The Honolulu Murder Files

Chapter 26

"Drug busts this big are pretty rare on Oahu. At least in homicide cases..."

Harry from patrol was sitting in the homicide office when we returned. He speculates on the size of the pot found on the rooftop. 

"They can be. The last big one was last year. Remember the six million seized in the drug ring?" Detective Keele asks. 

"Oh yeah, I remember. One of the men was a cousin of my wife's..." Harry says. 

This makes me laugh for some reason. The family structure on the islands is such that multi-generations usually live together. And relatives abound! I've heard it's not like this really on the mainland, with children usually moving out after high school, never to return. 

"Ha! Seriously? That's crazy!" Detective Jones says, laughing. 

Everyone has at least one family member, even distant, who did something illegal or at the very least embarrassing. 

"My nephew, Chase, is actually coming in, in person. He works in Kapolei at the FBI Field Office. He was very interested in what is going on with the dark web stuff." 

Detective Keele stops jotting down notes on the white board and turns around. 

"Does his specialty in hacking deal with that side of the internet?" 

Harry nodded, "Yeah I think so. He can't tell you a lot of what he works on but I know he's helped bust pedophile rings in Guam and here. It's pretty crazy stuff you ask me. What did we do before the internet got so big?" 

"Criminals still did what they do...it was just more undercover than it is now." 

Detective Jones grimaces, as he sits at his desk, looking at the computer screen. 

"Boss....the warrants for the professor aren't working out. We need a few more things before the judge will grant them." 

"This never fails." Detective Keele sighs. "What are we missing?" 

"The team that discovered the local involvement on the site didn't submit the right paperwork. I don't know how we missed it but..." 

"Give them a call. I don't care if they are off already. We need the warrants as soon as possible." 

I figured that the professors confession would be enough to obtain a warrant but apparently not.  Law was never a strong suit or interest of mine. Detective Jones leaves the office to call on his cell phone. 

"So tell me Keele, you about ready to retire?" Harry asks, helping himself to a cup of stale but hot coffee from the pot by the door. 

"I think about it every day, but then we get a case like this and I can't." 

"Can't....." Harry asks, sipping the coffee. "Or won't?" 

Detective Keele sighs. 

"This job Harry...you know as well as I do. It gets in your blood. I just can't picture myself without it. And Jones is still learning." 

"I get you. I should've retired three years ago when I hit twenty years, but I can't either. I'm doing a lot with training and well, I still like it." 

Detective Keele nods and decides to grab a cup of coffee as well. 

"I think we'll either work until we die, they force a retirement or our wives do." He says. 

"I think you're right." 

What a problem to have! There's a lot to be said about working for thirty plus years in the same job. Not only the stability but the pay at that point is usually worthwhile. I hope that after my murder is solved detective Keele at least could slow down and enjoy time at home more.