“No, but I’m only going to stay on it if I can convince a third person to join Foxx and me.”
“Who’s that?”
“I’m looking at her.”
“Me?”
“Why not? Detective Parrish isn’t going to listen to me, but he needs to be convinced that he’s got the wrong people locked up.”
“I don’t know that you’ll ever convince him of that,” Alana said.
“Tavii’s wife admitted to me that she lied about seeing the murder. I also interviewed the guy who found the body, only to find out that he doesn’t actually own a dog.”
“How’s that?”
“One. We saw no evidence that a dog lived in the apartment. Two. Daniel Davis said his dog was having surgery today, but I called every vet clinic on the island pretending to be Daniel and no one had a record of having his dog. Three. He seemed really nervous about us even asking questions about the dog.”
“You have had a productive day, haven’t you? Did you try to tell Josh about any of this?” she asked.
“No. I’ve been too busy, but I’m more than willing to meet with you guys tomorrow.”
“He won’t have warm feelings about me butting into his case.”
“I get that, but better to have his ego bruised than to send the wrong people to prison,” I said.
“I don’t know, Poe. The dog thing seems like a stretch to me. Why would he lie about that? Maybe he just got rid of the dog and he felt guilty about it.”
“Why would he care what I think about that?”
“People can be weird. You know that. That makes more sense to me than some conspiracy theory.”
I didn’t know how to respond, so I said nothing.
“That thing you said about Oleen lying. Is that just your gut instinct?” Alana asked.
“No, she said it. Foxx was there too.”
“How did you get Oleen Akamu to admit to that?”
I told Alana about my hunch that Oleen was involved with Stan Cross and how I’d secretly recorded the conversation. I even played parts of it for her.
“Did you send this recording to Ruben Dalton?” she asked.
“Not yet but I will eventually. I wanted you and Detective Parrish to hear it beforehand so you wouldn’t be caught off-guard.”
“It certainly makes Stan Cross a likely suspect, unless Oleen went to him first. He might just be taking advantage of the situation. Everyone knows he’s Mele Akamu’s number one rival. I’m sure Oleen knew that too. I wouldn’t be so quick to write off Mele and Samson as the true killers. You know they lied to you already.”
It was a good point.
“How did your day go? Sorry I haven’t asked you about that until now,” I said.
“Well I have big news too. Hani called right before you got home.”
My stomach sank as I thought about my morning talk with Hani and how she’d admitted to me that she’d secretly seen her father. I wondered if she’d found the courage to tell Alana that, but then I dismissed that thought. Alana was in too good of a mood for it to have been that. There was only one thing it could be. The wedding was officially back on.
“The wedding is back on,” Alana said.
“Good. I wonder what made Hani decide that.”
“She said she thought more about it and realized that Yuto’s heart was in the right place, even if he had done something really stupid. She isn’t willing to throw their relationship away over that.”
“I’m happy for them both. It’s going to be a hell of a wedding.”
“I think so too.”
“I’m going inside to get something to eat. Let me know if you want me to call Detective Parrish tomorrow.”
“Regarding what Oleen told you, do you think she was being honest with you? Do you think she didn’t see anything?” Alana asked.
“I think Oleen will say whatever will make her the most money.”
“But that’s the point, isn’t it? A person like that makes for a horrible witness in court, regardless of whether they’re telling the truth or not. If Josh is basing his case on her word, then he’s in trouble. He has to be told.”
“I agree.”
Alana didn’t respond. I turned from her and walked back into the house. I made myself a sandwich and had a Negra Modelo. I watched television for about twenty minutes or so before I fell asleep on the sofa. When I woke, it was a few minutes after midnight. Maui was asleep on the floor in front of me. He was snoring, by the way. I managed to drag us both upstairs and immediately fell asleep again once my head hit the pillow.
It was nearly five in the morning when my phone alarm went off, which was weird since I didn’t remember setting it. Then I realized that it wasn’t my alarm. Rather, it was someone calling me. I opened one eye and glanced at the display. It was Alana.
“Hey, everything all right? I didn’t even hear you leave.”
“You were out like a light. You didn’t even hear when my phone rang earlier. I’m hoping you can do something for me,” she said.
“Sure, what is it?”
“I’m in Pe’ahi on the beach. There’s been a drowning. Can you come out here and take a look?”
“At a drowning victim? Why?”
“Because I think it might have been murder.”
“Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
I ended the call and climbed out of bed. I slipped on a t-shirt, shorts, and a ballcap and walked downstairs to my car. I opened the garage door and backed out. The sun hadn’t risen yet and the air was cool.
It took me over an hour to get to Pe’ahi. It was a pleasant drive, though, and my senses were heightened by the reason for my early morning drive. There’s something about death, especially a sudden death, that makes you feel even more alive and more appreciative of the things you still get to experience.
I thought I might have a bit of trouble finding the exact location of
