THE Study used to be your typical tropical bar decorated with tiki heads and fake plants. I got rid of the plastic palms and stuffed parrots that lined the walls. Now, three sides of the room were lined with bookshelves and reading lamps. The center of the room was occupied by a long magazine rack which held the most recent periodicals and newspapers. Above that was a three hundred gallon salt water fish tank stocked with local marine life. A four piece jazz combo played softly in the corner.
I spent a lot of time here.
The bartender, Jeff, saw me enter and gave me a nod. He was busy keeping two young ladies seated before him entertained. He was an ex-volleyball player who when dressed in his white shirt and bow tie never failed to attract the females.
A group of five workers were sitting at a table talking and having their off shift beverages. Three of the women I recognized were from the pool bar and the two men were from the dining room. The three waitresses saw me and started to giggle. In sing song voices, they acknowledged me as I walked by.
Most of the hotels here had rules about workers staying on hotel property. You were usually allowed only one half hour before and after your shift. Hotel employees ended up blowing off steam at other hotels. I thought that if they were going to have fun, they might as well do it were they were safe.
I took my seat at the corner of the koa wood bar. That stool was always unoccupied. Living here had certain privileges.
Jeff came over and placed a beer and a glass in front of me. I poured my own.
"I just finished this book you might like. I put it on your shelf."
He was an avid reader and often made recommendations. Every night, he took a new book home with him. His job description was bartender/librarian.
"I haven't finished the last one you gave me."
He smiled at me. "You should make time to read Mr. D. Some of the new stuff is pretty good." He went off to take care of his harem.
A guest came up to me and started to thank me for something I did. I smiled and nodded at her while I wondered what Ronnie had on me and what part of my story I was going to leave out.
"And next year we're bringing our daughter. She's just dying to meet you."
She kissed me on the cheek.
"I'm sure the pleasure will be all mine," I said. I sipped my beer feeling like I was so hopeless that even my guests were trying to fix me up.
Ronnie entered The Study followed by a short Japanese man wearing a pressed dress shirt and dark slacks. Ronnie wore the same clothes he had on this afternoon. I motioned them over to a corner table and ordered a round of beers.
"Darling, this is Cal Sakama out of vice. He works the "Six-Five" detail."
Sakama had short dark hair and a tan to match. His muscular arms and upper body filled the shirt he was wearing till the buttons looked ready to pop. He nodded to me as I shook his hand. Sakama was in charge of investigating the football betting houses.
"Cal and his boys have been watching this guy Michael Green. They know he runs gambling house."
Sakama sat up in his chair and addressed me. "We've been watching him for some time now. We were trying to identify any partners he had, but now he's dropped out of sight. No one has seen him for at least thirty six hours. We'd like to go and check his apartment, but we don't want him to know we're on to him.
You gotta love cops. I buy them a beer and they try to shine me on.
"You won't need a warrant to search. He's dead." I drank down my remains of my beer.
Ronnie and Sakama looked at each other. They both knew Greenie was dead before they came here. If someone like Freddie knew, everyone knew.
"You're the one who made the call?" Sakama asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Let's not play around. Greenie was up to something and you guys have no clue what it was. I think we're on the same page here."
"Obstructing justice is a serious offense," Ronnie reminded me.
"I didn't say how I knew he was dead. I just said he was. The way I look at, you guys wouldn't have known for at least another day."
The waitress appeared and placed two cloth napkins in front of them. She poured their beers and I thanked her.
I waited for the two officers to say something.
They looked at each other again before picking up their glasses. I noticed Sakama waited for Ronnie before touching his glass.
Ronnie took a sip of his before and cleared his throat. "Darling, a witness said some local guy was standing by his door this afternoon."
That would be the Chinese woman who passed me in the hall. I didn't think she would be able to make me with the dark glasses I had on.
"With those dark glasses you were wearing, I don't think she'd be able to I.D. you," Ronnie said.
I wanted to smile but instead I shrugged my shoulders. "You going to work with or against me on this?"
Sakama and Ronnie exchanged glances. All this cat and mouse was starting to wear thin.
"Sakama-"
"Cal, call me Cal."
"Look, I have no official capacity in this. What I can get is information from people that might not feel comfortable talking to you nice folks. I want to know what happened as much as you do."
Ronnie stood up. He was clearly the senior badge and he looked like he was sick of the games too.
"Okay Darling, the fact that you knew about the murder and knew enough to tip us off tells me you're willing to play ball. I'll give you a go at this one as long as you keep us informed. If not we gotta pick you up."
"Who said anything about a murder?" I asked.
Ronnie stopped and gave me a blank look.
Sakama shook my hand and followed Ronnie towards the door.
Ronnie turned and said in a low voice: "Next time you find a stiff, call."
I nodded my head and watched them leave.
ch9 pg 56-57
THE night girl Roxanne looked up from her book and acknowledged us as we walked by. There were no messages.
I stood at the bar and poured Samantha and myself a drink. The rain continued to splatter my window and rattle the sliding doors. She took the glass from my hand as I sat down.
"That might explain where the money came from, Greenie's bets."
"But why would he send it to me?" Samantha took a seat next to me on the couch.
That was a good point. Why? If the money was meant for her, why kill him and then start to look for it? Dead men don't talk.
Samantha got up and stood in front of the window. Her silhouette was outlined by the dim lights of the city. She arched her back as she took a sip from her glass.
I had seen enough. The two of us alone looking at the lights of Waikiki was enough for me to get up and turn on the lamp. I walked over to the window and stood next to her.
"Why don't you sleep on it? It's been a long day for you."
"I slept all day."
The heat from her body made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Her dark eyes, glimmering from the light of the lamp locked onto mine.
It hit me that I was in a penthouse suite on Waikiki Beach with a beautiful woman next to me. If that wasn't enough, we were sipping drinks and it was raining. Samantha was on deck waiting for a chance at bat.
I got back to business. As soon as Ronnie got wind of this thing, he would want answers. I stepped back and cleared my throat. "How many runners did you work with?"
Samantha turned away from me and stared out into the night. "I think there were six. Chucky Silva took care of Pearl. Steve, he worked the hotels in Waikiki. Greenie mentioned a guy named Rick, I don't remember his last name, he worked the North Shore. The three others were small timers. There was some guy named Chris, another guy named Gary and a woman he called Gwen. I never met them or got their last names."
The runners were people who collected the bets, but even runners had people that worked for them. Wives, friends, cousins, anyone who was interested in putting some action in took a piece of the pie. Runners usually took ten percent of the six-five action. If the runner had someone else taking bets, he would split that amount.
"Any idea what shop Chucky worked in?" Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard was made up on different shops and divisions.
"Chucky was a sheet metal worker." She was all business now.
"What about the Steve guy? What hotel did he work in?"
Samantha wheeled around and faced me. "Is this an interrogation?"
I sighed and put my hands on her bare shoulders. "You have to help me out on this. The cops are going to be breathing down my neck wondering just how much you know about the whole thing. I need something to keep them off my back."
She realized I was right. "I don't know what hotel Steve worked at. Rick worked at one of the surf shops in Haleiwa. They both brought in a ton of action."
"I need some specifics Samantha."
"I can't tell you what I don't know," she said as she broke away from me and pouted on the couch.
The phone rang.
"Yes?"
"Darling, we gotta talk." It was Ronnie.
"What's up?"
"I'm coming over."
That wouldn't do. "Meet me at The Study."
"Wait for us." He hung up.
Who was 'us?' I turned to face Samantha. "There's one more thing I have to check out. I'll be a while, but you'll be okay here."
"Do you have to go out now?"
I looked into her eyes and nodded my head. The fact that I was ten years older than she was brought me back to reality.
"You go and get some sleep. I'll be back before you know it."
"Wake me when you get back."
I was waiting for that but when I got it, I didn't know what to do with it. I just nodded and walked out the door.
Roxanne looked up at me as I passed her desk.
"I'll be in The Study," I told her.
She nodded back as the elevator doors opened.
I stood at the bar and poured Samantha and myself a drink. The rain continued to splatter my window and rattle the sliding doors. She took the glass from my hand as I sat down.
"That might explain where the money came from, Greenie's bets."
"But why would he send it to me?" Samantha took a seat next to me on the couch.
That was a good point. Why? If the money was meant for her, why kill him and then start to look for it? Dead men don't talk.
Samantha got up and stood in front of the window. Her silhouette was outlined by the dim lights of the city. She arched her back as she took a sip from her glass.
I had seen enough. The two of us alone looking at the lights of Waikiki was enough for me to get up and turn on the lamp. I walked over to the window and stood next to her.
"Why don't you sleep on it? It's been a long day for you."
"I slept all day."
The heat from her body made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Her dark eyes, glimmering from the light of the lamp locked onto mine.
It hit me that I was in a penthouse suite on Waikiki Beach with a beautiful woman next to me. If that wasn't enough, we were sipping drinks and it was raining. Samantha was on deck waiting for a chance at bat.
I got back to business. As soon as Ronnie got wind of this thing, he would want answers. I stepped back and cleared my throat. "How many runners did you work with?"
Samantha turned away from me and stared out into the night. "I think there were six. Chucky Silva took care of Pearl. Steve, he worked the hotels in Waikiki. Greenie mentioned a guy named Rick, I don't remember his last name, he worked the North Shore. The three others were small timers. There was some guy named Chris, another guy named Gary and a woman he called Gwen. I never met them or got their last names."
The runners were people who collected the bets, but even runners had people that worked for them. Wives, friends, cousins, anyone who was interested in putting some action in took a piece of the pie. Runners usually took ten percent of the six-five action. If the runner had someone else taking bets, he would split that amount.
"Any idea what shop Chucky worked in?" Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard was made up on different shops and divisions.
"Chucky was a sheet metal worker." She was all business now.
"What about the Steve guy? What hotel did he work in?"
Samantha wheeled around and faced me. "Is this an interrogation?"
I sighed and put my hands on her bare shoulders. "You have to help me out on this. The cops are going to be breathing down my neck wondering just how much you know about the whole thing. I need something to keep them off my back."
She realized I was right. "I don't know what hotel Steve worked at. Rick worked at one of the surf shops in Haleiwa. They both brought in a ton of action."
"I need some specifics Samantha."
"I can't tell you what I don't know," she said as she broke away from me and pouted on the couch.
The phone rang.
"Yes?"
"Darling, we gotta talk." It was Ronnie.
"What's up?"
"I'm coming over."
That wouldn't do. "Meet me at The Study."
"Wait for us." He hung up.
Who was 'us?' I turned to face Samantha. "There's one more thing I have to check out. I'll be a while, but you'll be okay here."
"Do you have to go out now?"
I looked into her eyes and nodded my head. The fact that I was ten years older than she was brought me back to reality.
"You go and get some sleep. I'll be back before you know it."
"Wake me when you get back."
I was waiting for that but when I got it, I didn't know what to do with it. I just nodded and walked out the door.
Roxanne looked up at me as I passed her desk.
"I'll be in The Study," I told her.
She nodded back as the elevator doors opened.
ch8 pg 53-55
IT was quiet in the Rover as I drove back into Waikiki. I turned on the radio and fiddled with it to break the silence.
Green did have something going. The what and how was slowly beginning to come together.
I looked over to the woman I had seated next to me. Samantha's eyes were focused straight ahead and the muscles in her jaws were working over time. She had things on her mind too.
The rain had the windshield wipers working over time too. Ala Moana Boulevard was a mess of puddles and drivers trying to avoid them.
"Where's your husband?"
Samantha cleared her throat. "I"m divorced."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm not." She looked out the windshield.
So much for ice breakers. The rain began to come down harder. I turned the wipers up a notch and decided to try again.
"I guess you don't see too much of him."
"Not if I can help it," she retorted.
I was digging myself a deep hole.
A car swerved into my lane and slowed. I extended my right arm out and held it in front of Samantha as I hit the brakes.
"That was close. You okay?" I asked her. My right hand was on her right shoulder. My arm covered her breasts.
She looked down at my arm and smiled.
I put my hand back on the steering wheel. Despite the airconditioning, my face grew warm.
"My marriage lasted only a year. Looking back, I think I was in a rush to get married. Most of my friend already were. I guess I felt left out. After Daddy died, there was no one."
"Who left who?" I asked.
"I left him," she said, putting the emphasis on the 'I'. Took all my things and moved out in one day. I realized then how little I had. I took my five boxes and rented an apartment. Bastard didn't even try to find me. Last time I saw him was in court. Didn't even say a word to me."
I tried to think of something to say. Nothing came.
"Best move of my life." There was a smile on her face.
The Rover took us back into Waikiki without further trouble. In this case, silence was golden. Out of the corner of my eye I could see her looking at me.
"I didn't imagine you as Japanese," she said. "I mean with name like Darling, I never would have guessed."
"Japanese with some Okinawan thrown in. It seems that my great grandfather stole someone's passport to get here. He was too young to get on the boat, so he stole some dead guy's credentials."
"That's why you have a hauole name?"
I could feel her eyes on me. Getting us back safely was the only thing on my mind. At least I tried to make it the only thing.
"You know, you could pass as a hauole." Samantha's eyes lit up each time we passed under a streetlight.
"Is that a compliment?" I asked.
"No, just an observation."
I let her comment pass as just that. The traffic on Kalakaua Boulevard was intense. Tourists lined the street looking for shelter from the rain.
"Sometimes," I said, "when I walk Waikiki at night, the hookers come up to me and speak to me in Japanese."
"You ever take them up?"
"I don't understand what they're saying."
We both laughed. She grinned at me when I glanced over at her. Our eyes met and I quickly looked away.
Her smile made me uneasy.
Green did have something going. The what and how was slowly beginning to come together.
I looked over to the woman I had seated next to me. Samantha's eyes were focused straight ahead and the muscles in her jaws were working over time. She had things on her mind too.
The rain had the windshield wipers working over time too. Ala Moana Boulevard was a mess of puddles and drivers trying to avoid them.
"Where's your husband?"
Samantha cleared her throat. "I"m divorced."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm not." She looked out the windshield.
So much for ice breakers. The rain began to come down harder. I turned the wipers up a notch and decided to try again.
"I guess you don't see too much of him."
"Not if I can help it," she retorted.
I was digging myself a deep hole.
A car swerved into my lane and slowed. I extended my right arm out and held it in front of Samantha as I hit the brakes.
"That was close. You okay?" I asked her. My right hand was on her right shoulder. My arm covered her breasts.
She looked down at my arm and smiled.
I put my hand back on the steering wheel. Despite the airconditioning, my face grew warm.
"My marriage lasted only a year. Looking back, I think I was in a rush to get married. Most of my friend already were. I guess I felt left out. After Daddy died, there was no one."
"Who left who?" I asked.
"I left him," she said, putting the emphasis on the 'I'. Took all my things and moved out in one day. I realized then how little I had. I took my five boxes and rented an apartment. Bastard didn't even try to find me. Last time I saw him was in court. Didn't even say a word to me."
I tried to think of something to say. Nothing came.
"Best move of my life." There was a smile on her face.
The Rover took us back into Waikiki without further trouble. In this case, silence was golden. Out of the corner of my eye I could see her looking at me.
"I didn't imagine you as Japanese," she said. "I mean with name like Darling, I never would have guessed."
"Japanese with some Okinawan thrown in. It seems that my great grandfather stole someone's passport to get here. He was too young to get on the boat, so he stole some dead guy's credentials."
"That's why you have a hauole name?"
I could feel her eyes on me. Getting us back safely was the only thing on my mind. At least I tried to make it the only thing.
"You know, you could pass as a hauole." Samantha's eyes lit up each time we passed under a streetlight.
"Is that a compliment?" I asked.
"No, just an observation."
I let her comment pass as just that. The traffic on Kalakaua Boulevard was intense. Tourists lined the street looking for shelter from the rain.
"Sometimes," I said, "when I walk Waikiki at night, the hookers come up to me and speak to me in Japanese."
"You ever take them up?"
"I don't understand what they're saying."
We both laughed. She grinned at me when I glanced over at her. Our eyes met and I quickly looked away.
Her smile made me uneasy.
ch8 pg 51-53
DANNY'S was a small lounge located just outside of the downtown area of Honolulu. I pulled onto Kapiolani Boulevard and headed west into the business district. The rain had lightened to a drizzle. The large drops that spattered the windshield can from the trees that lined the street. I slowed the Rover as we passed Blaisdell Center and hung a left through on coming traffic into the parking lot. A glowing neon light hanging in the window said they were open for business.
"You think it's a good idea?" Samantha asked me. She was having second thoughts.
"What do you mean?"
"I dropped Freddie for Greenie, I mean-"
"Don't worry. It's a business. They play by certain rules too."
I hoped.
Samantha and I entered Danny's Bar and Grill.
The lounge was dimly lit by wall lamps that cast an uneven light around the room. High backed booths lined with cheap vinyl hid the customers from curious eyes. The television sets that were bolted in each corner of the room were all tuned to different channels. The flickering grey light that emitted from them reflected on tables that looked permanently wet. Danny's was a dive.
This was the kind of place I liked. The beers were cheap and people kept to themselves. With Samantha behind me, I followed the worn track in the carpet to the rear of the room where the bar sat. The smell of cigarette smoke and stale beer hung in the air like a bad painting no one wanted to take down. What was behind it was worse than what was in front and after a few drinks you didn't notice it any way.
We took a seat on the worn stools that lined the empty counter. The ashtrays that had been put in place were made out of cheap plastic and looked like they'd been sitting there forever. Premium liquor was lined up in front of the mirror behind the bar above stacks of glasses. Most of the bottles were fairly full and some of them still had unbroken seals. I looked down at the house pours lined up in front of the sink. They all looked like they had come from another planet.
I studied Samantha's reflection in the mirror. Despite the fact that she was sitting in a two dollar drink joint looking like a million bucks, she looked composed and relaxed. Our eyes met and she gave me a brave smile. The bartender approached us.
He was a pale local Chinese who had his hair neatly trimmed in a crew cut. His silky aloha shirt screamed at me from behind his stained apron. He wiped his hands on a dirty wash cloth and stood in front of us. I noticed his nails were manicured.
He smiled at Samantha and gave me a nod. "What can I get you?"
I ordered a beer and watched as the bartender put a glass in front of me. I turned to Samantha. "You see Freddie here?"
Samantha turned and scanned the room. She motioned with her hand to the right. "Over there, in the booth by the clock. The guy sitting alone."
Freddie appeared to be an older Filipino man who sat by himself in booth facing one of the television screens in the room. The twenty four hour sports channel cast his face in various shades of grey. He wore wire rimmed glasses, a baseball cap and a polo shirt. There was a pad in front of him that he kept making notes in while nursing his drink. He didn't look up.
I got a beer set in front of me on a paper napkin. Samantha must have been a regular for without asking she got a glass of what I assumed was wine. I paid the tab and picked up my beer. I motioned for her to follow me.
No use being sneaky, I thought. I walked right up to Freddie's booth and sat down across from him. Samantha took a seat next to me.
Freddie looked up slowly and smiled at her. "Hello Sam. How you been?"
"Fine. How about you?" She masked her nervousness by taking a sip from her glass.
His face broke out in a map of wrinkles as he smiled and chuckled. "I'm a doing a little better than Greenie is right now. Who's your friend?" He motioned to me.
"Freddie, I'm here to help Samantha here out," I said before she could introduce me.
"Well, what can I do for you?" Freddie asked. "I only heard about Mike's problem today."
"Problem?" I asked.
Freddie put his pencil down on his note pad before answering. "You and her wouldn't be sitting in front of me right now if Greenie was still around."
Word on the street apparently traveled as fast as news in my hotel. I wondered what the word on Samantha was.
"Well, I know that you and Greenie must have talked shop once in a while. Maybe you can tell us something we don't know."
Freddie shrugged. "What's to tell? Greenie was stupid. Somebody wen get smart."
"What do you mean he got stupid?"
"Well actually, he got lucky. Too lucky. He came to me to lay off one bet. Told me he had taken in too much action on one game. I wen take em and he ended up taking me for fifteen grand. Happened to me twice and I'll tell you right now it nevah happen again. After that, I wasn't having anything to do with his action. He must have gone elsewhere cause one night he's telling me that he wen clear sixty thousand over the weekend. That's better than he ever did with me. Mike liked to gloat about his winnings."
"I don't understand."
Freddie looked at me, then at Samantha. He was wondering who the hell I was. I let the look slide.
"In Vegas, if they think you counting cards, they show you the door. Or worse."
He had made his point. I motioned to Samantha that it was time for us to leave. We stood up and looked at Freddie.
"They had a partner. Someone else could burn for because of this. The initials C.S. mean anything to you?"
Freddie shook his head. "No. But if it going help I'll ask around. For her."
His eyes went back to his note pad.
We turned to leave.
"Hey Sam," he called out.
She stopped and turned to him.
"You take care. Okay?"
She smiled and nodded to him.
We walked out of Danny's into the rain.
"You think it's a good idea?" Samantha asked me. She was having second thoughts.
"What do you mean?"
"I dropped Freddie for Greenie, I mean-"
"Don't worry. It's a business. They play by certain rules too."
I hoped.
Samantha and I entered Danny's Bar and Grill.
The lounge was dimly lit by wall lamps that cast an uneven light around the room. High backed booths lined with cheap vinyl hid the customers from curious eyes. The television sets that were bolted in each corner of the room were all tuned to different channels. The flickering grey light that emitted from them reflected on tables that looked permanently wet. Danny's was a dive.
This was the kind of place I liked. The beers were cheap and people kept to themselves. With Samantha behind me, I followed the worn track in the carpet to the rear of the room where the bar sat. The smell of cigarette smoke and stale beer hung in the air like a bad painting no one wanted to take down. What was behind it was worse than what was in front and after a few drinks you didn't notice it any way.
We took a seat on the worn stools that lined the empty counter. The ashtrays that had been put in place were made out of cheap plastic and looked like they'd been sitting there forever. Premium liquor was lined up in front of the mirror behind the bar above stacks of glasses. Most of the bottles were fairly full and some of them still had unbroken seals. I looked down at the house pours lined up in front of the sink. They all looked like they had come from another planet.
I studied Samantha's reflection in the mirror. Despite the fact that she was sitting in a two dollar drink joint looking like a million bucks, she looked composed and relaxed. Our eyes met and she gave me a brave smile. The bartender approached us.
He was a pale local Chinese who had his hair neatly trimmed in a crew cut. His silky aloha shirt screamed at me from behind his stained apron. He wiped his hands on a dirty wash cloth and stood in front of us. I noticed his nails were manicured.
He smiled at Samantha and gave me a nod. "What can I get you?"
I ordered a beer and watched as the bartender put a glass in front of me. I turned to Samantha. "You see Freddie here?"
Samantha turned and scanned the room. She motioned with her hand to the right. "Over there, in the booth by the clock. The guy sitting alone."
Freddie appeared to be an older Filipino man who sat by himself in booth facing one of the television screens in the room. The twenty four hour sports channel cast his face in various shades of grey. He wore wire rimmed glasses, a baseball cap and a polo shirt. There was a pad in front of him that he kept making notes in while nursing his drink. He didn't look up.
I got a beer set in front of me on a paper napkin. Samantha must have been a regular for without asking she got a glass of what I assumed was wine. I paid the tab and picked up my beer. I motioned for her to follow me.
No use being sneaky, I thought. I walked right up to Freddie's booth and sat down across from him. Samantha took a seat next to me.
Freddie looked up slowly and smiled at her. "Hello Sam. How you been?"
"Fine. How about you?" She masked her nervousness by taking a sip from her glass.
His face broke out in a map of wrinkles as he smiled and chuckled. "I'm a doing a little better than Greenie is right now. Who's your friend?" He motioned to me.
"Freddie, I'm here to help Samantha here out," I said before she could introduce me.
"Well, what can I do for you?" Freddie asked. "I only heard about Mike's problem today."
"Problem?" I asked.
Freddie put his pencil down on his note pad before answering. "You and her wouldn't be sitting in front of me right now if Greenie was still around."
Word on the street apparently traveled as fast as news in my hotel. I wondered what the word on Samantha was.
"Well, I know that you and Greenie must have talked shop once in a while. Maybe you can tell us something we don't know."
Freddie shrugged. "What's to tell? Greenie was stupid. Somebody wen get smart."
"What do you mean he got stupid?"
"Well actually, he got lucky. Too lucky. He came to me to lay off one bet. Told me he had taken in too much action on one game. I wen take em and he ended up taking me for fifteen grand. Happened to me twice and I'll tell you right now it nevah happen again. After that, I wasn't having anything to do with his action. He must have gone elsewhere cause one night he's telling me that he wen clear sixty thousand over the weekend. That's better than he ever did with me. Mike liked to gloat about his winnings."
"I don't understand."
Freddie looked at me, then at Samantha. He was wondering who the hell I was. I let the look slide.
"In Vegas, if they think you counting cards, they show you the door. Or worse."
He had made his point. I motioned to Samantha that it was time for us to leave. We stood up and looked at Freddie.
"They had a partner. Someone else could burn for because of this. The initials C.S. mean anything to you?"
Freddie shook his head. "No. But if it going help I'll ask around. For her."
His eyes went back to his note pad.
We turned to leave.
"Hey Sam," he called out.
She stopped and turned to him.
"You take care. Okay?"
She smiled and nodded to him.
We walked out of Danny's into the rain.
ch7 pg 48-50
THE sound of splashing water and clinking dishes was hard to miss as Samantha cleaned up in the kitchen. Seeing her there in her black dress standing over the sink made me feel like I'd just kicked a dog.
I was also a bad host.
"The dinner was excellent. You cooked a wonderful meal."
She looked straight ahead while she continued with the pots.
I tried again. "Your father was a lucky man."
She smiled. I put the last plate on the drying rack and faced her.
"Samantha, it would help if you felt comfortable around me. I was wrong back there. If I thought the call was personal, I would have taken it on another phone. I'm sorry you had to hear that. The person I was talking to, she didn't know someone was here and I should've-" I was talking too much. "Forget it. The main thing is that you feel all right around me."
She turned to face me. "I do feel comfortable around you."
"Good. That helps if we plan to get you out of this."
I took her arm and walked her into the living room. The bright lights of Waikiki struggled to shine through the thick walls of rain that fell in front of my windows. We sat down on the couch and faced each other.
"I didn't want to mention this at dinner. There are a few things I found while I was gone today."
"It's okay, I can handle it."
"Greenie is dead."
She sat back and put her hand to her mouth. She bit so hard into her index finger it began to turn white. I put my hand to her face and pulled her hand down.
"I found him cold in his apartment. There were no signs of a struggle or fight. No bullet holes or stab wounds or bleeding that I could see. Just him in his living room."
Samantha sat there on my couch, her gaze focused on some point of light far out on the horizon. I put my arm around her shoulder and tried to tell her not to worry. I could have been talking to a statue. Finally she turned her head to me and searched my eyes.
"I'm in deep." She knew what was she was into.
I didn't. "You got nothing to worry about as long as you're here."
"How-"
"I don't know. Looks like he just dropped in his tracks and died. Maybe he fell and broke his neck. When was the last time you saw him?"
She looked at me and brushed the hair from her eyes. "Friday? I think it was Friday night."
"I had a chance to look around while I was there. You have any idea where he kept his books?"
She shook her head. "I don't know."
I put my arm around her. "This is important. Greenie's book will tell us where the money came from."
"The only time I saw the book was on Tuesdays, when we settled the accounts. He would enter in our wins and losses and figure out the weekend take."
Greenie hadn't made it to Tuesday. That meant his book was still out there. I opened the door to my office and took the slip of paper out of my locked drawer. There were a stack of files on my desk that weren't there this afternoon. Work was beginning to pile up.
I guessed the identities of the initials on the paper. It was obviously the weekend split. M.G. meant Green. S.C. was Samantha. The third set, C.S., I couldn't place. I showed her the slip.
"Any idea who the third set of initials belongs to?"
She looked at the markings and shook her head. It was the last set of initials that matched the largest amount of money I was interested in. I had to be the unseen backing that Greenie and Samantha probably had.
"That could mean Chucky, but he had no stake with us. At least I didn't think he did. Could it be a pay off to another house?"
The houses sometimes worked together, laying off each other's bets and setting the lines. You didn't just book a fifty thousand dollar bet without knowing if you could cover it or not. In this business, there was no such thing as credit.
I shook my head. Someone else was involved here that Samantha was either hiding or she didn't know about.
"Did you look for Chucky Silva? The initials match."
"I don't think he's important right now. The guy is probably laying low just like you. I think we need to go to Danny's."
She stared at me. I answered her before she could ask me why.
"I want to talk to Freddie. He might have information that we need."
I took her hand and made her look at me. "You okay with that?"
Samantha sent an unsure smile my way and nodded her head.
I picked up the phone and asked for Kua and a car. I put my hand over the receiver and looked over at Samantha. "You think Freddie will be there tonight?"
She looked at the clock. "As long as we get there before ten."
I put my ear back to the phone. "Yes? That's okay. I'll drive myself." I turned to Samantha. "Ready?"
She nodded to me and picked up her purse.
I was also a bad host.
"The dinner was excellent. You cooked a wonderful meal."
She looked straight ahead while she continued with the pots.
I tried again. "Your father was a lucky man."
She smiled. I put the last plate on the drying rack and faced her.
"Samantha, it would help if you felt comfortable around me. I was wrong back there. If I thought the call was personal, I would have taken it on another phone. I'm sorry you had to hear that. The person I was talking to, she didn't know someone was here and I should've-" I was talking too much. "Forget it. The main thing is that you feel all right around me."
She turned to face me. "I do feel comfortable around you."
"Good. That helps if we plan to get you out of this."
I took her arm and walked her into the living room. The bright lights of Waikiki struggled to shine through the thick walls of rain that fell in front of my windows. We sat down on the couch and faced each other.
"I didn't want to mention this at dinner. There are a few things I found while I was gone today."
"It's okay, I can handle it."
"Greenie is dead."
She sat back and put her hand to her mouth. She bit so hard into her index finger it began to turn white. I put my hand to her face and pulled her hand down.
"I found him cold in his apartment. There were no signs of a struggle or fight. No bullet holes or stab wounds or bleeding that I could see. Just him in his living room."
Samantha sat there on my couch, her gaze focused on some point of light far out on the horizon. I put my arm around her shoulder and tried to tell her not to worry. I could have been talking to a statue. Finally she turned her head to me and searched my eyes.
"I'm in deep." She knew what was she was into.
I didn't. "You got nothing to worry about as long as you're here."
"How-"
"I don't know. Looks like he just dropped in his tracks and died. Maybe he fell and broke his neck. When was the last time you saw him?"
She looked at me and brushed the hair from her eyes. "Friday? I think it was Friday night."
"I had a chance to look around while I was there. You have any idea where he kept his books?"
She shook her head. "I don't know."
I put my arm around her. "This is important. Greenie's book will tell us where the money came from."
"The only time I saw the book was on Tuesdays, when we settled the accounts. He would enter in our wins and losses and figure out the weekend take."
Greenie hadn't made it to Tuesday. That meant his book was still out there. I opened the door to my office and took the slip of paper out of my locked drawer. There were a stack of files on my desk that weren't there this afternoon. Work was beginning to pile up.
I guessed the identities of the initials on the paper. It was obviously the weekend split. M.G. meant Green. S.C. was Samantha. The third set, C.S., I couldn't place. I showed her the slip.
"Any idea who the third set of initials belongs to?"
She looked at the markings and shook her head. It was the last set of initials that matched the largest amount of money I was interested in. I had to be the unseen backing that Greenie and Samantha probably had.
"That could mean Chucky, but he had no stake with us. At least I didn't think he did. Could it be a pay off to another house?"
The houses sometimes worked together, laying off each other's bets and setting the lines. You didn't just book a fifty thousand dollar bet without knowing if you could cover it or not. In this business, there was no such thing as credit.
I shook my head. Someone else was involved here that Samantha was either hiding or she didn't know about.
"Did you look for Chucky Silva? The initials match."
"I don't think he's important right now. The guy is probably laying low just like you. I think we need to go to Danny's."
She stared at me. I answered her before she could ask me why.
"I want to talk to Freddie. He might have information that we need."
I took her hand and made her look at me. "You okay with that?"
Samantha sent an unsure smile my way and nodded her head.
I picked up the phone and asked for Kua and a car. I put my hand over the receiver and looked over at Samantha. "You think Freddie will be there tonight?"
She looked at the clock. "As long as we get there before ten."
I put my ear back to the phone. "Yes? That's okay. I'll drive myself." I turned to Samantha. "Ready?"
She nodded to me and picked up her purse.
ch 7 pg 46-48
"YEAH?"
"Is that the way you answer your phone?"
Leinani. My heart skipped a beat and began to pound in my chest. I made a note to change my private number.
"Leinani? How are you?" I said in my sterile office voice. I had only to look at Samantha to see why.
"I saw you at the hotel today and thought I'd give you a call."
"It's a surprise to hear from you." That was an understatement. Why was she calling me? She just thought she'd check in after four years?
"I just wanted to see how you were doing. It's been a long time."
Samantha came into the room and handed me another beer. She watched me for a second and went back into the kitchen.
Leinani knew how I was doing. I didn't really want to know how she was. I was afraid of the truth.
"Oh, it's been okay," I replied.
"Well, I saw you today and I just thought-" she paused.
"Is everything all right?" I asked. Her tone worried me. She did not sound like herself.
"Yes, I'm okay. It's just that-"
The indecision in her voice was obvious. She wanted to say something but she was unsure of how to say it.
I took a deep breath. "You've called me at an awkward time." I felt just as uncomfortable as she did. "Maybe we could talk another time? I could-"
"I'm sorry. I just thought that-"
My chest tightened up. I refused to admit that she still held some strings to my heart. "I want to talk to you, it's just that now is not the time. Maybe I could-"
"Sure," she said, cutting me off, "You know where I am," she said before hanging up.
I sighed.
"Another broken heart?"
I looked up at Samantha as I put the phone down on it's base. The look on my face made her drop her eyes and stare at the floor.
"I didn't mean that. I just assumed-" she stopped. "Why don't I serve up some dinner."
Leinani's call put me in a mood. There was unfinished business between us, business that might no ever get settled. It seemed like we both had a lot to say to each other and yet we had trouble figuring out what it was. I like to live my life in black and white. It seemed that there would always be a grey area between us.
Samantha walked back to the kitchen without looking at me. I began to feel guilty for treating her like that. She had no way of knowing.
She returned with two plates that contained my favorite, lasagna. She set one down in front of me and took a seat across the table.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I was just trying to make a joke." Her eyes avoided mine as she picked at her plate.
I stared at my food before answering. "Samantha, it is a joke."
"Your girlfriend?"
I poked at my food with my fork. "Former."
Dinner was not a success. The sound of Leinani's voice and the reason of her call preoccupied me.
We ate in silence.
"Is that the way you answer your phone?"
Leinani. My heart skipped a beat and began to pound in my chest. I made a note to change my private number.
"Leinani? How are you?" I said in my sterile office voice. I had only to look at Samantha to see why.
"I saw you at the hotel today and thought I'd give you a call."
"It's a surprise to hear from you." That was an understatement. Why was she calling me? She just thought she'd check in after four years?
"I just wanted to see how you were doing. It's been a long time."
Samantha came into the room and handed me another beer. She watched me for a second and went back into the kitchen.
Leinani knew how I was doing. I didn't really want to know how she was. I was afraid of the truth.
"Oh, it's been okay," I replied.
"Well, I saw you today and I just thought-" she paused.
"Is everything all right?" I asked. Her tone worried me. She did not sound like herself.
"Yes, I'm okay. It's just that-"
The indecision in her voice was obvious. She wanted to say something but she was unsure of how to say it.
I took a deep breath. "You've called me at an awkward time." I felt just as uncomfortable as she did. "Maybe we could talk another time? I could-"
"I'm sorry. I just thought that-"
My chest tightened up. I refused to admit that she still held some strings to my heart. "I want to talk to you, it's just that now is not the time. Maybe I could-"
"Sure," she said, cutting me off, "You know where I am," she said before hanging up.
I sighed.
"Another broken heart?"
I looked up at Samantha as I put the phone down on it's base. The look on my face made her drop her eyes and stare at the floor.
"I didn't mean that. I just assumed-" she stopped. "Why don't I serve up some dinner."
Leinani's call put me in a mood. There was unfinished business between us, business that might no ever get settled. It seemed like we both had a lot to say to each other and yet we had trouble figuring out what it was. I like to live my life in black and white. It seemed that there would always be a grey area between us.
Samantha walked back to the kitchen without looking at me. I began to feel guilty for treating her like that. She had no way of knowing.
She returned with two plates that contained my favorite, lasagna. She set one down in front of me and took a seat across the table.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I was just trying to make a joke." Her eyes avoided mine as she picked at her plate.
I stared at my food before answering. "Samantha, it is a joke."
"Your girlfriend?"
I poked at my food with my fork. "Former."
Dinner was not a success. The sound of Leinani's voice and the reason of her call preoccupied me.
We ate in silence.
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