My Kind of Town
>> State Capitol The Honolulu Soap Co.:
Sunday digestThe press conference in Sen. Donovan Matsuda-Yee-Dela Cruz-Bishop-Kamaka's office was breaking up in record time. The story of the senator -- on the eve of the election explaining to the media how he'd been detained against his will by a group of Native Hawaiian terrorists for three days -- being arrested by HPD Detective Sherlock Gomes on various drug charges would be the top story.
Star-Bulletin reporter Cruz MacKenzie lingered, waiting for a private moment with Gomes. MacKenzie and photographer Johnny B. Goo had been outside a Makiki Heights cottage two nights ago hoping to talk with the senator when Gomes arrived.
"Why didn't you bust the senator then?" MacKenzie said.
"Sorry, Cruz, no comment, pending charges being filed."
MacKenzie knew not to push Gomes. It only pushed him away.
For his part, Gomes respected MacKenzie. He was both fair and professional.
"Woman in Pearl City, Sheila Fernandez, said somebody broke into her house and took only family photos."
Grace Ah Sun, the senator's secretary, returned from the inner office just in time to hear about the family photo burglar.
"Same thing happened last week to my friend Lois Toyama."
"Where does she live?"
"Aina Haina." Grace gave them Lois's number, and Gomes was gone.
As MacKenzie left a little later, the phone rang. Grace answered, expecting a media call. "What a nice, surprise, Mr. President! I heard you were visiting!"
>> Queen's Medical Center
Laird Ah Sun was disappointed to learn that visiting hours didn't start until noon. Seeing his brother Lance was the biggest reason for this unplanned trip from Palo Alto. He had to come home after his mother left a message saying Lance was out of the coma. That was great news -- Laird could talk with him. It was crucial, because when he spoke with their sister Lily yesterday, she confirmed his worst fears, that his younger brother was gay.
It was a basic part of the teachings of Christopher X.O. St. John -- Laird had discovered his "Jesus Was a CEO: The Gospel of Acquisitions" in his last term at Stanford Business -- that homosexuality was a disease.
Lance needed to hear that message, for his soul's sake.
>> State Capitol
Some women would have been offended. But all Grace Ah Sun could manage was to blush and giggle like a young girl. Contentedly married, Grace felt a surge of adrenaline bolt through her like she hadn't felt in years.
"Oh, Mr. President!" she said. "I'm speechless."
"I'm not asking you to give a speech, Grace," the former president said in the sincere drawl. "All I'd like to hear is a 'yes.'"
"If you don't mind my saying so, sir, I'm amazed that you'd remember me."
"I was very impressed with you on my last visit. Grace, I'd like to get to know you better. Get your opinion on a couple of things I'm working on."
"I really am flattered, Mr. President," she said. "To answer your question, yes, of course, I'd be honored to have dinner with you."
"Wonderful! You've made my day, Grace. But do me one favor. Keep this to yourself, will you? Our little secret?"
"Of course."
>> Queen's Medical Center
HPD Detective Sherlock Gomes was on his way to visit Serena Kawainui, the woman who'd crashed Sen. Donovan Matsuda-Yee-Dela Cruz-Bishop-Kamaka's car off the Keeaumoku Overpass, when his pager went off. He returned the page from his protege immediately.
Kona Weathers, a junior in the criminal justice program at Chaminade, met Gomes when Kona was still at Kaiser High and joined HPD's Explorer program. The kid asked good questions, showed a knack for the detective's craft, so Gomes eventually took Kona under his wing.
"So what, Kona?"
Gomes listened as Kona said he'd done as instructed, spent the last two days at the illegal chemical dumpsite in Waimanalo, noting traffic and taking down license numbers.
"Mostly normal, neighborhood traffic, a few rubber-neckers. But maybe you should visit the driver of one white Cadillac. Came by twice. I went ahead and ran a license check. Guy lives in Kailua, works in Kalihi. Not exactly on the way to work, eh?"
"Not exactly. But don't jump to conclusions. Maybe just another rubber-necker with nothing better to do."
"I got a feeling. He seemed more interested than anybody else."
>> Dr. Laurie Tang practically floated into the ER, with a light in her eyes and a song in her voice. Which came as a surprise to her colleagues, who'd heard about the burglar who'd broken into her condo last night.
But charge nurse Van Truong understood. When they were alone she said "So how did it go with the detective?"
Laurie beamed. "Wonderful. I've never felt like this before."
----
Don Chapman is the editor of MidWeek. His serialized novel runs daily, with a synopsis on Sunday.
Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek.
His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin
with weekly summaries on Sunday.
He can be e-mailed at dchapman@midweek.com