The Honolulu Murder Files

Chapter 23

Suspect #14.

The Construction Worker.

Kalu is a colorful guy. I didn't even know he existed until the detectives were given evidence that he was being creepy at the job site and had made his coworkers suspicious and uncomfortable. There was a tip called in, in relation to my murder, from the foreman at the construction site across the road from my building. Apparently, I was being watched by Kalu.

Detective Keele had promptly looked him up and found out he had a colorful past. He was born in Hawaii and moved to multiple states to take up construction jobs. His arrest records were just as varied. Fraud, identity theft, DUI. Thankfully though, nothing overly violent or sexual in nature. 

Why were you watching me then?

I'm at the job site now, hovering around Kalu. He is not what I expected. The detectives painted him as a real lower life type of guy, and I figured his appearance would suggest as much. Instead though, he is actually handsome. 

"Kalu! We need to finish up the drywall on the twelfth floor!" The foreman calls out. 

Kalu grunts and takes a large drink from his big water bottle. I can see that he has quite a few tattoos on his arms. A giant lion with an intricate crown that looks British, a bunch of random numbers and a few of different rifles. All subdued in blackish grey hues. Interesting. 

"Hey man, rumor is going around that the cops are looking to interview you." 

A co-worker comes up to talk to him. He is a typical Hawaiian type, older Asian male.

"Ron...fuck yeah man. The cops are always hassling me. I am on probation, not wanted for murder." He replies, humor in his voice. 

"You do something bad?" The older worker asks.

"Fuck no. I am on the straight and narrow. Got this good job, I don't need to steal any more credit cards."

The man picks up a tool belt and walks away after they banter a bit more. Clearly Kalu was liked on the job site. I watch as other workers stop to chatter with him as he makes his way to the floor the foreman wanted him to be on. Why has this man I am observing been connected to watching me? For what purpose?

He steps down carefully onto a large multi-tiered scaffolding system and moves down to a few floors below. How can men work so high up without much to keep them safe? I assume that the pay is stellar. Or they have a thing for adrenaline. 

"Kalu, you fucker! What did you do this time?!"

A youngish guy holding the railing along the edge of the building calls out to him as he reaches the desired floor.

"Brah...no worries! I haven't done a fucking thing!" Kalu replies. "Cops can talk to me all they want, they have nothing on me."

The men laugh as they talk and shoot the breeze. They also begin to work and labor as they put up new sections of drywall. I can smell the stench of chemicals as other work begins on the space. If I were still alive, I could never work in such an environment. 

"You hear about the dead girl from across the street? What was her name?" 

Kalu paused his work and looked at his friend.

"Leilani. Her name was Leilani."

🩸

The foreman's trailer stunk like body odor and old Chinese food, the kind that has stayed out in the sun for half a day. 

"Do you mind if we open a window in here before we start?" Detective Jones asks Kalu. 

"Go right ahead. It stinks in here."