Chapter 34: Upon reaching the women's shelter in Hilo that night, Kent steeled himself for the difficult task ahead. He’d sent Mahuiki back to the station to enter his notes into the case file. After he did the death notification, Kent would go back to the station and revisit what they’d gathered and formulate a plan for the next day.

Notifying Ella of her husband’s death was not something he could delegate; their past interactions had built enough of a rapport that he needed to honor the connection. That didn’t mean his hands didn’t feel cold with dread on the steering wheel. A quick refueling of his body at the Taco Bell drive through hadn’t helped.

Kent parked the truck and took a deep breath after he shut off the engine. He closed his eyes and blew it out, mustering strength—and in that moment Koa’s smiling face, lit by the campfire they’d shared, appeared in his mind’s eye. When would he see her again?

He forced Koa out of his thoughts and focused on the meeting ahead.

Truth was, Ella had a brighter future now that Manny was gone. Yes, she faced the challenge of being a widowed young mom without means—but the threat of violence no longer hung over her head. And without needing to worry about her friend’s well-being, Koa might be willing to venture out of the valley and meet her relatives. Begin a new life, a more “normal” one.

But if she’d been the one to kill Abalo?

Kent shook his head to drive off the intrusive thought.

He couldn’t get ahead of himself. He would follow the evidence, no matter where it led. So far nothing pointed directly at Koa, and Kimo had given them a lot of leads, including himself. The autopsy, scheduled for tomorrow, would tell them a lot and might rule Koa out.

Kent got out and locked the truck. He identified himself at a voice kiosk beside the tall, chain link entry gate. He told the case worker he needed to come inside and speak with Ella Abalo about a matter of urgency regarding her husband.

With a buzz, the gate’s lock deactivated. He stepped through, turning to make sure it locked behind him.

These women weren’t locked in, no matter how it looked. Their attackers were locked out. That these security measures were needed still sickened him.

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