Suspect #13.

The Surf Instructor.

Tommy is one of those guys that you can never really attain. Not really. He is cocky, likes to be ultra sure of himself and plays the field. But he can afford to. He is movie star hot. 

"If you pop up too soon, you'll loose footing and eat it. The wave will tell you when it's time to stand." He says, ever so sauvely, his hands on a young 20 something's hips. 

He is in mid lesson, giving instruction on the beach as his client is fake paddling on the board. This is the part I always cringed at watching lessons. You aren't in the water yet, and most people feel super self conscious. Not this girl though. She is wiggling slightly under his grasp, and smiling widely. Knowing what she is doing. 

He won't sleep with you more than once.....

If I could tell her that, I would. Tommy was a one night stand kind of guy. Unless you were a local. 

"The waves?" The girl pouts. "Why not you?" 

Tommy grins and squeezes her before letting go to stand. 

"I'll tell you, I'll be right by you. No worries." 

"You have a girlfriend?" She asks. 

"Ha! Girlfriend?" 

The blonde stands and comes right about to his pecs, looking up at him. Her charm was working on overdrive, and he knew it. 

"You can't tell me you are single! There is no way! Hot guy like you..."

Then there it was. Tommy cocked an eyebrow, his dimples showed and he flashed 'that look'. I had seen it a million times. A few times when we were dating. 

"You think I am hot?" He asks.

The girl grins and blushes, stammering around her words, unable to come up with the response she wants.

"Let's take this out to the ocean shall we?" He finally says, picking up the large foam surfboard. The blonde smiles finally and follows him. The response from Tommy was so classic. He knows he is desirable to most all women, and he knows that he holds all the power. He can convince even the most demure woman to go on dates with him. 

"I'll hold on to the board, don't worry. Hold your breath as the waves come over you!" 

They wade out as I hover above the surface, watching them. The ocean is especially calm today and the waves are smaller than usual. He gets her out to a good spot, as he is treading water and he helps her turn the board around as she sits, straddling the foam, legs dangling on either side. 

"I'll give you a push and I need you to go onto your belly, and paddle your arms in the water..."

Her face looks terrified. I laugh out loud, I knew that deer in the headlights response the first time you get into the water on a board. The feelings you feel as you don't exactly know how this will play out. 

"Ok.." She weakly says. 

He places his hand on her lower back as a sign of comfort and then he pushes her off. 

"Ahhhhh!!" She shrieks. 

She is doing pretty good, considering it is her first time. 

Listening to Tommy's instructions, she paddles hard and then hearing him bark out 'stand up now' she does just that. She stands for a fraction of a second before losing her balance and biffing it into the waves. I smile again. Oh to feel the power of the ocean like this. It is something you can barely explain. 

"Tommy!!!!" A voice calls from the beach. "You're needed!"

The other handsome surf instructor employed by the hotel is shouting at him. Tommy helps the girl up as she finally surfaces and finds her footing in the sand. They wade back in and the other instructor takes over. 

"Boss says you are needed in the office."

"Did he say why?" Tommy asks. 

"Nope."

🩸

"Tommy, these are detectives from the Honolulu Police Department. They have asked to interview you about the employee who died last week, Leilani Miller. I'll be outside if you need me."

The activities manager leaves the small office shack and closes the door. 

"Please, have a seat." Detective Jones says, gesturing for him to sit in an open plastic chair. 

Tommy appears to be the one acting like a deer in headlights now. He was clearly not expecting this interview to take place. Shuffling his bare feet, sandy and still wet, he sits. One of his legs begins to shake up and down and he moves his foot. A tick or tell of some sort. The detectives are taking it all in. 

"How long have you known Leilani?" Detective Jones asks. 

Tommy blinks a few times before answering. 

"I guess for a few years. Since she started working here. I can't remember the exact timing."

Taking out his notebook, detective Jones nods.

"Ok, so you met her right away when she started working here as guest services coordinator?"

"Well...yeah...I mean she's hot. Whenever a new girl comes on that is that good looking word gets around."

Detective Keele clears his throat and maintains a stare, directly at Tommy. 

"She was a very beautiful woman indeed. What we really want to know though, is how you managed to get into her building on your off days, when she was working?"

"Her building??" Tommy asks, his voice trailing off. 

He was caught doing something. 

"Yes. We have video footage of you coming and going around a dozen times over the last month, and the feed cuts off after you get out of the elevator. Were you breaking into her condo?"

"Why would I break into her condo? I haven't dated her in months!" He retorts, a hint of indignation in his voice. 

"Well....we do have your fingerprints on her doorknob and the surrounding door frame."

Tommy's leg is moving at a high rate of speed now, jiggling up and down in an anxiety induced way. The detectives must think it's a tell of something. Heck, I even think it's a tell. Why was he at my place?

"I think I need a lawyer."

🩸

Looking back through my memories of dating Tommy, I can see where he was a tad possessive of me. At the time I didn't think much of it though. He asked me out and we had a good time during the day, surfing and then getting food truck grub. That night, he took me to his beach house that he was renting with roommates. We drank and had fun with everyone but if any of the guys looked at me in any way, he was jealous. 

Can a person be with a psychopath and not know it? You see it in Lifetime movies and crime TV shows, but in real life, could you see yourself in that position?

Similar to Marcus, Tommy came across as only wanting something casual but I suppose he could have wanted more. We never once talked about being boyfriend and girlfriend or exclusive if you will. He did make comments about who I talked to or who he perceived me flirting with. But to have fingerprints on my door...when we hadn't dated in months and months...was baffling. 

Had Tommy been the one to kill me?

"Come on!! Pick up!!"

Tommy is sitting in his car, blasting the AC, in the parking garage. On his phone, he talks to himself in aggravation. He is of course, calling someone. All the suspects inevitably do. I am here to find out more. Hopefully a confession. 

"Finally! Shit! I told you to always answer when I call!" He says loudly. 

I can't see who he is calling, the phone is tucked into his face too closely. But I can hear a muffled male voice. 

"The detectives came to see me.....yes! They questioned me!"

Implying Tommy already knew about the detectives I had to think he was talking to someone that was already interviewed. There were a few males that were suspects, it could be anyone. 

"You said they wouldn't come to me! I know....no....they didn't get that far. I stopped the interview by saying I needed a lawyer. Yes....I know. I won't say anything else."

Whoever was on the other end begins talking rapidly and a bit louder. But still, I have no idea who it is. I strain to hear. 

"Yep. Sounds good. I'll contact the lawyer right after we hang up. You better pay for it though. Yeah...send me the name via text."

Mystery person was paying for his lawyer. Interesting. Tommy hangs up and opens his text message screen. I see names I recognize from his roommates then many I don't. It doesn't surprise me though, he is a social butterfly. He taps the phone impatiently as he waits for the message to come. 

I feel the familiar feeling of anxiety creeping in. I want to know so badly who has killed me, I just want it to be over with. But as things are going, more questions keep popping up instead of answers. This must be how the detectives feel...helpless. 

"Finally!" Tommy exclaims, looking at the screen. 

There is a message. My ghost body freezes up at the name on the screen that it came from. 

Filau.

~ This book is Copyrighted by K E Jennings and only available on Wattpad. if you are reading this on another site, it has been stolen without permission or monetary payment to the said author. ~

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Fun Hawaiian Fact: Each Hawaiian island has a nickname; 

Oahu- The Gathering Place. 

Kauai- The Garden Isle. 

Maui- The Valley Isle. 

Hawaii Island- The Orchid Isle. 

Molokai- The Friendly Isle. 

Lanai- The Private Isle.

 Niihau- The Forbidden Isle. 

Kahoolawe- The Target Isle.