Wedding Day Dead: A Murder on Maui Mystery Page 7

  I left the house and drove to the marina where Foxx said he’d seen Alana the other night. I parked and walked down to the dock. There was crime-scene tape blocking the entrance to the stern of Panos’ boat. I looked down on the spot Alana and I had sat just a week ago. I remembered us dangling our legs over the side as we looked out to the ocean. I wondered if I should call her and tell her about my new agreement with Panos’ mother, but I decided not to. She would be against it, and I had no desire to have another argument with her. I still didn’t know where we stood regarding our relationship. I wasn’t even sure we had a relationship anymore. I couldn’t believe the terrible turn my life had taken in such a short time, and I felt guilty for even complaining about it. At least I was still alive. I had a second chance to make things right. Panos didn’t. I decided at that moment to stop feeling sorry for myself. It wasn’t helping anyone, least of all me. It certainly wasn’t going to help me solve the murder of Panos.

  I drove back to the house and went for another run despite having done one that morning. When I got back to the house, I found Foxx and Michelle sitting by the pool.

  “You’re gonna run those legs of yours right off,” Foxx said. “What have you done? Three marathons this week?”

  I smiled.

  “How are you Michelle?” I asked.

  “I’m okay. I’ve spent most of the week at Alana’s. Hani’s been living there.”

  “How is she making out?”

  “Like you’d expect. The police have been coming and going and always asking her the same questions.”

  That didn’t make any sense, but I just decided to let it go.

  “I’m sure she’s glad you’re there for her. It’s really nice of you,” I said.

  “It’s not a problem.”

  “How is Alana? I assume she’s been at work the majority of the time.”

  “Yeah, she hasn’t been home that much, and when she’s there, we can’t get much out of her. Hani keeps asking her about the case, but all Alana says is that they’re still working it. Between you and me, I don’t think they have any idea who killed Panos,” she said.

  “Well, she has to keep everything to herself. It’s just police policy. She can’t even tell family members.”

  “I understand, but it’s more than that. She’s just really frustrated with that detective. Alana seems to make sure she’s at the house when he comes by to interview Hani. I don’t know Alana as well as you guys do, but it doesn’t take a mind reader to see she’s really annoyed with him.”

  “Alana will set him straight. She’s one tough cookie,” Foxx said.

  Michelle looked up at me and smiled.

  “You know she talks about you all the time.”

  “Who?” I asked.

  “Alana, of course. All she says is ‘Poe this’ and ‘Poe that.’ She really thinks the world of you.”

  “Have you two had a chance to talk?” Foxx asked me.

  I shook my head.

  “Not since the day after they found Panos.”

  “Maybe you should give her a call,” he suggested.

  “I think she needs more time.”

  I told Foxx and Michelle about my conversation with Panos’ mother and how I intended to start on the case the next morning.

  “Please don’t say anything to Hani and especially Alana,” I said to Michelle. “I know she wouldn’t want me interfering with a police investigation.”

  “But you’re going to do it anyway,” Foxx said.

  I nodded.

  “Good for you. It will get you off that damn sofa.” Foxx smiled.

  “Do you know where you’re going to start?” Michelle asked.

  I told her how I’d asked Daphne to write up a list of people she thought didn’t like Panos. I had no idea how long that list might be. I knew Wes, the co-owner of the restaurant, certainly was mad at Panos, but was he angry enough to cut his throat? Then there was Makani, Hani’s old boyfriend. Panos thoroughly humiliated him at the rehearsal party. Had Makani gotten his revenge later that night? Those were just two people I accidentally found out about in only a week of being around Panos. Logic said there were probably many more, maybe even dozens more. The man was a force of nature who had to have attracted as many detractors as admirers. Finding his killer would not be easy, even if I could identify him or her at all.

  VII

  Detective Adcock

  I got up early the next morning and tried to remember all the little tricks I had learned while interviewing people during Lauren’s murder investigation. I was about to leave for Daphne’s house when the doorbell rang. I was hoping it might be Alana, but it was some guy I’d never met.

  “Hello, can I help you?” I asked.

  “Yes, I’m looking for Mr. Rutherford.”

  “That’s me.”

  “I’m Detective Glen Adcock. May I come in and ask you a few questions?”

  The detective was in his late fifties. He was average height and a little heavy - even for his age. He had salt-and-pepper hair. His most distinguishing feature was easily a pair of fuzzy black eyebrows. They were so long and thick that they threatened to migrate across his forehead and join the hair on top of his head. I found it difficult not to stare at those caterpillars. Since they were obviously right above his eyes, I could only hope he thought I was making solid eye contact with him instead of gawking at those beasts.

  Alana described the man as an idiot, so I was tempted to shut the door in his face. I knew Daphne had no faith in him either, but I stepped back and allowed him to enter. He followed me into the living room. Maui the dog was lying on the floor near the sofa. He opened one eye when he heard us enter. He growled at the detective, which made three negative opinions against the guy. I didn’t offer him anything to drink. I just wanted to get whatever this conversation was going to be over with as quickly as possible. I gestured to the sofa, and he sat down, while I took a chair off to the side.

  “What can I do for you, Detective?”

  “You may or may not know this, but I’m heading up the investigation into the death of Panos Laskaris.”

  “Alana told me you were the lead on the case.”

  “So you still talk to Detective Hu?”

  “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

  “Word is that you two are on the outs.”

  “Excuse me, Detective, but I’m not sure what business that is of yours.”

  “So you’re denying it?” he asked.

  “I’m not denying or confirming. I’m simply saying it’s none of your business.”

  “Oh, but it is very much my business. I’ve been told by multiple witnesses that you and the deceased had a disagreement at the rehearsal party the night he was killed.”

  “I really don’t know why anyone would say that. There was no disagreement.”

  “So you were okay with him kissing your ex-girlfriend?” he asked.

  I knew what he was trying to do. Despite knowing this rather obvious interrogation tactic, I still found myself highly annoyed by the guy.

  “I’m not sure I understand what you’re getting at. Why don’t you make things a lot easier for both of us and just tell me what you want to know. I have somewhere I need to be.”

  “And where is that?”

  “Again, it’s none of your business.”

  Pissing off a police detective probably wasn’t the best course of action, but I didn’t see what good it would do to tell him I was going to see Daphne and start a second investigation that would be competing with his. I also didn’t want to lie to him and have it come back on me at a later date.

  “Why are you being hostile with me?” he asked.

  “I apologize, Detective, but please, tell me what you would like to know.”

  “Very well. Where were you the night Panos was killed?”

  “I was here. I left the party and came directly back here.”

  “And was there someone here who can vouch for you?”

  “Just the d
og.”

  “You think this is cute, Mr. Rutherford?”

  “No, I don’t think it’s cute. A man has been murdered, and judging from your presence here, you’ve made zero progress on the case.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because if you’re questioning me as a potential killer, then you don’t have the slightest idea who murdered Panos. I would never hurt anyone. I’ve certainly never killed anyone. This lead is a complete dead end for you.”

  “So you wouldn’t want to hurt Mr. Laskaris even if he was banging your girlfriend?”

  Detective Adcock smiled. I smiled right back.

  “Is there anything else, Detective?” I asked.

  “Not at the moment, but I’ll probably be back in the near future.”

  “Of course. But please call first and make an appointment to waste my time. I have a very busy schedule and most likely won’t be here.”

  “Of course.”

  We both stood, and I walked him to the door. He turned to me before he left the house.

  “Shame about you and Alana. She’s quite beautiful,” he said.

  “Yes, but ‘stunning’ is the more appropriate word to describe her.”

  He turned and exited the house. I watched him all the way to his car, and then I shut the door as calmly as I could.

  His last comment gave it all away. He wanted Alana for himself, and he resented me for dating her, or having dated her, whatever the status of our relationship was at that moment.

  Alana was right. The guy was a first-class asshole. This was his case, so I had no doubt I’d eventually run into him again, especially since I was about to start my own investigation. He would tell me to back off, maybe even threaten me. I didn’t care. I was even more determined at that moment to find the killer myself just so I could shove it in his face.

  VIII

  Peter Bell

  I drove over to Daphne’s house and rang the doorbell. I was greeted by Kalena again.

  “Hello,” I said. “I have an appointment with Daphne.”

  “Yes, she told me you’d be coming by this morning. She’s in her mother’s sitting room.”

  Kalena escorted me to the back of the house even though I remembered the way from my previous visit. When we entered the room, I saw Daphne standing by the window and looking out at the ocean.

  “May I get either of you something to drink?” Kalena asked.

  “No, thank you,” I said.

  “Ms. Laskaris?” Kalena asked.

  Daphne shook her head. Kalena smiled and left the room.

  Daphne motioned to one of the chairs, and I sat down. She sat opposite me in the same seat her mother had been in before.

  “How’s your mother this morning?” I asked.

  “She’s already left for California.”

  “Already?”

  “She just came here to get Panos’ body. His funeral will be in a few days.”

  “Have you made the list for us?” I asked.

  Daphne picked up a small piece of paper on the table beside her chair and handed it to me. There were several names on the list, two of which I immediately recognized, Wes and Makina, the co-owner of the overpriced restaurant and the ex-boyfriend of Hani who wanted her back. There were a few other names I didn’t know, but the last name on the list was the most intriguing one of all. Mine. I guess she could tell by the look on my face that I’d read to the bottom of the list.

  “You asked me to write down everyone I thought might want to harm Panos,” she said.

  “Yes, you were right to put my name down, so let’s get this out of the way before we proceed with our investigation.”

  I laid the list down on my lap.

  “Ask me any question you want to?” I said.

  She asked me nothing, but I already knew what her questions were.

  “I left the party after I saw your brother kissing Alana. I didn’t leave the house for a few days because I couldn’t stop feeling sorry for myself.”

  “I want you to know I was against my mother’s suggestion that we hire you for this job.”

  “Then why did you mention my involvement in a murder investigation?” I asked. “It sounds to me like you encouraged your mother to hire me. I didn’t ask for this assignment. I did everything I could to talk her out of it.”

  “As you know, my mother can be very insistent. She kept asking me to find her the name of someone who could do an independent investigation. I think it should be left up to the police, though,” she said.

  “Your mother told me you didn’t have confidence in Detective Adcock,” I said.

  “I don’t, but I don’t see how we can do much better. We don’t have the authority to investigate anyone.”

  “That’s exactly why we may succeed. They’ll never see us coming. The badge is bound to make people nervous, whereas you’re the grieving sister. There’s a good chance people will let their guards down around you. Our job is to pay attention closely and listen for inconsistencies in their stories. Sooner or later, the lies will be revealed.”

  Daphne said nothing. I could sense the wheels in her head turning. She wasn’t sure if she could trust me. I understood. We didn’t know each other well at all, but at the same time, I knew she’d probably rather be out there trying to solve her brother’s murder than sitting in this house waiting for an incompetent detective to catch a lucky break. And let’s face it - that was the only way Adcock would be able to solve this thing. The killer would have to walk into the police station, confess to Adcock directly, and then lock him or herself up because the detective would probably still not comprehend what was going on.

  “I don’t mind working alone, if you’d prefer not to come with me,” I said.

  “No, I’ll be fine. Who would you like to interview first?”

  I looked at her list again. I read the first name on the list.

  “Peter Bell works at the marina. Is that correct?” I asked.

  “Yes, he’s the one who found Panos’ body.”

  “Then he’s our first interview.”

  Daphne and I left her house and took my convertible to the marina in Lahaina where Panos’ boat was docked. The traffic was fortunately light, and we made good time. We entered the marina manager’s office and asked the young woman behind the counter for Peter Bell, only to be informed that he was touring the marina with a customer. We were told we could wait for him, so we decided to walk the docks until he returned.

  “What made you add Peter to the list?” I asked.

  “Panos’ boat used to belong to Peter. He has a gambling problem and came to Panos, asking for a loan. Panos took advantage of the situation and instead made him an offer on his boat.”

  “Let me guess. He got it for substantially less than it was worth,” I said.

  “Peter was understandably reluctant to sell it to him for that price. Panos told him he could buy it back for the same price once he got back on his feet, but when he tried to buy it back a year later, Panos refused to sell it to him.”

  Great guy, I thought.

  “I assume Peter was pretty upset.”

  “He was furious. He threatened Panos, but Panos only laughed.”

  “What exactly do you mean when you say ‘threatened him?’ Did he tell him he would hurt him?”

  “No, nothing like that. I was there when it happened. He came by the house and demanded the boat back. When Panos refused, Peter told him he would tell all of our friends that Panos had taken advantage of him. Panos told him to go ahead. Panos said that Peter would only be exposing himself as a gambler. Peter dropped it. Maybe he was worried that he would lose his job if the truth about his finances came out.”

  Daphne looked past me toward the gate near the front of the dock.

  “There he is now,” she said.

  I turned and saw a tall, blond man about the same age as Panos talking to an older gentleman. The two shook hands, and then the blond guy turned and walked toward us. I could see his expressi
on change once he noticed Daphne. His wide smile vanished and was replaced by a decidedly depressed look. I couldn’t tell if he was upset because he didn’t like Daphne or if he just didn’t want to be reminded of Panos again.

  “Hello, Peter,” Daphne said.

  “Hello,” he responded.

  Peter looked at me suspiciously.

  “This is my friend, Poe,” Daphne said.

  “Hello,” I said, extending my hand.

  He hesitated a moment and then shook my hand.

  “We wanted to ask you a few questions,” she said.

  “Actually, I’m late for my next appointment.”

  “It will just take a couple of minutes,” I said.

  “It would really help us out,” Daphne said.

  “Okay.”

  “Where did you first meet Panos?” I asked.

  “At his restaurant in Lahaina. I would go there a few times a month, and we’d talk at the bar. One day I invited him out on the boat.”

  “How did you find Panos’ body?” I asked.

  “I already went over this with the police,” he said.

  “I’m sure, but it would help us if you could go over it again.”

  “Why? Are you a private investigator or something?”

  “Or something,” I said.

  “Maybe I should call my lawyer.”

  “We don’t think you had anything to do with this, Peter. We’re just trying to get some information that might help us,” Daphne said.

  Peter looked past us, perhaps searching for his next client. Finally, he turned back to us.

  “I was walking the dock that night when I saw blood. It was on the dock boards right below his boat. I thought someone might have been hurt, so I climbed onboard.”

  “What were you doing on the dock that night?” I asked.

  “I have a friend who lets me use his boat sometimes. I planned to take it out the next morning, and I was taking some supplies down to it.”

  “And it’s docked near Panos’ boat?”

  “That’s right. Just a few slips down from his.”

  “It must get pretty dark down there. How did you notice the blood?”