Chapter 6

Becky said as we lay naked together kissing and luxuriating in our bodies' contact, "I wish the day never ends." A couple minutes later, her steady breathing denied her wish. I joined her in oblivion. It ended up a good choice.

Not quite half past four in the morning, the ringing phone jarred us awake. "We're reshooting this morning," said Chloe. "Have you seen Rebecca by any chance?"

"Uhm..."

"No! She's not there is she?"

Pressing the speakerphone button, I gestured to Becky. "Hi Chloe," she said.

"Jesus ... uh ... Barry!" exclaimed Chloe.

"Are you alone?" I asked.

"For the moment," Chloe answered.

"Becky and RJ know who I am."

"You're getting slow Joe. What happened?"

"RJ's got some sort of bullshit detector. And he worked with Mr. Jones."

"I need Becky at the warehouse for costume and makeup now. We're shooting the corpse scene. Joe's corpse."

"So I guess I'm not needed for costume."

"We gotta make you look dead darling, so get here pronto. And Joe..."

"Yes Chloe."

"You're a fucking man whore, but I love your choice in women. And Rebecca?"

"Please call me Becky."

"Sorry. I hope you know what you're doing. I love the sleazebag, but..."

"You're not the first to warn me of this dangerous man. Let's just say I'm embracing the danger."

"Not now you're not! Get your cute ass here, please." Chloe hung up.

By embracing danger, she meant my cock. She embraced it with her mouth. I moved to get into a sixty-nine. "Too sore Joe. Let me practice one more time. Don't take too long."

"Oh fuck. I won't." I didn't. She learned from the best and improved on her teacher. She swallowed most and licked my shaft of some that got out. I kissed her with all my thanks.

"Shower?" I asked.

"No time lover."

Along the way I thought about calling Nakamoto. The scene brought his character and Becky's together for the first time.

"You should," said Becky.

The thought of waking Nakamoto gave me an internal chuckle. "How do I explain his presence?"

"Let Pat take the blame."

I let her drive my Buick, ("A good boring car for undercover work," figured the brilliant Becky. "And it's got a lot of motor when you need it," I explained.) while feeding her Pat's lines from the script. Even half assed recitation she made cool choices. The scene proved fun, with a playful flirtatious undercurrent within the seriousness of a crime scene.

A couple blocks from the warehouse, Becky stopped. "Better go in separately. I love you Joe."

"I love you Becky." We exchanged a few kisses before Becky pulled herself away. "I'm going to keep calling you Joe. I'll pretend it's to keep me in character."

"Sounds good Laura," I said. We chuckled.

"Oh and later I want to work the scenes with you. We'll have time during setups."

"Great," I said. She leaned in for one more kiss. I scrambled over to the driver's seat and passed the warehouse. I knew of a payphone a couple blocks away.

"Goddamnit Joe. This better be good," grumbled Nakamoto.

"We're reshooting a scene featuring you and Becky meeting for the first time," I explained.

Suddenly awake, he asked where.

"You remember where they found Rhonda Coleman's corpse?"

"Of course."

"Pretend you know the guy playing you."

"Pat Bishop. What's this all about?"

"There's been some major sabotage on the shoot. I've been hired to find out what's going on. Have you heard about..."

"Marnie Johnson! What's going on?"

"I'm not sure yet. Gabe's in Hilo checking out the murder. There's a man missing..."

"Roger West. Sergeant's assigning..."

"Do you think you could..."

"I'll see what I can do. If not, who do you hate the least?"

"Balleia," I said.

"He's ... I'll see what I can do."

"What happened?"

"Infidelity."

"Which one?"

"We're talking about Balleia."

"She didn't fuck a cop did she?"

"Yep."

"Bitch. And I bet he didn't slug the asshole."

"He's been getting drunk and coming in late. I had to put him on desk duty. I planned on promoting him."

"Perfect. Promote him. He's too honest for vice anyway. It's a homicide so..."

"I'll train him myself," said Nakamoto. I heard the smile.

"I'm going to get Balleia and the asshole together."

"Samson, his last partner before becoming detective."

"I'll look him up," I said.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"If you guys see me on set which you will you don't know me. I'll try to befriend you but it might get awkward."

"You'd have to be charming, Joe. Maybe we should forget it."

"Fuck you."

"See what I mean?"

We laughed. "Laters brah," I said.

"Laters."

Being naked and dead, a combination of morphine overdose and drowning, took longer than I anticipated in make up. They had to cover my entire body to look pasty and desanguinated like a vampire's victim. Being the last to arrive fouled Sid's mood further.

"Shall we run lines?" suggested Becky.

"We spent a day on this already," grumbled Sid.

"Couldn't hurt," said Pat with a shrug.

"I'll go find Tony," said Chloe.

"Just start after his exchange," said Sid.

"This is a California license," Pat began.

"I hoped you wouldn't notice," said Becky with a subtle sexiness.

"Where did that come from," interrupted Sid.

"I..." Becky started.

"I like it. Go on."

Pat laughed. "It's hard to miss the largest print. Holden. You're not related to Moe?"

"Would you hold it against me?"

"Good," said Sid. The actors scowled. "Sorry."

"What is he to you?" asked Pat.

"He's my father."

"I can see the resemblance."

"I've been told I take after my mother."

"Lucky for you, but I'm talking character here."

"Thank you. So you know him."

"First case I had as a homicide detective. He got underfoot like a stubborn dog. What's he been up to?"

"Not much unfortunately. Too much of this I guess."

"I suppose."

"I agree," said Becky.

"What do you mean?"

"He's not the type for retreat. I'm hoping to revive his interest ... in living. I hope to apprentice."

"Why not stay in California. You've got the license."

"I'm at Brenner Securities in San Francisco. I figured on field work but discovered the company keeps females chained to a desk. With father's connections and abilities..."

"Pardon me saying it Laura, you're dad's a son of a bitch, but he shamed more than one detective."

"You?"

"No. I learned to listen to his views."

"And I bet he listened to yours," said Becky.

"Um, anyway, so what exactly were you doing driving around past Makapu'u in the middle of the night?"

"I told ... never mind. Joe was supposed to call me after his date."

"With?"

"An old schoolmate of mine, Brandy Kobeyashi. I came back home for our tenth year reunion."

"You set up a date for your friend with the sleaze bag Joe Soul?"

"Detective Tanaka!"

"Sorry, but what terrible thing did she do to you to deserve that?"

"It's not what she did to me. It's a long story."

"I'm all ears," said Pat.

"And cute ears at that."

"Ah-hem."

"Okay. I saw her at the reunion. We hadn't been all that close, but something in her eyes, a sadness, made me steer my way to her..."

"Interesting," said Sid with a smile. It changed when he yelled at the make up artist working on me. The girl had a soft sensual pale beauty so of course I distracted her with flirtations. When her work neared my genitals covered in a Speedo I rose to the occasion. She turned red when I pointed out what she'd done to me. Becky noticed.

"Jesus Joe you are a sleazebag," she said startling Chloe and Pat. "What? Can't a girl stay in character?"

The scene at the beach began the film. The first hour presented the story in flashback and the second hour proceeded from Joe Soul's body drop crime scene.

When we reached the beach, an interesting mix of truth and fiction occurred. Nakamoto and John Balleia waited for us. I had managed to let Pat know he called Nakamoto for insight into the character and to give the Captain an opportunity to witness his fictionalized persona being performed.

The train of cars and mini vans arrived. The tech truck and the trailer arrived a while earlier to set up the scene. Somebody doubled my dead body. Cops in costume uniforms milled about or sat on the beach. The real police wore detective uniforms of slacks, linen jackets and aloha shirts.

As soon as Pat emerged from his car, Nakamoto approached him and shook his hand. "I remember you from that Roshomon episode of Magnum PI," said Nakamoto.

John stayed a few steps back. I gave him a subtle nod. He returned it. He looked worn like a tattered shirt though his clothes looked immaculate as usual. Even Nakamoto after years of wearing the same uniform showed clothes wrinkled or stained or overly washed. John obviously did his own laundry.

"At least the end of my run ended in a bang," shrugged Pat.

"I'd love to answer any questions," said Nakamoto, "but unfortunately I'm here on business. Let me introduce you to Detective John Balleia."

My turn came up to meet the real police. While shaking John's hand I steered him away from people. "I heard," I whispered.

"Yeah," John said sadly.

"You need a pity fuck. Let me arrange it."