1 Law 4 All - Vegas. Billy Angel
his brain?"
"His brain is fine, but he seems mentally distracted."
"Didn't you say he has a twin sister? Maybe there's some ESP stuff happening."
Kaia pondered the ESP thing. Then she responded, "He talks to Janelle, that's her name, about once a week. But Janelle's not answering her phone."
"The first thing I would think is Janelle's in love."
"Yea, me too, but I think you're right about the ESP twin stuff. Something is really bothering him."
Kitiona thought for a minute. "Has Mark tried to call any of Janelle's friends?"
Kaia blinked a few times. "Janelle's girlfriend in Las Vegas, Wendy, received a text message seven days ago. That's the last contact with Janelle that Mark can find."
"What did the text say?"
"The text said, 'got a senator tonight'."
Chapter 2 A Worried Call
"Streeter and Franklin," the secretary answered.
Startled by the formal voice, Kitiona hesitated and didn't immediately respond.
"Hello! This is the law firm of Streeter and Franklin. Can I help you?"
"Yes," came the cautious voice over the phone. "May I speak to Mac … Streeter, please?"
"Who should I say is calling and what is the nature of your business?"
"Tell him it's Kitiona."
"Oh, dear, you should have said so in the first place. I'll put you right through. And please don't tell him I gave you a hard time. I'm new and just following instructions. But you're on his, put-through-immediately list."
"Well, that's good to know. Don't worry, I won't say a thing. By the way, what's your name?"
"I'm Martha. I'll buzz him."
Mac had hired Martha McCall to be their secretary, receptionist and all-around girl Friday two days earlier. She carried her slender physique with poise and grace. A brunette in her mid thirties, she aimed to please in today's slow moving job market.
Mac was reading an article from the Drudge Report when Martha buzzed. He picked up the phone and pressed line one's, flashing button. "Mac Streeter."
"Mac, knock it off!"
Mac quickly recognized her voice. "Kitiona. Awesome baby, you tried my new number!"
"Yes, I did. And I like Martha. She has a pleasant voice."
Mac returned, "I have a feeling she's going to be running this office pretty soon. How are you? Any union stuff I can help you with today?"
"I'm fine, the union is fine, but Kaia isn't. Do you have time for a short story?"
"For you I'll clear my morning."
She chuckled. "Your morning schedule is probable open anyways. What is this your first or second day at the new office?"
"Second and we're getting some pretty interesting calls."
She mused why. "Is Franklin really gay?"
"Hey, we're in San Francisco and Jed is connected to the community. What can I say?"
"You can say that you're not taking showers with him!"
Mac laughed. "Ok, how did you know?"
Now it was Kitiona's turn to laugh. "Got me. Just remember there's lots of tourists boys over here checking out my tattoo."
"And what a lovely tattoo it is. When am I going to see all of it?"
They both remembered Kitiona showing Mac the top half of her diamond shaped tattoo when she changed her shirt one afternoon in Ben's house. The local flavored tattoo was filled of tribal symbols on most of her back. The top point started between her shoulder blades and the bottom point went into her butt crack. He only saw the tattoo above her waist.
"When the time is right, my blossoming rose!" she said.
Mac blushed as Martha knocked on the door. "Hang on, ok?"
"Yes, Martha, what is it?"
"It's Ben Green on line two. He's on the list, too, and I don't know what to tell him."
"Tell Ben I'm talking with Kitiona and I'll call him back ASAP."
"Ok," Martha said cheerfully closing the door.
"Are you still there?" Mac asked Kitiona.
"Yea, nothing but time and fun here in American Samoa."
"Sorry about that, Ben wants me for something. Since you made him the business manager of our 1 Law 4 All Foundation, I should get back to him soon."
"No problem," Kitiona said wistfully. "But, I do have something kind of urgent from Kaia. You remember me talking about Kaia?"
"Don't say it, your hunting buddy, right?"
There was a standing joke about Kitiona's hunting buddy, Kaia. The story of her hunting down a wild pig in the forests of American Samoa and its relationship to the case they were working on was exaggerated by the guys on the team. They still have a good chuckle referring to Kaia as Kitiona's hunting buddy!
"That's the one," she said smiling to herself. "Anyways, Kaia is dating a guy named Mark. And he has a twin sister…"
Mac cut her off. "Can this wait until this weekend when we Skype?"
"No, mister big shot, shut up and listen."
Mac heard the temper and envisioned her shooting out Bob's kitchen window last year. He decided to hear her out. "My bad, you were saying."
"As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me, Mark has a twin sister named Janelle. He thinks she's in some sort of trouble."
"Why does he think that and what does that have to do with the Foundation?"
"Because they talk regularly and he hasn't been able to contact her."
"Is there anything else?" Mac wondered out loud.
"Yes, her friend received a text message from her saying, "got a senator tonight."
The wheels in Mac's mind started turning. If Janelle is involved with a senator, this may be a situation the Foundation might like to investigate. After a long pause he said, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Kitiona was quick with, "Yes!"
"Where does Janelle live?"
"Las Vegas, Nevada."
"You know Jimmy is getting established in Vegas. He's good at relating to all those mob-type characters."
"I remember you telling me about his mob connections in Seattle."
"I'll give Jimmy a call and ask him to snoop around. Email me details about Janelle, like where she works and lives. Stuff like that."
"Good, you're my best friend again. Call me when you have something or see you on Skype this weekend."
Chapter 3 What's Up
Mac hung up the phone. His infatuation with Kitiona had grown into a friendly, somewhat deep relationship. He realized that she was no wilting rose.
Kitiona returned home to American Samoa after the Foundation members solved the mystery of who killed her family last year. She took over her father's position as head of the union at the Motorhead factory. Kitiona guided the union leaders into a peaceful relationship with management. She massaged the continuing negotiations while keeping the factory profitable. Mac respected her casual life-style and knew of her hair-trigger temper. He wanted to foster one and stay away from the other.
His Kitiona moment passed. "Martha, get Ben Green on the phone, please."
"Mr. Green on line two," Martha summoned thirty seconds