"Let's park in the paid lot. I don't know how long we will be here for and I hate the metered shit."

"When is Honolulu going to rip those out?"

"Never. They will be here till the end of time. The Pacific Ocean will swallow us up whole one day and these damn meters will still be there, providing a reminder of human stupidity underneath the waters."

Detective Keele pointed the direction for the lot by Diamond Head. I am with them in the back of the police SUV. It's a blacked out model that is used for detectives. No one can tell police are driving it. They are on their way to see Tio's grandmother, she lives in a rich neighborhood at the base of the iconic peak. It's early afternoon, just barely past lunchtime. Perfect for surprising people. 

"Hopefully she cooperates."

"She might not. Ohana are protective, you know that."

"Yeah...true. I can hope right?"

Detective Keele chuckled. 

"Hope is all we have most of the time. Don't ever lose it. If you do, time to quit."

Detective Jones parks between two Jeeps that had seen better days and we all get out. This lot is usually full but today they got lucky. Tourists buzzed around as they walk, all clamoring to get water from their rental cars and sunscreen. Shade is not a thing on Diamond Head. 

"The grandmother is in her early 90's and she used to be married to a lawyer. He died some years back and left her a fortune in assets and life insurance."

"This better go well. I don't want to spar with any tutu's today."

"What did you think of the last guy, Filau?"

"He shot up to the top of the list."

They walk in silence as the breeze hits their faces, helping to dry the beads of sweat beginning to form. It is hot out but I don't feel it. The sensation of the outdoors is muted, or effectively dead to me, no pun intended. We round a corner and begin to get into the multi-million dollar homes. I had no idea Tio lived in such opulence. Not that it would have changed how I treated him. 

A huge house with an impressive lawn comes into view. It was simply beautiful. Palms dot the driveway along with strategic tropical plants and grasses. Tio has it good!

"You weren't kidding about her getting a fortune in assets! Holy shit this place is massive!"

They walk to the front door and ring the bell and step back, so as to give the elderly woman some room to not be frightened. She appears at the door very quickly. Maybe she saw them coming?

"Yes?"

"Ma'am, we are detectives with the Honolulu Police Department, here to ask you a few questions about your grandson. May we come in?"

Tio's grandmother looks worried but nods her head and steps aside to let them in. I follow as well. The grand foyer is as beautiful as the outside, with a direct shot through the house to the lanai out back and the sparkling waters of the ocean beyond.

"My grandson might have killed that girl."

🩸

The living room is nicely appointed with overstuffed elegant furniture in muted tones. It looks like a showroom from a rich store. I had decent furniture in my place but nothing like this. Tio was so lucky he had no idea. 

"Why do you think he might have killed her?"

She hobbles slowly then plops down into a section of the ginormous sofa and exhales a pent up breath.

"He keeps saying that he 'caused it' in the mental ward."

Detective Keele glances at detective Jones. Worry is etched on his face. I sincerely hope Tio hadn't killed me. I liked him like a brother. 

"Is he on any meds? Have they put him on any in there that you know of?"

"Well I assume yes. He is agitated most of the time and then gets to crying too badly that they have to tell me to leave the room, then nurses go in."

"Then most likely it's the meds talking. Where was he on the morning of around 5 am? If you know."

She lets a soft smile form on her lips.

"He was out getting the yard ready for our morning reiki session. I have my friends come over for tea before and then we do the session when the sun rises."

Detective Keele frowns and furrows his brow. 

"You saw him outside at 5?"

"Well no...but he was up moving around when I got up at 4:30. I asked him to get things ready and he said ok. I assume he did."

Detective Jones clears his throat and stands up.

"Can we take a look at his room?"

"Of course. It's the only bedroom on this floor, down the hall to the left."

They both stand and walk towards Tio's room. I feel apprehension at what we might find in there for some reason. Was he the type to hang up picture's of me? I truly hoped not. Reaching the door, detective Keele opens it and we step in. 

My fears were founded unfortunately. 

"Jesus. This kid was really a stalker wasn't he?!"

There is my face and body, out on full display on a bulletin board over his desk. He had artfully arranged the shots in between surf pictures and concert flyers, giving the impression he found my picture's in a magazine and had liked me. Reality was more sinister. 

"This case has the oddest suspect list I have ever come across in all my 20 plus years of doing this."

Detective Keele saying this makes dread burst forth in my ghost form's chest. Would they be able to solve the case now?

"I like the kid for it more than I did before. But could he have made it from here all the way to Leilani's place and then come back? He doesn't drive from what we know..."

"He doesn't have a car of his own but that doesn't mean he doesn't drive."

Nodding, detective Jones rifles through the contents of Tio's desk. He sees flyers for just about everything there is to do in Honolulu, including stores he wouldn't go in. Odd. Maybe Tio liked to collect things?

Then he opens the desk drawer and sees something none of us expected.

🩸

"Da fuck was this kid thinking?! He followed them too?"

Pictures of Lila and Kenny are spread on the desks surface. These are way more explicit than my ass cheeks hanging out. Lila's bare breasts are being taken into Kenny's mouth as she looks like she is moaning. They appear to be having sex in Kenny's family SUV, in the drivers seat. Good. Lord.

"Maybe he had a motive....but not one to kill Leilani. I bet he would have killed his boss given the chance."

Detective Keele begins to read a notebook that was accompanying the picture's in the drawer.

"Kenny is cheating. Definitely cheating. With fucking Lila of all people. She is such a bitch. And she fucks the hotel's lawyer too...how is she getting so much dick when I can't even get Leilani to invite me anywhere?"

"Dang boss. This is pretty messed up."

I agree with Jones, this is more messed up than I thought possible. Tio couldn't have done all of this! Detective Keele isn't done reading though. 

"Leilani. Beautiful, perfect and the sweetest girl. She is all I want. I don't care about dating anyone else. I just can't figure out how to ask her out. I am so stupid..."

He reads on and on, until the plan is pretty clear. Tio want's to confront Kenny and get Kenny to help him ask me out. He doesn't want a raise at work or anything else. He is dead set on stalking me, or being obsessed with me at least. The realization makes me feel sad. I never knew Tio at all. 

"Let's head out after taking pictures of this stuff. We don't need anything else from in here. I want to get patrolmen out to canvas the neighborhood and ask if anyone saw Tio on his bike early, before 5."

My mind is racing with possibilities. I still don't have much of a motive for Tio killing me. He loved me, he wouldn't want to kill me. And Kenny wasn't capable of it either in my mind. Lila on the other hand though, I could see her doing that. If she thought I knew of her work affairs. I want to know more about where she was the morning I died. 

The detectives finish up in Tio's house and say goodbye to his grandmother. She is scared for her grandson but promises to cooperate with the investigation. I feel bad for her. She seems like a very sweet and loving woman. 

"Off to see the boss's wife. Let's get to her before she leaves for errands or anything else. Kids won't be out of school for a few more hours."

Detective Jones frowns, he looks worried. 

"Do we have to interview her?"

"Of course! We need to verify his alibi. Otherwise, he could be playing us. Don't go going soft on me. We don't need to disclose the affair yet. Not unless we have to. Not unless he lied to her. Plus women are smart. She might already know."

~ This book is Copyrighted by K E Jennings and only available on Wattpad. if you are reading this on another site, it has been stolen without permission or monetary payment to the said author. ~

🩸🩸Thank you for voting and commenting🩸🩸

Are the detectives missing anything?

🌴

Fun Hawaiian Fact: Hawaii is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, called Marine National Monument by President Bush in 2006. It covers more underwater landmass than the state of Texas. It is larger than all the US National Parks combined!