CHAPTER 31

On the evening of the governor’s fundraiser, I grudgingly dressed in an Armani tuxedo and rented a stretch limo to pick up Audra at her house in Ewa. When she opened the door, my mouth nearly dropped, but I kept things in check by smiling and saying nothing more than the obligatory “You look beautiful.”

But beautiful didn’t do Audra Karras justice. With her maiden name back in place she looked every bit as stunning as she did during our senior year of high school. Dressed in a backless black dress, she lit up the night the way few women could. Even our driver, unsmiling until then, cracked a joke about getting her home by midnight, before his black stretch limo turned into a bright orange pumpkin.

When we arrived at the Grand Polynesian resort in Waikiki, I took Audra’s hand and led her through the main lobby toward the Grand Ballroom, all the while smiling for the cameras. Since Justice Ingraham had stayed Turi Ahina’s federal case pending the state trial, there was no longer any reason Audra and I couldn’t be seen together.

We were standing at the open bar, retrieving our first drinks, when Scott Damiano tapped me on the shoulder. Jake, still suffering from a terrible case of sobriety that began more than a year ago, had declined the governor’s invitation. So I invited Scott, who cleaned up significantly better than Flan.

“Tremendous, Scott,” I said, eyeing him in his tuxedo. “You look terrific.”

“Kevin, I’d like you to meet my date, Chloe.”

Chloe held out her hand, and I took it. She was thin at the waist, with gigantic fake breasts, wearing a tight black dress that more than just accentuated them.

“Haven’t we met before?” I said.

“Maybe. I’m a dancer.”

“Oh,” Audra said, stepping in. “Where at?”

Chloe didn’t hesitate. “Striptopia on Kapiolani Boulevard right here in Honolulu.”

“Oh,” Audra said again.

“Well,” I said to Chloe, “if I haven’t seen you dance yet, I’ll be sure to drop by to see you soon.”She smiled as I turned back to Scott. “Well done.”

“Hey, Kev, you told me this crowd was classy. I wasn’t gonna just head into Waikiki and grab the first two-bit hooker I found.”

When I turned back, I was surprised to see Audra and Chloe had gone off on their own, chatting like old school pals. “Well, I guess that means it’s you and me, Scott. Let’s grab some cocktails and I’ll introduce you to the governor.”

“Looks like I’m running with a much different crowd than I did back in Brooklyn,” Scott said as we stepped up to the bar. “Seems I’m heading up in the world.”

I glanced around the ballroom, at the tanned Botox faces, the men wearing too much hairspray, the women too much makeup and jewelry. To me it looked more like a costume party than a $500-a-plate fundraiser.

“Don’t be so sure of that,” I said.

Full tumblers in hand, Scott and I merged through the crowd until I spotted the governor. Omphrey stood with another man, much taller with the unmistakable look of money. On the governor’s other side stood his wife, Pamela, Hawaii’s first lady. She was dressed to the hilt, complete with her best fake authentic smile.

“Kevin,” the governor said cheerfully. It was the first time he’d ever called me by my first name. “So glad that you could make it. Of course, you know my wife, Pamela. And this gentleman is Mr. Tommy Duran. He’s a major land developer here in the islands.”

I reluctantly shook Duran’s hand. He was handsome with dimples on either side of a rich, round face and one on his chin. His tux fit him like a glove, while diamond cufflinks peeked out from under his jacket sleeves. He had dark brown hair and matching eyes. I pegged him for about fifty, but he could well have been older; money often disguised age as much as a rubber mask.

“Nice to meet you, Kevin,” Duran said during the too-long, too-firm handshake.

I introduced them all to Scott Damiano, who gave them each a “How ya doin’?” before offering his left hand.

Before another word could be said, we were surrounded by three more beautiful women—Audra, Chloe, and Tommy Duran’s wife, Holly.

When Audra heard the developer’s name, she glowed. “I’m purchasing a unit at Water Landings in Kakaako.”

I watched for Pamela Omphrey’s reaction, but there was none.

“Really?” Duran said. “Well, congratulations. Let’s all hope we’ll meet no more opposition from the Land Use Commission.”

The governor turned toward his wife as he tried to avoid Duran’s gaze. All of a sudden all of us were quiet.

Finally, between sips of champagne, Duran asked Audra what she did for a living.

“I’m a federal prosecutor,” she said.

“Really? And just what are you doing nuzzling up to a criminal defense attorney? Is he that good in bed?”

Duran laughed alone, coaxing awkward smiles from each of us. Audra’s cheeks, meanwhile, burned red.

“We’re just friends,” I said.

“If you’ll all excuse me,” Omphrey said politely, “I have to run around and scare up some votes.”

Duran, too, excused himself and his wife. Scott escorted Chloe and Audra to the bar, promising to bring me back another highball. Which left me alone with Pamela Omphrey.

“Quite a man, your husband,” I said to fill space.

“Sometimes,” she said, bowing her head. “But then, as a criminal defense attorney I’d imagine you’ve seen the worst of the worst.”

I knocked back a bit of my Ketel and club. “Certainly no worse than a politician’s wife must have seen.”

“How is it that all lawyers loathe politicians and vice versa when all of you attended law school?”

“Don’t get me wrong,” I said. “I loathe lawyers, too.”

Pamela grinned. “So, is my husband still going to be a politician come November?”

“You know I can’t speak to you about the investigation, Mrs. Omphrey.”

“Who said anything about the investigation?” she said without looking at me. “I already know all I need to know about Ms. Sutin. I know she was a harlot. I know that she was a drug addict. I know that my husband was fucking her. And I know that Wade was in Washington when she was murdered. I know he didn’t kill her.”

I didn’t say anything.

“No, my question wasn’t a legal question, Mr. Corvelli, it was a political one. Do you think my husband will win in November? With all this shit that’s going on?”

“The governor has my vote,” I lied.

“Mine, too.” She sighed, then took a sip of her martini. “Just when I’m sure my husband was born without a spine, he finally stands up to someone like Thomas Duran.”

“On Kakaako?”

She finally looked me square in the eyes. “Kakaako is really just the tip of the iceberg. What Duran really wants to get his hands on is the North Shore. But not on my watch. I swore, if Wade ever caved on the Waimea Valley project, I’d divorce him.”

“I read about the public hearing.”

“You realize, it’s not just about keeping the country country,” Pamela said. “It’s the environmental impact of ocean pollution from septic systems and construction sediment runoff.” She smiled mirthlessly. “But of course, all that doesn’t fit on a bumper sticker.”

“No. Nor does it fit neatly into a four-second sound bite.”

She nodded. “I suppose that’s something politicians and lawyers can agree on: the dreadfulness of the modern media.”

“Nothing brings people together like a common enemy.”

“Nothing else brings people together, period. Not these days. Even tragedy possesses a brutally brief shelf life. And what’s more tragic than what we are doing to this planet, Mr. Corvelli?”

Even in the dim light of the banquet hall, I could see a wall of moisture forming in front of Pamela’s eyes.

“If it’s any consolation,” I said, “many people here in the islands, myself included, appreciate you standing up for the environment. This country could use more first ladies like you.”

“It’s a rare pleasure to hear that. Thank you.”

Hours later, after a dinner that included seafood cakes and a whole-tomato salad, grilled mahimahi, Kona lobster, and steak, with pineapple shaved ice for dessert, Audra and I said our good-nights to Scott and Chloe and the Omphreys and the Durans, then exited through the lobby to our waiting limousine.

“To the young lady’s house in Ewa first, sir?” the driver called back to me from the front seat.

Audra looked at me. “I’m up for a nightcap if you are.”

I hesitated. I was tired, due for another few Percocet, and my life was complicated enough. But finally, before I could change my mind again, I loosened my tie, opened the top button of my tuxedo shirt, and said, “To Ko Olina please.” I glanced at my watch. “And we’d better hurry because it’s almost midnight.”