It was certainly a moral dilemma for me, but I decided to debate it another day. There was still time to let the Maui Police Department do their thing.
“There’s something else. I know I said at the beginning of this investigation that I wouldn’t find the documents that Eric stole from you, but I can give you an update on them. I met with Gracie Ito a third time since I had another hunch. It turns out that Eric left the documents with her and she destroyed them after he disappeared,” I said.
“Do you believe her?”
“I do. Besides, it’s been five years. If she still had them and wanted to hurt you, she would have used them by now.”
“I have one more question for you,” she said.
“Of course.”
“I heard there were others besides Stan Cross who saw an opportunity in my incarceration,” she said.
“Who are you referring to?”
“My grandson. I have it on good authority that Oleen wasn’t the only one who told the police about my safe hidden behind my bookcase.”
“Tavii told them too?” I asked.
She nodded.
“He and Oleen weren’t talking at that point, but they both tried the same tactic on me.”
“What exactly is your question?”
“Did you personally witness Tavii conspiring against me?”
“I think you should ask him that question yourself.”
“I will and thank you for giving me the answer. I think it’s time my grandson learned how to make his own way,” she said. “I know you officially quit working for me after meeting with my former attorney. However, I also realize you continued with your investigation in the spirit of seeing justice done. I’d like to pay you for your time.”
I heard the back door open and Samson walked through, further convincing me that he had a microphone hidden somewhere near the firepit.
“How is Detective Hu doing, by the way? I heard you had an unwelcome visitor at a party months ago,” she continued.
“My wife is fine, and yes, we did have a visitor, although I don’t know how unwelcome he is these days.”
“Please give her my best. And don’t do anything to screw up that relationship of yours. A woman like that is hard to find.”
“I know, and I will do my best to hold on to her.”
Samson arrived a second later and he handed me an envelope. I didn’t bother looking at the check then and there. That would have been tacky.
“Thank you both, and might I say once more how happy I am that the truth finally came out,” I said.
“I was correct when we met months ago, Mr. Rutherford. You and I are going to be good friends,” Mrs. Akamu said.
I smiled.
“Mrs. Akamu, Mr. Opunui, I wish you both a good day,” I said.
Samson escorted me back to my car. He thanked me again. We said goodbye once more and I climbed into my car. I started the engine, turned my Pet Shop Boys playlist on again, and drove off.
I stopped once I was out of their view and opened the envelope since I was dying to know the amount of the check. Forgive me for not telling you the specific number but pick the most outrageous number you can. Then double it. Now double it again, and you’ll be getting a little closer.
I felt a bit awkward taking Mele Akamu’s money, especially since I knew it had more than likely come from illegal activities. I decided to do what I usually do, though, and I drove to the Maui Animal Center. I endorsed the back of the check and then handed it to Apikalia, the center’s director. She just about fainted when she saw the amount, and I had to help her over to a nearby chair. Once she regained her composure, I thanked her for the service she provided to our furry friends and wished her and her staff a good day.
I had one more stop to make. I was off to the airport in Kahului.
35
The First Law
I’m sure you noticed the title of my mystery tale, Poe’s First Law. I think it’s well past time for me to reveal what it is. My first law is this: Anyone is capable of murder. As an investigator, it’s important for me to view everyone as a suspect, which is something I failed to do in my early cases. Everyone is flawed, and everyone is capable of doing horrible things if you push the right buttons. It’s human nature and humans are anything but predictable. The point is that you have to expect the unexpected, and the man investigating the murder may, in fact, be the murderer.
As I wrap up this tale, I’m also well aware of the fact that you may have issues with the notion that I worked for a criminal. Trust me when I say that I shared those same misgivings. So, why did I do it? That’s an easy question to answer and I believe I alluded to it earlier in this story. My goal has always been to find the truth, and the truth in this situation was that Mele Akamu was innocent. Despite Eric Ellis turning against her, she didn’t kill him and neither did Samson.
Although I’d solved the case, I was beyond disappointed that the guilty party walked free. I also knew that the case of Eric Ellis was not the last time I’d interact with Detective Josh Parrish. Speaking of which…
I was about halfway between the Maui Animal Center and the airport in Kahului when I noticed a dark sedan quickly approaching from behind. A moment later, red and blue lights flashed on the front grill of the car. The lights were accompanied by a loud whooping sound. I pulled off to the side of the road. I’ll give you one guess as to who it was.
I pulled out my phone and opened a recording application. I was
