"Tiki Moon" drabbles by Christopher

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 111

Tiki Moon #111

"Oh my God!" I yelled as I put my head in my hands and began sobbing.

"Now, Mr. Randall, I'm not saying that's what happened. But we've searched the ship thoroughly. And if you're sure she was on this vessel when it left port in Manila then we're going to have to assume that Ms. Newstead was lost at sea."

"How could something like this happen? This was a vacation!" I yelled.

"I know, Mr. Randall. I'm terribly sorry. We'll have to report this to the authorities when we reach port in Los Angeles. They'll want a statement from you."

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 110

Tiki Moon #110

The captain nodded, "Do you know of any reason why she would've left her cabin that late. Did she have any other acquaintances on board?"

I shook my head. "No, she didn't socialize with anyone else that I know of. But she did leave her cabin every night to go up on deck and walk around a bit. She said it helped her sleep."

He nodded again as he bit his lower lip.

"You don't think she could've....fallen over, do you?"

"It does happen sometimes. If you're leaning on the rail and the ship gets buffeted by a strong wave."

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 109

Tiki Moon #109

"Yes, sir," I said. "Have you found her?"

He ignored the question. "Are you absolutely sure that she boarded the ship before we left port in Manila?"

"Yes, sir. I spent the rest of the day with her on the ship."

"And when was the last time you saw her?"

"Last night at about 11:30 pm. We made plans to have breakfast at 9 am this morning. I said good night and then I went back to my cabin. She didn't show up for breakfast this morning so I went to her cabin. Her bed hadn't even been slept in."

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 108

Tiki Moon #108

I felt a little guilty putting the crew through such a futile effort, but a woman's life was at stake and I had to make Mort Alexander believe that I had killed his wife. The search went on all day as they checked every nook and cranny from stem to stern. I paced around like a nervous man to make it look good.

Finally that evening there was a knock on my cabin door. It was the captain.

"Are you Jacob Randall?" he asked when I opened the door.

"Yes," I said shakily.

"I understand you reported Deborah Newstead missing."

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 107

Tiki Moon #107

I pulled a face like I didn't appreciate that remark and wanted to punch him.

"Okay, sir. Calm down."

"You get me the captain or someone that actually knows what they're doing," I said in a disgusted tone. Being in the private investigator racket had turned me into a pretty good actor. And liar.

"The longer you wait the worse this situation is. Now do something, dammit!"

"Alright, sir. We'll search the ship for her."

He turned and walked off shaking his head. I couldn't wait to see the smug look on that punk's face when they didn't find Deborah.

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 106

Tiki Moon #106

About 36 hours after we left the port in Manila, I grabbed one of the crew in the early morning hours and frantically said, " Ms. Newstead is missing!"

The crewman looked at me condescendingly and said, "Sir, sir, it's a big ship, sir. It's not uncommon for people to lose track of one another."

I shook my head, "You don't understand. We talked in her cabin last night and made plans to have breakfast this morning. When she didn't show up I went to her cabin. Her bed hasn't even been slept in."

"Maybe she slept somewhere else, sir."

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 105

Tiki Moon #105

"Very good, sir," the little tin Hitler said. He seemed to be a little nicer when he might have been worried about a potential lawsuit over a faulty gangplank.

He went back to his post and I waited until he was busy with passengers boarding before I got up and fake-limped back to my cabin. Well, almost fake. I really did hurt myself falling down that damned gangplank.

I needed to wait until we were a day or so into our journey home before I reported Deborah missing. I was somewhat anxious to see what their reaction would be...

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 104

Tiki Moon #104

Deborah walked back up the gangplank as they helped me get onto the ship. They took me over to a deck chair and eased me down. The little tin Hitler turned around and said, "Where's your lady friend?"

I knew she had already run down the gangplank and was safely away.

"She was right behind us," I said. "I'm sure she ran to get the ship's doctor. She fusses over me so."

"That's a good idea," he said. "You should see the doc."

"I will. Thank you, gentlemen. When my friend gets back she can help me to my cabin."

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 103

Tiki Moon #103

I miscalculated and fell a little too hard, rolling backward and damned near breaking my neck. At least that made it look authentic but it hurt like hell.

"Help me, please!" Deborah yelled out. The little tin Hitler and another crewman who was standing beside him came running down the gangplank and helped me up.

"Can you help me get him to his cabin?" she asked.

The little tin Hitler said, "I'll help him get inside but I can't leave my post long enough to take him back to his cabin. We'll find someone, though."

"Thank you kindly," she said...

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 102

Tiki Moon #102

Deborah chartered a plane back to the U.S. under an alias and we said our goodbyes in a little cafe at the docks by the boat. I knew it was going to take a little subterfuge to make them think she'd gotten back on the boat. The dude with the clipboard that checked the passengers as they boarded the ship was a little tin Hitler.

I acquainted Deborah with the plan and we started up the gangplank. When we were almost to the top I grunted and grabbed my left knee, staggered a bit and toppled backward down the gangplank...

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 101

Tiki Moon #101

The rest of the trip was pleasantly calm. We made the stop in Honolulu, Hawaii, and then to Yokohama, Japan. We had a ball there doing the whole tourist bit. It was the first time I'd been in a foreign country where I wasn't carrying a rifle and shooting people. It was hard to believe that just a few short years before this country was the enemy of my country.

The next stop was Kowloon, Hong Kong. The good times continued and by the time we got to Manila in the Philippines I was bloody exhausted.

I needed another vacation...

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 100

Tiki Moon #100

After a few more rolls in the proverbial hay we dressed and made our way to the dining room. It reminded me of the school cafeteria when I was in high school. There was a sea of people all stuffing their faces with whatever they could grab from the tables.

I got a chill when I realized this was probably what it looked like on the Titanic the night they collided with an iceberg.

But we were in the Pacific Ocean heading for the Hawaiian Islands so I didn't anticipate any large chunks of ice in our path.

Lucky us...

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 99

Tiki Moon #99

"Sure," I said as I slid my pants on. "I think it's about time for dinner."

She leaned back on her elbows. I didn't want to look at her breasts but I couldn't help myself. She smiled and I knew I was caving.

"I said I was sorry, Jake. I don't think less of you because of what you do or how little money you have. It's admirable that you're willing to risk your life to help people that are in need. We don't have to go to dinner just yet. Do we?"

I quickly slid my pants back off...

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 98

Tiki Moon #98

"Then what are you doing in the sack with me, Deborah? I'm just a run-of-the-mill private dick that lives in a cheap apartment in Glendale. I have $150.00 to my name, minus the 5 G's your husband paid me to kill you. I'm a card-carrying member of the so-called unwashed masses."

I got up and started putting my clothes on.

"Don't be like that, Jake. I didn't mean to offend. I did say you were going to make me face things about myself I didn't want to face. I'm trying to be honest with you."

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 97

Tiki Moon #97

"Oww!" I yelled, rubbing my chest that now had one less hair on it. "What'd ya do that for?"

"Because I can see that you're going to make me face things about myself that I never wanted to face. I told you I made my own way in life and didn't mooch off my family. It was a hard go of it but I did it. And I'm proud of what I've achieved. But maybe that's made me prideful and full of myself. Because, Jake Randolph, I do have a tendency to think I'm better than the average unwashed masses."

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 96

Tiki Moon #96

I guessed she had me there. "But that's in the line of duty. I don't look at the waiter that's serving me and think somehow I'm better than him because he's bringing my food to me. That's what real judgment is. Thinking you're somehow superior to someone else because of your standing in life. If I look at a guy in an alley with a bulge under his left arm and determine it's a gun and that he's probably not a law abiding citizen, that's something entirely different. That's called staying alive."

She pulled a hair out of my chest...

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 95

Tiki Moon #95

"Morty didn't live the life I did," I said. "You can't judge his masculinity against mine. That isn't fair. There are probably guys out there that are so butch they make me look like Morty. It's all relative."

"You're even philosophical," she said as she grabbed my cigarette and took a drag.

"Not really. I'm just practical. And I don't like judging anyone. I mean, in my business I do have to make quick assessments of people to determine how I think they're going to behave."

She raised an eyebrow, "And how is that not the same? That's judging people."

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 94

Tiki Moon #94

Deborah sighed as she drew random patterns on my chest with her index finger.

“Jake, how old are you?” she asked as she put her palm down flat and started running it over the hair on my chest.

"Twenty-seven," I said as I fumbled at the nightstand for a packet of smokes.

She chuckled, "You're a year younger than my husband and you're 10 times the man he is. And not just in bed, either. It's the whole way you carry yourself."

I lit the cigarette, took a puff and exhaled. The smoke blew northward like a storm cloud...

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 93

Tiki Moon #93

What I'd gotten myself into was one of the most intense experiences I've ever had with a woman. She was assertive, almost bossy. And I submitted myself completely to her authority. She was the driver and I was the passenger. And I sat back like a wide-eyed tourist and marveled at the scenery.

Later, as she lay in my arms, she looked like a little girl who'd just gotten everything she'd ever wanted. This woman, who was eighteen years my senior, seemed like a high school cheerleader who'd just had her first taste of love at the drive-in...

Jake Randolph in "Tiki Moon" Pt. 92

Tiki Moon #92

The sun was now a distant memory as the ship's crew members began turning the deck lights on. It felt like we were in a spotlight. We knew dinner wouldn't be for a while so we quickly made our way back to her cabin to have our own kind of feast.

We were kissing frantically as we burst through the door of her cabin. She tore her lips away from mine long enough to turn and close and lock the door. Then she guided me to the bed, pushing me violently onto it.

I wondered what I'd gotten myself into...