The man held up an official-looking badge. “Detective Sykes,” the man said. “I’m here to question Ms. Kekoa.”
“Ms. Kekoa is being examined by the doctor,” Rex said. “You can wait in the lobby until he completes his examination.”
“And you are?” the detective demanded.
“Her bodyguard,” Rex responded.
Detective Sykes snorted. “I understand Ms. Kekoa’s dive partner is missing. The sooner I have answers to my questions, the sooner we can locate the missing woman.”
“Let him in,” Kimo said.
Rex’s eyes narrowed at the detective. He held his position a moment longer, then allowed the man to pass into the room.
Rex stayed close to the man. He might be a member of the Maui police force, but that didn’t mean anything. In his experience, there were good cops and bad cops. Some people, no matter what their profession, could be bought. Rex wasn’t going to trust anyone until he had all the information.
“Ms. Kekoa,” the detective said, “where were you when your dive partner disappeared?”
“In Maalaea Bay on a night dive,” she said.
“Had either of you been drinking?”
Kimo frowned. “Of course not.”
“Were you under the influence of any drugs, prescription or otherwise?” the detective asked.
Kimo’s frown deepened. “No. Absolutely not. I’m a professional diver. Drugs and alcohol have no place in the diving world.”
“Not even for recreational use?”
“I said no. I don’t drink and dive or do any manner of drugs.” She shook her head from side to side. “My friend isn’t missing because we were out partying in the bay. She was attacked. Run over and taken away by men in a boat.”
“Are you sure your dive partner wasn’t attacked by a shark? I understand that when you were brought into the ER, you were unconscious. Could you have had a lapse in memory?”
“No.” Kimo tried to push up onto her elbows. Her arms shook so much she collapsed back against the mattress. “I didn’t have a lapse of memory. A boat ran her over. She was hit and hauled aboard the boat by men. They took her. She wasn’t attacked by a shark. She was attacked by men.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t an accident. Maybe you two had an argument, didn’t agree about something and she fell overboard? When she didn’t come up, you got scared and manufactured this story about men in a boat attacking her and you. I mean, why would anyone attack a couple of divers in the middle of the night? It seems a bit far-fetched.”
Anger that had been simmering inside Rex from the moment the detective had begun his interrogation flamed and grew. “Look, Detective, Ms. Kekoa told you what happened. Clearly, you’re upsetting her with different scenarios that have nothing to do with what happened to her and her friend.”
The detective held up a hand. “It’s my responsibility to get to the truth. I’m simply doing my job.”
“By badgering Ms. Kekoa with irrelevant questions?” Rex shook his head. “Try again.”
“I suggest you back off, or I’ll hit you with obstruction of justice.”
“It’s okay,” Kimo said. “I’ll answer his questions. Anything to get someone looking for Alana.”
The detective met and held Rex’s glare, then turned back to Kimo. “Were there any other witnesses to this attack?”
“The men who attacked us.”
“No other people on the dive with you and your partner?”
“No.” Kimo closed her eyes.
“So, it’s only your word as to what happened out there?”
Her eyes opened to a slit as her brow descended. “Yes.”
