Chapter 2

The inside was little updated from twenty years ago. Same dark furniture, although the wallpaper and paint looked fresh. Nick took me to the study where Jonathan Quayle Higgins III sat behind the big desk; his half glasses perched on his nose, writing in a leather bound journal. He had lost some hair and there were tinges of gray in his hair and moustache, but he looked about the same as long ago, down to the khaki bush jacket.

Higgins put down his pen and stood up speaking in his usual snooty tone. "Ah, Magnum. You are finally here. You've certainly took your time getting here."

Same old Higgins, who immediately put me on the defensive. "Oh come on, Higgins! I got here on the earliest flights I could book. You can't imagine how full airlines are today."

"Oh, I wouldn't know. I see you've met Nick. He's been helping me here at Robin's Nest. We're preparing for Robin's arrival tomorrow. I trust you can stay awhile."

His superior tone got under my skin. "That depends, doesn't it? What's going on? Why does Robin need me?" I felt a headache starting for real.

Higgins said, "Magnum, I don't know. All I can tell you is that Robin directed me to have you come here. I called and you came." He smiled and came around the desk. "And here you are." He stuck out his hand and we shook.

"Thanks, I guess. Where can I…?" My legs felt weak right then. Jetlag was hitting me hard.

"Ah, yes. You can use the Guesthouse… if you must." He went back towards his journal and glanced up at me. "Is there anything else?"

"No." I followed Nick down the hall. So much for a happy homecoming.

Nick grinned at me. "Need a map to the Guesthouse?"

"I think I can find it." I picked up my duffle from the hall and left the house past the painters who were packing up. I marched across the lawn. The ocean to my right was a pale blue and the sky was that solid cloudless shade that you can only see in the Islands. Past the tennis court through the cocoanut palms, and it was there; my old home.

It was ten years ago when I had last been here. Lily and I were living in San Diego then with the NIA keeping me busy with West Coast Operations. The door on the lanai opened to my push and my old address appeared. The furniture looked new, but I was only interested in one thing and that was bed. I had caught the red-eye out of Norfolk, which put me into LAX very late. A few short hours later I was on the plane to Honolulu. The flights had worn me out.

I have a friend who claims the best way to deal with massive jetlag is to drink, a lot. Another says to stay up as late as possible after arriving when going west, and the opposite when heading east. There were likely many magic schemes. But I went right to bed and in no time I was asleep.

The next day I woke up around six. I felt fine. There's something about fifteen hours of sleep that will cure many ills. The tropic sun was still below the horizon when I went out. I'd found orange juice in the fridge and after drinking a large glass went to the beach. The soft sand was perfect for a morning run and I easily put two miles onto my feet. I circled back to the seawall, stripped off my shirt and shoes and started to swim. The ancient turtle pen and offshore reefs blocked the surf and I was at ease in the warm water. Stroke, kick, stroke, kick, and breathe. I fell into an easy rhythm and let my mind drift, but I still didn't know why Robin had summoned me. Maybe he only wanted to talk. I made a few laps of the enclosure with sure easy strokes. Then I heard someone yelling.

Someone on the beach was calling me. "Magnum! Magnum! Blast it, Thomas!" It was a voice I knew too well.

I waved to the little major on the shore and glided into the shallows. "Higgins?" I choked on seawater. "Argh, aahrr… can't you let me finish my laps?"

Higgins slapped his riding crop against his leg. "Thomas, I need your help. Robin Masters is missing!"

The khaki clad figure stood over me. "Robin's plane landed this morning. Mr. Masters and his long-time bodyguard Rene left the airport in a limo. Robin had the driver stop outside a Waikiki hotel undergoing renovation. He left the limo, directing Rene to wait, as he would be gone only a few minutes." He paused to catch his breath then continued. "Rene followed after a few minutes and found Robin nowhere to be found. He was just reaching for his cell phone to call the estate when someone struck him over the head rendering him unconscious. He's in the emergency room from where he just called."

"We'll have to do something about it," I said.

Higgins grabbed my arm as I stood up from the water. His expression said it all. "Thomas, I'm sorry your homecoming had to start like this. Come!" and he strode off to the main house.

For an old man Higgins could move fast. By the time I pulled on my shirt and picked up my shoes he was gone. I raced after him, catching him at the door just as Nick came out holding a cordless phone.

The kid looked flushed. "Mr. Higgins, it's for you."

Higgins took the phone. "This is Jonathan Higgins speaking. Who is this?" He listened for a few seconds then said, "Just what do you think you are doing? Is Mr. Masters alright?" He lowered the phone. "They hung up." He sized up Nick and me for a moment with a grim expression. "That was a rather rude young man who told that he is holding Mr. Masters for ransom."

I was amazed. "Robin, kidnapped?"

"Apparently." He turned to Nick. "Nick, how did they get the estate's private number?"

"I guess they got it from Mr. Masters. He did not sound very nice. When he asked for you, I asked him who it was. He said that if I didn't get you on the phone right away, I'd have a dead author on my hands." The kid was shaking.

Higgins patted him on the shoulder. "That's alright son. We'll find him." He turned to me. "We will won't we?"

I nodded. "Did he say anything else?"

"Just that he would call back tomorrow. And not to call the police." Higgins swayed a bit. "Thomas, I…"

"We'll find him Higgins!" Something told me finding Robin would not be easy. I also sensed something else was brewing; something I was not being told.

Higgins dug a toe into the drive and began pushing gravel around.

"Higgins?" I said with a little sarcasm. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Jonathan Quayle Higgins III pulled himself and inch or two higher before he faced me. "No." he bristled. "I only know what's been said. Robin is missing and that's that. Don't you think you'd better change out of those silly swim trunks so we can get to the hospital and check on poor Rene?"

In no time the three of us where flying down the road into Honolulu. Nick was driving Robin's latest sedan, a BMW. We hit Hawaii 99 and soon were on the H2 headed downtown. The kid handled the car like a dream. It was a silent ride.

Rene couldn't give us any help. His lined faced peered up at us blearily from the white sheets. The bandage on his head wasn't that big, but there were two IVs stuck in him and there was a heart monitor hooked up. "Magnum?" he croaked through cracked lips. "What ... uh." Then his eyes closed. The nurse kicked us out.

A doctor in the hall turned as the door closed and pointed to a young guy drinking a cup of coffee. His suit looked expensive. "You guys came to see him?" He stuck out his hand. "I'm from Kalani Limo. Name's Tsubaki Johnson. I brought the guy in."

We introduced ourselves. Higgins said "Thank you for bringing Rene into the hospital. What happened?"

"Well, I got the call for the pickup at the private air terminal. Arrived just as the plane pulled in. Nice Gulfstream. I think it was a G650. Hadn't seen one of those up close before. Sweet plane. Anyway, I picked up the passenger and his bodyguard. Not much luggage. The passenger, big guy with a deep voice gave me an address downtown. It's an old hotel on Kalakaua Avenue. I was surprised, as it's not a great place. Flying in on a plane like, I figure the guy must be loaded. Anyway the hotel has a major refurb going on. Big mess. Anyway, I pulled into the place. The fare told me to wait for a few and climbed out. The bodyguard, Rene, started to get out too, but the other guy told him to stay. 'Only be five minutes,' he said. Then he walked into the parking garage." He shook his head. "Weird, but not as weird as some I've driven."

"That's it? Nick blurted out. "Then what?"

One of the rules I had written in How to be a World-Class Private Investigator was to let every witness tell their story. Nick was breaking my rule. I gave him a loaded look and he shut it. "Go ahead, Tsubaki. What happened next?"

"So we waited. After about ten minutes, the fare hadn't come back. That's when the other guy went into the building. I got out too and stood by the car. Rene went into the garage, and after a minute I heard a shout. I dashed in and found Rene on the ground; his head was bleeding. I loaded him into the limo and came here. Thought I'd better stick around." He shook his head. "No sign of the passenger."

I asked "Anything else?"

"Oh, yeah, there was a white van that burned rubber out of there just as I ran in. Didn't catch the license plate."

The dark-haired lady doctor butted in. "You're friends of Rene?"

"Yes. I and these gentlemen, like Rene, are employed by the same company - Masters Enterprises."

Now I was an employee? Higgins could play with the truth a bit. I turned on my charm. "Can you tell us how Rene is?"

She looked me up and down and smiled. "Let's go to the desk and we'll deal with the legalities."

I met Higgins and Nick outside a few minutes later. The limo driver was leaving with a big smile. Nick was putting away his wallet.

"I hoped you tipped him, Higgins."

"Yes I certainly did. What about Rene?"

"He won't be going anywhere for a while. Severe concussion from head trauma. The doctor said it looked like someone nailed him from behind. And for a man of his age, it's not great. They may discharge him in a couple days. I asked the doctor not to file a report to the police for a few days. Just as a favor. She agreed." I smiled at them.

Nick and Higgins traded looks that were priceless. I kept grinning at them. I was old, but still had some charm. Finally I spoke up. "I think we should check out the hotel."

Higgins said, "Nick and I had better get back to Robin's Nest and wait for the next phone call. You do what you have to do." Sounded like a dismissal. "You do know what to do?"

Same old Higgins. "Yeah, I do." So I did.