CHAPTER THIRTY

LANI GALE’S PLAN

Lani Gale looks to be very smug as she politely sips a cappuccino while sitting across the desk from her editor, James Mori. Mori is sitting back in his leather chair while enjoying his own cappuccino. He insists they only use Hawaiian grown coffee and currently a small grower on Kauai has caught his attention and is supplying all the coffee consumed at the newspaper, including espresso roast. Today he is splurging and making use of his new espresso maker, though Jimmy did have some difficulty getting it to work.

“Chief, I must admit that reward idea of yours was a no-questions-asked stroke of genius! I have at least a thousand tips already. They’re arriving by phone, fax, and internet and there’s a line of people down in the lobby waiting to offer information. And it’s only eight in the morning! Hell, I have tips from as far away as South Africa and Chile! It looks to me as if everyone in the world has seen this Yokoyama fellow at one time or another.”

“Alright then. I’m going to add six more temps to work on tip follow-up. You organize them and make sure we are the first to find Yokoyama. I have a hunch he’s still alive.” Mori picks up the newspaper and points to a computer enhanced photo of what Yokoyama might look like today.

“Get this printed on posters and have them prominently displayed at every newsstand in the islands. Someone must know who he was and where he went. By God, Lani, we’re going to find this man, or at the very least, we’re going to find his tombstone.”

Gale smiles, finishes her coffee and picks up her purse.

“Chief, we have the whole world helping us so it’s only a matter of time now. Somewhere along the way he either told someone his story, or someone who helped him will step forward. And let’s face it, one hundred thousand dollars speaks volumes!”

Gale rises from her chair and says, “On that note, I’m outta here!”

Mori smiles as he watches her leave. “It’s a great day to be in the newspaper business.” He thinks to himself.