Page 22 of Deadly Sacrifice

“On it,” Katie said, cradling the tablet as if it were an infant. Her fingertips tapped rapidly on the slick surface. “I should have something in a minute.”

“Well, let’s all let Intern McHenry do the heavy lifting and have a snack while we wait,” Omura said, pushing forward the black lacquered platter she’d brought in. Cut veggies and fruit were arranged artistically on it, including pineapple slices and melon balls paired with grapes pierced by toothpicks. “My mother sent a little something for the meeting.”

“Your mom’s the best,” Pono said, grabbing a paper plate and loading it with the fresh snacks. “Glad no get malasadas fo’ knock me off my diet.”

Lei shot him a glance; Tiare had confirmed he was supposed to be on light duty, but as far as she knew, Pono hadn’t apprised the Captain of his health status.

Her phone buzzed in its holster against her hip. Lei peeked down and saw it was a call from an acquaintance, Ranger Jacob Mahili, who worked at Haleakala National Park. She frowned; Mahili wasn’t one for social chats. Maybe something was up. “I’ve got to take this call,” Lei said, excusing herself from the conference room.

Outside the door, she picked up the call. “Hi, Ranger Mahili. You got something interesting going on up at the Park today?”

“Das right.” Ranger Mahili had a deep voice with a gravelly tone. “Got a homicide.Male. Late thirties. Off trail in the crater. Looks like a bad one.”

“How?” Lei’s heart rate spiked as she straightened up from the wall she’d leaned on. “I mean, where’d you find him?”

“Got a distress call from a couple of photographers who spotted the body. As you know, we handle the 911 calls inside the National Parks as first responders. These guys sent a drone out to check on a man they spotted that looked odd. They verified he appeared dead and said there was a lot of blood visible.” Lei heard a rattling sound, as if he were searching for a pen. “I sent out a couple of Rangers with a radio. It’s a long hike down but they found the body off the trail that circles the top of that first cinder cone, the one you can hike out to. My men confirmed it’s a homicide, so I’m asking your team to take it from here. We’re short-staffed, so we’ll support you on this one.”

Lei was relieved there wouldn’t be a wrangle over jurisdiction. “We’re happy to take it from here. Thanks for that. What makes your team think it’s a homicide?”

“Lot of things, beginning with the fact he was tied to a small koa tree with a handmade fiber rope, and his throat was cut. A real mess.”

“Sounds bad.” Lei’s mind flashed to Goodwin; this sounded like a similarmodus operandi. She pushed through the door back into the team meeting and held up a hand for silence. The group fell quiet, all eyes on her. “Ranger Mahili, I’m putting you on speaker so my Captain and our team can listen in to what you’re reporting.”

Jacob Mahili’s deep voice sounded tinny but clear in the cell’s speakerphone. “Hey, MPD folks. We’ve got a serious homicide up here at a cinder cone in the crater. The victim was dressed in nothing but an old kine Hawaiianmalo, a loincloth. There was a ti leaf offering with him, and aleiomanoshark’s tooth club underneath him. Shark’s teeth were covered in blood, and his neck was slashed up. Cause of death looks clear, but we all use the same Medical Examiner, so Dr. Gregory can determine that for sure.”

Captain Omura gestured for Lei to approach, and then she took the phone from Lei’s hand. “Ranger Mahili, thanks for the call. We’d appreciate taking the lead on this investigation. Day before yesterday, we caught a homicide out at La Perouse. Female victim with her throat slashed by aleiomano. Sounds like a similar MO.”

“Yes, I’ve told Sergeant Texeira that we want you folks to take this one as we’re short-staffed—our investigator is off-island, and it sounds like you’re already working on a similar killing. On the plus side of helping out, we’ve got a helicopter on contract that we can use to bring your team in and also to remove the body. I’ll get them to transport the ME and any crime scene techs and investigators you can spare. Let’s get this going ASAP.”

“Thanks, Ranger Mahili. Please have your staff stay with the body and try not to contaminate any evidence in or around the area; mark it with scene tape if you have any. We’ll call Dr. Gregory and coordinate with you for the helicopter, ok?” The Captain’s tone was crisp, her demeanor all business.

“Ten-four. And what do you want me to do about those photographers who found the body? Want to speak to them?”

“Definitely,” Lei cut in. “Hold the photographers somewhere isolated; keep them from talking to anyone until we can get up there and take statements. We want to control the information that gets out about these murders. Now that there’s a second one, it’s going to get pretty crazy with rumors and the media.”

“Copy that,” said Ranger Mahili. “I can see the headlines now, and they’re not going to do our park’s PR any good. I’ll let you know when the chopper’s available to pick up Dr. Gregory and your team—shouldn’t be long. Talk soon.” He ended the call.

Lei turned wide eyes to the room. “Holy crap, that was a fast escalation. From La Perouse to the top of Haleakala in just a couple days.”

“I’m not sure it’s an escalation,” TG said, picking up a pineapple spear and taking a bite. “It sounds to me like a careful plan that’s being executed rapidly. No pun intended, as far as the execution part.” He chewed the pineapple with a wet chomping sound that made Lei wince internally, thinking of the shark-toothed murder weapon.

“You might be right, TG,” Captain Omura said. “I agree with that assessment. I want you, Lei, and Dr. Gregory to go up in the chopper and investigate the body and the crime scene. Pono can drive up to the park with Katie, and the two of them can meet up with the photographer witnesses. Interview them and make sure they keep this murder quiet. Meanwhile, I’ll arrange a press conference for tomorrow so we can get ahead of the narrative. Like Ranger Mahili said, the headlines are going to be sensational, and I’m sure that’s just what the killer wants.” She flicked her shiny red nails. “You have your orders. Get to it.”

Katie, eyes big and pigtails bouncing, held up the tablet she’d been taking notes on. “Thanks, Captain! I’m psyched to go with Pono and get out in the field, but what about that construction brick info you wanted?”

“Send it to the case file when you have it,” the Captain said, her gaze already on her laptop. “We’ll have another ti leaf offering to analyze very soon, and I’m curious to see what’s inside this one.”

15

LEI

Less than an hourafter the team meeting, Lei, Dr. Gregory, and TG trotted across the tarmac to a black helicopter with seating for four and space for cargo. Before taking their seats, they loaded the open cargo area to the rear with a foldable gurney with rugged wheels for moving the body, a heavy-duty body bag, a pop-up tent and windbreak, and other gear Dr. G needed to do his job inspecting the body on-site.

The pilot, a grizzled Iraq war veteran named Abel, directed them to sit according to weight distribution. He put Lei in front beside him, while Phil Gregory and TG, similar in weight though considerably different in build, took the rear two seats in front of the gear.

They all donned their helmets and went through a comm check. “Anyone a first-timer on a helicopter?” Abel asked through the microphone.

“Nope, we’ve all been on a chopper multiple times,” Lei replied for her teammates. “Though TG’s pretty new to the island and has never flown here before.”

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