I stared at the massive lava rocks rising out of the ocean churning below. Last night, a full moon had been shining on the huge waves crashing over their dark surface. The scene epitomized the magic of the tropics. Now the lava formations appeared sinister and threatening.
I rested my hand on a column for support. The officer gently removed it and asked me to step away from the wall. “We don’t need any more fingerprints in this area. There’s already way too many to sort through.”
“Of course, fingerprints are everywhere,” I replied. “My best friend held her wedding reception here yesterday. Our group partied until well after midnight.”
The two men exchanged glances. The older, informally dressed man guided me to a seat at one of the tables. I collapsed into the chair, my mind swirling with questions. He reached into his pants pocket and grabbed one of those dog-eared notepads all police officers seem to carry.
“My name is Detective Lee, with the Criminal Investigation Section of Hawaii P.D. Since you were here last night, you may be able to help with our inquiry. First, what is your name and how do you know the deceased?”
“I’m Laurel McKay.” I explained that Keiki performed with the dancers and helped wait on tables the previous evening. He asked me how long she’d worked at Daiquiri Dave’s and what time she left the restaurant last night. I didn’t know the answer to either question.
He did not ask me if she was sleeping with my brother, which was fortunate because I definitely did not know the answer to that question. But given Keiki’s fate, I sure would like to find out.
A loud male voice interrupted our conversation. At the entrance, Brian, with our entire party in his wake, argued with a female officer attempting to bar their entry. Even though this section of the restaurant wasn’t officially roped off, Detective Lee had indicated they didn’t want people traipsing around and leaving additional footprints in the smooth white sand.
But could the police accurately cast footprints from the shifting grains of sand?
The right pocket of my jeans shorts shrieked, startling me as well as the officers. I jumped up, dug into my pocket to retrieve my cell and looked at the display.
Regan. Finally. I breathed a sigh of relief as I hit the green answer button.
“Laurel, what’s wrong? Why did you––” The rest of her query was lost when an enormous wave crashed below. I moved away from the wall, attempted to increase the volume on my phone and accidentally hit the speaker button
“I’m at the Lounge. Did you hear the news about Keiki?”
The surf chose that moment to recede, leaving behind a silence as deafening as Regan’s next statement.
“I don’t want to hear another word about that conniving slut. She’s history to me!”
Chapter 6
Sometimes technology sucks.
I slammed my thumb on the speaker button before Regan could convey additional uncensored remarks. The curious expression on Detective Lee’s face indicated he’d overheard more than enough.
I plastered my cell to my ear. Regan continued to mutter remarks about Keiki, so I finally raised my voice. “Stop and listen a minute. Where are you?”
“I’m at Koffee Land. That girl has always been a troublemaker. I told Dave we never should have hired her, but Walea pleaded with us to give her a job and––”
I finally shouted into the phone, “Keiki’s dead.”
If I’d expected Regan to be startled by my announcement, I was wrong. Dead wrong. The silence lasted for a few seconds before she finally responded. “What happened?”
“The police haven’t shared the details, but I think she fell over the wall and landed on the rocks below your restaurant.”
More silence. Was she paying attention to this phone call or multi-tasking at work while we talked?
“Regan, are you still there?”
“Do they know how she fell?” Regan asked.
I shrugged before I realized she couldn’t see my movements over the phone. “I don’t know anything about it other than the police interviewed Dave at the Kona police station.”
My comment finally provoked a reaction from my sister-in-law. “Why did they question Dave?”
“I presume because he owns the restaurant.”
The detective tapped my shoulder and asked if he could speak with Regan. I handed over my cell.
“Mrs. Bingham, this is Detective Lee.” He moved away from the table making it impossible for me to eavesdrop.
My mother suddenly appeared at my side with the rest of the gang not far behind. The police must have relented and let everyone in. I wrapped my arm around my mother’s waist and pointed toward the rocks below.