For who knew what bright reason, most airlines scheduled flights to arrive during roughly the same time periods. There were four popular arrival groupings occurring at approximately 8:00 a.m., noon, 5:00 p.m., and 9:00 p.m.
Chan assumed there had to be a logical reason for the airlines not to stagger arrivals. Everyone and his grandmother complained about the “crowds” at Honolulu International Airport, although the place was only crowded at those four concentrated periods of time each day.
The four men of Hawai’i Four-9 arrived at 11:00 to assume their positions. Before choosing their final waiting spots, they scoped out their areas of responsibility.
Of course, Pan Am flight #2 would be coming in at gate 10, the farthest gate from the main terminal and the baggage claim area. After checking out the bathroom and the gift shops, Chan and Kalahiki took seats at opposite ends of the waiting area.
Gradually the space filled up with family and friends anticipating the arrival of their loved ones. Everyone brought leis, and Chan always enjoyed seeing the musicians and hula dancers line up by the exit from the plane. But not so much today.
As the crowd grew, Chan and Kalahiki both stood up and began to pass casually among the group. Both stood at opposite ends of the long plate-glass windows when the arrival of Flight #2 was announced, and as the plane taxied to a halt, Chan could feel his heart rate climb.
He watched as the metal stairway was rolled to the plane’s forward door. A bead of perspiration rolled down the back of his neck as the passengers began to deplane.
Chan assumed that Kalahiki recognized Sean Daniel at the same moment he did. The MI6 agent was close to the last passenger to step off, and Chan watched him walk all the way to the gate door.
With the music, the dancing, the giving of leis, and the joyful conversation, the whole waiting area was, in Chan’s opinion, a disaster waiting to happen. If someone were going to try to take out Daniel, now would be a good time. Anything could be covered up by this mob scene of noise and activity.
Chan moved as quickly as possible to take up a position slightly back and to the left of Daniel. He could see, as they broke away from the milling crowd, that Kalahiki was maybe twenty feet ahead of Daniel and to the right.
Every few seconds, Kalahiki would do a quick but casual glance back to make sure he was matching Daniel’s pace. He was the point man, and Chan was there to keep an eye on Daniel’s six. He did not need to appear to be casual. He was looking everywhere all at once, manic in his desire to spot even the tiniest peculiarity behind them.
And then it happened. Chan, trained to do so, had been expecting it every moment. He knew Kalahiki had, too. He saw it as if it were happening in slow motion.
Kalahiki swung around a pillar to the right and disappeared. This was not in the plan. Chan sped up to come side by side with Daniel. He saw instantly that Daniel had a gun drawn under his coat and was pointing at him.
More to save himself from being shot than anything else, Chan blurted out, “Mr. Daniel, I’m with the police. Something’s wrong. Please come with me.”
Daniel glanced at Chan, and the detective could feel that he was being judged in a split second. He prayed that the agent had superhuman diagnostic ability.
“Go,” was all that Daniel said.
Chan still could not see what was going on with Kalahiki, but a moment later, Kalahiki and another man tumbled out into the hallway. People screamed. A shot was fired.
Chan nudged Daniel toward an access door. The sign read Airport Personel Only. Pushing through, Chan pulled Daniel by the elbow, and together the two flew down the stairs.
Out on the ramp, Chan made sure Daniel was right on him as he sprinted toward the Ewa end of the terminal. The men said nothing, Daniel trusting this stranger he’d deemed trustworthy.
“Almost there,” yelled Chan, turning the corner by the international arrivals gates as if he were heading for the wire at the Kentucky Derby.
Chan stopped, panting, and pointed Daniel toward a car waiting in a tow zone.
“It’s safe,” said Chan, pulling his revolver and scanning the area as Daniel jumped into the back seat. Holstering his weapon, Chan slid in beside him.
“Go,” said Chan, and the car sped off.
The two men were winded. Gradually, they recovered themselves. Finally, Chan said, “Agent Daniel, I’m Lieutenant David Chan with the Honolulu Police Department. And this,” he said, gesturing to the driver, “is our newest county coroner, Kathy Sakaguchi.
“Welcome to paradise,” said Kathy.
“Aloha to you both,” said Michael.
“Thank you for not shooting me,” said Chan.
“Ay, there’s that,” said Michael. “And I’m glad to be meeting the coroner while I’m not laid out on a slab.”
“So where to?” asked Kathy.
“Pacific Heights,” said Chan. “My home should be a safe place for the time being.”
Lanning Lee 