Read Black Jasmine (2012) for Free Online Page B

That’s all my CI knew as well. We’ll do follow-up interviews with them alone.” Pono gestured to Lei. “Impounding the cars was Lei’s idea. We think that will bring our station some fine revenue, and we can also flag those vehicle owners for monitoring in the future.”
    Brown eyes so dark the pupils were invisible traveled slowly over Lei’s grubby clothes and disordered hair. Lei shifted on the plastic seat. She tucked dusty athletic shoes under the chair.
    “Impounding vehicles is standard procedure in a raid like this. I think I’d have had something to say if you’d forgotten to do that.”
    Lei glanced over at Pono. He looked blank. This was their first raid of this type; obviously they’d gotten lucky by covering it. Lei’s stomach clenched in a familiar cramp.
    Omura seemed to relent. “Next time, I’d like a quick briefing before the raid; then we can make sure everything’s covered. What’s nice about the impound is that those fines will be directly credited to our station in terms of district funds, so you’re right, we can use the money.”
    She looked back down at the paperwork. “Says you had Animal Control take in the birds. What’s happening to them?”
    “Animal Control takes them to the Humane Society. They’re adopted out.”
    “More likely picked up by their former owners.” She picked up the phone, dialed a number she appeared to have memorized. “This is Lieutenant Omura at MPD. May I speak to your director?”
    Lei had an intuition of what was coming. She glanced over at Pono and saw color drain out of his face, leaving it ashy. He rubbed his lip beneath his mustache.
    “Hello. This is Lieutenant Omura, commanding officer of Haiku Station. Our officers performed the raid that resulted in the fighting cocks you’re currently holding. I’m requesting the euthanization of the birds that were brought in this afternoon.” A pause, obviously objections on the other end.
    “Yes, I know that’s not your policy. However, if you won’t do it, I’ll send some officers down there and we’ll destroy them ourselves. These birds are going to end up back in the ring or breeding more birds for fighting, so we have to make sure we are taking permanent steps to eradicate the problem.”
    More arguing. The lieutenant’s threat was empty, Lei hoped.
    “Well, if it’s humane you’re concerned about, you should consider what means my officers will use to dispatch the birds.”
    A shorter pause this time. Lei rubbed her hands on her jeans, missing the black stone.
    “Great. Thank you for your cooperation in reducing the gambling, violence, and negative community impact that go along with cockfighting. Oh, and if this gets to the papers, I’m going to know it was you who leaked it, and I don’t like leaks…No, I’m not threatening, just communicating clearly.”
    Omura hung up the phone.
    Lei’s hands were fisted on her thighs as she restrained herself from patting Pono’s rigid arm.
    Omura looked up. “I know it must seem harsh, but those birds have no other purpose or function than fighting. If this were a drug raid, we wouldn’t let the merchandise back out on the street. In the future, I don’t want the Humane Society involved. It’s going to be a mess if the media gets this, and with the way they sounded, they may try to leak it. In the future, we’ll just eliminate the birds ourselves after we confiscate them.” Omura must have seen something in Pono’s expression because she addressed him directly. “I know it goes against local culture, Kaihale, but they’re just chickens. Dismissed.”
    They got up and went out. Pono turned and went into the men’s room, probably punching a wall. He wouldn’t be the first to leave the Steel Butterfly’s office and do that.
    Lei went to the cubicle. Two new files were on her workstation; she booted up her computer as she leafed through them. One was a report of a possible meth lab near the junior high, the other a questionable