The Honolulu Murder Files

Chapter 3

Suspect #2.

The Coworker.

Tio sits quietly, contemplating things. At least that's what he looks like he's doing. After the crappy revelations with Kenny, I want to see what beheld me with my trusted coworker. I spent the majority of my time with him after all. Hours upon hours sitting in our cubicles right next to each other. 

He touches the screen of his laptop so I got as close to him as I could. An email. An email from me. He lets his index finger linger over my name at the top. This was curious. I look at his face, he appears to be sad. 

I know he would be, if he had died instead I would have been beside myself. 

"I miss you."

I miss you too...

Too bad he can't hear me. I want to help him, somehow. 

Tio is a very good looking guy. He is a shy type though, the kind who never invites you to go do anything because he won't put himself out there. He never asked me out on a real date. But we did go to lunch all the time, and we got breakfast a few times too, when we had to work early. 

He isn't dating anyone that I know of. At least he never said he was. I know he lived with his grandma in the Diamond Head neighborhood. It was within walking distance to work and he usually took his bike. His grandma had raised him and she was wealthy. Wealthy but kind of clingy. 

He opens more emails and begins to work. I wasn't sure what I expect to see him do, but working is like him. He works much harder than I did even. 

"Tio!"

Kenny  finally opens his office door and comes out. 

"Yeah boss?"

"I think you can take the day off if you'd like. But only if you want. I don't mind either way. We can get back into the grind of things tomorrow. Higher ups want us to have a mental health day if we need it. Because of what happened."

Tio looks pained for a brief moment. Was he going to actually take the day off? I wait anxiously to see. 

"Oh."

He sits still for what seems like minutes then finally gets up. 

"Ok. I'll go then. See you tomorrow morning."

Kenny nods and goes back into his office, shutting the door behind him. 

I feel compelled to follow Tio so I float after him as he rides the elevator down into the stone floored lobby. He waves to a beautiful front desk clerk who also waves back at him. I know her, she is a nice young girl still in college. He keeps walking through to the gardens outside where his bike was chained up. 

I always loved this hotel. It was gorgeous. They decorated it in deep mahogany wood tones and used the prettiest sea glass type decorations for the walls as well as prints. Out of all the Waikiki hotels I had put resumes in for, this one was my favorite. 

I thought he was going to get on the bike but he doesn't. He answers his phone instead.

"This is Tio."

🩸

The Honolulu Police precinct is dirty and smells like urine outside.

I can smell!! 

This is an entirely new sensation. Why haven't I smelled anything before this? 

Tio chains up his bike next to what I thought was water but has the strongest ammonia odor. It was pee alright. Probably from a homeless person. How fitting too. Right outside the very precinct that housed their jailors. Urinating in public was a misdemeanor in Honolulu.