“So the problem was solved,” I said. Tenants who claimed an inability to pay but miraculously came up with the money when pressed were common. Why the big deal?
“Quite the contrary. The problems with James were much like an iceberg. About two weeks after he moved in, my debit card disappeared. I thought I had misplaced it. I was certain it was somewhere in the house because there were no inappropriate charges. I hated the idea of having to request a new card. I seldom have need of it and decided to ask for a new one if I didn’t find it by the time I next visited the bank.”
“Let me guess,” I said. “You don’t go to the bank very often.”
“I typically transact business in the branch when I must make a deposit. I do everything else online.”
“Did James steal your card?” Benni asked.
“It could not be proven. However, after James paid his rent, I went to the bank to make the deposit. When the teller informed me of my balance, I immediately knew there was trouble afoot. I was missing two thousand dollars. The bank issued a new card and informed me they would investigate. When I arrived home, I thought about my daily activities. Each morning, I walk two miles. I always leave my office open during my absence to maintain air flow—the room becomes quite oppressive when it is closed. My daily constitutional made it quite possible for James to enter the room and steal from me.”
“How’d he get your PIN?” I’d bet I already knew the answer. And, yes, I hate losing.
“I am somewhat forgetful these days and kept the notice with my code in the desk drawer.”
Bingo. We had a winner. Nicholas Hansen was yet another person who had learned a lesson about password security the hard way.
“So how did James get caught? Did he do something stupid like use the card while he was on the bank’s video cameras?”
Benni stared at me.
Nicholas gasped.
“What?” If they thought this question was bad, wait until the next one. I was dying to find out why finding James Pennant was so important to Carmen. It sure had nothing to do with romance.
The Lead
Overhead fans spun silently. The ice in Benni’s glass cracked. Nicholas watched me with that irritating twinkle in his eye. It took a few seconds, but he did recover his composure.
“You have done this before,” he said.
Completely matter-of-fact. He’d probably figured I was some yokel trying to help out one of the girls in James’s harem. It was time to give him the facts of life. Maybe then we could get back to my questions. “I was a skip tracer. I found people for a living.” There was no need to go into the list of murder cases I’d solved. It was actually refreshing to be confronted with just your garden-variety con.
“Did you get your money back?” Benni asked.
Nicholas shrugged. “The court ordered restitution. James did send the first payment.”
I shook my head. “And the second one is late, right? Look, don’t lose track of the kid if you want to see the rest of your money. He won’t pay unless he’s forced. You’ve got the power of the law behind you, don’t hesitate to use it.”
The twinkle was no longer as bright. He nodded, apparently understanding how little some people could be trusted.
I hated bearing bad news, but the practice had been a staple in my life. “We’re going to find this guy anyway, so if he’s moved, we’ll get you the address. If this rent scam is his MO, he might have already moved on. If you know where he’s at, tell us, and we’ll check it out. If he’s skipped, we’ll get you his new address.”
It took only a moment for Nicholas to see the wisdom of my request. He handed over a piece of paper with an address on Front Street in Lahaina. It couldn’t be more than a half mile from where we were staying. James had moved there four months ago, and why Carmen hadn’t known this address still bugged me. Unless, of course, he'd moved again. As our conversation wound down, Nicholas’s mood did the same. He perked up when I reiterated my promise to send him a current address for James.
“So how did he get caught?” I pressed for an answer.
Nicholas sighed. “You are correct. He was unaware of the security camera. When he was confronted at the trial, it was as though he felt remorse over being caught but not for committing the crime.”
“Do you have any idea if Carmen Tyrell had anything to do with the theft?” I asked.
“Who?” His eyebrows went up. “Oh, the girlfriend. As I said earlier, I have never heard the name before.”
We wrapped up our conversation with Nicholas and took the bypass back to Lahaina. Brown rolling hills steadily rose toward the mountains. Here, we called the direction mauka. Toward the sea was makai. When you lived on a rock in the middle of the ocean, these became the major points of reference. Most directions incorporated one or the other.
I watched the scenery as Benni drove. There was little to see out here. Lahainaluna was like a self-contained outpost in the back country—complete with schools and limited shopping. Thousands of acres once filled with pineapple were now empty, save for wild grasses, weeds, and the hardiest shrubs. Too many years of pesticide use had poisoned the land and the water table below. What would it take to undo the damage? If that was even possible.
We returned to the Ilikahi, which was located in a residential neighborhood on a small side street. No neon signs, heavy traffic, or large parking lots here. It was one of the few B and Bs in Lahaina. We’d wanted quiet and we’d gotten it. This was a Bali paradise just outside of downtown Lahaina. Somehow, it had turned into Skip-Tracing Central. It was not what I’d had in mind when I booked it.
Benni held up the note Nicholas Hansen had given us. “Tell me again why we didn’t just go to this address.”
I sat in my usual chair at the lānai table. Booted up my laptop. I’d always loved the process of finding people—the hunt. Right now we were squarely in the middle of a hunt. Oh yeah, I had the fever—and the only cure was finding James Pennant.
“Never trust information until it’s validated,” I said. “Just because Nicholas told us this is where James lives, doesn’t mean it’s accurate. Maybe he's moved. We can also find out who owns the property, which could be of help. So, instead of walking into the place blind, we at least have a clue.”
“I’m sorry I asked.” Benni sat, crossed her legs, and chewed on a fingernail.
“You only do that when you’re nervous. You don’t have to go with me if you don’t want to.”
“You’re hooked on this. Yah?”
I nodded. She knew me too well. I cleared my throat. “The owner is Miriam Hatton-Glendhill. That must be Hattie. Looks like maybe she and her husband owned the property. His name was taken off the records five years ago.”
“That’s it? There’s nothing else?”
I shook my head. “It’s only a half-mile away. Want to go for a walk?”
We dodged the trees hanging over the sidewalk as we meandered down the street. When we passed under a plumeria tree, we stopped to breathe in its scent. The people who occupied the next home had turned their double carport into an outdoor living space complete with refrigerator, couch, chairs, and TV. We took the right to Front Street and then turned left. Traffic was minimal on the two-lane road. Anything more than three cars felt like an invasion.
Hattie’s home was small with pristine green paint and white trim. Shutters covered the windows, and the gray asphalt shingles on the roof were like new. The entire lot had been fenced in with a cinderblock wall. In front, the wall was only a foot tall and topped off with wide wooden slats. It was actually a very smart solution because the pony wall kept the wood from touching the ground, which significantly reduced the inevitable rot at the base of the posts.
We stood outside looking in. “When Mrs. Hatton-Glendhill sells this place, she’s going to make a mint,” I said. “A huge lot on the water? We’re talking big bucks.”
Benni crossed her arms over her chest and gazed at me. “Maybe so, but how are we going to get in? There’s
no gate.”
“Not entirely true, there’s one across the driveway.”
“And it’s locked. Let me rephrase, there’s no open gate. Happy now?”
“Uh, no, I’d prefer we had a way in besides fence jumping.” Even with the slats on top of the masonry wall, the whole fence was less than three-feet high. “I can straddle it to get across, but you’re too short.”
Benni inspected the construction for a moment, then smiled. “I’ll bet you five bucks I can make it across before you.”
Another bet? She was becoming a gambling junkie—but, five bucks? What was I missing? I inspected the fence for a moment. No way. She couldn’t do it. “You’re on.” I stood sideways next to the fence, raised my right leg, and stepped over. I froze and stared down at the problem. My toes didn’t quite touch on the other side. Oh, crap, I was—ahem—caught. How was I going to get out of this? “You’d better not try it.”
In front of me, Benni put her left foot on the top of the masonry wall between the slats and the edge of the block. It was a two-inch wide flat surface. She used the cinder block to stand, raised her right foot, and placed it on the other side of the slats in exactly the same spot as the left foot. In less than ten seconds, she was on the other side while I was standing on my tiptoes, desperate to avoid doing serious damage to myself.
She came and stood next to me, clucking. “My, my, you do have a problem.”
“I can’t reach. I’m stuck.”
“Would you like me to call a crane?”
“A what? I don’t want a crane. Help me get off this stupid fence before I hurt myself.”
She clucked again. “Put your right foot here.”
She helped me plant my foot on top of the wall.
“Now, push down on your leg.”
Her support helped me balance as I followed instructions. I placed my left foot opposite the right. I stood, one foot on either side of the flats. “Now what?”
“Can you lift your left leg over the fence? Just don’t lose your…”
Too late. I toppled toward her. Benni shrieked and backed away. I landed sideways on the grass with a loud thud and an oof. When I looked up, Benni stood over me with her hand over her mouth, suppressing a stream of giggles. In the background, someone was clapping.
I craned my neck in the direction of the sound. Standing by the front door, a woman cackled. She clapped her hands again like a little girl at the circus. I think we’d just been introduced to Miriam Hatton-Glendhill.
Hattie
“Nothing’s broken.” I stretched my legs and arms. Stood. Nothing injured except my pride. At least the old lady and Benni found my efforts amusing. There wasn’t much I could do but suck it up and make the most of the situation.
The old lady on the lānai motioned for us to approach. Benni held out her hand and helped me up.
“You owe me five bucks.”
I nodded in defeat. Right. The bet. “You won, fair and square. The next time I need to get over a fence, I’m sending you first.”
“Aloha.” The woman on the lānai waved.
Her voice was chirpy. The smile behind it quick and friendly. She was little more than a silver-haired wisp. She stood less than five-feet tall. If a stiff wind caught her pink dress, she’d blow away.
“I’m McKenna. This is my girlfriend, Benni.”
“If we’re doing introductions, I’m Miriam Hatton-Glendhill. Call me Hattie. This is my property and technically, you are trespassing.”
So much for entertainment value.
“But you asked us to come in,” Benni said.
“After you breached my fence.” A moment later, she smiled. “I’m just messing with you. Mr. McKenna, you are great fun. Actually, you’ll be the bright spot in my day. And you…Benni was it? What are you doing with an old geezer like him?”
Benni stepped back and looked me up and down. “I like his entertainment value.”
The old lady squawked with glee and nodded at a nearby swinging bench. “Why don’t you two sit here? I’ll get us some tea. After that, I’ll answer all your questions.”
She disappeared into the house. I glanced at Benni. “How’d she know we wanted to ask questions?”
“I heard that!” Hattie’s voice came from inside.
“Maybe she has video surveillance,” Benni said.
“I heard that, too!”
Jeez. There was no equipment in sight. Nothing I could see, anyway. Benni and I sat on the swinging bench and waited. Silence. Hattie appeared a couple of minutes later with a tray on which she had three plastic glasses filled with some sort of iced concoction.
“The walls are made of tissue paper.” She raised the tray slightly. “This is a lemonade tea. I like my afternoon tea, but most people don’t want hot in the afternoon. This is my compromise for company.”
“Do you have a lot of company?” Benni asked.
“You’d be surprised.” She arched her eyebrows and giggled. “I have a lot of returnees just for this. Try some.”
She handed one glass to Benni and the other to me. With the first sip, I thought the top of my head might explode. I choked. Swallowed.
“Holy cow. That’s strong.”
Benni took a smaller sip, blinked, then smiled. “I can see why people come back. You make quite a cocktail.”
“Oh, this isn’t a cocktail, honey. I don’t drink.” Hattie chuckled, and then she took a healthy sip of her witch’s brew. She padded across the lānai and dragged a chair back to where we sat. She plopped down and smacked her lips after downing another gulp.
“What’s in this?” I asked. Oh no, was it gluten-free? Had the old bag just poisoned me?
“It’s just brewed tea, pink lemonade, and a smidge of vodka.”
Hattie’s recipe tasted more like half vodka than a smidge. “I haven’t had vodka since I was diagnosed with celiac disease.” I winced. “Do you know if it’s gluten-free?”
“Yes. I have a neighbor who’s got celiac, and she scarfs this down. She’s never had a problem.”
“It’s delicious.” I took a much more cautious sip and waited a couple of minutes. When there were no strange sensations in my stomach, I tried more. The tea was now going down much smoother. And still no reaction.
“Hattie, what makes you think we wanted to ask you questions?” Benni asked.
“Oh, please. I survived the German occupation because I learned how to read people. I was a spy, too, but if I tell you about that I’ll have to kill you.”
Her blue eyes sparkled and she laughed.
Oh great, our source was a happy drunk. “Okay, then let’s get right to it.” Before everyone’s brains turn to mush. “James Pennant is renting from you?”
“Is that a question?” Hattie raised her glass and sipped.
“My bad,” I said. “How long has James Pennant been renting from you?”
“He moved in after his previous landlord evicted him. That was, what, a few months ago?” She tapped her temple. “The date part of my brain doesn’t work as well as it once did.”
“I’m sorry,” Benni said.
“Oh honey, I’ve learned to live with it. At least, I think I have.” She giggled. “When you don’t remember dates, it’s hard to know if you’ve been making improvement for a day or a month.”
She winked and we all laughed together, but Hattie’s statement struck a little too close to home. My own failings were becoming more obvious—at least to me. How long would it be before Benni realized she’d made a mistake by becoming involved with me? Would she wish I had an off switch? Would she want to use it?
Benni stood and gazed out at the front yard. “You have a beautiful place, Hattie.”
“Thanks, honey, my late husband’s family owned it. He grew up in this house. That was long before Lahaina was a tourist trap.” She turned to me. “James isn’t here. Just in case you were wondering.”
“You mean he moved or he’s out?”
“He’s out. I think he said something a
bout a photography trip around the island. No, wait…maybe this one was the hike up Haleakalā. No, no, this was definitely the photography trip.” She tittered. “See? The date part doesn’t work so well. Anyway, he thinks he can make it big.”
I raised one eyebrow and glanced at Benni. She shook her head slightly. Well, well, something else Carmen hadn’t told us.
“We didn’t know he was a photographer.” And a few more sips of this tea would make me forget whatever else I might have known.
“He’s not very good.” Hattie snickered. “But you know how kids are. New career choice and all that. Every other day they want to try something new.”
“When will he be back?”
“He said he’d be gone two weeks.”
“When did he leave?”
Hattie sipped her non-cocktail cocktail and grimaced. “Can’t help you there.” She tapped her temple again. “Every day is a new day.” She raised her glass in a toast, then sipped her tea.
Why hadn’t Carmen known James was going away? Or that he was a photographer?
“He was supposed to meet us for dinner last night.”
Eyebrows up. Surprise. “Oh?” Hattie shrugged. “How do you know James?”
“Benni is his girlfriend’s cousin.”
“Imagine that,” said Hattie. “I always thought he was a loner. I never saw him with girls. And, he never mentioned he had a girlfriend.”
Arrest
We returned to the condo with more questions about James Pennant’s disappearance than we'd had at the start of the day. The afternoon trade winds kicked up, the lānai cooled, and I planted myself on the couch to ponder what we’d learned. The next thing I knew, Benni was sitting beside me, shaking my hip.
“McKenna, wake up.”
“Hey, I was having a nice dream about us on a beach.”
“I’m worried about Carmen.”
I took a slow breath, savoring the warmth of her touch. “James will turn up. I’m sure of it.” I shifted position. My nap was calling—come back…come back…
Happy Homicides 4: Fall Into Crime: Includes Happy Homicides 3: Summertime Crimes Page 88