kiDNApped (A Tara Shores Thriller) by Rick Chesler Read Free Book Online

who was found dead on the sea bottom about a mile off Waikiki Beach with his throat cut.”
    “And that man’s identity has been confirmed?” the reporter queried.
    “Based on statements made by an employee of the deceased, it appears that the man may have been using an alias. We are asking anyone who may know this individual, possibly a charter boat captain who went by the name of ‘Mr. Johnson,’ piloting a small sport fishing boat called the Honu , to come forward and give us information about him. I cannot comment any further at this time.”
    A photograph of Mr. Johnson was shown on screen. Tara did not recognize the man.
    “We have heard that Mr. Johnson may have been looking for something in the water when he died. Can you comment on that?”
    “No further comments at this time while we conduct our investigation, okay?”
    “Okay, can you tell us where is the diver working for Mr. Johnson who was rescued by canoers?” the reporter pressed.
    “That witness has already been interviewed by detectives at the Waikiki sub-station, and has since been released. He is in good condition following his ordeal. He did not require medical treatment.”
    “Can you tell us his name?” “Dave Turner.” “And is Mr. Turner a suspect in his boss’ murder at this time?” “No, sir, not at this time.” “A person of interest?”
    The cop registered an irritated look which made Tara laugh. “He is a person of interest since he is the one who reported the crime to us. But he is not a suspect at this time, no.”
    The reporter thanked the officer and beckoned for his cameraman to follow him over to a group of local men who were surrounded by curious beachgoers.
    “Excuse me, gentlemen, you fellows are the crew of the outrigger canoe who rescued the man at sea this morning, correct?” The men nodded and smiled in response, a few giving the “shaka” sign, waving a hand with thumb and pinky extended. “So you were rowing about a half mile offshore when you spotted a man swimming—tell us what happened next.” A big Hawaiian man, bare-chested except for a large puka shell necklace, stepped forward.
    “We were paddling toward Diamond Head when we saw this crazy haole guy, yeah? Just swimming by himself with no board, nothing. Way out past where most of the swimmers go, yeah?”
    Onscreen, the reporter nodded and the canoer continued.
    “No look like he in trouble at first, he just swimming for shore. But we so far out that we say, better make sure he okay, yeah?”
    Then another member of the outrigger crew chimed in. “We ask him, you all right, brah? He starts talking about his boat missing, his boss dead, and so we pick him up. Took him right in to the beach, right over there, yeah?”
    The long-haired young man, arms decorated with extensive tribal tattoos, pointed to a patch of sand just off camera at the water’s edge. The white pontoon of an outrigger canoe could be seen jutting into the field of view.
    The men explained that police were contacted and took the man in for questioning soon after the outrigger had landed ashore.
    The reporter then ended the interview by saying that the Coast Guard is currently searching for the missing boat, the Honu . Then the program went back to the news studio, where an anchorwoman re-capped the story’s highlights, adding a photograph of Dave Turner. In the snapshot, he was standing on a boat wearing a scuba tank, smiling broadly, shaggy blond hair falling almost to his shoulders. They concluded with a map from Google Earth labeled with the site of where the dead body was recovered in the ocean.
    Quickly, Tara pulled a digital camera from her desk and snapped a picture of the TV screen with the map still displayed. She could have the map sent to her by the TV station, but experience had taught her that this was much faster and may well suit her purposes.
    Tara flipped off the TV and reflected on what she had just seen. She understood why her boss wanted her to check it