Broken Ferns (Lei Crime ) by Toby Neal Read Free Book Online Page B

think he gives a shit about morale, which he doesn’t.”
    “Where can we find Rezents?”
    “I don’t know if he’s on today. He checks in over at the airport. I only see him when he’s picking up a check or something.”
    “We want to know about a few more people, but can you find out if Rezents is working when we’re done? I know this is an imposition—we so appreciate your time,” Ken said.
    “What else do you want to know? I’m all yours.”
    Lei managed to keep a straight face by looking back down at her list of names as the older woman slanted a thick-mascaraed glance at Ken.
    “We had a couple more employees who’d been fired. Lehua Kinoshita and Kimo Matthews.”
    Reynalda tipped her head, exhaled smoke from her nostrils. “More punks. We’ve definitely had a few over the years. Lehua was going on and on about the health insurance, so we just told her she’d be happier elsewhere. She tried to turn us in to the Department of Consumer Affairs, but I was able to show legitimate work patterns that justified her scheduling when the inspector came. Kimo, he stole from the bags.” She tapped her ash. “Passengers filed missing items claims and HPD found the items at a local pawnshop and Kimo on camera. So we fired him.”
    “Either of them express any particular hostility?” Ken asked. His dark eyes were narrowed against the smoke.
    “Kimo knew he’d been fairly busted. He was happy to just get his last check and take off. But Lehua said she wasn’t going to give up. She’d made a list of employees whose hours had been manipulated or who’d had health care unfairly denied.”
    “Do you have a list of those names?” Lei asked, keeping her excitement under control.
    “Yeah. I told her all sweetlike that I wanted to look into it, talk Max into making it right for these people, and she gave it to me.”
    Lei looked up from her note-taking at Reynalda’s smug face. This woman wasn’t just taking orders—she was enjoying her job of being Max Smiley’s enforcer. Ken, on Reynalda’s other side, must have seen Lei’s face, because he frowned, giving her a tiny head shake.
    “We’d sure appreciate a copy of that.” Lei smiled with difficulty. So far her sympathies were squarely with the employees.
    Reynalda stubbed out her cigarette, tucked the pack into the front pocket on her shirt, and picked up the can. “Follow me.”
    They trailed her to a small, tidy cubicle. Reynalda threw the Diet Coke can into the trash, went to her computer, and punched up a few keys. “I’ll print Rezents’s schedule for you, as well.” A minute later, the schedule and a typed list popped out of the printer. She picked the schedule up, frowned as she looked at it. “Tyson was supposed to be on yesterday. Never showed up.”
    “Does he make a habit of that?” Lei asked.
    “Remember I told you about Max’s criteria for a good employee? Showing up is number one. So no. We write people up and fire them after two no-shows.”
    “Can we get his contact information?” Ken asked.
    “Aren’t I supposed to have a warrant or something?” Reynalda batted her eyes at him.
    “Mr. Smiley seemed to want us to have the company’s full cooperation. I’m sure it’s fine, but you’re welcome to call him and check.” Ken smiled back at her.
    “No, that’s all right.” She punched a few more buttons and they waited for the whir of the printer; then she handed over a copy of Tyson Rezents’s contact information.
    “Thank you. You’ve been amazing.” Lei was already opening the door to leave as Ken doled out his final flirtation.
    “No problem. Call me if you need anything else,” Reynalda said. “Anytime.”
    Lei looked at the new address and compared it with the one she had from the high school. “I’m guessing he’s not with his mother anymore.”
    Ken plugged the kid’s more recent address into the Acura’s GPS, pulled out of the parking lot and back onto busy Nimitz. Lei booted up the Toughbook