Read Online 5 Murder at Volcano House by Chip Hughes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Chip Hughes
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what I saw. And it seems I saw Pele, in the flesh.
Maybe she had nothing to do with it?
I rationalize.
Maybe Ransom just got too close, succumbed to the fumes, and stumbled into the vent?
I shake my head. I walk in slow circles, trying to figure out what to do. Then I get a grip on myself.
Survey the scene
.
I’m the first one here and presumably nothing has been touched. It’s not often a PI gets first crack like this. It may sound cold, since the old man is lying in the vent, but there’s nothing I can do about that. What I can do is try to find out why he died. And what, if anything, the woman in red had to do with it.
I scan the trail near the vent. The hard-packed dirt, trodden by countless park visitors, reveals no discrete shoe- or footprints. Neither Ransom’s nor the young woman’s. Just offthe trail I notice a broken
‘
ōhelo
branch and small depressions in the vegetation that suggest someone scrambled through the brush toward Crater Rim Drive, about fifty yards away. The woman? Unlikely, given her attire.
My first look gets me nowhere.
When I’m satisfied I’ve combed the scene the best I can in short order, I dial 911. I’ll wait to inform Donnie until the Park Service arrives.
Within minutes a smoky-the-bear hat shows up. It’s Ranger Crisp. He peers into the vent. He asks me the expected questions. He’s calm and deliberate. I give him my card and explain that I’ve been following Mr. Ransom incognito and why. Then the ranger calls in emergency services.
Seconds later, A Touch of Grey shows up. He sees the former CEO at the bottom of the vent, looks at the ranger and me, and asks, “What happened?”
“We’re not sure yet,” Ranger Crisp says. “Do you know this man?”
“I know who he is,” he replies. “I’m with Puna Security.” He also hands the ranger a card. “I’ve been shadowing Mr. Ransom.”
“On whose orders?” the ranger asks.
“A former exec of Mr. Ransom’s company—an old friend of his—hired me to follow him because of what happened to Mr. Nagahara and Mr. Kroften.”
“With the victim’s blessing?”
“He didn’t know.”
“So that makes two of you tailing him?” The ranger says. “And neither of you saw what happened?”
“I almost did. The old man was approached by a woman.” I describe her and her resemblance to Pele. “Then Mrs. Ransom, my client, called me away for a moment.” I save the warningnote until I can discuss it privately with the ranger. “When I returned, the woman was gone and he was in the vent.”
The Puna Security man chimes in just as my cell phone rings. It’s Donnie.
“Kai,” she says, “Where’s Rex? He should be back from his walk by now.”
“Stay where you are,” I say. “I’ll be right there.”
I hang up and tell the two men I’m going to inform the deceased’s wife. That’s normally the job of the official investigating agency, but since the ranger isn’t about to leave the body, he does not object. I hike back to the Volcano House. On the way to her room I stop at the front desk and ask Pualani to photocopy the note.
Pualani glances at it and is comfortable enough with our friendship to read it silently. I watch her lips move as she reaches last word and whispers
Pele
. She gives me a look as mysterious as her earlier wink, places the note on her machine, and then hands back the original and copy.
I say,
“Mahalo,”
and put both in my shirt pocket.
I knock on Donnie’s door and she lets me in. From the look of concern on her face I can tell she already knows something is wrong. No sense beating around the bush.
“I’m sorry to inform you,” I say, “that your husband is dead.”
She buries her face in her hands and starts to sob. “I knew we shouldn’t come here! I knew Pele would get him!”
I put my hand on her shoulder. “I’m very sorry.”
She keeps her face buried in her hands. She seems resigned rather than shocked. She doesn’t ask how it happened or where. She
Maybe she had nothing to do with it?
I rationalize.
Maybe Ransom just got too close, succumbed to the fumes, and stumbled into the vent?
I shake my head. I walk in slow circles, trying to figure out what to do. Then I get a grip on myself.
Survey the scene
.
I’m the first one here and presumably nothing has been touched. It’s not often a PI gets first crack like this. It may sound cold, since the old man is lying in the vent, but there’s nothing I can do about that. What I can do is try to find out why he died. And what, if anything, the woman in red had to do with it.
I scan the trail near the vent. The hard-packed dirt, trodden by countless park visitors, reveals no discrete shoe- or footprints. Neither Ransom’s nor the young woman’s. Just offthe trail I notice a broken
‘
ōhelo
branch and small depressions in the vegetation that suggest someone scrambled through the brush toward Crater Rim Drive, about fifty yards away. The woman? Unlikely, given her attire.
My first look gets me nowhere.
When I’m satisfied I’ve combed the scene the best I can in short order, I dial 911. I’ll wait to inform Donnie until the Park Service arrives.
Within minutes a smoky-the-bear hat shows up. It’s Ranger Crisp. He peers into the vent. He asks me the expected questions. He’s calm and deliberate. I give him my card and explain that I’ve been following Mr. Ransom incognito and why. Then the ranger calls in emergency services.
Seconds later, A Touch of Grey shows up. He sees the former CEO at the bottom of the vent, looks at the ranger and me, and asks, “What happened?”
“We’re not sure yet,” Ranger Crisp says. “Do you know this man?”
“I know who he is,” he replies. “I’m with Puna Security.” He also hands the ranger a card. “I’ve been shadowing Mr. Ransom.”
“On whose orders?” the ranger asks.
“A former exec of Mr. Ransom’s company—an old friend of his—hired me to follow him because of what happened to Mr. Nagahara and Mr. Kroften.”
“With the victim’s blessing?”
“He didn’t know.”
“So that makes two of you tailing him?” The ranger says. “And neither of you saw what happened?”
“I almost did. The old man was approached by a woman.” I describe her and her resemblance to Pele. “Then Mrs. Ransom, my client, called me away for a moment.” I save the warningnote until I can discuss it privately with the ranger. “When I returned, the woman was gone and he was in the vent.”
The Puna Security man chimes in just as my cell phone rings. It’s Donnie.
“Kai,” she says, “Where’s Rex? He should be back from his walk by now.”
“Stay where you are,” I say. “I’ll be right there.”
I hang up and tell the two men I’m going to inform the deceased’s wife. That’s normally the job of the official investigating agency, but since the ranger isn’t about to leave the body, he does not object. I hike back to the Volcano House. On the way to her room I stop at the front desk and ask Pualani to photocopy the note.
Pualani glances at it and is comfortable enough with our friendship to read it silently. I watch her lips move as she reaches last word and whispers
Pele
. She gives me a look as mysterious as her earlier wink, places the note on her machine, and then hands back the original and copy.
I say,
“Mahalo,”
and put both in my shirt pocket.
I knock on Donnie’s door and she lets me in. From the look of concern on her face I can tell she already knows something is wrong. No sense beating around the bush.
“I’m sorry to inform you,” I say, “that your husband is dead.”
She buries her face in her hands and starts to sob. “I knew we shouldn’t come here! I knew Pele would get him!”
I put my hand on her shoulder. “I’m very sorry.”
She keeps her face buried in her hands. She seems resigned rather than shocked. She doesn’t ask how it happened or where. She
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