A Down to Earth Murder by Kay Hadashi

Author:Kay Hadashi [Hadashi, Kay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-03-08T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

On Tuesday, Thérèse was discharged from the hospital in good spirits, even wanting to go look for Davis to play a game of checkers. Instead, her mood fell when Melanie took her home to their hotel room.

When Trinh got there for a planned day trip, activities were invented and the mood lightened. With pieces of breakfast cereal and a sheet of paper, they were able to invent a checkerboard and played one game after another, while a kids channel played on the TV for background noise. Naps were taken, Georgie went shopping, and more games were played to fill in Thérèse’s first day of home respite after her surgery. When Trinh had to go in the evening, and once Thérèse was getting a bedtime story from Georgie, Melanie went out for a walk around town. At least, that’s what she told the others.

One thing she wanted to know was if Davis was sitting alone in the dark again this evening. If he was, she might be able to pump him for information about the cockfights and gambling on the island. When she found no one in the park but a young couple necking in the shadows of a tree, she continued on to the opposite side of the town center. The police station was at the far side from the hotel, a small but modern building. Two police cars were parked out front.

Going inside, she found one officer at the front filling out forms. After being greeted and explaining who she was, Melanie was sent to Captain Siler’s office.

“What brings our mayor to the police station so late in the evening?” he asked, getting a chair for her.

“First, I’d like to apologize for that first time we met. The kids were tired and carsickness was sweeping through the car.”

“It’s all but forgotten. Hopefully, it won’t happen again.”

Melanie wasn’t sure what to make of his statement, wondering if it was a challenge of some sort. She decided to leave it alone. “I was hoping to find Detective Nakatani here.”

“Nakatani went back to Maui yesterday. He didn’t tell you?”

“Didn’t say a word to me. Does that mean the investigation into Doctor Dewey’s death is closed?”

“Been ruled accidental suicide. I just finished and filed the paperwork a few minutes ago. Chief Hernandez already has a digital copy in his email box, and I’ll send this paper copy by mail in the morning.”

He showed her the forms, which she read twice.

“How could he wrap it up so quickly? And what does accidental suicide mean?”

“It means that he or someone else stole or commandeered a small plane at the airport, tried flying it, and somehow fell out. Or maybe he bailed out when he discovered it’s a lot more difficult landing a plane than taking off.”

“Except he wasn’t wearing a parachute,” Melanie said.

“He probably thought he was closer to the water than he thought, and was hoping to survive the drop. Not being a qualified pilot, he simply couldn’t read the dials and gauges on the control panel.

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