Page 71 of Deadly Sacrifice

Katie looked up to meet the eyes of her mentor, Lei, standing in the doorway with a gun trained on Wilkinson. She rolled and sat up from where she’d thrown herself protectively over Helen’s semi-conscious body. “Dang it, Lei, I almost had him.”

“Almostbeing the operative word,” Lei said, keeping the gun on Wilkinson as Pono came forward, rolling the man roughly onto his belly and cuffing him. “Though my money’s always going to be on you to come out a winner in the end.”

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LEI

Three days later,clouds, caught on the crest of Haleakala, turned gold with setting sun as Lei and Stevens waited for friends and family to gather for weekly dinner at their house in Haiku. They sat in their comfy porch chairs sipping beers as they watched Rosie, Kiet, and Conan the Rottie play with a ball in the yard. Kiet would throw it, and Rosie and the dog would try to get it from each other. Much laughing and many shrieks ensued. Slack-key music and murmuring voices floated out to them from the kitchen, where Wayne, Ellen and Soga prepped food they’d brought home from Ono Grindz.

“That was a great takedown you and Katie pulled off,” Stevens said. “Even Wendy Watanabe fromMaui News Nowthinks you both are s/heroes.”

“It didn’t hurt that Helen agreed to do an interview about her ordeal and gave Katie all the praise. Helen’s articulate, and she has a face that cameras love,” Lei said. “Unfortunately she was out of it from the drugs Wilkinson shot her up with when I came in and saved the day. I ended up barely being a footnote in the tale.”

“That’s okay—you’ve got a solid enough rep that you can afford to share the spotlight with a young apprentice,” Stevens teased. “But after that story, it’s no wonder the Captain took Katie off probation and offered her a permanent job as tech investigator.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. It was amazing to see Katie knock back that freak’s kneecap and take him down with a scissors kick. I didn’t have time or a clear shot to do anything until he was flopping around on the floor.”

“Another chapter in the unfolding legend of Katie McHenry,” Stevens said. “You should have invited her up for family dinner tonight.”

“I did,” Lei exclaimed. “She said she’d come if she could bring a date. They’re on their way.”

“This ought to be interesting,” Stevens said. “I need to get eyes on whoever’s good enough for Katie.”

They looked up and watched as the gate beeped as a code was inputted; Jared’s truck drove through, closely followed by a red Honda Fit, its roof racks loaded with a couple of standup paddle boards.

“The gang’s all here.” Lei was pleased to see Kiet had pulled his much younger sister to a safe zone out of the way of the cars. Conan took in the new arrivals, gave a cursory bark at the Fit, and then danced around by the driver’s door of Jared’s truck, knowing Stevens’s brother was always good for some pets.

Lei walked down the stairs and scooped Rosie up onto her hip. “Kiet, good job with your sister. Can you please help your grandparents and set the table?”

“Sure, Mom.” He trotted off.

Jared’s wife Kathy, pretty in a flowered dress, got out of the passenger side of Stevens’s brother’s truck. “Auntie Kathy!” Rosie reached out chubby arms for a favorite of hers and Lei obliged the tot by handing her off.

Meanwhile, Katie and her date got out of the Honda and came forward. Her former intern looked adorable yet sexy in Princess Leia side buns and a tight zippered pantsuit. She held the hand of a young man Lei recognized from their recent case.

“Welcome, one and all,” Stevens said. “Katie, who’s this lucky guy?”

“This is Jeff Brian. He’s a programmer and photographer and recently moved to Maui,” Katie said. “We met on the case and waited out the statute of limitations on dating until the investigation wrapped up.”

“Aloha, Jeff,” Lei said. “Good to see you again. Your photos led to the big break in finding the ‘Kapu Killer.’ Glad I get a chance to thank you in person for sharing those pictures with the Department.”

“They would’ve been useless to anyone but Katie,” Jeff said proudly. “I can’t believe I met someone like her on this little island.” His arm slid around Katie, and the grin the two exchanged was that of someone who’d won the lottery.

Later, after dinner at the outdoor picnic table was finished and the oldest and youngest generations had gone inside to bed, stars hung above the monkeypod tree like a river of fairy lights in the sky.

“So, give me a recap,” Stevens said. “What’s the latest on the ‘Kapu Killer’?”

“Yeah. I’ve been following the events in the news,” Jared said. “Scoop us in.”

Lei tipped her Longboard Island Lager toward Katie. “You do the honors, Investigator McHenry.”

“Well, we’re building a good prosecutorial case against Wilkinson,” Katie said. “He kept his house pretty sterile. No trace in the van or garage. But his computer?” She smirked. “That’s where all the dirty was. I broke in and locked down his photo and video collection.”

“What happened to that grifter guy you were looking for?” Stevens asked. “The one blackmailing the project manager.”

“Ronald Mank. He’d bailed to the Big Island when he realized we might be getting close, but Hawaii County picked him up at the airport through facial recognition,” Lei said. “He and Beck Noble will be prosecuted for their crimes, too.”

“But the best news?” Katie’s bright smile was infectious. “Since there was no clear ownership title after Steinbrenner’s death and the dissolution of his company, the Iao Valley property is being appropriated by the State of Hawaii. They’re going to add the land to the park that’s already there. Great news for the people of Maui.”

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