Carol Clark - Burned

Ned ducked into a stationery store and bought a box, sexy gift wrap depicting hula girls in action, adhesive tape, and a small pair of scissors. He went out and walked until he found an alley on a side street, which he ducked into and began to wrap his gift.

“How sweet,” mumbled an old guy who walked by.

“You have no idea,” Ned muttered as he secured the final pieces of tape. He put the box in a shopping bag and picked up his knapsack. He had inadvertently placed it in a damp patch of oil on the ground. The side of it was sticky and black. Ned threw it back on the ground, stood, and headed back to the Waikiki Waters.

As he walked down the crowded street, he regretted that he wouldn’t have a chance to really look at the leis until Artie left. He didn’t dare take them out in the room. He couldn’t wait to examine the delicate shells. I’m sure I can find a buyer who will spend a lot on them, he thought.

The reception area of the Waikiki Waters was abuzz: Guests and hotel personnel were discussing the latest Waikiki news bulletin.

“Ned, did you hear what happened?” one of the bellmen asked him. Glenn was a young guy who had been on the job for a couple of years. He had a slightly Stepfordish look. Behind his back employees called him the “Will wannabe.” He was a favorite of Will’s and was clearly being groomed to move up the hotel ladder.

“No,” Ned answered, holding tightly to his shopping bag.

“The royal leis for the Princess ball were stolen from the Seashell Museum. It’s all over the news. Now there’s nothing to auction off at the ball.”

“You’re kidding!” Ned exclaimed. “Poor Will. I know he’s counting on the ball’s being a big success.”

“He’s not a happy camper,” Glenn admitted and shrugged as he glanced down at Ned’s bag. “Wild wrapping paper.”

“Huh?” Ned looked down. “Oh, yes.”

“What have you got in there?” Glenn asked, still smiling.

“A friend of mine asked me to pick up a gag gift for her for a party she’s going to. I told her I’d leave it at the bell desk. She should be by later today to pick it up. Can you take it for me?”

Glenn stared at Ned with his affable, yet slightly vacant look. “Sure. What’s her name?”

“Donna Legatte.”

“I just love gag gifts. What did you get for her?”

This guy is always so nosy and in the middle of everything, Ned thought with irritation. “Just some crazy toys,” he answered offhandedly. “You know, juvenile stuff. It’s her friend’s bachelorette party, and she didn’t have time to shop.” Ned felt as if he was beginning to babble.

Glenn slapped him on the shoulder and grinned knowingly. “I’ll be sure to take good care of your precious package. It sounds like something you don’t want to lose! Oh, here’s a customer.” He took the bag out of Ned’s hands, hurried over to a taxi that had just pulled in, and opened its back door to usher out two arriving guests who were wearing big floral leis.

“Welcome to the Waikiki Waters!” Glenn said cheerily. “We’re so glad to have you stay with us!”

Ned turned on his heel and started to walk past the reception desk. Did I do the right thing? he wondered. Maybe I should have risked bringing the leis to the room. One of the girls at the desk called out to him. “Ned! Will wants to talk to you.”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” He went behind the desk and through the door to Will’s office.

Janet was at her post. She looked up and pointed with her thumb. “He’s back there.”

Ned walked through Will’s door. Will waved to Ned to sit down, gestured to a chair, and hung up the phone.

“Ned, we’ve got trouble.”

“I heard the leis were stolen.”

“Even worse. My parents will be here tomorrow.”

Ned laughed, relieved that they weren’t going to be discussing the goodies in the bag that was now mixed in with all the suitcases going in and out of the Waikiki Waters hotel.

Will laughed, too. “I can’t believe I’m even making a joke right now.” It felt good for him to let go of at least some of the tension. All hell was breaking loose now that the leis were missing. But Will liked Ned. He seemed like a guy’s guy. “My parents are arriving tomorrow morning. I know they’ll be tired, but I know they won’t stay in their room and rest. I need to keep them busy, or my mother will drive everyone crazy while we’re trying to set up for the ball. Could you take them out on the beach for a couple of hours? Maybe take them for a sail tomorrow afternoon?”

“Sure, Will. No problem.”

“How’s everything with the Mixed Bag Tour group?”

“Okay. I took a couple of them surfing today. You probably want to know that Gert and Ev said they were going hotel shopping to see if they could find better deals.”

Will waved both his hands in disgust. “Those two have been harping at me for the last year for bigger discounts. I’ve had it with them. I even have you sharing a room so they save money.”

Ned rolled his eyes. “I know.”

“You’re a good sport, Ned. I won’t do that to you again. At this point I say let them go someplace else. When they first came here, they spent money and enjoyed themselves. Now those two women are stingy with their group. I think they’re leaving Monday-not a day too soon.”

“The guy I’m sharing a room with is a very strange agent.”

“That bad, huh?”

“And the couple in the group who are writing a chapter of a book on exciting relationships-they are not to be believed. And so dull! The young girl in the group had a few things to say at breakfast today about what’s going on around the hotel.”

“What?” Will asked quickly.

“She heard this place isn’t safe and there’s a rumor Dorinda Dawes may have been murdered.”

“Those kinds of rumors can hurt us very badly. We have had a few problems around the hotel, but we’re doing our best to make sure they don’t happen again. As for Dorinda, the police believe that she drowned. So…” Will stood.

Ned jumped up. “You seem okay about the stolen leis.”

“Very much to the contrary, Ned. If I got my hands on whoever took them, I think I’d strangle him.”

Ned nodded. “I don’t blame you. But who knows? They might turn up before tomorrow night. I’m looking forward to meeting your parents. Mr. and Mrs. Brown?”

“At this stage they like to be called by their first names. It makes them feel young.”

“What are their names?”

“Bingsley and Almetta. Unforgettable, huh?”

Ned gulped. “You b-bet,” he stammered. “Have they been to Hawaii before?”

“Many times since I’ve lived here. They fell in love with the place thirty years ago when they took their first trip to Oahu. They had such a great time, they’ve been coming back ever since.”

“How wonderful. I’ll do my best to keep them entertained.”

“You’ve got your work cut out for you,” Will joked. “My mother is a handful.”

L ocal and national newspeople had all gathered at the Seashell Museum to interview Jimmy. He was in the museum lobby, holding an ice pack to his forehead, surrounded by cameras and microphones.

“Jimmy going to kill whoever stole my leis. Kill them!”

“What were you doing sitting outside like that with the leis?” a reporter asked.

“I was thanking God for bringing the queen’s lei back to Jimmy. Then this happens! Now they’re both gone.”

“Do you have any idea who could have crept up behind you and then viciously shoved you to the ground?”

“No. If Jimmy knew, he’d be out looking for him right now. But the miserable thief was strong. It takes a lot to knock Jimmy over.”