Operation: Beach Angel

by Margaret Kay

  “She had a cell phone. I saw her use it. Could it have been issued by the resort?” Lambchop asked.

  “No, they don’t issue phones. They provided her phone number to us. It comes back to a prepaid burner that went straight to voicemail when I called it.”

  “Certainly, the minutes have to be replenished. Who’s paying the bill?”

  “That’s the weird thing. It was bought over a year ago and it isn’t out of minutes.”

  “That is weird,” Lambchop agreed. “I spent less than five hours with her and saw her on it several times.”

  “You saw her on a phone, doesn’t mean it was the one she gave the resort the number to,” Hamana corrected him.

  “True,” Lambchop agreed. “Did you find a phone on her body?”

  “No.”

  “Nearly everyone keeps a phone on them at all times. So, we’re to assume the killer took it.”

  “Yes, that’s what I’m assuming,” Hamana replied.

  “Was there any activity on her phone? Recent calls, text messages?”

  “We haven’t gotten all the info from the carrier yet.”

  “What else did you find?” Lambchop asked.

  “Cause of death was strangulation. Coroner puts the TOD around one a.m.”

  “Were there any indications she put up a fight? Any DNA under her nails, any defensive wounds?”

  “There was no DNA found on her that would lead us to a suspect, but there were some defensive bruises indicating she struggled with her assailant.”

  “What else?” Lambchop asked.

  “Two of the five men who tried to rob you on the beach last night are in custody, including the one you injured. We picked him up at the hospital. The other three are in the wind.”

  “Do you have leads on them?”

  “Yes, we know who they are and where they usually hang out. It’s only a matter of time until we track them down.”

  “You know their histories. Are any of them viable candidates for her murder?” There was a pause on the line. Lambchop checked his phone to be sure the call was still connected. It was. “Hamana?”

  “Damnit,” he swore. “Okay, yes. One of the guys, Lono Kekona, is as bad as they come. He was the dude that you snapped the picture of without getting his wallet. We do not have him in custody yet. He’s a known member of a local organized crime syndicate. I’m actually surprised he was in on the attempted mugging. He’s higher up in the crime ranks than mugging. He’s suspected in a half a dozen murders, but we haven’t been able to get anything to stick to him. Witnesses disappear or recant their stories whenever he’s involved.”

  “Give me the spelling of all five suspects names. My office will run them to ground.”

  “This isn’t a federal case,” Hamana said.

  “It became one the second they assaulted a federal officer. Don’t worry, we won’t step on your toes, but we have resources you may not. Whatever we find, we’ll turn over to you.”

  “I’ll shoot you a text with the file info,” Hamana promised. “One more thing, if you are, I’m sure you won’t tell me, but are you on Maui for a case?”

  Lambchop chuckled. “I can tell you the one hundred percent truth is no. We are not. We are strictly here for vacation.”

  “Yeah, that’s right, your two ATF team members are on their honeymoon trips.”

  “And we don’t bring civilian women on cases,” Lambchop insisted, reacting to Hamana’s sarcastic tone.

  “Okay, okay,” Hamana said. “Last question, are there any other items we should be chasing down?”

  “Not that I can think of.”

  “Okay, I’ll get back in touch with you when we have something. I assume the same will hold true for you.”

  “You know it, Detective,” Lambchop guaranteed. He disconnected the call and paced back to their beach chairs. Michaela sat on hers. The sun was angled, so it shone on her and he saw her shoulders were pink. “Here, let me rub some more sunscreen on you. You’re starting to look sunburned.” He picked up the sunblock.

  She grabbed his hand and pulled him down so his head was close to hers. “How about we go back up to my room and you rub me in other places without sunscreen?” Her voice was soft.

  “Let’s go,” he said eagerly.

  Michaela slid her bathing suit coverup over her head. They gathered their things and said goodbye to the others. They held hands as they walked. “This is as close to perfect as life gets,” Michaela said, squeezing his hand.

  “I’m happy you decided to go public with our relationship.”

  “I’m sorry I made the decision without talking with you about it. It didn’t occur to me that you might not have wanted me to.”

  “Michaela, why would you think that?”

  “It was just something that Kaylee said about it that made me think that I was being very selfish. First by not wanting you to tell anyone, and then by making the decision and telling them without talking with you first. I’m sorry, Landon. I’m not good at being in a relationship and thinking about the other person, thinking about you and your feelings.”

  “Stop right there,” Lambchop said. “As far as this went, I already had told the guys, kind of had to. And I did that without consulting you. The disclosure of this relationship was completely up to you.”

  They entered the lobby and went to the elevators. Lambchop pressed the call button. He was angry with Kaylee. “Just what did Kaylee say that made you think that?”

  “It was after I had told them that we got together last night and that I asked you to move into my room. Kaylee just made an off handed comment that I’m lucky that you are so easy going, that nothing ever bothers you, so that I can pretty much run the show. And that got me thinking that I was being selfish and unfair to you.”

  They stepped onto the elevator and two other couples stepped in just as the doors were about to close. Lambchop was glad it was something that innocuous and that Kaylee hadn’t actually said that she thought Michaela was being selfish. Lambchop waited until they had exited the elevator and were alone in the hallway before answering. He pressed her against the wall, his head leaning in close.

  “Let’s get one thing straight,” he said in a soft, sultry voice. “I am crazy about you. I’m the lucky one, to have this relationship with you. As far as I’m concerned, everything about this is your show and if I have a problem with anything, I’ll speak up. My ego doesn’t play into much, but your happiness does. So, whatever makes you happy, is what I want. You are not being unfair or selfish.” He finished up his strong words with a passionate kiss.

  After their lips separated, Michaela spoke. “I’m glad we got that sorted out. And I am happy.”

  “Let’s go to your room and I’ll make you even happier,” Lambchop said with a lust filled smile spread over his face.

  “Our room,” she corrected him.

  Once inside, they wasted little time undressing each other. Lambchop pulled her into the shower where he lathered her up and focused all his attention on her. He caressed over every inch of her body with soapy hands, giving special attention on all her intimate body parts. She returned the favor, erotically massaging over his entire body, but paying special attention to his ready member. They’d nearly made love in the ocean earlier but enjoyed the act in the shower where it was more private.

  After, lounging naked in bed holding each other, they took a quick nap. When Michaela woke in his arms, she felt refreshed. She felt happy and satisfied in all ways. The simple fact was that no one had ever made love to her the way that Landon did. It wasn’t just the incredible sex. It was the emotions that she felt rolling off him with every kiss, every caress. She felt truly valued, respected, and loved, amazing feelings. She knew she’d made the right decision, letting Landon get close. She wished she had done it long ago.

  For a brief second her mind raced with thoughts of resolving her issues with her father, which she knew would come between them, if she didn’t get her father out of her life. She sho
uld have put her foot down with Constantine Karras years ago. When she opened her eyes, she found Landon staring into them.

  “Why the frown?” He asked.

  “I was just thinking that I probably need to get up and back in the shower to get ready for dinner,” she lied. She smiled. “I really like waking next to you and I’m in no hurry to get up.”

  “We could cancel the reservations and order room service. We could stay right here, just like this all night.”

  She reached her lips to his and kissed him. “As much as I would like that, I am looking forward to the hibachi dinner. I’m thinking lobster and scallops.”

  “And real fried rice,” Lambchop added.

  “And more Blue Hawaiians,” Michaela said and then laughed.

  “A romantic dinner for two,” Lambchop said. “And then an early night? I’d sure like to spend more time with you in this bed.”

  Michaela sighed a contented sound. “Sounds like heaven to me.”

  She was the first to get up and return to the shower for a quick rinse off. She twisted her hair into a sleek bun at the nape of her neck. That would be how she’d wear it. She lightly applied makeup, swiping on a red-tinted lip gloss. When she returned to the room, he had his phone pressed to his ear.

  He glanced at her. “It’s Garcia,” he whispered. “Yes, that’s what Detective Hamana said too,” he said in a normal speaking voice. “I need you to check out another hotel employee. All I have is a first name, Shawna. She works as a concierge, early thirties, red hair. I plan to talk to her tomorrow. She’s due in at nine hundred.”

  “Do you think she is involved?” Garcia asked.

  “No, but she is the one person I saw Nevaeh engaged in what looked to be a friendly conversation. I just want to know a little about her before I talk to her. Given that there are not many tangible things to be learned about Nevaeh, she’s my best hope of figuring out who Nevaeh really was and who may have wanted her dead. Since I will have to take what she says as gospel, I’d like to know some things about her to ask, to gauge if she’s being honest with me when she answers my questions about Nevaeh.”

  “I’ll see what I can dig up on her,” Garcia promised. “And I’ll keep looking for that Birth Certificate. The five-seven-five prefix on her Social Security number indicates it was issued there in Hawaii, so she was probably born there too.”

  “I still can’t believe the resort has no emergency contact on file for her with the resort’s human resources department. Someone who she matters to, probably doesn’t even know she’s dead,” Lambchop said.

  “With the sketchy ownership records for that resort, I have to believe that her emergency contact is there at the hotel and that is why it’s not listed.”

  “What do you mean sketchy ownership records?” He asked as he watched Michaela drop a strappy sundress over her naked body. He smiled his appreciation of her beautiful form.

  “I’ve found no names, just other corporations as owners and I’m having a hard time finding the ownership of those corporations.”

  “Shell companies?”

  “I’m going to say yes,” Garcia said.

  “Thank you for staying on it. I know you’ll find something. I’ll talk to you tomorrow morning. We’re getting ready to go for dinner now.”

  “Enjoy,” Garcia said. Then he disconnected the call.

  “What info did Garcia find?”

  Lambchop rose and wrapped his arms around her. “You look beautiful.” He kissed her. “So evidently Nevaeh Mahoa is a ghost. No credit, no social media presence, no debt, a cell phone that is a burner, no emergency contact listed on her employment records. The local cop has been in touch with Garcia and they’ve compared notes, which was a brief conversation. Oh, and the address she has listed on everything, she hasn’t lived at for over a year.”

  “That’s really strange,” Michaela said. “What about her bank account?”

  “Address listed is a PO box at the Lahaina Post Office.”

  “I heard you mention another concierge, Shawna. I sure hope she has some information. How sad that Nevaeh doesn’t have much of an imprint. Do you think she was hiding from something?”

  “Maybe,” Lambchop agreed. “She was either hiding from someone or purposefully not laying down roots here. I don’t know. I hope Shawna will be forthcoming. I’d sure hate to think that this girl died, and no one cared.”

  Michaela pressed a kiss to his bare chest and held him tightly. “Yeah, me too.”

  After Lambchop took a quick shower, he dressed, holstering his gun around his ankle again. Michaela watched him, her thoughts drifting back to the night before when those men encircled them. Lambchop glanced up to see her frowning.

  “After last night, I’m definitely keeping my weapon on me,” he said. “Does that bother you?”

  “No, not at all,” she replied. “It’s never bothered me.”

  “You were frowning, watching me.”

  “I was just remembering last night.”

  He sat and pulled her to his lap. “You do not ever need to worry about your safety when you are with me. I will always take care of you.”

  Michaela kissed his cheek. “I know I am safe with you. In a way, I should be thankful it happened. We might not have ended up together last night if it hadn’t.”

  Lambchop nodded. “I do believe everything in life happens just as God intends, including that.”

  Michaela smirked. “I guess that is a very clear indication that God wants us together.”

  Lambchop laughed. “I have to believe it does.”

  They walked hand in hand to the Japanese restaurant at the resort. After checking in, the hostess showed them to an empty hibachi table. There were eight chairs, but they were the first sat at the table. Four other tables were sat to capacity and chefs in tall white hats were cooking, throwing knives into the air, and putting on great dinner shows. A waitress came over and took their drink orders.

  Their table was near the windows that gave them a magnificent view of the setting sun. They were gazing out the window at the channel when the hostess came around the corner showing two other guests to the table. Lambchop’s smile spread over his face when he saw Mother and Annaka being let to their table. “Great minds think alike,” he said.

  “I didn’t know you were thinking of this place for tonight,” Mother said.

  Lambchop laughed. “I thought you were leaning towards Italian?”

  “Kaylee was thinking about Italian and we wanted to let them have a private dinner,” Annaka answered. “We may try it tomorrow night.”

  “You two should join us,” Mother said with a smile.

  Just then the hostess led the next two guests to the table. All four of them, plus Sherman and Brielle, who followed the hostess, laughed. “Well, at least Kaylee and Gary will have a private dinner,” Annaka said.

  The server returned with their drinks and took the rest of the drink orders.

  “We should have just planned dinner together,” Brielle said. “We really are having fun with all of you.”

  “Yeah, not a traditional honeymoon, but I don’t think I’d have it any other way,” Sherman agreed.

  The six of them were engaged in conversation about what Garcia and Detective Hamana had shared with Lambchop when the hostess brought their last tablemates over. “Are you fucking kidding me?” Mother asked with a laugh when he saw Kaylee and Sloan approach the table.

  Riotous laughter erupted from them all.

  “What happened to Italian?” Annaka asked.

  “I didn’t feel like anything that heavy tonight,” Kaylee said. “We’ll probably try it tomorrow night. You should all join us.”

  More laughter was the response from those at the table. Lambchop finished his update on what was learned about Nevaeh’s murder by the time the server returned to take their dinner orders and Kaylee and Sloan’s drink orders. The chef arrived shortly after and the dinner show began. There was knife play, oil set on fire to ‘erupt’ through
a stack of onions fashioned as a volcano, and food launched into everyone’s mouths.

  “I’m glad everyone was at dinner tonight,” Michaela whispered in his ear as dessert arrived. “This has been a fun evening.”

  “I agree, but I am looking forward to a more private evening with you too.”

  “That sounds very nice,” she purred in his ear.

  Lambchop glanced over to see Mother beaming a smile at him. Mother gave the faintest of head nods, conveying his approval. The truth was, there was nowhere he’d rather be tonight. Even though they had planned a private dinner, everything just felt perfect. Lambchop knew he was blessed to be where he was in his life right now.