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My Kind of Town Don Chapman |
Passing ships
>> Off the Big Island
They'd just made love and were lying with their heads together when Sonya Chan and her fiancee Daren Guy passed like ships in the night.
Daren, who just two days ago believed she had been part of the plot to kill him and steal his Lotto millions, now felt that Sonya had truly grieved when she thought him dead by shark attack. And her joy was obvious when she saw him alive. He'd revealed bits of what had happened, but maybe the time had come to tell her more. He was sure he could trust Sonya after all. That was good, because once they got Sushi Leclaire and his girls delivered to the Big Island, Daren would need Sonya to pull off his disguise.
Sonya had indeed been heart-broken when Daren disappeared, overjoyed when the old man aboard Wet Spot turned out to be Daren. But then she'd accidentally discovered his journal/confession on the tell-tale pink stationery that proved this was really Pet Shop, and found a Daren she never knew existed.
She'd read that he plotted his own death and disappearance by shark attack, so that his Lotto millions would double, Sonya being the beneficiary. But while staging his death, he was interrupted by the two crewmen from Pet Shop, because the skipper Paul had a thing for Sonya and wanted Daren out of the picture. So he shot them with spearguns. And now, having already shaved the beard he'd had for 10 years, he'd shaved his head to look like his cousin Virgil Root, an outdoor sports TV guy who was coming to Hawaii.
If something happened to Sonya, the notes said, the millions again multiplied and went to VR. Was Daren's plan to kill her and Virgil Root and pocket the mega-millions? Was he that greedy? Bottom line, Sonya had to stay alive, Daren had to stay dead.
Daren pulled her closer, kissed her forehead. "I missed you so much."
"Mm," she said, nuzzled his shoulder.
"Probably better get cleaned up. We'll be rendezvousing soon."
She kissed him lightly, rolled off the bed. "Dibs on the first shower."
She left the water running for Daren and after he'd pulled the curtain shut said, "You mentioned there was money to be exchanged when we make this rendezvous. That makes me nervous, Daren, especially way out here 200 miles from land. And it's not like we can call the Coast Guard if something happens, right? So where do you store the spearguns?"
"Chest behind the wheel," he said and had a moment of panic, wondering if he'd really gotten all of the blood off the spears.
"That would make me feel a lot better."
Not just about the rendezvous with strangers, but about her continued survival.
Not to mention her chances of becoming a millionaire.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek. His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin. He can be e-mailed at dchapman@midweek.com
