answer that?”

  “Sure,” Hamana replied.

  She swung the door open to find Landon holding their breakfast tray. “I signed for it,” he said. He entered and set the tray onto the table.

  “Are we done, Detectives?” Michaela asked.

  Hamana nodded. “Thank you for the information.” His eyes went back to Lambchop. “I’ll check out the status of the robbery suspects. I hope the rest of your stay is uneventful. Aloha.”

  After the door was closed, Michaela wrapped her arms around Landon and dropped her head against his chest. “That was Shepherd, huh?”

  “Yes. He gave permission for me to use our digital team to look into Nevaeh’s murder.”

  “The detective said her name. It was Nevaeh Mahoa.”

  “Good to know, makes it a little easier. I’m going to call into Ops and give them some basic info to look at. I also want to talk to one of the other women I saw Nevaeh engaged in what looked to be a friendly conversation at the concierge desk and see what she can tell me.”

  “Let’s ha
ve breakfast first and then take as much time as you want to investigate it while I go to the beach. But I get you for dinner and the rest of the evening.” She flashed him a flirty smile.

  “Oh, the rest of the evening too, huh?” He returned her lust filled grin.

  “I was thinking,” she said as her finger drew small circles on his left pec. “If you want, you could check out of your room and move your stuff in here with me. I’ll get you a room key.”

  Warmth spread through him like the rising sun’s rays heated the morning. “That would be a fiscally responsible thing to do, given that I foresee us spending most of our time together.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “I liked waking up with you beside me this morning.”

  “I liked it too,” she said, even though she hadn’t slept at all, so she technically didn’t wake up with him.

  They enjoyed their breakfast on the balcony as planned. Immediately after, they went to the lobby desk to arrange for Lambchop to have a key issued for Michaela’s room. He checked out of his room and promised to bring the key back as soon as he moved his things to her room.

  He glanced at the concierge desk. A man sat at it. He’d inquire about the redheaded woman when he returned to turn in his room key. He headed back towards his room in the east villa section as Michaela made her way to the beach. The crime scene tape had been removed, as had Nevaeh’s body.

  He slid his cardkey in and opened the door. The bathroom light was on. He had left no lights on. Immediately he knew that something was off. He drew his weapon and cautiously entered, flipping the lighting on. A bottle of scotch and two glasses sat on the coffee table that hadn’t been there when he left the previous evening. Nevaeh had been in his room, alright. His heart sank. Fresh waves of responsibility for her death washed over him.

  He checked the rest of the suite. His suitcase was on the bed where he’d left it, though the contents did look disturbed. Had Nevaeh searched it? He wondered if she’d waited and left when he didn’t show up and was attacked after she’d left. Or had she let her killer in? Had it happened here in his room or outside after she’d left? He’d never have those answers unless the killer answered those questions.

  He repacked his things and then retrieved his valuables from the safe. He turned the lights out and left. The room held no answers. Hopefully, the coroner would find DNA from her killer under her fingernails or find some other telltale piece of evidence.

  As he walked away, pulling his suitcase behind him, he remembered the look on Nevaeh’s face when she’d gotten the phone call the night before last. He’d assumed it was disappointment that she had to go back to work. But the more he thought about it now, the more he realized that she looked disturbed, not disappointed. He knew he was probably grasping at straws, but it was one thing that could be checked out easily enough.

  He turned his room key in at the lobby front desk and then made his way over to the concierge desk and to the man who sat there. He appeared to be in his twenties, was a native islander, and he threw off a professional vibe. The man smiled pleasantly as he approached.

  “Hello,” Lambchop greeted. His name tag read Philip.

  “Good afternoon, sir,”

  “Good afternoon, Philip, I was wondering if you could assist me with something.”

  “Of course.”

  “There was a pleasant young woman at this desk yesterday afternoon. I didn’t catch her name, but I need to get back in touch with her when she again works. She was going to check into something for me. She had long red hair.”

  “That would have been Shawna. I’m sorry if she didn’t get back in touch with you. She had to leave yesterday a bit early and isn’t in today. She is scheduled to be back tomorrow. Can I complete whatever it was that she didn’t?”

  “No, that’s okay. I wasn’t expecting any information from her until tomorrow. What time is she due in?”

  “Nine tomorrow morning,” Philip replied. “Can I at least leave a note for her?” He offered.

  “That’s very nice of you, but not necessary. Thank you for your help.”

  Lambchop walked towards the elevators. He’d call into Ops and give them some information to run down, and then he’d change into his swimming trunks and meet Michaela at the beach. There was not much left for him to do until he could talk with Shawna tomorrow and Michaela was right, they only had three full days left of their vacation. He didn’t want to waste any time with her.

  “Hi Lambchop,” Yvette’s voice greeted him, answering on the first ring. “How’s Hawaii besides crime ridden?”

  Lambchop chuckled. “Hi yourself, and I don’t think anyone else would describe it that way.”

  “No one else has called in twice, first about an attempted robbery and then a homicide.”

  “True. Did Shepherd tell you I was going to call with some info for the digital unit to chase down?”

  “Yes, he did. Garcia is in and will take your info.”

  A second later, Garcia’s voice came over the phone. “I’m ready, what have you got?”

  “Hello, Garcia, vacation is good, thank you. How’s Sienna?” Yes, he knew he was being a smart ass.

  “Sorry, was just getting to the point, and she’s good, thank you. Now what do you have?”

  Lambchop gave him Nevaeh’s full name and what little he knew. “Also, check for a cell phone. Night before last she took a call at about twenty-three-thirty local time. Then she had to leave. The more I’ve thought about it, the more I’m sure the call disturbed her. It’s worth checking into.”

  “Got it, what else?”

  “I don’t have anything else yet.”

  Garcia laughed sarcastically. “Seriously, that’s all you have?”

  “I spent a total of five hours talking with the lady,” Lambchop said.

  Garcia made a sarcastic snicker sound.

  “No, it’s not what you’re thinking.”

  Garcia laughed again. “Not implying anything, Pastor.”

  “I have to go. Let me know when you have something.”

  Whiskey

  Lambchop was the last to arrive at the beach. The rest of their group were all in the water. He dropped his towel onto his lounge chair and tucked his cell phone under it as Kaylee pulled herself out of the water, battling the outgoing current. She approached the chairs.

  “Good morning,” she greeted. “I’m very happy you and Michaela made up.” She laughed.

  “Does everyone know?” He asked, surprised. Had Michaela said something, or had Sloan?

  Kaylee flashed him a wide smile. “Yes, everyone knows that you moved into her room.”

  Lambchop rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses.

  He entered the water and swam over to where Michaela floated on a noodle near Brielle and Sherman. He was surprised when Michaela floated into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Sherman flashed him a shit-eating grin.

  “Did you get your things moved into my room?” She asked.

  “Yes, and I called into HQ and gave Garcia what little I knew for him to chase down. I’m yours for the rest of the afternoon.”

  “I like the sound of that,” Michaela said.

  “So, you’re okay with this, going public with our relationship?”

  “Yes, there is no reason to keep it secret now. You had to tell the guys.”

  “And they would have kept it to themselves.”

  “It wasn’t fair to ask them not to say anything. Besides, I like this better, being able to be the same in the open as behind closed doors.”

  He knew that was an enormous step for her. “I like that too.”

  The remainder of the day was what a vacation should be. It was relaxing. It was fun. They played in the water, floated on rafts, kayaked, and swam. Lambchop enjoyed being with Michaela, interacting publicly as a couple. He completely forgot about Nevaeh’s murder until he checked his phone late in the afternoon and listened to his voicemail.

  “Agent Johnson, this is Detective Nick Hamana. Give me a call whe
n you get this. I have updates on several fronts and a few questions that maybe you can help me resolve.” He left his cell number.

  Lambchop walked away from the group and followed the water's edge to a strip of beach that didn’t have much activity. Hamana answered on the second ring. “Detective Hamana, it’s Agent Landon Johnson.”

  “Thank you for getting back to me,” Hamana said. “I’m hoping you can help me with a few things,” he said. “My initial investigation into Nevaeh Mahoa hasn’t revealed much. I don’t find a cell phone in her name. No property, no debt. She isn’t on social media. Besides her employment records there at the resort and her Hawaii Driver’s License, there is nothing. She’s a ghost.”