Page 25 of Deadly Sacrifice

TG stood beside a pile of expensive-looking clothing and a camera setup, methodically photographing each item before bagging it. Wispy clouds cast fast-moving shadows across the scene.

"Designer everything," TG said, holding up a Patagonia down jacket. "And check out the victim’s wallet." He carefully opened the calfskin billfold, the leather glossy despite being tossed onto the rough‘a‘alava rocks. "Multiple platinum cards and business cards for luxury real estate developments. Here’s his: Jonas Kleftes, VP of Acquisitions, Pacific Rim Ventures." TG held up a glossy silver card with the victim’s smiling face emblazoned on it.

The brick in the ti leaf bundle took on new meaning now; its orange-red color almost matched the volcanic soil where they stood.

Lei pulled on fresh gloves, the snap of latex loud in the thin air. “This makes me wonder if Kleftes had a connection to Cheryl Goodwin.” Her voice carried strangely in the open space, making her lower it instinctively, as if in respect for the sacred ground they stood on.

“Indeed.” TG lifted the camera he’d retrieved, its expensive lens glinting. “Looks like he was here using night settings to photograph stars, but beyond whatever he was getting started with, the memory card’s full of aerial shots of undeveloped land—beachfront properties."

Anenecalled somewhere in the distance, the high-pitched honking sound echoing off the crater walls. “Maybe the perp’s making a statement about modern land grabs."

“By staging the bodies at historically significant sites with Hawaiiana trappings.” TG bagged the wallet. "First theheiau, now here at Haleakala. Places that meant something to Native Hawaiians before developers started seeing dollar signs."

Lei gazed back up at the crime scene, where Dr. Gregory worked in the shadow of the koa tree. The staged tableau of the victim wearing themalo, the shark tooth weapon and the gash it had inflicted, even the ti leaf offering seemed even more grotesque against the austere beauty of the crater. “I think you might be right.” A cloud shadow passed over them, bringing a momentary chill. "We need to find out what properties Kleftes’s company has in development right now. Could tell us where he'll strike next."

"Got his phone here too." TG held up an evidence bag containing the latest iPhone model, its screen still somehow intact. “It’s locked, but Katie should be able to crack it. Could tell us what deals he was working."

Lei nodded as another bank of clouds rolled over the crater rim, their shadows racing across the ancient landscape like dark thoughts. Two victims now, both posed in sacred places, both killed with replica weapons.

This wasn't going to stop until they found all the connections and got ahead of the twisted crusade this killer was on.

17

KATIE

Showingup on Haleakala in a pleated miniskirt and schoolgirl blouse would be plain stupid with the temperature at that elevation, so Katie begged Pono to stop by Target on their way to interview the witnesses at Haleakala National Park. She promised him a snack in return for a quick stop so she could buy some warmer clothing. At Target she bought a plain black pair of running tights and a tight-fitting, long sleeved spandex tee, along with a Spam musubi for Pono.

She used the store’s restroom and donned the layers beneath her skirt and blouse, glad she’d opted for black ballet flats as footwear that day. She took down her pigtails, too, and quickly braided her hair instead; she wanted to have a professional appearance when she conducted her first murder witness interview.

The helicopter carrying Lei, TG, and Dr. Gregory to the crime scene at the crater had left at approximately the same time as they had, and this was her first time riding in Pono’s big purple truck. She glanced at her mentor for the day, who’d devoured the musubi in a few bites. "This was always my dream, you know," Katie said to Pono. “Working up on Haleakala at the observatory.”

“Oh yeah?" Pono glanced at Katie, curiosity in his dark eyes. "Not too many jobs up on the mountain.”

"I don't know why Lei would've told you, but I majored in astronomy with a minor in computer science," Katie said. "I was hoping to get a job at the observatory on Haleakala after I graduated from University of Hawaii. Ever since we moved to the island when I was a kid, I’ve wanted to be up on the top of this volcano. Something about it calls to my soul.”

“Calls to your soul, eh?” Pono smiled at her enthusiasm and winked. “I hardly ever get up here—too much wear and tear on the vehicles unless I’m coming up the mountain for work. Not really on my radar. We’ve done a few trips up the crater as a family, though. Tiare’shalau huladanced at the lookout one time.”

"I get the thing about wear and tear on vehicles,” Katie said; the smell of Stanley’s hot engine wafted through her open window. “Anyway, after I didn’t even get an interview at the telescope, I applied for the police academy on a dare. Never expected to like it so much.”

"And the rest is history," Pono said. “Their loss is our gain,sistah. Speaking of, did you have time to look up background on our photographer witnesses?”

“I did, yeah. Just quickly. Jeff Brian is a new island resident. Clean, no record here or in California, where he’s from. Randy Hollister is a longtime island resident. Also no priors.”

Close to an hour later, they were waved through the gatehouse of Haleakala National Park after showing ID and continued on to the first visitor and service area, where Ranger Mahili had told them the two witnesses would be stashed.

Pono pulled Stanley into the visitor center’s parking area and they got out. Sure enough, the temperature was at least twenty degrees cooler than down in Kahului. A chill, biting wind spun up the side of the crater to tug Katie’s hair out of her hastily constructed braid; she held her skirt down as the wind tried to flip it up. Once the gust had passed, she reached for her beloved tablet to use for notes or recordings during the interview.

There were visitors in the gift shop area as the female ranger, a woman with a leathery complexion seasoned by years in the sun, pointed the way once they showed their IDs. "Go on through to the break room. Ranger Mahili is waiting for you with the two men you want to interview."

Katie followed Pono down a short hall to a door saying ?Staff Lounge’ which he knocked on until it abruptly opened.

Ranger Mahili was a tall, broad Hawaiian man, dignified in his National Park Service uniform. He gave Pono the kind of backslap man hug that locals used in greeting, along with a spate of rapid pidgin as they reconnected; clearly, the two knew each other socially as well as professionally. Katie tuned that out, focusing her attention on the two witnesses sitting in chairs at a plain white rectangular table. One was young and cute, the other older and grizzled.

She advanced forward, extending a hand to the younger man. "Hi. My name is Katie McHenry. I’m an investigator with Maui Police Department.” No need to add that pesky ‘intern’ label to her title.

Pono was right behind Katie as she addressed the witnesses, with his own intro and ID. "Detective Pono Kaihale. We are here for statements about your discovery."

“And I’ll leave you to it,” Ranger Mahili said. “Pono, I’ll be in my office when you’re done to fill you in with what we’ve gathered so far.”

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