Tomo Oteas and Jack Draper were talking business in a back booth in the Pikake Lounge. Tomo, part Hawaiian and part Tahitian, was young, handsome and sexy, a broad-shouldered surfer in his early thirties. He wore a very beautiful, a very unique aloha shirt: the white bird of paradise against a flaming sunset. Jack Draper was a young white male in a black t-shirt and camouflage pants. He was short and slim, had slickbacked hair and a thin mustache. Last year part of his nose was shot off in a cocaine bust that went south. He was a son-of-a-bitch, a rotten bastard with a bad attitude.
"Tomo, when can I take delivery?"
Tomo considered before he spoke. "At least two weeks for the rest of the harvest, and another two weeks for it to dry. " He concluded, "At the end of the month, Jack."
"And how much are you asking for?"
Rafferty went for more drinks. While he waited at the bar, he turned to check out the restaurant’s clientele. He noticed in one of the back booths Tomo's very unique aloha shirt. He liked the design, thought about how he would enjoy wearing it in Washington. Then Rafferty saw Jeremiah Quint looking across the cocktail lounge. Rafferty saw Tomo Oreas and Jeremiah Quint making eye contact. He saw how both men flinched from that contact.
Jeremiah became galvanized. He told Audrey, "That man over there on the left. He's a cop."
Audrey stared at back booth. "Which one? Your left or their left?"
Jeremiah Quint stood. "Let's go, Audrey." When she failed to move, he became more excited. "C'mon, we gotta go!"
"But, honey --"
Jeremiah Quint pulled her arm. "We got to get going now!"
"Why?"
"As Isaiah wrote, ‘They are greedy dogs which can never have enough.’"
Audrey gave up and grabbed her belongings.
Jeremiah and Audrey left without saying good-byes to Rafferty.
Rafferty turned to watch the back booth. He stared at Tomo's very unique aloha shirt.
Draper stared at the Quints. "Who is he?"
"Jeremiah Quint," Tomo said. "A Bible-thumper. A big grower. Bigger than me. He grows real good shit." Tomo was unnerved. "It's bad luck seeing another grower when you're selling."
Draper was interested in Jeremiah Quint. "How much is he growing?"
"Maybe three hundred plants," Tomo said.
Draper was startled. "That many?"
"He probably sold already. Growers don't come to town until after they've sold."
Rafferty was embraced and kissed passionately by a young and very attractive Chinese woman. Rafferty was stunned. "Ginny?"
Ginny Hong squealed with delight. "Yes, yes, yes!"
They embraced, one-time lovers meeting after years apart.
Rafferty said, "What are you doing here?"
Ginny said, "I live here now."
"God, you look great!"
"Oh, Terry, I've missed you."
Draper and Tomo watched Rafferty and Ginny.
Draper eyed Ginny. "Small tits but a nice ass."
Tomo said, "The redheaded haole I don't know. That chick is Ginny Hong, and she's sleeping with Deputy Sheriff Eddie Ka’aina."
Ginny and Rafferty hovered together over Hawaiian drinks.
Rafferty said, "She was a combat instructor for the CIA. As you can guess, we got married for all the wrong reasons. All we did was fight. And yourself?"
Ginny was also rueful. "My divorce was ugly and nasty and messy. But I am getting married again. This December."
Rafferty was delighted. "Congratulations. We have to celebrate."
Ginny gathered her things. "I know a cheaper place to celebrate."
Draper and Tomo watched Rafferty and Ginny leave.
Tomo confided, "Jeremiah Quint's never been busted. I think I know why. He's been buying protection."
Draper was very interested hearing that news.
Rafferty and Ginny approached Ginny's vehicle in the Pikake Lounge parking lot. Ginny drove a bright white ambulance with "Ilima Chapel" stenciled on the doors.
Ginny unlocked the doors. "I'm still following in my father's footsteps."
Rafferty said, "How is he, anyway?"
Ginny hesitated. "He died six years ago. Mom, too."
They climbed into the ambulance.
Ginny said, "Mom and Dad were flying back from Kauai. He had a heart attack and the plane fell into the sea. No survivors."
"Ginny, I'm so very sorry for you."
Ginny started the car. "I gave them a lovely funeral."
As the ambulance left the parking lot, Ginny said, "What are you doing these days?"
Rafferty said, "Have you seen those newspaper stories that start out ‘Senate Investigators alleged that—?’ That's my beat. Washington, D.C."