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My Kind of Town Don Chapman |
What about Hideki?
>> Off the Big Island
Not long after the lights of Kona came into view, Daren Guy and Sushi Leclaire hauled down Wet Spot's tell-tale pink sail.
It was 2 a.m., and so far Daren's gamble to fly the pink had paid off. They would be reaching Kona under cover of darkness.
"Won't be long now, Soosh. We have to be quick, you and me are off the boat and Sonya's turning right around again."
Sushi bowed slightly. "Understood."
"And tell your girls to stay below and keep their mouths shut inside the harbor. A dozen girls jabbering in Filipino ... last thing we need is to call attention."
Below deck, Sonya Chan, speargun at her side, had already instructed the girls in what was going to happen. Well, part of it. Once they reached Kona, they would stop at Daren's boat, where Daren and Sushi would get off and then take the small launch to shore, rent a van and meet them at the remote Pele's Bath, while Sonya drove the boat.
Until she was the skipper, she'd keep her other plans to herself. Most of Sushi's Filipinas had stayed up all night watching the yacht's TV, a luxury for them. He'd plucked the 12 from the brothel bars of Manila and promised a better life in America. And TV was going to be part of it.
Sushi hurried down the steps into the cabin. "OK, my darlings, time to turn the TV off. We're almost there. No talking, no noise. Understand why?"
Yes, if they were caught, they'd be returned to the Philippines, the bars and no TV.
"Uncle Sushi will be leaving you for just a few hours. But very soon we will rendezvous and I'll bring you to our new home." He pointed to where lights sparkled in the hills above Kona. "Up there, very nice house, three TVs."
And a living room that had been converted to a video production studio.
"What about Hideki?" the one called Agnes said. The lovestruck Hideki, who had leaped from the Japanese fishing trawler, falling seven stories and landing awkwardly, had suffered a concussion and, it appeared, broken ribs, maybe a punctured lung. "He needs doctor."
Yes, what about Hideki indeed? Sushi saw only complications. But he was here, Agnes was in love with him, and the other 11 liked him. While Hideki was an idiot of the heart, he was a technical genius, computers and wiring. Sushi was merely functional. So he'd offered Hideki a techie job.
But he also saw danger -- Hideki and Agnes could become a cancer among the others -- why does Agnes get to have a boyfriend? Frankly, it would be good if Hideki took a turn for the worse. Techies were a dime a dozen.
"Soon, the doctor will come our house." Hopefully not soon enough.
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Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek. His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin. He can be e-mailed at dchapman@midweek.com