My Kind of Town
Vol. 1: The Honolulu Soap Co.
>>Cartwright Field Double your confusion
HPD solo bike Officer Quinn Ah Sun was the first police officer on the scene and immediately recognized the canary yellow Town Car. Everybody knew the senator's car.
But what was it doing upside down on the first base line?
Quinn keyed his helmet microphone as the big bike was skidding sideways into first base: "Get an ambulance over here!"
>>H-1, Ewa-bound
Lily speed-dialed her mother's number at the Capitol, but again the line was busy. No wonder. Everyone was concerned about the senator, the Democrats' best chance of keeping their grip on Washington Place. Lives, careers and, ahem, investments were irrevocably tied to his health.
And then her phone rang. "Aloha, this is Lily."
"I just heard the news!"
It was Shawny. Or Fawn. It was hard to tell. The identical twins, Lily's best friends since almost forever, sounded exactly alike on the phone.
"Oh my God! What's up with the senator?!"
"Hi, Shawny."
Fawn would never use the Lord's name in vain like that. The twins were identical in almost every way, except that Shawny had gotten kicked out of Punahou in the 10th grade after being caught skinny dipping with a senior boy in the swimming pool after hours, transferred to Roosevelt and had ever since followed a life of fun and excess, while Fawn believed her body was a temple of the Lord and was keeping herself chaste and healthy for Him.
"No idea. I haven't been able to get through to my mom."
"Keep me posted!" Shawny almost always spoke in exclamation points.
"What's happening at OHA?"
"Remember what I told you about our infamous former trustee?!"
"They're all infamous, aren't they?"
"Very funny! You know the one I'm talking about. He keeps hanging around over here!"
"Because of..."
"Yes, her! And both of them are happily married, quote unquote!"
"You ever think about blackmail?"
"Every day!" Shawny laughed. "Hey, gotta go to a meeting! You still on for this afternoon at the club?!"
"Absolutely. I need to burn some stress."
"Great! Fawn and I will see you then!"
As different as the twins were in behavior and attitude, they were still identical twins and very close. Lily loved them both.
"And I have to tell you about the cutest guy I just met."
"I can hardly wait! Bye!"
Lily took the Houghtailing exit and didn't notice either the faded gray sedan that trailed two cars behind her or the black SUV a few cars behind that.
>>Tomorrow: Family secrets
Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek.
His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin.
He can be emailed at dchapman@midweek.com