My Kind of Town
>>2002 Wilder Recon mission
HPD Detective Sherlock Gomes stepped onto the elevator, pushed the button for Dr. Laurie Tang's floor, saw a guy exiting a dark blue Nissan and jogging toward the elevator, waving. Gomes pushed the open-door button.
"No hurry," he said. "Which floor?"
"Fifteen."
That was two of them.
"Mahalo," the guy said as the door closed. Looking at Gomes, Salvatore Innuendo did a double-take.
"I saw you in the paper, the Star-Bulletin ran a photo of you on top of that World War II Japanese sub at Ala Moana! Sherlock Gomes, right?"
"You saw that, huh?"
"Yeah, incredible!" Innuendo thought about whipping out the hunting knife inside his jacket. He'd killed a Nicaraguan rebel -- known to have murdered three priests and a nun -- in an elevator when he was with the Vatican Security Office. But the last thing he needed was to be caught in an elevator with a dead man. Besides, Gomes was much bigger in person, and fitter. Innuendo was also giving away a few years. This wasn't the time for a physical encounter. This would be strictly recon.
The door opened on the 15th floor, both men stepped off.
"So what did you see inside the sub?"
"I'm afraid I can't say." Gomes stopped in front of 1527.
"Understood. Is this your home?"
"No," Gomes rang the bell. "My friend's."
"Not the lovely lady with you in the photo?!"
The door opened and there was Laurie Tang, looking quite lovely in a casually clingy dress with spaghetti straps.
"I'm Al," Innuendo lied and shook Gomes' hand. "Nice to meet you." Then Laurie's. "I don't get to meet many celebrities." The whole time looking past them inside the condo. A small foyer. A kitchen opening to the left. Bedroom to the right. Honolulu city lights straight ahead. "Have a nice evening."
He waved, continued down the hall, heard the door close behind him. At the end of the hall he checked the fire door, found it unlocked from the other side. Good to know.
Innuendo walked back purposefully, slowing only as he passed 1527, heard a woman's laughter from within. Have fun while you can, he thought, quickening his step. He took the elevator back to the garage, waved at the security guard as he drove out. Half a block away he turned into a condo where the church had let him stay for a while after his therapy. He still had a key. With binoculars, the corner bedroom would give him a perfect view of Laurie Tang's condo.
Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek.
His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin
with weekly summaries on Sunday.
He can be emailed at dchapman@midweek.com