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Photo Finished Page 11

by Dane McCaslin


  "So." Not the greatest opener, but it was the best I could do at the moment. Between trying to control my breathing and forcing myself to adopt a light tone, I wasn't overly concerned with talking.

  "Yep."

  Fabulous, I thought. This conversation was going nowhere quickly.

  "So," I said again. "How'd you sleep last night?" I could have bitten my tongue.

  "Could've been better. You?" I could hear the smile in his voice.

  "Same. Could've been better, I mean." I could feel myself blushing.

  "Ready to meet Kailani?" he asked as we pushed through the doors to the outside.

  I decided I'd play along and avoid all the awkward conversations we were long overdue to have. "Yep! Let's just hope she has something interesting to share."

  I glanced at my watch on my arm. "She should be here any minute. Drinks?"

  I turned quickly and walked to the pool bar. Ordering a Diet Coke, I went to hand the bartender my money, when Jimmy pushed my hand away, adding a Coke to his order and paying for them both. We always went Dutch. Why were the rules changing, and what did this mean?

  Walking to a nearby table, fighting the rising blush that continued to try to creep up my neck, I sat down, my thoughts whirling around in my head like a tornado. Jimmy followed close behind and sat across from me.

  "Look, Red, I've been meaning to talk to you."

  Oh no. We were not doing this. Not when I hadn't had any sleep.

  "Do you think Kailani knows who killed Noe?" I asked. A jarring change of subject, I knew.

  Jimmy wasn't an idiot. He was a really smart guy and really good at his job. But he let the diversion stand. "I think she knows something. Now why she's telling us and not the police is another question."

  "Maybe she trusts me more than the police?" Kailani had sounded scared last night. She'd also seemed a little intimidated by the police's questions the night of Noe's murder. Maybe she was afraid they'd make her a suspect.

  "Don't take this the wrong way, but what are you going to be able to do to help her?"

  "Well, she knows we're friends, so maybe she was hoping I'd bring you along or at least tell you."

  "Perhaps. I'm just worried about you. What Phil said last night—" Jimmy took a sip of his drink, and I did the same. "He's right, you know? All these questions. Eventually someone's not going to like it."

  "I just can't seem to let it go. I can't stand not having control over my life. I don't remember capturing anything incriminating on film, but what if I did and the killer decides to take me out of the picture to prevent me from remembering? I know I might be making them mad with all the questions, but asking questions is at least proactive. I can't just sit around and do nothing."

  Jimmy took my hand in his. "I won't let anything happen to you." His eyes were pools of chocolate, and I happened to really love chocolate.

  "You may not be able to stop it."

  We sat there in silence for several minutes, my hand in his, both of us sipping our drinks and not saying what we were thinking or feeling. It was weirdly comfortable. I glanced at my watch, breaking the moment.

  "It's 10:15. Shouldn't she be here already?"

  Pulling my hand from his, I took out my phone and dialed her number. It went straight to voicemail.

  "Hey, Kailani, it's Autumn. I'm at the pool bar and was just making sure I had the right place. Hopefully, you're just running behind. See you soon." I clicked off and then tried again, thinking maybe she'd been dialing out at the same time I was calling her. But it went to voicemail once again.

  Jimmy stood. "I've got to get back to work. Let me know if you hear from her, ok?"

  Nodding my head, I looked up, and our gazes caught and held. Jimmy bent down and placed a soft kiss on my cheek. "Later, Red."

  I reached up and touched the spot where his lips had lingered, as if to capture its essence and keep it with me. Shivering, goose bumps popped out along my arms, and I rubbed them to bring back the warmth.

  Jimmy tossed a wink over his shoulder at me, causing him to almost run right into someone. He placed his hands on the woman's arms to steady her, and when he released her like a hot potato, I realized why. Patti Stone. She wore a tiny string bikini that didn't come close to containing her enormous breasts. Over her top she wore a shear mesh cover-up. Not that she was covering anything up since it was completely see-through.

  I was close enough to hear Jimmy's muttered apology, and since Patti had a big mouth, everyone on the pool deck heard her reply. "Oh my. That's quite alright, honey. But I know a way you can make it up to me."

  Patti squeezed his bicep, brushing her breasts against his arm. Jimmy forced out a fake laugh (when he was your best friend, you knew when he was faking it) and pulled his arm loose. "Maybe some other time, Mrs. Stone."

  "Patti, please. I think we should be on a first name basis. Don't you?"

  "Yes, ma'am." The ma'am must have irritated her as well because she visibly bristled at the comment, color rising to her cheeks. She spluttered a bit as if to say something else, but Jimmy pushed by her.

  "Goodbye, Patti," he said and then dared a look over his shoulder at me.

  Patti followed the exchange, narrowing her eyes into a glare when she saw me. I gave her a finger wave and picked up my things, hightailing it out of there before she could sink her claws into me.

  Since Kailani hadn't made it out to our meeting, I decided I'd check to see if she was at her apartment. I texted Jimmy that I was going to check on her and to get her address. As head of security, he had access to files I did not.

  He texted me back her street name and number, and moments later I pulled into a run-down complex near the resort. I had no idea what she drove as I eyed the cars, wondering if one of them was hers. I should have thought to ask Jimmy that too.

  Kailani lived on the third floor, and I was pretty much out of breath by the time I reached her door. No wonder she was in such good shape. I knocked several times, and on the last one, the door swung open.

  A chill crept up my spine. It never was a good sign when you knocked on someone's door in the middle of the day and it was open. Especially after that person had just missed a scheduled appointment and called you at 1:30 in the morning to tell you she needed your help. I should have called the police. I should have called Jimmy. I shouldn't have entered that apartment.

  If I had a nickel for every time I should or shouldn't have done something, I'd be a rich woman.

  Kailani's apartment was a studio, an open floor plan where you could see the entire place in one sweep. A tidy bed sat in the corner, pillows lining the back to make it look more like a couch. A petite wood table held a small flat screen TV, and the kitchen was efficient but not spacious.

  A quick glance told me that Kailani wasn't in there. I stepped inside, calling her name. "Kailani? It's me, Autumn. I just came by to check on you."

  I walked toward the only door in the place and assumed that was the bathroom. Hesitantly I raised my hand to knock. "Kailani?"

  The door swung open, and the coppery smell of blood and other stuff I didn't want to think about rushed out, knocking me over with the stench. I gasped in horror, stumbling backwards, but what I'd seen could never be unseen.

  There, lying in the bathtub in a pool of water and blood, was Kailani Chan.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Kailani's lifeless eyes haunted me as I raced to my car and waited for the police to arrive. I barely remembered calling 9-1-1 and Jimmy. Death was always terrible. But violent deaths had a way of sticking with you, I was finding.

  A rap on the window startled me, and I looked into the eyes of my savior and friend. With a gasping sob, I pushed the door open, throwing myself into Jimmy's arms and letting all my pent-up emotions run out my eyes to soak his black T-shirt.

  "I got here as soon as I could." His hands rubbed my back in a soothing caress. Unable to speak, I just nodded against his chest. Now that Jimmy was here, everything would be ok.

  Finally un
der control, I pulled back. "It was terrible, Jimmy. All the blood…her eyes—"

  "Shh. Don't talk about it right now. Detective Ray and his guys should be here any minute."

  As if he'd conjured them from thin air, the sirens grew louder as several police cars pulled into the parking lot. Detective Ray emerged from one of the cars, his face grim. Jimmy lifted his hand, and Detective Ray made his way over to us, barking out orders to the other police as he did so.

  "You ok?" he asked me.

  "Yes. Just in shock, I guess."

  He nodded his agreement, turning to one of the guys and asking for a bottle of water. As the guy jogged back to the car, Detective Ray turned back to me. "I'm going to need your statement, but I want to make sure you're good and hydrated first. Can't have you passing out on me and suing the station."

  What looked like an almost grin tugged at the side of his mouth, but it disappeared so quickly it was hard to tell. He reminded me of a Hawaiian Tommy Lee Jones, sans the southern accent. I giggled, and both Detective Ray and Jimmy looked at me like I'd gone crazy. Maybe I had.

  "Shock, remember?" I said as Jimmy squeezed me tight against his side.

  Detective Ray noticed the exchange and lifted one eyebrow.

  The policeman returned with the bottle of water, and I chugged it down. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I felt stronger to face the detective's questions.

  "I'm ready."

  "Can you tell me what happened, Ms. Season?" Detective Ray's hand was poised over his little notebook, ready to take down anything interesting I said.

  I went over the events of the last twenty-four hours, starting with the luau and the argument I'd witnessed with Patti Stone, followed by Kailani's fear-filled phone call. I wasn't sure it was important but felt like I needed to tell him as much as I could.

  "Why would she call you instead of the police?" Detective Ray asked, and I could tell he was a little miffed.

  "Maybe she felt intimidated by the police? She mentioned that when I spoke to her a couple of days ago. I don't know. Maybe she thought I'd tell Jimmy and he could intervene? I'm not sure why she called me first."

  "You've been snooping around this investigation, haven't you?

  "I may have asked a question here or there. I wouldn't call that snooping," I said defensively.

  "Well, I would. Now I have another dead body on my hands." He pushed his hands through his hair in what I assumed was exasperation. I seemed to have that effect on people. He took a deep breath and continued, "You say she seemed upset. Any way this might be suicide?"

  I hadn't really thought of it. I guess by all appearances suicide would be the most logical answer. My mind shot back to the cuts on Kailani's wrists that puddled blood onto the floor. But for some reason it didn't feel right.

  "I guess it would appear so, but for some reason that doesn't sit well with me. If she'd wanted to kill herself, she wouldn't have called me last night wanting to meet. And I don't think she would have asked me to help her."

  "All of that is speculation, Ms. Season."

  "Well of course it is. It's not like I can ask her. She's dead." I realized I'd raised my voice, and quickly got myself under control. "Sorry," I muttered.

  "We'll get to the bottom of what happened. But until then"—he paused, waiting for me to meet his eyes—"stay the hell out of my investigation. Understand?"

  I nodded curtly as the detective walked over to the crime scene. Jimmy grabbed my shoulders, spinning me around to face him.

  "Are you sure you're ok? I can take you to the hospital."

  "I'm fine. Just processing it all. I can't believe Kailani would kill herself. So that means we're looking at another murder. But why?"

  "Do me a favor, Red. Listen to Ray and stay out of this, ok? Do you know what it would do to me if I found you like that?" He nodded toward Kailani's apartment, and I could see the pain in his eyes. His hands gripped my shoulders tighter.

  "I'm not going to end up like that. I promise." I leaned in, borrowing strength from his embrace. I made the promise to reassure myself and Jimmy. It wasn't like I had any control over when I died or whether or not the killer would come after me. But it felt like the right thing to say at the time.

  "I'm going to stick around and see if I can do anything to help. I'm not the police, but I might have answers to their questions. Do you need a ride back to the resort?"

  "Nah. I'm good."

  "I'm calling Juls to tell her what happened. I suggest you take the rest of the day off."

  "I don't need to, Jimmy. I'm fine."

  "Just let me take care of you, please."

  He seemed so broken up and sincere, so I nodded, figuring why argue.

  An old model, beat-up sedan whipped into the parking lot, barely keeping all four tires on the ground. The driver's door opened, and Phil Mano jumped out, rushing to Kailani's front door. As he reached it, two policemen put out their hands, blocking his entrance.

  "That's my girlfriend's apartment," he yelled.

  "I'm sorry, sir. You can't go in there right now," a policeman said.

  "Kailani! Kailani!" he screamed, tears streaming down his face.

  My heart broke as I watched the scene.

  "Sir, come with us until you calm down." The other police officer took him by the upper arm, guiding him to the police car. The officer spoke to Phil in a hushed voice. A heart-wrenching cry tore from Phil's chest, and he collapsed against the side of the car, sinking to the ground.

  "No! No, Kailani, no!"

  Tears welled in my eyes. It wasn't fair for someone as sweet as Kailani to die the way she had. And there was no way you could convince me she'd killed herself.

  A sleek, black sedan pulled in behind Phil's, and Derrick Stone got out, rushing toward Phil.

  Seeing him, Phil jumped up, running at Derrick as fast as his feet would carry him. He grabbed him by the collar and shook him.

  "This is all your fault! If it weren't for you, she'd still be alive. You killed her!"

  I gasped in horror.

  Derrick yelled back. "Don't be ridiculous, Phil." His voice lowered, but it was still loud enough to be heard from where we were standing. "And keep your voice down. You have any idea what you're accusing me of?"

  "Of course I know!" Phil growled.

  "Then shut up. Now go home. I'll call when I know something more." Derrick shoved Phil toward his car. Phil stormed off, throwing deadly looks over his shoulder at Derrick.

  "What was that about?" I asked Jimmy. Before he could answer, I found myself walking over to Derrick to find out. Jimmy's hand shot out, stopping me.

  "What in the world do you think you're doing, Red?"

  "I'm just going to ask him a couple of questions. No big deal."

  "No. Under no circumstances are you to get involved in this. Do you understand?

  "That sounds an awful lot like a command, and the last time I checked, you weren't the boss of me!"

  Jimmy sighed, pushing his hands through his hair in a violent manner. Second man in less than ten minutes I'd driven to insanity. It must have been a record.

  "Look, I'm worried about you. I don't want to lose you. Please, just—"

  "Toki!" a policeman shouted from the doorway of Kailani's apartment. Jimmy turned, and the guy motioned for him.

  "Just promise me—"

  I raised my eyebrows in challenge.

  He sighed. "Promise me you'll be careful?"

  Before I could respond, he bent down, placing a kiss on the top of my head, then ran toward Detective Ray, who now stood outside Kailani's apartment with his arms folded across his chest, glaring at us. I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him.

  It took me all of five seconds to decide to disregard Jimmy's warnings and make a beeline for Derrick, who was in a conversation with one of the officers. Phil's car was no longer there, and I waited until he'd finished his conversation.

  He turned to leave, but I ran after him. "Derrick!"

  Whirling aro
und, Derrick pinned me with a hateful glare. I stopped cold, taking a step back and wondering if everyone was right and maybe I should just leave well enough alone. But just as quickly the glare disappeared, and he schooled his features into a bored expression, as if he'd found me to be like a speck of lint on his charcoal pants that he could just brush off with a flick of his fingers.

  "Ms. Season. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

  He knew my name? Well, that couldn't be good news.

  "Um, well, I just—"

  "I don't have all day, young lady. So if you don't mind—" He turned to leave.

  "Did you kill Kailani Chan?"

  His whole body froze, and he turned slowly to look down at me.

  "I have no idea what you're talking about."

  "Why did Phil say you killed her?"

  "Phil is overcome with grief and talking out of his head. How should I know why he would make such an accusation? I assume he's willing to blame anyone."

  "But he didn't blame anyone. He blamed you."

  Derrick sighed. Make that three men I'd had the honor of infuriating that day.

  "Ms. Season, we spoke with Juls Kekoa and let her know that Kailani's behavior as of late was not becoming of the resort. We had recently heard that she was going to be fired. I assume that the news of her unemployment status as well as losing her fiancé were too much for her to bear and she took her own life. Such a shame."

  "But she wasn't."

  "I'm sorry?"

  I took a step closer, emboldened in catching him in a lie or at least a piece of information he had wrong.

  "I spoke to Juls this morning, and they had no intentions of firing Kailani."

  The news appeared to shock him, his mouth opening and closing like a guppy's.

  "Well then, I'm assuming it was grief."

  "I think it was something else."

  "Like?"

  "What were you doing with Dax the night of Noe's death?"

  "I beg your pardon?"

  "Kailani had pictures of you handing Dax something that looks rather incriminating. What was it?"

  "Dax is my employee. When we meet and what we do is none of your business. Now if you don't mind, I have an appointment I must get to."

 

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