Page 37 of Deadly Sacrifice

There was a brief pause on the other end, followed by a slight rustling sound, like Helen was adjusting the phone. “David’s not here right now. He left for work this morning, like usual. Can I help you with something, Detective?”

“Sergeant Texeira, please.” Lei said.

“And you can call me Helen.”

“Thank you, Helen. You’re sure he went to work?”

“Yes. David left early—said he had meetings all day in Wailuku. Why? Is something wrong?”

Lei glanced down at the notes on her desk, working through the possibilities. “I tried reaching him earlier, but he hasn’t answered his phone,” Lei said. “I left a message, but I was hoping to speak with him as soon as possible. Have you heard from him since he left this morning?”

Lei could hear unease creeping into Helen’s voice as she spoke. “No, I haven’t. David usually calls or texts me around lunchtime, but it’s still early. Is this about the police patrol you sent last night?”

Lei’s brow furrowed. “Yes. I wanted to follow up on that too. Did the officers report anything unusual near your property?”

Helen hesitated. “I didn’t speak with them. David thought the whole thing was a bit silly. He spoke to them outside, wouldn’t tell me what it was about. He came in and kept saying he didn’t need police watching the house. He’s . . . well, you know, he’s confident. He just went about his business this morning, like nothing was wrong.”

That sent a chill down Lei’s spine. The man should’ve been on high alert, after two of his colleagues had been brutally murdered.

“Helen,” Lei said, her voice lowering with concern, “I’m going to be honest with you. We have reason to believe that David might be in danger. As you may know, two people connected to David’s development project have already been killed, and we’re concerned . . .”

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. “No, I didn’t know that. David doesn’t talk with me about his work. You think . . . someone’s going after him?”

“We don’t know for sure,” Lei said carefully. “But it’s a possibility we can’t ignore. I need to locate David as soon as possible. You said he went to work in Wailuku. Do you know if he had any specific meetings scheduled? Anywhere I might be able to find him?”

Helen’s voice trembled slightly. “He didn’t mention any specifics to me. Just that he’d be at the office most of the day. He hasn’t been acting like he’s in any danger, Sergeant Texeira. Are you sure?—”

“I understand this is a lot to take in,” Lei interrupted gently. “But it’s very important that we locate him. You said he hasn’t called you yet today?”

“No. He usually calls around noon. It’s only eleven now.”

If David had gone to work as usual, there was a chance he was fine. Maybe he was just tied up in meetings, oblivious to the growing threats closing in around him. But there was an equal chance that something had already happened. That he wasn’t answering his phone combined with his dismissive attitude toward their warnings meant he was vulnerable, at least.

“We’re going to do everything we can to make sure David is safe,” Lei told Helen. “I’ll go out to his office now to check on him. In the meantime, if you hear from him, please have him call me right away.”

“I will,” Helen said, her voice tight with worry. “Please make him take this seriously, Sergeant Texeira.”

Lei hung up, her hand gripping the phone tightly for a moment before she set it down. She stood, feeling the weight of the case. She couldn’t shake the feeling that time was running out—for someone—and Steinbrenner was the most likely target.

She grabbed her keys and headed for the door, bumping into her partner as he came in, carrying a mug of coffee. “Pono! Throw that in a car cup. We’re going to David Steinbrenner’s Wailuku office. He might already be missing.”

* * *

Lei and Ponostepped out of Lei’s truck and made their way into the cool, modern lobby of Steinbrenner’s office building in Wailuku. The receptionist, a young woman who looked like she belonged in a high-end boutique rather than a downtown office suite, glanced up from her desk as they approached. “Can I help you?”

“Good afternoon,” Lei said, flashing her badge. “I’m Detective Lei Texeira, and this is my partner, Detective Pono Kaihale. We’re looking for David Steinbrenner. Is he in today?”

The receptionist blinked, her perfectly manicured fingers hovering over her keyboard. “Mr. Steinbrenner? He . . . hasn’t come in today. He had a meeting scheduled this morning, but he never showed up.”

Lei exchanged a quick glance with Pono. This was confirming what she had feared—Steinbrenner was in the wind.

“Has he called or left any messages?” Lei asked, keeping her voice calm but firm.

The receptionist shook her head. “No, nothing. We’ve tried reaching him as well, but . . . no response.”

Lei’s jaw tightened. “We need to check his office,” she said, the urgency in her tone making it clear this wasn’t a request.

Surprisingly, the receptionist didn’t argue. She simply stood, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she led them to the elevator. “I’ll need to unlock the door for you. His office is on the third floor.”

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