Mari & Ilna-you're the best.
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Prey (1/?)
"What have we got, Duke?" Steve asked as he and Danny approached the front steps of a large, well-maintained house on the outskirts of Diamond Head.
The first thing both men noticed was the splintered frame of the front door which had clearly been kicked in.
"The victim is Mililani Keomalu," Duke said. "She's on her way to Queens Medical Center as we speak. The EMT's said she took a pretty severe beating. I sent a couple of officers to the hospital to talk to her as soon as she's able."
"Any idea who the attacker might be?" Danny asked.
"We don't know for sure," Duke replied, "She was mostly incoherent by the time first responders arrived. But we think she was trying to say it was her estranged husband. I don't have all the details yet but apparently he went nuts during a hearing about an order of protection last week. Tore up the courtroom. Screaming the whole time about how no one had the right to keep him away from his wife."
Danny rolled his eyes. "He sounds charming."
"I certainly hope she's ok but … I'm not quite sure why we're here," Steve said. "Sounds like HPD has everything under control. We have two active murder cases going plus we're still trying to round up the people who planned the bombing down on the docks last week."
"Which is exactly why you're here," Duke said "Mililani Keomalu took back her maiden name after she filed for divorce. Her estranged husband is Hali Pahia."
"The scumbag who ordered last week's bombing?" Danny asked.
"The very same." Duke said. "I figured you'd want a piece of this."
"We haven't been able to get anyone to turn on him," Steve said. "As long as he's on the streets they're all too scared. This may give us exactly what we need to get him in custody. Once we do that, it might loosen a few lips."
A voice called out from inside the house, "Sargeant Lukela. Can you come here and take a look at this, please?"
"Duty calls," Duke said. "Let me know if you need anything from HPD."
"Will do," Steve promised.
As he and Danny made their way back to the Camaro they met up with Chin and Kono who were just back from giving their formal statements on the case of a hit and run murder from earlier in the week.
Steve and Danny quickly filled them in on the details of the new case and what they knew so far.
"I know our plates are already full but this needs to be our number one priority right now," Steve said. "Chin, head over to Queens and interview Ms. Keomalu as soon as the doctors give the ok. Kono, talk to the court personnel who were present at that protection order hearing last week. Find out why he wasn't taken into custody. Danny and I are gonna go turn up the heat on a few of his known associates. Let's get this guy behind bars where he belongs."
"Thanks for agreeing to talk to me, Ms. Keomalu," Chin said as he stood next to the injured woman's bed. "I'll keep it as brief as possible."
"Please, call me Millie," she said in a voice that was weak but determined. "I'll give you as much time as you need if it'll help you catch that bastard of a soon to be ex-husband of mine and put him in jail forever."
"We're going to do our best," Chin said. "We know there was an issue at a hearing last week. Is this the first time you've seen him since then?"
Millie nodded. "After that hearing I had a feeling he was gonna try something. I was glad to get the order of protection but no piece of paper was ever gonna keep Hali away from something he thinks is his. So I checked into a hotel on the other side of the island and started making plans to get away. I was even thinking of maybe heading for the mainland. I came back to the house to pick up a few essentials and then I planned to have the movers pick the rest of my stuff up once I was safely away. I had only been there for maybe twenty minutes when Hali showed up."
Chin scribbled notes on his pad. "Do you know how your estranged husband found out you were back at the house?"
Millie scoffed. "Hali has connections all over the island. But I was careful not to tell a soul. I even bought a new phone. He must have put a tracker on my car."
"Has he been violent with you in the past?" Chin asked.
"Not like this." Millie's eyes filled with tears. "I honestly thought he was going to kill me. And he probably would have if it hadn't been for the sirens."
"Sirens?"
"Something must have happened down the street because all of the sudden there were a bunch of sirens outside the house and Hali freaked out and ran out. A few seconds later I heard his car peel out of the driveway. Thank heavens for those sirens." She blinked back tears. "Does that make me an awful person? Something bad must have happened to bring out all those emergency vehicles and all I can think is how lucky I am it did."
"I think that's a perfectly normal reaction," Chin assured her.
"Could you possibly find out what those sirens were for?" Millie asked. "I'd like to offer any help that I can."
"I'll find out for you," Chin said.
"I know most people won't believe this but I didn't know what kind of man Hali was when we got married. In fact, until a few months ago I thought he owned a construction company. That might make me the most naive person on the planet, but it's true. As soon as I found out about the drugs and the guns I filed for divorce. I didn't want any part of it."
Millie dropped her head to her hands and began to sob.
"Take it easy," Chin said in a calming tone. "There will be time to deal with all that later. Right now we need to find your estranged husband and get him in custody."
Millie leaned back and took a few deep breaths, trying to relax. "When we were engaged he bought a little cabin in Kaneohe, right at the base of the mountain. I don't know for sure but he might be hiding out there."
"I don't remember any cabin showing up when we did a property search on him," Chin said.
"He titled it in my maiden name," Millie said. "He said it was a gift for me. At the time I thought it was sweet."
"Alright," Chin said. "We'll check and see if he's there. In the meantime, you get some rest and try not to worry. We'll let you know as soon as we have him in custody."
Millie bit her lip. "What if he comes here first?"
"I'll post two officers right outside your door and we'll restrict access to approved medical personnel only," Chin said. "I promise you you'll be perfectly safe."
Millie smiled for the first time since the attack. "Thank you."
As Chin headed for his car he called Steve. "I got a lead on a possible new hiding place for Pahia. I'll meet you back at HQ."
TBC Monday
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