Page 33 of Deadly Sacrifice

As they resumed their drive, Lei’s phone rang. The ID flashed Dr. Gregory, the Medical Examiner. She answered on speakerphone.

“Lei, Pono, I’ve got my own tox screen setup here at the lab. Dr. Tanaka ran blood from both of our recent victims, and we’ve got preliminary tox results on Cheryl Goodwin and Jonas Kleftes,” Dr. Gregory’s voice was grave, a stark contrast to the vibrant landscape speeding by outside.

“What did you find, Doc?” Pono asked, his eyes on the road.

“Both victims were dosed with Rohypnol prior to their deaths, as we suspected. High doses, too. It looks like they were incapacitated before the killer proceeded with . . . what he did to them.”

Lei felt a chill despite the waning warmth of the day. “Rohypnol . . . that’s premeditation. The killer didn’t want to take any chances his victims would get away.”

“Exactly,” Dr. Gregory confirmed. “This killer was careful and put a lot of planning into each murder. Goodwin was raped, but Kleftes wasn’t—no sign of any sexual activity on his body.”

“Maybe the rape was opportunistic with Goodwin, then,” Lei said. “Any trace on either body, now that you have them both in the morgue?”

“No, nothing. I’ll keep looking, though.”

“Thanks, Dr. G. Keep us posted on any more findings,” Lei said as she ended the call. The rest of the drive was silent, as each of them thought over the implications of the new information.

The landscape shifted to the more urban scenery of Kahului as they reached the junction with Hana Highway. They passed the bustling harbor, the air filled with the tang of seawater and diesel. The streets became busier, the traffic moving beneath the swirl of coconut palms lining the avenues.

Arriving at the Kahului Police Station, the truck gave a cough and a shudder before Pono killed the engine. “That didn’t sound good,” Lei said.

“My next stop is the mechanic,” Pono said. “If Stanley makes it that far.”

They gathered the documents and USB drives, heading inside.

The police station was a flurry of activity, but Lei and Pono moved through the chaos with a single-minded focus. They headed straight to the evidence room, where Lei began the process of logging the documents and drives. The air in the evidence room was cool and dry, the hum of the air-conditioning a backdrop to their work.

“Make sure everything is tagged correctly. We might need to act fast depending on what we find in these files,” Pono said.

Lei nodded. Every piece of paper, every byte of data on those drives, could hold the key to unraveling the mystery surrounding the deaths of Cheryl Goodwin and Jonas Kleftes. Lei called down to Katie’s Cave, but her intern didn’t pick up. She texted, but no dots appeared in reply. “Dang. I want Katie on those USB drives. I’ll sic her on them tomorrow since it looks like she’s gone home. But for now, we need to update Captain Omura and call it a day.”

With the evidence secured, Lei and Pono headed to their cubicles.

“I’ll check so see if the Captain’s available.” He picked up the phone and spoke briefly. “She wants us in her office now. Says Katie’s in the building and will be joining us.”

“Good. Let’s do it.” Lei dropped her jacket over the back of her chair, and they headed to the Captain’s office.

22

LEI

Lei and Ponoentered Captain Omura’s office, a room that mirrored her no-nonsense approach to law enforcement. The walls were lined with commendations and photographs of her with various dignitaries, a testament to her decades of service. The room smelled faintly of the green tea she often sipped throughout the day.

Captain Omura had a sharp gaze that took in every detail of their appearance as they entered. “Have a seat,” she said, gesturing to the chairs in front of her desk.

Lei and Pono sat, and a moment later, Katie burst into the room. Her youthful energy was almost palpable, a stark contrast to the weariness Lei was feeling after the sad visit to the Kleftes residence. She carried a stack of printouts and a laptop, which she set down with a clatter on the captain's desk. “I take it you need room for your computer,” Captain Omura said flatly. “This better be good.”

“Oh, it is,” Katie said, brushing a lock of hair escaping from her bicolored braid away from her face. “I’ve got something you need to see.”

“Pono, get a chair for our intern,” Captain Omura said, leaning forward to move her monitor aside. Her interest was clearly piqued.

“No worries,” Katie said, bouncing out the door. “I’ll grab one from the hall.” She returned with a molded plastic seat and wedged it between the larger chairs Lei and Pono sat in. She then opened her laptop and quickly brought up a series of documents. “Both Cheryl Goodwin and Jonas Kleftes were involved in a major real estate deal together—a luxury condo development on the west side. And get this—the bricks used in the development are the same type found with the bodies.”

Lei exchanged a glance with Pono. “That can’t be a coincidence.”

“No, it can’t,” Pono agreed, his brow furrowed.

“There’s more. They were part of a development group in charge of the project that includes four key members: the main developer, David Steinbrenner, whose brainchild it is, the project manager, Beck Noble, and our victims. Given that, I’m worried Steinbrenner and Noble might be next on the killer’s list.”

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