The Yoshinobu Mysteries: Volume 2 Read online

  her at first, but shes really a strong person. Maybe thats why shes attracted a lot of

  weak ones, so far. It certainly cant hurt for her to try branching out.”

  “Whatever happens,” Craig said, “Im sure it will be interesting.” Then, raising his

  glass, he added, “To you, Laura. May you have the best of luck.”

  Qual raised his glass, clinked it against Craig's, and said, “Ill drink to that.” ***

  Retired, now, after over forty years of work in the cane fields of Elima, patient John

  Pak had long ago found the secret to successful conversation with his wife. An occasional

  nod sufficed. Today, holding his rice bowl under his chin and working away with his

  chopsticks, John needed not even a nod. Leilani had on a full head of steam and was

  picking up speed with no call for further encouragement.

  “Laura could be the one walking up to the altar with Emil Bautista next week if

  shed wanted to. He may just be the prosecuting attorney now, but hell be governor one

  day. You mark my words. Not only that, but she could have married Bill Kuroyama, just

  like that.” Leilani put down her fork and snapped her fingers in illustration. “You cant ask for a more successful attorney than Bill,” she continued. “Why Laura

  wants to get all involved in this personals stuff is beyond me. She could have had her

  pick of any of the young attorneys in Napua, or anywhere on Elima for that matter. And I

  know at least one doctor at the Center who was mad about her. Besides, who ever heard

  of writing to find someone to marry?”

  “I heard,” said John Pak, putting down his chopsticks and reaching for the container

  of steamed rice.

  Leilani paused with a forkful of boiled cabbage and Spam in midair. “What do you

  mean, „you heard?”

  John Pak nodded as he replenished his bowl. “My mother met my father that way.”

  *** Laura watched anxiously as Kay read the personal which Laura had written up the previous evening. From the outset of her employment at the firm, Laura had looked upon Kay as an older sister, whose advice she sought and approval she wished for. At the moment, the two were sitting in Kays office after having decided the matter of Lauras ad was too serious a subject for group discussion and comments.

  Kay read the advertisement aloud. “Single, female, attorney, 24. 51”, 105 lbs. Black hair, brown eyes. Not sure what shes looking for.”

  In explanation, Laura said, “My head was swimming after I read all those personals, and Im really not sure just what it is I am looking for.”

  “Cant you at least say youre attractive?” Kay asked.

  “Everyone says theyre attractive. If some man just wants looks, he can do a lot better elsewhere. Besides, Im not so sure Id want a man who puts so much emphasis on appearance that he has to know Im attractive before he writes to me.”

  “How are you going to narrow down the field?”

  “Maybe there wont be any field to narrow down.”

  “Cmon! Stop being so pessimistic. Besides, thered better be some replies to choose from. Ihave a bet with Sid youll get at least a dozen.”

  Laura looked glum. “Youre going to lose your bet for sure.”

  “Well, you should still make plans for answering what letters you do get.”

  “Theres no need to waste my energy on that. Ill wait until I get a reply–if I get a reply.”

  “Did you write any other sample personals?”

  “Sure,” Laura said, pulling another sheet off her pad and handing it to Kay. “This ones my favorite. After I reread it, I almost decided to write to her myself.”

  Half-way through the ad, Kay began to giggle. “Dynamic, cultured, beautiful, Portuguese attorney, 24. Love travel, classical music, reading, working in my profession. Concerned about what we are doing to our lovely earth. Politically involved. Seeking mutually enriching relationship.”

  “I made it up from the ones I read,” Laura commented with a smile. “I was going to throw in „focused too, but Im not really sure what focused means. Come to think of it, there were a lot of other expressions I didnt understand. I must be really out of touch.”

  “As far as I can see, youre doing fine. Any other copy? Maybe you should become a professional personals writer.”

  Laura laughed and handed her another sheet. “This one concentrates on what I may be looking for.”

  “SWF seeks attractive, stable man, who values kindness, good conversation and friendship. Must be interested in people, like to cook, enjoy travel, but be happy at home, a generous spirit with profound passions and iconoclastic taste–gentle, hardworking, passionate, with a good sense of humor.”

  “Hey! Better yet,” Kay said. “Probably ninety percent of the men who read the magazine think they fit that description to a T. When are you going to send in your ad? When will it run?”

  “I can email it today, and it should go in six weeks from now.”

  “Well?”

  “Im going for it! With ad number one.”

  “All I have to say is, youd better get at least a dozen replies.”

  *** Sid was sitting in Kays office. They had just finished writing up an appeal for one of their less fortunate clients, a shoplifter who had insisted on using kleptomania as his defense. Early on, Sid had pointed out to the unheeding client that, since his entire livelihood consisted of shoplifting, kleptomania was hardly a reasonable defense. The jury had agreedwith Sids evaluation of such an approach. The appeal promised to do little, but once more the client had insisted.

  Sid closed his yellow pad, flipped it onto the desk and sat back in the oversize office chair. Looking at the calm and lovely face across from him, his thoughts switched to other matters. The shift in direction had little to do with logic, but much to do with emotions. His questions at first seemed unrelated to his observation of the attractive Kay. “What ever happened to the ad Laura was going to run? It seems to me its been a long while since she sent it in. Which reminds me we never put time limits on the bet we made. How long do we have to wait before we decide youve lost?”

  “Be patient, Sid. Ill win the bet soon enough. Its been only a week or so since she sent the ad in. It will be at least a month before its actually printed and circulated.”

  “I cant help but be impatient when I know I have a sure thing. How about a side bet? Two months from now she still wont have had a single reply. Ill cook you one of my famous Sidney Chu specials with roast lamb as the centerpiece if I lose. Hows does all that scrumptious food sound?

  “What happens if I lose?”

  “When you lose, it will be your super lasagna with the water cress and avocado salad, including all the trimmings.”

  “Youre getting pretty cocky, arent you? Well, Ill give you even better odds, because I feel sorry for you. I say shell get a reply before the publications been out a week.”

  Sid gave a loud hoot. “You might as well break out the recipe book.”

  They were shaking hands to seal the bet just as Laura came in with a puzzled expression on her face.

  “Anything wrong?” Kay asked.

  Laura shook her head. “I dont think so, except I just got kind of a strange call. It was from one of the editors of the magazine. He said he had my ad in front of him and was planning on coming out to Hawaii. He wanted to know if he could stop by and see me.”

  Kays face was impassive. “Lets not forget to drop by Uchimas on the way home, Sid. Were out of mint jelly.”

  Chapter 3

  “ Good Lord!” Sid exclaimed, having come out of his office as Leilani was sorting the mornings mail. The stack for Laura was toppling from its own weight, some of the letters having already slid off onto the floor.

  Kay popped her head out of her office, saying, “Quit worrying, Sid, you lost your bet long ago.”

  Sid grinned as he picked up the fallen mail. “I
didnt at all mind paying off, not at all. What Im wondering is how Lauras going to find time to answer all these letters.”

  “You should see her email inbox. Even though she didnt include it in her personal, some of these guys ran it down on the Internet. Shes typed up a one-page description of herself. Its a kind of super-size personal. She photocopies and sends it out to everyone shes interested in, along with a handwritten note and a photo–if shes really interested. Everyone else gets a thanks-but-no-thanks letter or email.”

  Leilani was shaking her head while making it clear the content of the computer screen was considerably more interesting and important than the topic being discussed around her. The head shaking stirred up the scent from the sprig of pikake in her hair, filling the room with the flowers perfume.

  *** When Laura returned from her morning court case, she invited Sid and Kay to lunch and to a letter-reading session.

  “I cant believe it,” Sid said over his coffee as he looked at all the letters and envelopes Laura had scattered out on the table. “Youve even got some foreign ones. How many have you received so far?”

  “Not counting this mornings mail or email, which I havent had a chance to do any more than glance through, sixty-four.”

  Sid was shaking his head over the contents of a letter consisting of almost a dozen pages of small handwriting. “Heres a guy whos telling you his whole life history. Do you get many like that? Where do you find the time to read them?”

  “Thats one extreme, but it isnt the farthest out in that direction. One guy sent me a copy of the book on boating hes working on, over a hundred single-spaced typed pages. So far, thats the record for length. Ive stopped reading novels, and I read letters instead. Most of them are kind of fascinating, even the short ones. At the other end of the spectrum, one character sent me a postcard saying, “„If youre interested, look up such and such a page in one of last years National Geographic Magazines.”

  “Did you?”

  Laura nodded. “It was an article about a remote area in the Pacific Northwest. It even had a photo of him. Hes some kind of a hermit living there. He sounds interesting, but hes not my style.”

  “Youve got a letter from Sweden too,” Sid continued, as he sorted through the envelopes, “and one from Australia.”

  “There was even one letter in a foreign language from someone in Texas. I remembered only enough of my high school Spanish to recognize it for what it was. I wasnt sure what to write back, since all I could think of is „mañana, and I doubt it's really what I want to say.”

  “The issues been on the stands for only a week or so,” Kay said, the astonishment showing in her voice as she surveyed the letters covering the table. “The postage is going to impoverish you.”

  “Youd be surprised at how many of the letters include a stamped, and self-addressed envelope.Thats what they call an SASE in this business. Some even put in a bill, but I send the money back.”

  Kay leafed through the letters. “This makes me wonder what kind of a response I would have gotten if Id put in an ad back in my single days.”

  “Have you received anything worth while?” Sid asked, ignoring Kays comment. His tone of voice clearly indicated his skepticism. “Or are they all losers.”

  Laura laughed. “Theres every variety. Some sound pretty awful. I got some obscene letters, and they went right into the round file. A lot of the men whove written so far sound great, at least on paper. The physician who came over to see me from Kauai didnt strike me as being a loser, even if he wasnt what I had in mind. Of course, Im still not really sure what I do have in mind.”

  Sid was shaking his head. “There must be an awful lot of love-hungry men out there. Or maybe its just the Hawaii address attracting them. They probably figure you go around in a grass skirt all day.”

  “Come off it, Sid,” Kay commented wryly. “You just wont admit personals are a good way to meet people. The right person may be in the next mail.” Turning to Laura, she asked,“Has anything special shown up yet?”

  Laura nodded and reached into her brief case. “This was about the fourth or fifth letter I received. Id like to have your opinion, both of you.”

  Kay and Sid shared the carefully typed note.

  “Dear ?

  “Last week it occurred to me my computer is not enough. Im thirty-one, a mathematics/software specialist, part-owner of a hardware/software firm with a promising future. My wife got tired of being a computer widow, but we parted amicably. We have a six-yearold daughter who cant possibly be as lovely, bright and personable as I think she is.

  “I would like to meet you, though all I can really offer is a reasonably intelligent, introspective man who thinks a failed marriage may have taught him the value of human relationships.”

  The letter was signed, “Kenneth Cole,” and the return address was San Jose.

  Sid shrugged, and Kay looked bemused.

  “He does sound intriguing,” Kay said. “It will be interesting to hear what his reply to your letter will be.”

  “I sent him my form letter.” Laura handed another letter across the table, and a photo fell out of it as she did so. “His reply came this morning.” With a smile, she added, “I riffled through todays letters and found it.”

  The letter consisted of eight closely typed pages. Kay picked up the photo. A mild looking male with blond hair and amused blue eyes stared back out at her. Hes not handsome, she thought, but not bad looking either.

  Sid was skimming through the pages. “He sounds like he could even move over here. He says all he needs is his computer and a decent connection to the Internet. He also says hed like to come over and meet you.”

  “I think hes serious about wanting to meet me. He called me this morning. His call came through right after Id finished reading his last letter. He says he wants to see me, needs a vacation, has been planning to visit his daughter in Honolulu, is in the middle of a work break at the moment, and could be here by tomorrow.”

  Kay and Sid broke into simultaneous laughter at the list of reasons for the visit. “If nothing else, he sounds eager,” Sid said, continuing to chuckle at the way Laura had described the offer to visit.

  “What did you tell him?” Kay asked.

  “I said, „fine.”

  Neither Sid nor Kay commented.

  Laura turned wistful. “I hope hes as nice in person as he sounds over the phone.”

  *** The architect, who had designed the terminal and grounds of Napua Airport, had been unabashedly trying to give the incoming tourists the impression they were landing among thatch covered huts in the midst of a tropical paradise. To a large extent his effort had succeeded. The structures were low and unobtrusive. Wood was the dominant structural material and had been given a dark stain, which kept the buildings a pleasing backdrop for the lush vegetation and striking flowers surrounding them and strategically placed in the numerous inner-courts. The wide-open construction almost invariably evoked comments from the first time tourists arriving from less balmy parts of the world.

  Laura was standing under one of the many rainbow-shower trees lining the runway side of the buildings. The plane had just taxied over to Gate C and the stairs were being pushed up against its side. Getting everything in place and the door opened seemed to be taking much longer than usual. Laura was nervous.

  Whats there to be nervous about? she asked herself. Ive already met three men through this ad. Whats so different about Ken? She shook her head while answering her own question. Theres nothing different, I guess. Its just I want him to be different.

  There seemed to be an endless number of people coming out of the 727. Laura remembered as a child going to a traveling circus where a Volkswagen pulled into the arena, and clown after clown bounced out of the car, followed at the last by a miniature donkey on a leash.

  The memory and comparison made her smile, and as more passengers streamed out of the aircraft she wondered if Ken would recognize her from her photo. Will I recognize him? They did recognize ea
ch other, simultaneously. He stopped at the platform outside the airplane door. Both of them waved. „Five-footeight, he said, she thought as she watched him come down the stairs. He seems taller, but five-eight should go fine with five-one. I can always wear heels on formal occasions.

  He smiled and shook her hand. Impulsively she stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. He smells good, she thought, and its all natural, Ill bet.

  “One suitcase?” she asked.

  He nodded. “I always travel light.”

  He sounds even better than he did over the phone.

  “Can we go somewhere where we can sit and talk?” he asked.

  “We sure can. The coffee shop is reasonably quiet. There are some booths at the far end, well away from the muzak.”

  When they had settled down, Laura with her coffee, and Ken with his tea, he asked– with a smile she liked–”You first or me first?”

  “Ill break the ice,” Laura said, responding to the smile and hoping he liked hers as well as she liked his. “Besides, after what youve told me about the hours you spend in front of a computer, Im probably the talky one. But maybe there isnt so much to say, after all. I havent had an exactly exciting life, and it seems to me I put what there was of it all down in the letter I sent you.”

  She thought for a minute, trying to remember what she might have left out.“I passed the bar exam just a little over a year ago. This is my first job, and I really like it. Theyre great people to work with. I felt pretty nervous when I first started-in here, but they couldnt have been nicer, even when I almost lost my first case.”

  “You won your first case?” he asked, his eyes smiling. “No wonder theyre so nice to you.”

  “Thats just it,” Laura frowned at her remembrance. “I didnt win. It was a hung jury. What made it especially bad was I was absolutely convinced Id won the case. I was terribly disappointed. So it was my first lesson in „real time. Sid, hes one of the partners, Sidney Chu, says he learned after his first case to always expect the worst. He lostit. He says hed been so sure he had it cinched he'd already bought a bottle of champagne in preparation for the celebration”