My Kind of Town
>>Manoa Emergency exit
Paul Omandam lived in the loft above the maintenance shed. His employer, the wealthy widow Mrs. Rayna Chang, provided a cell phone, bed, small refrigerator, hot plate and cable TV. Which he was watching at the moment, seeing another news replay of Muhammed Resurreccion being led away in handcuffs. How had their plan to bomb the Arizona Memorial gone so badly?
And why wasn't Rey Orlando answering his phone?
Their group -- he laughed at the American media's fascination with the term terrorist cells -- was small, just Paul, Rey and his cousin Wilhemina, who'd been recruited as Muhammed's driver. But Paul had seen her on TV being escorted off the shuttle boat that had nearly exploded. So Wilhemina was no doubt in custody too. Rey wouldn't talk. But WIlhemina? Maybe.
Paul had to move, now. American agents might already know of his involvement. He shaved his mustache, stuffed a change of clothes, comb and toothbrush in a small backpack. In an exterior pouch he slipped the money, passport, green card and driver's license he'd held for over a year to use in just such an emergency.
He was now Ignacio Del Rosario. Changing names was nothing new. Before Muhammed sent him to work as a yardman in Hawaii, he was Achmed al-Hazir, explosives expert. Inside his shirt he strapped what looked like a money belt around his waist. Keeping the lights and the TV on, he hurried down the stairs, paused to steal a machete.
>>2002 Wilder
HPD Detective Sherlock Gomes wrote occasionally in his notepad as Dr. Laurie Tang recounted how she'd met Sen. Donovan Matsuda-Yee-Dela Cruz-Bishop-Kamaka at, of all things, a meet-the-candidate tea. Where everyone drank coffee.
And they hit it off. Not with heart flutters and fireworks, but with an almost immediate realization that they each brought something to the relationship that would benefit the other. And they formed a kind of passionless partnership. Laurie was bright, attractive, successful.
Just as Vicky had done for Ben, Laurie would bring votes to Donovan in the governor's race. And for Laurie the immigrant girl to become the state's First Lady, was there a better American success story? Beyond that, Laurie saw an opportunity to use her medical training to promote better health in Hawaii, starting with practical health education in schools.
She and Donovan would have a polite marriage and become good friends. She didn't need to be swept off her feet or know the fever she'd glimpsed in other couples.
"Or so I thought," Laurie said, refilled their glasses with Riesling.
"What made you change your mind?"
"This morning. At Ala Moana." With you, her eyes told him.
"Which reminds me," he said, putting away his notepad. "You're such an incredible swimmer. Would you give me a few pointers sometime?"
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