Kona Waters: A Rick Waters Novel, page 14
“Possum, did Keifer say anything that would give away his intentions when he tied y’all up?”
“Not that I can recall. He’s a fucking prick, though,” said Possum. “He has a history of beating women. The girl he was with had a bandage on her nose and two black eyes. He’s gonna pay if it’s the last thing I do,” said Possum as he began to cough.
Malia motioned for Jules to bring her a pen to write with. Jules grabbed some hospital stationery and a pen. Malia took it, wrote something down, then handed it back to Jules.
He has a place in Huntington Beach, CA. He promised to take me there but never did. I don’t know the address.
“Thanks, Malia. We’ll follow up on that,” said Jules.
Rick talked with Possum for a while and then asked Malia if she knew the redhead. She shook her head and picked up the stationery and pen.
Just the newest skank in his life!
Rick and Jules laughed when they read it.
“Don’t worry, Malia. We’re gonna nail them both. I promise.”
Malia nodded.
“Okay, I’m gonna let y’all rest. We’ll be back tomorrow. Hopefully, you’ll be released. I have the van with me,” said Rick.
Rick and Jules headed back to the B&B. They took showers, sat on the balcony, and sipped some tea. They brainstormed ways to pin the murder of Lealani on Keifer. They needed a solid case. They had a video showing his back with his tattoo, and Rick was confident that the DNA from Leilani’s condo would prove to be Keifer’s. They had to find him and get a swab.
“What kind of fucking Hawaiian name is Keifer anyway?” asked Rick.
“It isn’t. Maybe his dad is a fan of Kiefer Sutherland, who knows?” replied Jules.
Rick took out his MacBook and did a property search listing for anyone in Huntington Beach with the last name Kamou. It was a dead end.
“Maybe it’s under another name. Maybe his dad or mother owns it,” said Rick.
Rick opened Nexus and did an extensive search of Keifer Kamou. His credit score was crap, and his mother died in 1997. Her maiden name was Akana. Rick did a property search for Kailey Akana.
“Bingo!”
He found one address in Huntington Beach. It was a meager condo with a community dock. She had purchased it in 1977 and left it to Keifer in her will. He had never changed the name on the deed, but the taxes were current.
“I guess we’re going to California. I’d bet my last dollar he’s already left Hawaii,” said Rick.
“When?” asked Jules.
“As soon as we get Possum settled back at the ranch. We’ll get Clay to fly us to LA.”
They finished their tea and prepared for bed. Both of them were asleep before ten.
Rick set his alarm for 8:00 a.m., but he woke up at 6:30 a.m. and made some coffee. He sat on the balcony and waited for Jules to wake up. Jules crawled out of bed and stumbled to the coffee maker about thirty minutes later.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.”
“A girl needs her beauty rest.”
“If you get any more beautiful, I don’t know what I’m gonna do,” said Rick.
“Flattery will get you everywhere, Mister.”
They showered and headed to the hospital. The doctor informed them that they would be released around ten o'clock, and they could wait or go grab a bite to eat and return. They peeked into the cafeteria and decided to stay inside the hospital. They weren't very hungry and just got some pastries and more coffee. Rick called Clay and told him to prepare the jet for departure to LAX around 1:00 p.m. When he mentioned they needed to go to Huntington Beach, he suggested they fly into John Wayne Airport instead. It was only ten miles from Huntington Beach. Rick called Gary to get him up to speed.
“Hey Gary, where are you?”
“We’re in Kona. Kelly’s doing some last-minute shopping. How’s Possum and Malia?” he asked.
“They’re gonna make a full recovery. They just need some rest.”
“Okay, I rented the ranch for an additional week.”
“Perfect,” said Rick. “We’re gonna have Clay take us to John Wayne Airport in California. I have a hot lead on Kiefer’s whereabouts.”
“Okay, listen. Johnie and Olivia need to fly back with you. Cal can drop you and Jules off, then take them and the pets to Destin. I’ll stay here with Kelly and take care of Possum. How’s that?” asked Gary.
“That’ll work perfectly. We plan to leave around 1:00 p.m. I’ll text Clay to make sure they are all ready to leave.”
“Alright, Rick. I probably won’t see you before you leave, but thanks for coming to the party.”
“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
“Kelly and I will probably fly back to the Congo after we leave Hawaii to check on the mines, then we’ll go to Destin. Kelly is still training her assistant geologist. She’s moving into my condo in Destin.”
“The mancave?! You’d better do some redecorating.”
“I’m already on it. I have an interior designer making it more woman-friendly. Ha-ha.”
“Good on ya, mate,” said Rick, and he ended the call.
Once Possum and Malia were released, Rick pulled the van around, and they were wheeled out to the curb.
“Gary is staying behind and renting the ranch for an extra week so you can rest. Jules and I are heading to Huntington Beach to take down that son of a bitch, Keifer! I hope he gets the death penalty,” said Rick.
“Give it to him yourself, Rick. Hawaii doesn’t have the death penalty,” said Malia in a scratchy, meek voice.
It was the first time she spoke since the incident, and she meant it.
“He’s gonna pay one way or the other, Malia,” said Rick.
Rick pulled into the ranch and was greeted by Clay and Johnie. All the luggage was sitting on the front steps. They helped Possum and Malia inside.
“Y’all are in good hands. Gary will be back soon if you need anything. Do you want me to wait until they get back?”
Malia shook her head.
“No, Rick. We’ll be fine,” said Possum.
Everyone hugged them goodbye, and Olivia took the pets out to the van. Jules sat up front and held Chief, while the dogs sat in the back with Olivia, Clay, and Johnie. P-Roy had already left on a commercial flight to take care of the ship. Rick loaded all the luggage into the back of the Sprinter and placed the acoustic guitar Jack Johnson had given him on top of everything. Clay had already returned the rented Eurocopter to the airport and brought the island hopper back to the ranch. Keoki said goodbye to everyone and watched as they drove off. Rick was sad that he didn’t get to say goodbye to Chef Kai but vowed to return one day and visit. Once back at the airport, Rick returned the rental van to the desk and met everyone on the tarmac. The wheels were up by 1:12 p.m., close to the schedule Rick had wanted.
“Where are we gonna stay, Rick?” asked Jules.
“Good question.”
Rick hooked up the Starlink Wi-Fi on the jet and searched Priceline for a hotel near the condo in Huntington Beach. He switched to Airbnb and found a condo in the same building as Kiefer’s and booked it for the three-day minimum. They landed at John Wayne Airport, where Rick and Jules bid them farewell, promising they’d see them in Destin in a few days. He kissed Chief on the beak and rubbed Choco behind the ears, then opened his Uber app, and they met a car by the curb.
When they reached the condo, he located the one Kiefer owned and scoped it out. They could see the back balcony from theirs. He cleaned his pistol and watched for any movement. He ordered a Domino’s pizza, and once it was delivered, he ate a few slices with Jules and put the rest in the fridge. He mostly wanted the box. Once it got dark, he and Jules crossed the little bridge over the canal to the other side, where Kiefer’s unit was. Jules kept a lookout, and Rick knocked on the door with his pistol hidden inside the pizza box. He knocked again and waited. No answer. He set the pizza box down, put his revolver in front waistband, and pulled his lockpick kit out of his right pocket. It took him less than thirty seconds to pick the lock, and he slowly opened the door with the barrel of his gun. He waved Jules over.
The condo was empty. It looked like no one had been inside in quite a while. He ran his finger over the kitchen table, and it left a line in the dust. He quickly dusted off the table to hide his fingerprint, then unscrewed the ceiling dome and placed a small, hidden motion-activated detector camera inside. It didn’t have audio, but it would vibrate his phone if someone entered the condo. He and Jules slipped out. All they could do now was wait.
They waited all day the next day, but no one arrived. He was starting to think he was on the wrong path.
“With all the cash he has and the jewels, he could go anywhere. Maybe Malia’s wrong about him coming here,” said Rick.
“Maybe. It’s only been a day and a half. We may as well stay since the rental is paid for.”
“That’s true.”
Rick called Carson to ask him where he thought Keifer would fence the jewels. Maybe he was doing that first.
“Hey, Rick, what’s up?”
“If you stole millions of dollars worth of jewels from a famous collection, that would be really hot. Where would you fence it?”
There was a pause on the phone, then Carson replied.
“Hong Kong. That’s the best place to fence hot items. There’s an elaborate crime syndicate there.”
“Really? Hong Kong? I would’ve thought Eastern Europe or Switzerland,” said Rick.
“You’d get top dollar in Switzerland, but if you wanted fast cash, my bet would be Hong Kong.”
“Thanks, Carson. I’ll follow up on that.”
Rick hung up, and his phone vibrated. He looked down at it, thinking Carson had sent him a follow-up text, but it was just the camera in the condo.
“Jules, they’re here!” exclaimed Rick.
In walked Keifer and the redheaded woman. They were talking, and Rick was trying to read their lips.
“Damn, I wish we had audio.”
Rick watched the video, and an hour later, Keifer left the condo after exchanging a long hug with the redhead. He had an overnight duffel bag with him, suggesting he was going on a trip. Rick kept watching the video late into the night, but Keifer never came back. Around midnight, the redhead must have gone to bed because the motion camera stopped sending video. He set the phone on his chest and went to bed. He was awakened at 3:00 a.m. He looked at the video, and the redhead was on her phone in the kitchen. Possum texted him immediately after.
Leilani’s phone just pinged in Huntington Beach.
Thanks, Possum.
Jules woke up from Rick moving around.
“That fucking redheaded bitch is using Leilani’s phone. How scummy is that? Using a dead woman’s phone,” said Rick.
“She’s a criminal. I’m not surprised. It’s not smart, though. I bet Keifer doesn’t know she has it.”
“I bet you’re right, Jules. She only turned it on after he left.”
Possum texted Rick again.
The phone’s off again.
“Now the phone’s off again, according to Possum. She probably thinks turning it on and off is safe. But every time it pings a tower, he will get notified,” said Rick.
Rick watched the video, and the woman paced back and forth in the kitchen. She went to the door and handed some guy cash, then walked over to the kitchen table and poured some white powder on it. She used a credit card to make lines, then rolled up a bill and snorted several of them. She rubbed her nose with her thumb and finger and wiped her teeth. She was definitely doing cocaine.
“Should we take her down?” asked Jules.
“No, she is our link to Keifer. Wherever he went, he’ll be back. If she disappears, he will freak and vanish again. We need to take them both down together. I need to get access to his phone or plant a tracker on him somehow. I’m gonna take one of my AirTags and hide out to see what he’s driving.”
“Do you want me to come?” asked Jules.
“No, who knows how long it’ll be before he returns? Just rest. Keep your ringer on in case something happens,” said Rick.
“Okay, Rick. Be careful.”
Rick opened a 3-pack of new AirTags, put strong double-stick tape on them, and synced them to his phone. He took one with him, left two sitting on the kitchen table, and made his way to the parking lot near Keifer’s condo. He hid in the bushes and waited. While he waited, he checked the AirTag and made sure the super sticky double-sided tape was secure. A couple of hours passed, and a black Nissan Altima pulled up and parked. When the big man got out, Rick immediately recognized him as Keifer. He entered the house, and Rick’s phone vibrated from the motion video signal. He watched the video and saw that he was arguing with the redhead. At first, it seemed she was upset about getting the cocaine. But then she came out with her phone and handed it to him. He opened a drawer and took out a hammer. He smashed the phone to bits on the floor and had the redhead clean it up, then dispose of the pieces in the garbage. After she was done, she handed him the trash bag, and he came outside and tossed it into a dumpster. Keifer returned and made a few lines of coke and snorted them. The redhead dropped her gown to the floor, he picked her up, and carried her to the bedroom. He was going to be busy for a while. Rick stuck the AirTag under the plastic bumper and retrieved the trash Keifer had thrown away.
Idiot! He didn’t remove the SIM card.
With the video footage of Keifer smashing Leilani’s iPhone, his fingerprints and DNA would likely be on it. Hopefully. He returned to the condo and slipped into bed. He’d wait until morning to tell Jules the good news.
His phone never vibrated again throughout the night. He woke up and checked the last video recorded, which was when Kiefer carried the redhead to the bedroom. He immediately arranged for a rental car to be delivered. When it arrived, he gave the guy all the info, and he left with another guy in a separate car. That’s one thing Rick loved about Turo: you could rent a car from anyone on the app, and they didn’t have any rental signs or anything that gave them away as a rental. Plus, they usually delivered for free. He got a white Toyota Camry, one of the most common cars on the road, so it wouldn’t stand out.
Rick’s phone vibrated, alerting him of video movement. Kiefer was on the video walking out. Rick quickly put on his pants, ran outside, and headed around to the parking lot, but Kiefer didn’t go to his car. Rick waited in the parking lot for him to return, and he came around from the back pulling two suitcases. Rick had to make a decision. He was almost certain the jewelry was in those suitcases, and he could take down Kiefer and the redhead at the same time. He texted Jules, but she didn’t answer.
Shit. She’s in the shower.
He needed backup. It was too dangerous to take on two by himself. Instead of going back to the condo, Kiefer put the suitcases in his car and got in. Rick watched as he drove out of sight. He ran over to his condo. There was no time to get Jules. He had to follow the car. He opened his Find My app and followed the AirTag.
It stopped, and Rick approached slowly. It was near the airport at a FedEx location. He parked and saw Kiefer pulling the two suitcases inside the office. Rick walked in right behind him as Kiefer was talking to a woman behind the desk. He filled out some forms, and she weighed the bags. Kiefer paid the woman, and she took the bags behind the desk and handed him a receipt. A man wearing an orange vest came in and took the bags out the back door.
“They will be in Hong Kong tomorrow by 10:00 a.m., guaranteed,” said the woman.
“Mahalo,” said Kiefer.
Rick had to stop those bags from leaving. Kiefer turned and walked out the door, and Rick turned away, pretending to fill out a form. Kiefer had never met Rick before, but he wasn't taking any chances that he knew what he looked like. When he turned around, the woman behind the counter was gone. The legal pad on her desk had impressions on it from when she filled out the paperwork. Rick reached over the desk and ripped off the top sheet. He couldn’t make out the address but could see "Hong Kong" when he held it up to the light.
“Ma’am, I need to stop those two bags from getting on the flight.”
“Who are you?” she asked.
“I’m Rick Waters, a private eye, and those bags contain stolen jewelry. The man who gave them to you is wanted in a murder investigation,” said Rick.
“Do you have a badge?” she asked.
“I’m a P.I., not a cop.”
“I’m sorry, sir. You’ll need a warrant or some other authorization to access that shipment. Besides, they have already been loaded on the flight, and it has departed on time. They were the last packages to be loaded.”
“Fuck!”
Rick stormed out. He needed help to intercept the bags in Hong Kong. He called Carson.
“Carson. I found the Makani Collection. You were right. They are headed to Hong Kong on FedEx. Can you have one of your agents intercept them before they are delivered?”
“You’re damn right I can. I just need the tracking number.”
“Hang on,” said Rick.
Rick ran back inside the office.
“Hello, ma’am. Do you have a pencil I can borrow, or do I need a warrant for that too?” asked Rick.
She gave him a dirty look, dug through her desk drawer, and handed him a pencil. He ran back out to the car and placed the paper on the hood. With the side of the lead, he carefully shaded the paper. He held it up to the sun and put the phone on speaker.
“You got a pen, Carson?”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
“4525 6389 0097, got it?”
“Hang on.”
Rick could hear Carson typing on his computer.
“It’s going to a warehouse in Kowloon, a suburb in Hong Kong. I have agents there. We’ll intercept it. Don’t you worry,” said Carson. “Now go get your man. Do you need backup? I can send some agents from LA.”
“There’s no time. I’m heading there now.”
