Moon over Maalaea Bay by H. L. Wegley Page B

gave the lunatics their names.”
    Peterson’s voice softened. “I need to know the names you gave them, Anya.”
    Anya shrugged. “I heard them mention a Nguyen and a Mr. James.”
    Peterson’s expression changed at the last name, James. Obviously he knew more about the traffickers than he was telling Lee.
    “Thanks, Anya. You’ve been a big help to me. I won’t forget it.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “But right now, you need to go with the Maui police. They’ll have a lot of questions for you, but consider them your friends because they will keep you safe.”
    Two Maui police officers approached Anya, and she gave Peterson a weak smile. “That’s what Lee said too.”
    Lee stepped close to her. “Please help the police any way you can. Your cooperation could save Jennifer’s life.”
    “Remember what I said about the good news?” Katie called out as the police led Anya away. “I’ll see you soon, and we can talk about it.”
    Anya turned towards Katie, opened her mouth, then closed it and turned to face the Maui policemen.
    Lee’s gaze bored into Peterson. “The two men in the pictures you showed to Anya…they’re the Iranian connection.”
    Peterson finished writing in his notepad and looked up at Lee. “That didn’t sound like a question.”
    Lee stared back at him, his patience now gone. “It wasn’t. They’re part of the…what is it the Iranians call their intelligence organization?”
    Peterson sighed. “Ministry of Intelligence and National Security. Sometimes called by acronyms like VEVAK or VAJA. Parts of the organization have secret operating budgets, and there are rogue elements among the agents. That makes it hard to know who’s doing what, for whom, and why.”
    Lee shifted his weight from side to side as the antsiness of uncertainty moved his feet and cramped in his stomach. “You’re not very encouraging. That’s the group that committed the chain murders back in the ‘90s, isn’t it?”
    “Yes. But—”
    “And these are the guys who want Jennifer.” Lee sensed he was on the verge of losing his composure again.
    “Lee,”—Peterson studied his face—”they don’t have Jennifer, and they’re not going to get her.”
    Katie stepped beside Lee.
    Lee glared at the tall FBI agent. “That’s the only reason you came, isn’t it? Because of the national security risks.” He had given Peterson a cruel stab from his poison tongue, and Lee wanted the words back as soon as he spat them out.
    “No, it wasn’t the only reason. But it did provide justification for us to—”
    “If you aren’t going to find her, we will.” Katie’s words were another stab, a low blow.
    Peterson pursed his lips and dropped his gaze to the ground.
    Lee pulled Katie close to his side and looked up at the tall man. “I’m…we’re sorry. We had no reason to accuse you. But we can’t sit idly by while Jennifer’s being held by a bunch of depraved demoniacs.”
    “Like I said, don’t do what you did at Rialto Beach.” Peterson stared into Lee’s eyes with his frowning face of authority. “You nearly got yourselves killed. I’m going back to the police station at Wailuku to be there when they interrogate Anya. I’ll be in touch.”
    The fluttering feelings of panic crawled through Lee’s stomach. Things were moving far too slowly. He had wasted far too much time at the house and no one, Peterson included, seemed to be in a hurry to act on the latest information.
    He turned towards Granddad. “Obviously Peterson thinks his top-down approach is the best way to find Jennifer. What do you think?”
    “Let the FBI search for the big kahuna. We need to search the west side of the island for an anchored yacht.”
    “My thoughts exactly,” Lee said. “But the whales have already begun arriving, so now we have hundreds of boats in the water, including quite a few yachts.”
    “We think it is anchored. But beyond that…” Granddad gave a palms-up shrug.
    Katie’s gaze darted