“Meanwhile you had the audio recorder running in your pocket the whole time,” Foxx guessed.
“I’ve been carrying it with me ever since my courtroom appearance. I figured it was only a matter of time before he found me.”
I pressed play on the recorder.
“If anything, Stan Cross should be worried about me. You should too. Just ask Eric Ellis,” Detective Parrish said on the recorder.
“Oh, I don’t take your threats lightly. Have a good day. Maybe we can work your next case together.”
“A word of warning, Rutherford. When the end arrives for you, and it will soon, you’ll never see it coming.”
I stopped the audio recorder.
“He basically admitted to killing Eric Ellis,” Foxx said.
“There’s more. Earlier he admitted that he broke into Mele Akamu’s safe.”
“Did you play Alana the recording?”
“Not yet. She’s all amped up about seeing her father. I’ll play her the audio later tonight. I suspect Detective Parrish will be in handcuffs soon after that.”
Foxx slapped me on my back and almost knocked me over.
“We got him, Poe. We got him.”
“Yes, we did,” I said, and I smiled.
Did you like this book?
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Reviews are the most powerful tools an author can have. As an independent author, I don’t have the same financial resources as New York publishers.
Honest reviews of my books help bring them to the attention of other readers, though.
If you’ve enjoyed this book, I would be grateful if you could write a review.
Thank you.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to you readers for investing your time in reading my story. I hope you enjoyed it. Poe, Alana, Foxx, and Maui will return.
About the Author
Robert W Stephens is the author of the Murder on Maui series, the Alex Penfield novels, and the standalone thrillers The Drayton Diaries and Nature of Evil.
You can find more about the author at robertwstephens.com.
Visit him on Facebook at facebook.com/robertwaynestephens
Also by Robert W. Stephens
Murder on Maui Mysteries
Aloha Means Goodbye (Poe Book 1)
A gruesome murder. A friend framed. One detective races to stop another bloody masterpiece. Edgar Allan “Poe” Rutherford just lost his job, his girl, and his chance at a relaxing island vacation. When the brutal murder of a celebrity artist is pinned on his friend, Poe refuses to lose his best buddy to the Maui penitentiary. As he works his way down the gallery guest list, he navigates through bloated egos, heated rivalries, and more than a few eccentric personalities along the way. But he never expected the hunt for truth to reveal a second chance at love.
Wedding Day Dead (Poe Book 2)
A marital murder. A guest list of suspects. Just another night on Maui. Poe has just started his new life on Maui. He's moved in with his best friend and he's dating the woman of his dreams. But when Detective Alana Hu's ex-boyfriend comes to town, Poe discovers more than a few secrets that rain down on his corner of paradise. It's all he can think about until a member of the wedding party is fatally stabbed.
Blood like the Setting Sun (Poe Book 3)
A death threat. A birthright on reserve. Can Poe stop a wealthy hotel mogul from checking out? When an elderly hotel mogul claims to have received threatening letters, Poe chalks it up to old age. But as the threats continue to escalate, he investigates the real possibility that one of her adult children heirs wants her dead… but which one?
Hot Sun Cold Killer (Poe Book 4)
An old murder. A new threat. Can Poe find the killer before it’s too late? When a client asks Poe to look into a decade-old death on the beach, he can’t help but be intrigued. The police ruled it a suicide, but it’s up to him to prove otherwise. As soon as Poe takes the case, people related to the victim start turning up dead--a sure sign that he’s on the right track. But can Poe identify the killer… before he becomes the next victim?
Choice to Kill (Poe Book 5)
A murder close to home. A case that seems open and shut. Will Poe’s rush to judgment make his fiancé the next victim? Poe didn’t think twice when he took his fiancé’s case. After all, Detective Alana Hu had known the victim since childhood. Besides, the evidence is easy to decode: all signs point to the victim’s estranged husband. As Poe works to get the killer behind bars, he can’t help but be distracted by his fast-approaching wedding. But Maui beaches have a knack for luring people into a false sense of security, and Poe’s error could extract the highest cost imaginable. After all, you can’t have a wedding… without the bride.
Sunset Dead (Poe Book 6)
A murdered mistress. A wrongful arrest. Can Poe and Alana take down a killer from both sides of the law? Poe can’t stand to take another case after his last one nearly killed his wife. When he's accused of murdering his supposed mistress, he's forced back into a familiar role to prove his innocence. But can he do it from behind bars?
Ocean of Guilt (Poe Book 7)
A murdered bride. A suspicious groom. Can Poe catch the killer before the anchor drops? Poe is ready to dive back into his work as Maui’s top private investigator. But before he can unpack his suitcase, his sister-in-law begs him to photograph her client’s extravagant nautical wedding. Poe is confident he can handle the wedding party from hell, until he finds the bride’s dead body on the top deck.
The Tequila Killings (Poe Book 8)
A deadly fall. A dodgy past. Can Poe uncover the truth before a match made in paradise ends in disaster? Poe has the luxury of picking and choosing the cases that spark his curiosity. So when his love-struck mother-in-law demands he trail her latest squeeze, he thinks he’s wasting his time. Until a mysterious woman from the boyfriend’s past falls off his balcony to her death.
Wave of Deception (Poe Book 9)
A beach execution. A devastating hurricane. Can Maui's best PI solve the case without his family members becoming the prime suspects? Poe is used to weathering difficult cases. And since the victim is his sister-in-law’s abusive ex-boyfriend, Poe hopes nobody looks too hard at his own compelling motive. Ignoring the sound advice to keep his nose out, Poe spars with the island’s newest police detective who seems to have her own hidden motivations, especially when she asks Poe to help her with another case. Poe has never taken on two murder investigations at once. But as he gets closer to the truth, will he like the answers he finds?
The Last Kill (Poe Book 10)
Lights. Camera. Murder. When lies become reality, can Poe find the truth before a killer strikes again? As Maui’s best private investigator, Edgar Allan “Poe” Rutherford understands the importance of keeping a low profile. That becomes impossible when a new reality TV show comes to the island, which features an eccentric handful of divorcees looking for love. But when one of the women is poisoned to death, the show’s production comes to a grinding halt. At the same time, a few miles down the beach, a divorce attorney is stabbed multiple times while she sits on a lounge chair and watches the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. The methods of murder, as well as the victims, couldn’t be more different, yet Poe has a sneaking suspicion they’re somehow related.
Mountain of Lies (Poe Book 11)
A cold body. A warm paradise. A murder with more than one culprit. Private investigator Edgar Allan “Poe” Rutherford is worried. His latest client may have committed homicide, and sharing his suspicions with his detective wife is an argument he’d rather not have. But when she arrests his new employer, catching the true perpetrator means keeping it in the family. Never one to let loose ends go untied, Poe’s off-the-record investigation uncovers another suspect connected to foul play from years before. And now he’s not sure if he’s solving one lethal crime or two.
Rich and Dead (Poe Book 12)
Texas Hold ’em in paradise. A table full of suspects. The minimum bet could cost him
his life. PI Edgar Allan “Poe” Rutherford is tired of taking down murderers. So, when a detective comes to him with a suspicious case of a millionaire who drove off a Maui cliff, he declines her request for help. But when the victim’s scorned lover demands money in exchange for information, Poe is pulled back into the game. Demanding answers from the selfish vulture, the relentless private eye uncovers a connection to a high-seas, high-stakes illicit poker ring. And after he discovers the vicious men involved, he’s convinced the death was no accident. But to find the murderer, the charming PI needs to get on the yacht and take a seat at the table. Can the sharp-witted investigator flush out a sinister cabal before he’s dealt a dead man’s hand?
Poe’s First Law (Poe Book 13)
He’s used to catching crooks, not proving their innocence. Can this Hawaiian investigator say aloha to the real killer? Edgar Allan “Poe” Rutherford knows his personal connection to a crime boss is wrong. But when she needs his PI expertise to solve a reopened cold case, he can’t refuse the woman who feels like family. The only catch… the police are convinced she’s the murderer. Diving deep into his friend’s corrupt empire, Poe chases down a dizzying array of potential suspects. But the further his investigation goes into uncovering alarming secrets, the more he fears his client is guilty of this brutal homicide. Will Poe clear this mobster’s name before he’s forced to put her behind bars?
Alex Penfield Novels
Ruckman Road (Penfield Book 1)
To solve an eerie murder, one detective must break a cardinal rule: never let the case get personal. Alex Penfield's gunshot wounds have healed, but the shock remains raw. Working the beat could be just what the detective needs to clear his head. But when a corpse washes up on the Chesapeake Bay, Penfield's first case back could send him spiraling. As Penfield and his partner examine the dead man's fortress of a house, an army of surveillance cameras takes the mystery to another level. When the detective sees gruesome visions that the cameras fail to capture, he begins to wonder if his past has caught up with him. To solve the murder, Penfield makes a call on a psychic who may or may not be out to kill him. His desperate attempt to catch a killer may solve the case, but will he lose his sanity in the process?
Dead Rise (Penfield Book 2)
Detective Alex Penfield has to solve a murder case before it happens. His own. Retirement never suited Penfield, but there’s nothing like a death omen to get you back in the saddle. A psychic colleague warns the detective that his own murder is coming. When a local death bears an eerie resemblance to the psychic’s vision, he can’t help but get involved. As the body count rises, the case only gets more unfathomable. Witnesses report ghastly encounters with a man sporting half a face. And the only living survivor from a deadly boat ride claims he knows who’s to blame. There’s only one problem: the suspect’s been dead for 20 years.
The Eternal (Penfield Book 3)
Detective Alex Penfield has put away plenty of serial killers. He never expected to protect one. Detective Alex Penfield is no stranger to crime scenes. But when he tracks down a killer, he discovers she’s in a whole different league. And this assassin is far from alone. It turns out that Penfield’s detective skills have uncovered a secret government program that’s better left buried. And the men and women of that program have put a target on his back. To survive the day, Penfield’s only chance is to trust a ruthless killer. He hopes his risky choice won’t be the last one he ever makes.
Nature of Darkness (Penfield Book 4)
The murders scarred him for life. Can he face it again when a copycat resumes the butchery? Detective Alex Penfield’s hope for humanity hangs by a slender thread of justice. But even slamming the darkly disturbing serial killer behind bars can’t make up for the brutal loss of his dear friend ten years ago. And he vows she won’t have died in vain when he’s recruited by the FBI to catch a vicious predator with the same blood-soaked calling card. Grimly shoving his own pain aside in the hunt for clues, the seasoned investigator is forced to meet face-to-face with the original sadistic monster. But when the pieces of the puzzle raise questions over his friend’s death, Penfield is horrified that he’s stumbled onto a grisly conspiracy.
Standalone Dark Thrillers
Nature of Evil
Rome, 1948. Italy reels in the aftermath of World War II. Twenty women are brutally murdered, their throats slit and their faces removed with surgical precision. Then the murders stop as abruptly as they started, and the horrifying crimes and their victims are lost to history. Now over sixty years later, the killings have begun again. This time in America. It’s up to homicide detectives Marcus Carter and Angela Darden to stop the crimes, but how can they catch a serial killer who leaves no traces of evidence and no apparent motive other than the unquenchable thirst for murder?
The Drayton Diaries
He can heal people with the touch of his hand, so why does a mysterious group want Jon Drayton dead? A voice from the past sends Drayton on a desperate journey to the ruins of King’s Shadow, a 17th century plantation house in Virginia that was once the home of Henry King, the wealthiest and most powerful man in North America and who has now been lost to time. There, Drayton meets the beautiful archaeologist Laura Girard, who has discovered a 400-year-old manuscript in the ruins. For Drayton, this partial journal written by a slave may somehow hold the answers to his life’s mysteries.
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