“I can try.” Kimo pressed the play arrow.
Rex focused on the background behind Kimo’s friend.
“What are you looking for?” Kimo asked.
“Anything that could be a clue as to where they’re keeping her.”
Kimo leaned close, studying the video as well.
“Looks like they’re keeping her in a small room with a low ceiling and dim lights,” Rex said. “The wall appears clean and white, not made of drywall or tile.”
“Looks like what they use on the insides of a boat cabin,” Kimo said. “But I don’t see anything else. No signs or letters on the walls to indicate a make or model of the craft. She could be on a number of different kinds of boats, including a catamaran or yacht.”
Whoever had been manning the camera had zoomed in on Alana, making it hard to see much more of the room. Most of the view was filled with Alana’s bruised and pale face. She appeared to be sitting in a chair, her hands secured behind her back.
Kimo winced as the hand lashed out, smacking Alana in the face.
“Pause,” Rex said.
Kimo paused the video with the arm still extended.
Kimo pointed. “Is that a tattoo?”
Rex nodded.
Kimo zoomed in on the tattoo. “Looks like a stylized tribal mask.” Her eyes widened. “I’ve seen something similar.”
Rex nodded. “Members of my team ran into guys with those tattoos on Oahu. They belonged to a motorcycle gang that goes by the name of Order of the Demons.”
“Holy shit,” Kimo whispered. “They’re known to be ruthless.”
“Yeah.” He leaned back. “I need to stop by my apartment to collect some of my dive equipment, and I’d like to make a call from there. We can share the video with my tech guru. He can run a check on it and see if he can come up with any more information Alana’s location.”
Kimo nodded. “You could drop me at my place. I need to clean up.”
Rex shook his head. “Not a chance I’m dropping you anywhere. You’re stuck with me for the duration of this situation. Besides, we don’t have much time.”
“I think you have it backward,” Kimo said with a grimace. “You’re stuck with me.” She held up a hand. “I know, it’s your job.”
Rex nodded. He didn’t want to admit it was quickly becoming more than just a job. The pretty Hawaiian was a strong, independent woman who’d survived a pretty traumatic event and didn’t want to leave her friend behind. She was more than adamant about finding her, even if she had to do it all by herself. She reminded him of someone he’d loved.
He shifted into gear and pulled out of the parking lot. “You remind me of my mother.”
Kimo laughed. “I consider myself fairly young still, and I haven’t found my first gray hair.” She shook her head with a twisted smile. “I don’t know whether to be flattered or insulted.”
Rex smiled. “Flattered. My mother put up with a lot being married to my father. She always supported his work and career without complaint, while he didn’t really seem to see her. Her passion was helping others. She volunteered in women’s shelters and visited children in the cancer treatment hospitals. She helped raise money for both organizations and would’ve given the shirt off her back to a stranger or a homeless person.”
“From all you’ve said about her, she sounds pretty amazing,” Kimo said.
Rex’s heart pinched hard in his chest. “She was.”
“How did she die?” Kimo asked. “If you don’t mind my asking.”
“One of the women she’d befriended at the women’s shelter had retrained to become a nurse and was working shiftwork at one of the bigger hospitals on Oahu when she came down with a particularly bad case of the flu. She stayed home from work too long when she should’ve gone to the hospital.” Rex shook his head. “When my mother heard she was sick, she went to the woman’s apartment, took her soup, fed and cared for her until she realized she wasn’t getting better. Finally, she called an ambulance. They took her to the hospital, got her on antibiotics and a ventilator. It was touch-and-go for a while, but she got better.”
“And your mother?”
“She got the same flu but didn’t tell anyone. Didn’t go to the hospital. My father was away on a business trip. Our housekeeper was on vacation. By the time the housekeeper returned, my mother was already in organ failure.”
