Page 26

26

LEI

Lei’s eyes flicked between the road and the rearview mirror, watching as Pono and Noble followed closely behind her as she drove from Iao Valley to the Kahului Police Station. Pono would keep an eye on Noble as the program manager followed her in. If the man tried anything, her partner would handle it.

Soon they pulled into the parking lot, and the familiar cube of a cement station building loomed ahead. Lei parked her truck and waited for Pono and Beck to pull in beside her. After they all stepped out of their vehicles, Lei approached Noble, her expression serious.

“We’ll head inside now. I called ahead, and the interview room is ready. Let’s go through the last few days step-by-step, Mr. Noble. If there’s anything you know that might help us find out who is responsible for these murders—anything at all—it could help save lives.”

Noble swallowed hard, his face pale. “I’ll . . . I’ll tell you everything I can,” he said.

Lei led the way into the station. Pono walked beside Noble, his tall, solid form a quiet but unmistakable presence of authority. They passed through the main entrance and moved through the station toward the interview rooms.

Lei kept turning over the details—the strange ritualistic killings, the shadowy figure in the lava fields, and the growing sense that something bigger was at play.

Hopefully, with Beck Noble in protective custody, the pieces would start falling into place; and at the very least, the man would be safe while they held him—though he wasn’t going to like that.

The interview room felt colder than usual, its stark white walls and harsh fluorescent lighting amplifying the anxiety Noble seemed to be feeling. The program manager sat at the metal table on a bolted-down chair. His hands were clasped tightly, his knuckles white. His eyes kept flicking around the room, as if searching for an escape.

Lei and Pono seated themselves across from him. Lei stated the date, time, and persons present, informing Noble the interview was being recorded. Behind the one-way mirror on one side of the room, Captain Omura would be silently observing them, and the thought sharpened Lei’s focus. She leaned forward slightly, her voice steady but probing. “Let’s go over your movements for the last few days, Mr. Noble. Start with yesterday.”

Noble shifted in his seat, his skin greasy looking under the fluorescent lights. “Yesterday, I was at the office in Wailuku. Same place that Steinbrenner works out of, but he has the whole top floor. I was there the whole day, mostly on the phone, one quick trip to the site to sign for a delivery. I didn’t leave until six.”

“And after you left the office?” Lei asked, her tone neutral but pressing.

Noble hesitated, his eyes darting toward the one-way mirror, then back to Lei. “I went home.”

“That’s it?” Lei pressed. “No one can confirm that?”

“I live alone,” Noble said, his voice defensive now. “There’s no one to confirm anything.”

Lei made a note, her expression unreadable, then continued. “What about the day before? Did you have any contact with David Steinbrenner?”

Noble swallowed hard, his hands clenching and unclenching on the table. “No. We talked on the phone in the morning, just about the delays with the project, but I haven’t seen him in person for a few days.”

Lei’s gaze didn’t leave Noble’s. “Let’s talk about Goodwin and Kleftes.”

Beck Noble’s face drained of color at the mention of the victims’ names. He shifted as if uncomfortable in his seat. “I barely knew Kleftes. He was the moneyman—he handled the funding. We had some meetings, but we weren’t close.”

“And Goodwin?” Lei asked, her voice pointed. “You were both single. Did you spend time together?”

Noble hesitated for a moment longer this time. “We had drinks a few times, but she wasn’t my type. She was more involved in the project than Kleftes. I saw her at a weekly meeting in David’s office. But . . . we didn’t hang out or anything. It was just business.”

Lei leaned back slightly, her gaze never wavering. “But you were all part of the same project. Kleftes, Goodwin, Steinbrenner, and you. All the main players of Kuleana.”

Noble’s lips tightened, and he shifted in his seat again. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I?—”

Lei cut him off, her voice firm. “Two of your colleagues are dead, Mr. Noble. David Steinbrenner, the head of your project, is missing. You’re the only one left. If you’re not involved, why are you the last man standing?”

Noble’s face flushed. “I don’t know! I swear, I don’t know who’s doing this. I’m just the project manager!”

Pono, who had been silent up to this point, leaned forward slightly, his deep voice cutting through the man’s bluster. He held his hands open, palms down, and made a calming motion. “We just want to understand your role, Mr. Noble. It’s a big project with a lot of people involved, but you’re one of the top players. Someone’s targeting those players. You’ve got to see why we’re asking these questions.”

Mr. Noble ran a hand through his hair, and his frustration bubbled to the surface. “I don’t know who’s targeting us. I have a good relationship with the contractor, the architect, even the workers. As far as I know, all of our crew is onboard with the job even though it’s been controversial. I swear, I don’t know anything about these murders!”

Lei’s eyes narrowed. “Really. You have no idea why someone would want to take out your partners?”

Noble’s breathing quickened. He glanced at the one-way mirror again, as if realizing just how deep he was in; then his face hardened. “I want a lawyer.” His voice was shaky but determined. “I’m done talking with you.”

Lei nodded, her voice calm but unyielding. “That’s your right. But until we can verify your movements and clear you of any involvement, we’re going to hold you for seventy-two hours. For your own protection. Right now, you’re the only remaining member of Kuleana Development that we have found, and maybe you have the most to gain if your partners are gone. We need time to check that out.”

Noble’s face twisted in anger. “You can’t do that!”

“We can, and we are.” Lei stood up slowly, her eyes cold. “We’re not saying you’re involved. But you’re in danger, Mr. Noble. And until we know for sure that you’re innocent—and safe—we’re not letting you go.”

Beck Noble slammed his fist on the table. “This is bullshit! I’m not involved in any of this! I want my lawyer.”

Lei didn’t respond to his outburst. “We’ll see that you get your phone call.” She nodded to Pono, and together they stepped out of the room, leaving Noble sitting there.

Out in the hallway, they found Captain Omura waiting, her arms crossed as she watched them approach. Beside her, practically bouncing with excitement, was Katie McHenry. “Lei, you were awesome. And Pono, OMG! You have that scary tiki god face down. Noble looked like he was pooping his pants.”

“Don’t make me regret inviting you to watch the interview, McHenry.” Omura rolled her eyes. “Well? What do you think about this guy?”

Lei sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “He’s got no alibi, Captain. Says he was at home, but there’s no one to confirm it. He’s rattled, but that doesn’t mean he’s guilty.”

Pono nodded in agreement. “Yeah, he’s definitely nervous. Could be he’s just scared because he’s the next target, but we can’t rule him out as a suspect.”

“He’s either hiding something or he’s genuinely terrified—and if he’s not involved, then maybe he knows something he doesn’t know. Either way, keeping him here for as long as we can is the safest option for him. We need time to figure out where Steinbrenner is and whether Noble’s telling the truth about his role,” Lei said.

Omura nodded. “He’s invoked his right to a lawyer, but even so we can hold him for that seventy-two. I’ll sign off on it. If someone’s hunting down the people involved with Kuleana, we’re doing him a favor by keeping him in custody.”

“We’ll let him get his lawyer in here, then go through everything again. In the meantime, we’ll keep digging into his background and see if there’s anything there that might point to why someone would want to take out the whole Kuleana team,” Pono recapped.

“On it!” Katie sang, and practically skipped down the hall toward the stairs to her basement lair.

“We need to check in with Dispatch on our BOLO on Steinbrenner,” Lei said after a moment. “See if there’s any news.”

Pono nodded. “And let’s see if we can get a search warrant for Noble’s residence. Shuffle through his place, see what we can find.”

Omura snorted. “Not enough probable cause.”

“Worth an ask. I’ve got a judge who owes me a favor,” Pono said.

“I didn’t hear that,” Omura said.

Pono threw her a two-fingered salute and a grin and headed down the hall. “Keep you posted,” he called back.

Lei exchanged a glance with the Captain. “I’ll get Noble his phone call, and we’ll see where things go.”

“And meanwhile, I can tell you that no one’s seen or heard from David Steinbrenner,” Captain Omura said. “Let’s treat his situation as an abduction going forward.”

“Only there won’t be a ransom call on this one, most likely,” Lei said. “I’ve got a bad feeling.”