shitstorm.”
“ You got that right.” Stevens took the dog-eared black book out of the safe. “I don’t know who Omura will send out to hold down the fort, but if it’s you, here’s where I keep things, and the password to my computer.” He jotted the information down, passed it over to the other man. “Mostly I’m worried about the heiau case. Can you volunteer to take my place if Omura needs to replace me? Do you have the time?”
“ I’ll try.”
Stevens and Ferreira had just been settling into a comfort level with each other, and he didn ’t really know how the other man was taking all this. “I’d appreciate a minimum of rumor spreading about this, if possible,” Stevens said.
Ferreira frowned, looking insulted. “ They’ll clear you. I can’t see you ever doing anyone wrong like that.”
“ It looks bad, though, I know. I think I’m being set up, but there’s nothing I can do right now other than go through the process. I hope I’ll have your support.”
Ferreira stood, extended his hand. His grip was strong, encouraging. “ You got it, boss.”
“ Can you send in Mahoe? He still needs some seasoning—hope you’ll keep an eye on him. I have him on a special confidential assignment, and he’s going to need some flexible scheduling.” He’d already decided not to tell anyone about Mahoe’s role except Omura, in case of leaks.
“ No problem. I’ll give the kid whatever he needs. Good luck, boss.” Ferreira saluted with two fingers as he left, his face serious. Stevens knew he could get no greater support from the grizzled older man.
He was clearing his desk off as Brandon Mahoe came in and shut the door. Stevens had taken the burner pho ne out of its packaging. “I’ve only told Omura about your assignment. No one knows here—and let’s keep it that way. I programmed my own burner’s number into your phone. Report to me daily, so I know you’re okay—just a text is fine.”
“ Yes, sir.” Mahoe’s face shone with excitement. “They are having a rally at the heiau in Wailuku tonight. I’ll call you afterward.”
“ Great. And, Brandon. If you hear some rumors about me, don’t believe them. I’ll be cleared eventually.” The young man frowned, obviously confused, as Stevens went on. “I’m going to be out on admin leave for a short time. It changes nothing that we’ve set up here.”
“ Yes, sir.”
“ I’ll look forward to your call.”
“ I’ll keep you posted. Daily.” And Mahoe left.
T here wasn’t anything more to do than make sure the desk was clear for the next guy, if there was a next guy, and go on home. He walked through the small open area in front, bolstered by the encouragement he received from his small team all the way out to the Bronco.
Evening had fallen and Lei was home when Stevens drove up to the house. One look at her face as she stood on the porch, lips tight and brow furrowed, and he knew it wasn’t the right time to bury her in the avalanche of baby stuff he’d bought. He hoped she wouldn’t spot the mountain of boxes and bags in the back of the Bronco as he got out and locked the gate.
Keiki greeted him with happy tail wags, but Lei greeted him with a poke in the chest. “ Where were you? I was worried!”
“ I had to go downtown, do some errands, stop by my station,” he said. He pulled her stiff body in for a hug. “I had to talk to the guys. Make sure my cases were wrapped up a bit.”
She relaxed, fisting her hands in the back of his shirt. “ I wasn’t sure where you’d gone.”
“ Thought I’d skipped town or jumped off a cliff?” He tried to make it light, but one look at her stricken face showed him she was still worried. He leaned down and kissed her. “Let’s go inside. I need a beer. Or four. We have to talk.”
“ Do we ever.” She hooked a finger in his belt as if she couldn’t bear to be separated, and he looped an arm over her. “I made some chili.”
He wanted to make a cooking
“ You got that right.” Stevens took the dog-eared black book out of the safe. “I don’t know who Omura will send out to hold down the fort, but if it’s you, here’s where I keep things, and the password to my computer.” He jotted the information down, passed it over to the other man. “Mostly I’m worried about the heiau case. Can you volunteer to take my place if Omura needs to replace me? Do you have the time?”
“ I’ll try.”
Stevens and Ferreira had just been settling into a comfort level with each other, and he didn ’t really know how the other man was taking all this. “I’d appreciate a minimum of rumor spreading about this, if possible,” Stevens said.
Ferreira frowned, looking insulted. “ They’ll clear you. I can’t see you ever doing anyone wrong like that.”
“ It looks bad, though, I know. I think I’m being set up, but there’s nothing I can do right now other than go through the process. I hope I’ll have your support.”
Ferreira stood, extended his hand. His grip was strong, encouraging. “ You got it, boss.”
“ Can you send in Mahoe? He still needs some seasoning—hope you’ll keep an eye on him. I have him on a special confidential assignment, and he’s going to need some flexible scheduling.” He’d already decided not to tell anyone about Mahoe’s role except Omura, in case of leaks.
“ No problem. I’ll give the kid whatever he needs. Good luck, boss.” Ferreira saluted with two fingers as he left, his face serious. Stevens knew he could get no greater support from the grizzled older man.
He was clearing his desk off as Brandon Mahoe came in and shut the door. Stevens had taken the burner pho ne out of its packaging. “I’ve only told Omura about your assignment. No one knows here—and let’s keep it that way. I programmed my own burner’s number into your phone. Report to me daily, so I know you’re okay—just a text is fine.”
“ Yes, sir.” Mahoe’s face shone with excitement. “They are having a rally at the heiau in Wailuku tonight. I’ll call you afterward.”
“ Great. And, Brandon. If you hear some rumors about me, don’t believe them. I’ll be cleared eventually.” The young man frowned, obviously confused, as Stevens went on. “I’m going to be out on admin leave for a short time. It changes nothing that we’ve set up here.”
“ Yes, sir.”
“ I’ll look forward to your call.”
“ I’ll keep you posted. Daily.” And Mahoe left.
T here wasn’t anything more to do than make sure the desk was clear for the next guy, if there was a next guy, and go on home. He walked through the small open area in front, bolstered by the encouragement he received from his small team all the way out to the Bronco.
Evening had fallen and Lei was home when Stevens drove up to the house. One look at her face as she stood on the porch, lips tight and brow furrowed, and he knew it wasn’t the right time to bury her in the avalanche of baby stuff he’d bought. He hoped she wouldn’t spot the mountain of boxes and bags in the back of the Bronco as he got out and locked the gate.
Keiki greeted him with happy tail wags, but Lei greeted him with a poke in the chest. “ Where were you? I was worried!”
“ I had to go downtown, do some errands, stop by my station,” he said. He pulled her stiff body in for a hug. “I had to talk to the guys. Make sure my cases were wrapped up a bit.”
She relaxed, fisting her hands in the back of his shirt. “ I wasn’t sure where you’d gone.”
“ Thought I’d skipped town or jumped off a cliff?” He tried to make it light, but one look at her stricken face showed him she was still worried. He leaned down and kissed her. “Let’s go inside. I need a beer. Or four. We have to talk.”
“ Do we ever.” She hooked a finger in his belt as if she couldn’t bear to be separated, and he looped an arm over her. “I made some chili.”
He wanted to make a cooking
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