Page 21

21

LEI

Lei and Pono stepped out of the Kula, Maui, mansion. Each carried a box of the evidence they had collected from Jonas Kleftes's office. Evening sun hit them, a contrast to the cool dim of the interior of the Kleftes home. As they approached Pono’s truck, Lei couldn’t help but admire the vibrant colors around them: the deep blue of the sky with its broad band of clouds, the lush greenery that framed the driveway, and the bright floral bursts of the garden’s protea flowers.

Even in death, life went on. Life would go on for Miranda Kleftes, their daughter, and the baby on the way; but their family would never be the same.

“Glad Miranda had a friend to come over,” Lei said, gesturing with her chin to an SUV that had pulled up behind them. “I would have felt really bad leaving her alone with the news.”

“It’s a real shame.” Pono unlocked his vehicle, and they loaded the boxes containing documents and the USB drives into the back seat. As they settled into the front, the seats were still warm from the sun's early heat. Pono started the engine, and the truck’s rumble and metallic smell was reassuring—a signal that they were getting back to familiar territory, back to their element.

“Alright, Stanley, let’s get this stuff back to the station without you overheating on us,” Pono said, patting the dashboard affectionately.

Lei rolled down her window, letting in a rush of air that smelled of sunbaked earth. They began the descent from Upper Kula, the landscape rolling past in a blur of pastoral beauty. The road from Kula to Kahului wound through diverse terrains: from Upcountry’s rustic charm with its jacaranda trees and sprawling pastures to more arid vistas as they passed through agricultural fields and housing.

About halfway down, the truck’s temperature gauge started to climb, a warning that Stanley was feeling the strain of the day’s multiple journeys. Pono pulled over at a shoulder as steam began to hiss from under the hood. “Dammit. I was worried that would happen. Good thing I have some coolant in the back.”

“Time for a tune-up, huh?” Lei said, stepping out of the truck.

“More like a new radiator.”

Lei leaned against the guardrail, looking out over the expansive view of central Maui spread out below them. The contrasting fields featuring citrus, coffee, and other food crops formed a patchwork of varying shades of green and brown, leading the eye out to the deep blue of the Pacific.

Pono eased the cap off and refilled the radiator. After a few minutes, he gestured to Lei to get in. “Let’s hope Stanley holds up till we get these documents secured.”

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.